My first time in Bristol, my first time at Crimefest. What a great town and what a great event! I’m here with my British publisher, Head of Zeus.

I spent two days in London doing press, including an interview on Women’s Hour on the BBC and an interview and photo shoot for Newbooks magazine (aka Publisher’s Weekly for the UK). I’ll post a link as soon as it’s out. I got posed on a marble staircase, no less, for the accompanying photo. I think they ran Carrera out of marble to build that staircase.

Then I went to Dublin for a day, where I had the best TV interview of my life on Ireland AM, for which I got made up. My first time. Makeup artist Laurie Anne was very nice and didn’t slap pancake makeup all over the place.

I’ve asked Ireland AM to put the interview up on YouTube so US fans can see it. I’ll let you know.

There followed an interview with Caroline O’Doherty for the Irish Examiner and Sheena Davitt for Metro Ireland. They promised to send me links when they’re up. After which, it was off to national radio Ireland with Matt Cooper for The Last Word on Today. It’s supposed to run sometime next week, I’ll post a link when it’s up. (Matt Cooper is terrific, so easy to talk to and a master at asking the leading question).

It was a gloriously beautiful day in Dublin so Declan, HoZ’s Irish publicist who seems to know every single living being in all of Ireland, walked me down to

where I signed HoZ editions of the Kate Shugak novels, which were displayed right on the counter in front of the cash register.

Then I flew to Bristol (it’s like going from Anchorage to Cordova, forty minutes, barely time for a nap) for Crimefest, where I am now. I had a wonderful conversation (I refuse to call it an interview) with blogger Mike Stafford, as big a fan of good books as I am. We could be on our second case of beer right now if we hadn’t had other things to do, dammit.

It is so thrilling to see so many people interested in the Kate Shugak series, twenty years in the making and only now making its debut in the land of Shakespeare and Wilde. I am so lucky.

And so fried.

Update on Saturday: HiLARious panel on writers writing across genres (me in sf as well as mystery, e.g.). Joanna Penn took this photo of us.

I told Kevin afterward that henceforward he was required to be hungover for any panel he moderated. [Update on June 4th, about to roll into my very own bed: Crimefest panels were recorded, and I’m told they’ll be up in a couple of months. I’ll let you know. Believe me, this is one you want to listen to.]

Chatter crimefest Head of Zeus Kate Shugak series mike stafford