August 2009
A Few Loose Ends
THE WINDS OF DUNE is now on its second week on the New York Times Bestseller List, and the newly released paperback of PAUL OF DUNE also debuts on the NYT mass-market bestseller list. WINDS is also on the Publisher’s Weekly bestseller list, and we just received word that it is #8 on the Australian SF/F list.
For those of you who couldn’t attend one of our book signings and still want to get an autographed copy, you may want to try contacting the stores on our tour; Brian and I sign additional stock before we leave, and the stores may be willing to do mail order for you.
Home Again
I came home from Toronto Wednesday afternoon, very glad to set foot in Colorado again (and glad for thin cool air after the weeks of the humid heat wave that had followed much of our tour). Rebecca met me at the air port—a very welcome sight!—and we picked up Cheesecake Factory salads on the way home for dinner. The cats pretended not to remember me for a few minutes, and then they remembered they were attention starved (especially Linus, our half-feral cat who won’t let anyone else pet him).
Toronto: WINDS OF DUNE Tour’s End
We fought early morning traffic in Ottawa to get to the train station in time for our trip to Toronto. This time, fortunately, the air-conditioning worked in the train, and Brian and I each had room to spread out and work on our laptops. I edited four HELLHOLE chapters during the ride, so that I had nearly caught up with my typist, who had e-mailed me more files the night before.
Over the Border
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I’m writing this on the train from Toronto to Ottawa for this evening’s event, where Brian and I are guest lecturers at the Ottawa Writer’s Conference. Sitting next to me, Brian is busily editing his HELLHOLE chapters; I received two more transcribed chapters from my typist by e-mail this morning and just finished cleaning them up. With our non-stop schedule, we have to catch a few minutes of productivity wherever we can.
Quantico and Bethesda
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The Fairmont Hotel in downtown Washington DC had an excellent fitness center and gym, much more than just a couple of treadmills and ellipticals. I had never even seen some of the types of weight machines before. I was able to get in a couple of good workouts, particularly for my legs (keeping in shape to catch up on my hiking … if the weather is still good by the time I get home to Colorado).
A Winning Streak for THE WINDS OF DUNE
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Yesterday afternoon, just before heading out to our Washington, DC signing, we received the news that THE WINDS OF DUNE will debut at #15 on the New York Times bestseller list after only one week on sale. This is our tenth DUNE novel in a row to hit the NYT list (and my 48th national or international bestseller).
Long Island, NY signing
We left our New Haven hotel early in the morning, caught a train into Manhattan, and checked into the next hotel. Another couple of HELLHOLE chapters edited on the way, a good slice of NY pizza for a late lunch, then a quick workout in the small hotel gym. (And a quick burst of doing “travelers’ laundry” with detergent in the sink, rinse in the bathtub, and hanging clothes on the towel racks).