Summer: it's about time!
The months since my spring newsletter have been wildly busy with the launch of INDEX TO MURDER, the eleventh Miss Zukas mystery. I’ve traveled from Minnesota to Florida to Oregon to Toronto and home again to Washington state. The most grueling part: flying. The best part: meeting readers, especially meeting face-to-face those I’ve only chatted with by email, like Toni Christy. I’m still glowing from the generosity, good humor, and ohmygosh, the brilliance of y’all. Despite gloomy predictions about the state of the book, what I noted was people reading. All ages and all sorts. Yes, some independent bookstores (I know, one of my favorite soapboxes) are struggling, but the dedication to customers and books I witnessed, is truly assuring the success of the bookstores I visited. Beginning with this newsletter, I’m delighted to highlight a different independent bookstore each period and tell you what sets it apart. This time it’s Sunriver Books & Music, next time, Seattle Mystery Bookshop.
I intend to stay home for the next month and begin working on a new project – stay tuned! It’s been a cold and wet spring, meaning I’ll also be replacing stunted and rotted plants in my garden, even this late in the season, maybe even in July. Seven-foot high netting surrounds the garden and orchard this summer, another small and potentially doomed attempt at keeping those pesky deer at bay.
Please, keep those emails and letters coming. They’re the highlights of the day!
Happy Summer, jo

A juicy blog!
Check out Seattle Public Library’s blog, Shelf Talk, for all things bookish in the great Northwest city of Seattle. Reviews, discussions and book news from one of the most “readingest” cities in the US. - four of five citizens possess library cards. Smart bloggers, smart commentators (most of the time!). Click on the link above or enter, http://shelftalk.spl.org

The Barcode Certification Test
I thought this was a joke, but no, a reader assured me, if it’s a joke, it’s definitely not funny. The Barcode Certification Test is a grueling test which library employees in certain libraries must pass in order to maintain their interlibrary loan borrowing status. Now, that’s all I’m going to say about it. But, I think Miss Zukas might like to weigh in on the subject. Hmmmmm

Interested in Bad Weather?
Check out this Extreme Weather site, a historic perspective (along with some current bad weather) of the Worst of the Worst weather in the US and worldwide. It’s a NOAA site so go ahead and revel in its accuracy.

Good Reads
Helma, who exposed her love of canoing in Miss Zukas and the Stroke of Death is reading the classic, Dangerous River, by R.M. Patterson, about the great mysterious and truly dangerous Nahanni River of northern Canada. Ruth, who in a fit of civic weakness, lasted one hour and 48 minutes volunteering at a daycare center reading aloud Deborah Diesen’s charming, The Pout Pout Fish, is still quoting aloud at inappropriate moments, “Blub, bluuuuub, bluuuuuuuuub.”

Sunriver Books & Music
Sunriver, Oregon along the Deschutes River is a destination resort, sure, but Sunriver Books and Music is a destination bookstore. Owned by Deon and Rich Stonehouse - and don’t forget, their dog, Flashman, this bright and lively store is a must-visit for anyone in the area. Deon, who’d be brilliant teaching workshops on multi-tasking, describes herself as an “obsessive reader.” She can pitch a book like nobody I’ve ever seen. Just mention your tastes in books, and she’ll have you enthralled and filling your arms with good reads. I walked out with an armload and could have happily listened to her book descriptions for hours. The book store maintains a lively website, sponsors several reading groups and hosts a multitude of national authors. Be sure to check out their exquisite pen collection. Don’t miss it. The details: Sunriver Books & Music
Sunriver Village Building 25 C
Sunriver, OR 97707
Phone 541-593-2525
sunriverbooks.com