Last month I had a book release event at the Lakewood Public Library near Cleveland. I told the people gathered that, as an author, it's rewarding to find my novels on the shelf of such a fine library. I then added the corollary, there's nothing more depressing than going to a fine library where my books are still sitting on the shelf. Shouldn't they be checked out with a waiting list?!

Last night I was the guest of the mystery book club at the Ida Rupp Public Library in Port Clinton, Ohio. This group of twelve strangers had been living with McGowan's Return for the past few weeks and came with questions, opinions, and hopes for the future of my characters. The event had some of the feeling of a reunion with old friends. The only "past" we shared, however, was a story, and the hour was characterized by the rapid of speech people trying to catch up on the news. There were some differences in our perspectives. They wanted to know the mind of the author, and I took my energy from their investment in the imaginary people who were no longer strangers to any of us.

How different are the events where the writer is along to supply the sales hype, and those where the strangers in the room have already visited the pages! Rob Smith