My first reading as a published novelist in the library where I discovered science fiction went very well. I had old and new friends, family and, hopefully, some new fans. We had 30+ people, I sold 17 books and had plenty of hugs and fond remembrances and fond farewells with future meetings hoped for.

I ended the evening at Casa Mia with my parents and my partner, Elena. The pizza was excellent and not quite what I remember, but the salad was exactly the same. I also ran into three other Harbor folks I knew. The place was hopping. Good to see continued success.

Today, I was shopping for little stands to display the books and a young woman came up to me and said, “You’re that book guy. I remember your face from the paper!” She’s a senior at Hoquiam High School, my alma mater. Totally surreal. I gave her a card with the cover art and told her the book should be available in the school library soon.

A run on the beach and some bird watching rounded out a day that alternated between sunshine and rain. Then we went to the Canton restaurant in Aberdeen for the “should be world famous” egg rolls. Amazing still. When I found out they would be closed tomorrow I asked for an extra order to go.

Tomorrow I’ll be talking with students at Harbor High, an alternative school in Aberdeen blocks from where I used to live, in a building where my mom used to teach parenting classes.

This weekend I felt warmth and gratitude for the things that have remained, some sadness for things that have changed and people we have lost.  Though the words I sang in the song I wrote say, “You cannot pass the rainbow and you cannot go back home…” This weekend I got partway back home. Far enough.

Cheers.