My Town Monday: Ann Arbor, MI

I'm still in Ann Arbor. In fact, I won't be back home until late tomorrow night. DH (Darling Husband) somehow thinks I'm ready to come home. However, I'm definitely enjoying hotel and restaurant life!

The water polo is going really really well. Child #3 is playing superbly. I don't want to jinx us, so all I'll say is that our two last games are tomorrow.

I'm going to do wimp out and mostly do a pictorial visit to Ann Arbor. It's late here and I have to get up early to watch the first game and I'm on the east coast, but still on west coast time. Or some time zone in between...

From the book signing...

Robin Agnew, me, Jamie Agnew, lovely and gracious owners Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore

Clair of Bo Fexler, PI and our My Town Monday host. Clair has this terrific wry sense of humor. It was wonderful sitting and chatting with her.

Stacy of The Cat's Meow. Stacy is just as interesting and insightful as I'd imagined. I'm so happy we got to meet IRL.

From the streets...

a street near the University of Michigan

You have to really watch out for pedestrians in this town; they'll dart out into traffic anywhere, anytime.

an overly friendly squirrel

Squirrel is DH's favorite meat. And I'm not even kidding. This little guy is lucky he didn't go back to California as a souvenir.

a brick street.

Very cute and full of character, but the bricks are way uneven. You do not want to be dashing across this street.


a poster for the card game of Euchre, which I spent hours and hours playing as a tween/teen.

All in all, I'm having buckets of fun! There's something about a college town...

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

A Book Signing and A Birthday

I will be at Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan on this coming Saturday, November 14 @ 1:30!!!



Ann Arbor, Michigan? Yes! Child #3's very talented water polo team will be competing in the Speedo Cup (top 12 8th grade and under boys' teams IN THE NATION. And the top 12 girls teams will be there as well). The games take place at the University of Michigan's pool. That would be Michael Phelps' home pool!

When I was in Ann Arbor for this competition last year (did I mention how talented Child #3's team is??!), I wandered into Aunt Agatha's, had a great chat with co-owner Jamie about mysteries and Nancy Drew and I forget what else.

And this year, I'm doing a signing there! The paperback of I So Don't Do Mysteries was released TWO DAYS AGO!

So, at the signing, I'm doing a short, fun presentation. There will also be free bookmarks, pencils and chocolate.

I'm really hoping to see Stacy of The Cat's Meow , Clair of Bo Fexler, PI and our My Town Monday host, and Patti of Pattinase. (Patti probably can't make it, but I can still hope.)

Thank you, Stacy for this My Town Monday post about Ann Arbor restaurants. I'll definitely be wanting to eat while there. Several times.

So....if you're anywhere near Ann Arbor, I'd love to see you! Aunt Agatha's is at 213 South Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 (phone: 734.769.1114)

And birthday wishes to Neil Young, whom I have loved for many years. I have worn t-shirts and pajamas proclaiming this love. Neil, my birthday is in August. Any chance you could write a song for me? xo

Sorry. No My Town Monday post.

That's me. Only less frazzled looking!

Sorry. No My Town Monday post this week. :(

I have to read the galleys for I So Don't Do Makeup. This is my last chance to make changes. Gulp.

I'm still wrestling with the outline for I So Don't Do Famous. The resolution doesn't feel resolved enough.

We refinanced and have to sign docs this week.

I'm going to Ann Arbor, Michigan on Friday for water polo with Child #3.

Ack.

My Town Monday: Ann Arbor, MI

If you are even thinking you might be in the mood for a mystery and you're within, say, fifty miles of Ann Arbor, Michigan, head over to Aunt Agatha's. It is THE bookstore for new and used mystery, detection and true crime books.

I had the BEST conversation ever about Nancy Drew (you can imagine how much fun I am at a cocktail party) with owner, Jamie. Did you know the yellow cover Nancy Drews were edited and "dumbed down" from the blue cover editions?

And see below for the treasures I found.



I know. It's incredible!

The blue cover edition of The Hidden Staircase (1930). This just happens to be my favorite-of-all-times Nancy Drew.

The blue cover edition of The Secret in the Old Attic (1944). I started reading this on the plane. It's so not PC for these days with its references to dancing pickaninnies and crooning mammies. (Seriously. You can't take that Bess anywhere.)

Trixie Belden and the Gatehouse Mystery (1951)

And a book starring the lawyer who never disappoints: Perry Mason in The Case of the Sleep-Walker's Niece (1936)

And guess what I left behind? Bookmarks and an Advance Reader Copy of I So Don't Do Mysteries which Jamie has promised to buy for Aunt Agatha's in TWENTY-EIGHT days (not that I'm counting or x'ing off days on the calendar because I am far too cool (not) for that) when it's released.

Here's the link to Aunt Agatha's. It's a fun website to poke around.

Now, go directly to Travis Erwin's blog. He's our big kahuna boss for My Town Mondays. He'll have a MTM post up himself plus a list of links to other Mondayers. And, unlike myself, they'll all have posted in a timely fashion!

p.s. I did not take the photo at the top of the post. I could've taken a pic of Aunt Agatha's. I could've asked Jamie to take a pic of me and my sisters in front of Aunt Agatha's. But, oh no. I was too busy chatting and browsing to remember to pull my camera out of my purse!

p.p.s. It's launch week for Stacy A. Nyikos and her debut fantasy middle-grade novel Dragon Wishes. You might as well get in the habit of checking out the Class of 2k8's blog because I KNOW you'll be hanging out over there for my launch week Monday, Dec, 8 through Friday, December 12. I'm starting to nag now...