Black and white.  And gold.

My husband and I drove from eastern Washington to Seattle.  There, we were greeted by two daughters:  Melanie Weston and Melinda Morrison.  Such a delight to have them join us for our reading at the University Bookstore.  Melanie traveled by train from Salem, and Melinda generously provided a place to stay.  At the same time, we could spend time with our granddaughter Ilaria.  The University Bookstore, a grand store, sold Gerry and me books when we both attended the University of Washington.  While I was going to law school at the UW, I bought used books there, trying to get the books the smart upperclass students had turned in.  They had the best notes and markings:  Parties, Issues, Resolution.

So many people attended the U Bookstore, that staff had to move  book displays and line up more rows of chairs!  I followed my usual program:  Welcome, 1920s setting information (noting that crowds of thousands attended KKK meetings in downtown Seattle in 1923, but fortunately times HAVE changed in Seattle), stories about how I was inspired to write MOONSHADOWS.  Gerry reminded me he was to demonstrate the kind of black and white camera Nellie Burns, my main character, would have used, which he did, with aplomb.  The Chinese robe, an important element of the story, accompanied us and hung just behind me.  My father brought this robe home to Idaho in the 1930s, after he visited Shanghai, China.

Next stop was Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park.  Seattle is so lucky to have such terrific independent bookstores, and this is another one of them!  More friends and mystery lovers came to our presentation on a Tuesday night.  As with the other bookstores, staff were welcoming and helpful in getting our photos of moons (taken by Nellie aka Gerry Morrison) on easels and getting books out for signing.  Alas, I forgot the Chinese robe for this presentation.  Many old friends and colleagues, as well as people wanting to hear about MOONSHADOWS filled the chairs.

Our last stop was Seattle Mystery Bookshop.  What a wonderful little shop it is!  Located on Cherry Street off First Avenue downtown, it is deceptively hidden.  Nevertheless, many people found their way there at noon on a Saturday for a signing.  Several former Kellogg schoolmates arrived, at different times, alas, so they didn’t see each other.  Three women who were relatives of Nellie Stockbridge, a photographer in Wallace and Kellogg mines in the early 1900s also stopped by.  They recognized some elements of my character Nellie were similar to their relative, intentional on my part.  Nellie’s last name Burns is a family name of mine.  Three generations of the Burns family owned and operated the Burns Photo Studio in Boise, until recently.

At each event, I also handed out a list of recommended books for Idaho History, Mysteries and Thrillers, and Books I have read and loved.  If anyone reading this blog would like the list, please email me at juliewweston@gmail.com, and I will email a copy to you.  (Several of the books are listed in the Readings section of this website.)

This was our last event, and we headed back toward Hailey that same afternoon. What struck both Gerry and me were the community of friends and mystery lovers who came out to support us.  At each stop along the way, we could feel how people wanted us to succeed–in the event, with the presentations, with MOONSHADOWS. This meant so much to us!

Although the tour has been lots of fun, we never have as much time to talk to people who take the time and effort to attend as we would like. I appreciate everyone who does come and understand when it is not possible.

At every event, I read a poem by Billy Collins, the first few lines of which are:

                                 Forgetfulness

The name of the author is the first to go
followed obediently by the title, the plot,
the heart breaking conclusion, the entire novel
which suddenly becomes one you have never read, never even heard of,

as if one by one, the memories you used to harbor
decided to retire to the southern hemisphere of the brain,
to a little fishing village where there are no phones. …

I ended with the hope that those who read my book will remember the title if not the author!  Or vice versa!

Photos by Melinda and Ilaria Morrison and Melanie Weston