Rose will take care of things.

  August 25, 2009 – I see every book I write as a battle, a fight for my story and for my life. Writers never used to hustle their books, it was considered whorish, and now we get out there like car salesmen and slog away, as we should. If we don’t fight for our books, who will?
 After one week, I am holding my ground against Cesar, the Monks, and a bevy of cat books and dog memoirs from famous people. I’ve been averaging about 200 people an appearance, which is great and am at the top of the Animal Behavior, Dog and Essay categories on Amazon and Barnes  & Noble. I am still making appearances near the farm through Labor Day, and then I head for Seattle and Portland. I am excited about that.
  This book feels good so far. People want to talk about, and perhaps even buy it.
  Tonight, the tour moves to Hubbard Hall in Cambridge, N.Y., where I will read and talk at 7:30, courtesy of Battenkill Books (518 677-2208). Tomorrow, I will be at the sparkling new Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, N.Y., one of my favorite cities and the home base for LARAC, the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Center, where I will be teaching two different story telling workships next Spring and Summer. This talk and reading is sponsored by Red Fox Books (518 793-5352).
  Please do not bring your dogs to my book readings. It’s distracting at a book reading for many people.
 Saturday, I will be at the Bookloft in Great Barrington, Mass., at 1 p.m. I am also using Facebook, Twitter and other forums successfully. I don’t like to use these sites to sell things, but selling books is different. That’s what pays for dog food, vet bills and hay. Got to get over it.
   This morning, I am heading back to the Washington County Fair to see how Meghan Coldwell does showing her cow Annie. The book tour curbs the fair time a bit, but I will get back there again tomorrow.
  Thank you for the torrent of lovely e-mail about the Washington County Fair photos. For all of us, the fair evokes family, an era of individuality and life in the pre-corporatist world.