Prepared …

I’m heading to Chicago tomorrow to meet some coworkers and assist on a presentation.  While I will miss my children, while I do not like to fly, and while I’d rather be at home in my yoga pants instead of at a rent-an-office in my new flashy duds, I’m going to do what I did when I went to Denver last summer … bring AL with me.  Flights tend to inspire me.

Last Saturday, I joined some of the members of my writer’s guild in attending a book signing by William Kent Krueger.  A couple of thoughts:  1) The man is a dynamic speaker.  This is the second time I’ve seen him speak and he’s just warm and engaging.  A great lesson for anyone who wants to make a living at this writing business. 2) He’s warm and engaging.  (Yeah – I just said that, but hear me out.)  He signed a book for my mother-in-law after his signing and I took the opportunity to ask him about some various writers conferences in the Midwest.  His response was gracious and informed.  I really enjoyed the opportunity to ask him a “craft” question.

After Krueger’s talk, the Guild retreated to The Staghead – a new “gastropub” in Red Wing.  And while I enjoyed some Lake Superior Oatmeal Stout, I ended my afternoon with a cup of coffee.  And was presented with this:

I drink my coffee black, but if I’m confronted with a situation where I think the coffee is going to be shit (or basically, if I haven’t made it) I request cream and sugar.  This was pretty damn cute and even though the coffee was excellent, I couldn’t help but doctor my coffee accordingly.