By the time you’re reading this, I’ll either be packing up or boarding a plane to head off on The A List tour. If you look at the posted schedule, you might be scratching your head and saying, “Wait a minute. Two states only? You call that a book tour?” Well, yes, it is. For one thing, hitting the snowbird enclaves in Arizona is every bit as effective jumping from one midwest event to another—with a whole lot less wear and tear on the author. Careening back and forth over time zones with wild abandon can be done, but it’s not necessarily recommended—especially for people of a certain age, of which I am undeniably one.

For the first time in years, I’m going on tour on my own. Bill, my preferred escort and driver, is currently sidelined with health issues and will be home here in Seattle, looking after the house, finishing supervising a complex construction project, and taking care of the dogs. My son and daughter-in-law who served as pinch hit drivers for several book tours are now sidelined, too, due to the fact that they both have demanding full time jobs. Believe me, nobody’s complaining about that! And so, for good or ill, I’m on the road solo this time around.

If none of the scheduled stops happen to be convenient and you still want to have personally signed copies, please contact one of the booksellers listed on the schedule prior to my appearance there so I can sign and personalize them along the way.

The A List, Ali Reynolds # 14, goes on sale April 2. There is currently a preorder contest being conducted by my publisher. If you have already preordered your copy or if you do so between now and April 2 please e-mail a copy of your pre-order confirmation/receipt to JancePreorder@gmail.com. That will make you eligible to win a complete signed set of the Ali books. Believe me, the books will all be signed by me in my customary red ink.

Now’s also the time to think about ordering those bookmarks. SASEs for those can be sent to me at P.O. Box 766, Bellevue, WA 98009. Once they start rolling in, and they do, they will accumulate in one spot and be signed ALL AT ONCE when I get back home from the tour. So if you send for a book mark right away, do not plan on having it back by return mail. It’s not gonna happen.

So yes, I’m going on tour solo, but please don’t think I’m complaining about that. I really love being out on the road and having the opportunity to meet and interact with the people who read my books. I never fail to come home from a tour without bringing along some cherished memory from the people I’ve met along the way. Hearing the stories my fans tell me never fails to put a smile on my face. Many of those end up in my Tales from the Trail blog entries, written as I go along.

I always like to add just a smidgeon of humor to these notes—a reward for those of you who bother to read all the way to the bottom. This week someone sent me a joke that really tickled my funny bone. If you think irony is dead, take a look at this: Hyphenated and Un-hyphenated.

Or maybe that’s only funny if you’re an English major.

See you on the shortened road.

JAJ