Unexpected Fun

I had a blast last night meeting folks at the Aunt Agatha book signings. I bought new works by :
Loren Estleman
Sarah Zettel
Julia Spencer-Fleming
Alyse Carlson ( pen name of Hart Johnson)
Dan Johnson
Sharon Fiffer
Rick Blechta
Vicki Delany
Rhys Bowen

They were all great. It was a book signing cattle call so there they were stacked behind little tables in an overstocked bookstore (I like that by the way). It was a little difficult to put author with book because I didn't know any of them previously except Loren Estleman. He's nice but a little intimidating for a novice hack.

I had looked up to see if Rhys was a man or a woman. I'd searched what books they had out and the characters. I had a little trouble putting all the facts in order personally because of the atmosphere and the number of authors all together.

I had a couple of questions I wanted to ask but I chickened out in the end. I have only read one of Loren's books in the past and none of the other author's works. I'm halfway through Dan Johnson's  _Detroit Breakdown_ after plowing through _Sense of an Ending_.  I didn't feel like crowbaring questions without knowing their works better.

It would have seemed like a panel discussion to say something. I did get to talk a bit with Rick Blechta who I really liked in person.

All the authors were fun and gracious. None of them seem to spend much time in seedy bars like Old Town and so...off I went. I need a little more grit on my authors. Maybe a little more scotch in them. I couldn't see any of them offing the local yappy dog let alone burning a neighbor in a woodpile.

 Hopefully, I didn't seem too much like the sort that WOULD off a yappy dog.

I have a short story : The Detroit Safari Company.  You can figure the rest out, Rainsford.  [ credit Richard Connell ]