Going to a signing...

I haven't been to a lot of book signings lately because I've been so busy and because there are few bookstores close to us anymore. But Denise Hamilton was kind enough to contact me a few months ago and ask me to review her (then) upcoming book Damage Control and write a guest blog post as well, and we'd never even met!

So I made a point of going to Book 'Em Mysteries in South Pasadena for her signing today. (A side benefit was that I was able to see my friend Jean Utley, who manages Book 'Em, and with whom I worked on the Left Coast Crime 2010 committee.) Denise recognized me as soon as I walked in and came over to give me a hug.

She talked about Damage Control and how it came to be,

and took some questions before signing.

It was one of the coolest signings I've ever attended. No one was pushing to be at the front of the line, and Denise made a point of chatting with each person (after first checking to make sure the next one in line wasn't in a rush).

Naomi Hirahara was also in the audience, and I was lucky enough to get a photo of both of them.




Oh, and I bought two books. Denise's The Last Embrace and Naomi's Snakeskin Shamisen.