What a wonderful, profitable weekend!

Welcome to new readers and new fans! 

Thanks to a dear friend who is a friend of the owners of La Fonda, I got a last minute offer to serve as Artist-in-Residence at La Fonda from last Friday through Sunday! It was the ideal venue for hawking my wares, as it were, with its Fred Harvey/Couriers history. They set up two tables with black table cloths, two comfortable padded chairs, and a really snazzy backdrop. Parking and lunch were both complementary, as well. 

I drove up Friday, arriving at 10:30 and leaving around 4:00 to check in at my hotel, El Sendero. Four people bought my book! It was also the debut of the turquoise and silver necklace that my friend Heidi lent me for just these events. Looks good with my funeral clothes, no? 

 

Lunch was a to-die-for charcuterie board from the La Fiesta Lounge. Highly recommended. I suppose you could share it -- but why? I had to leave the table unattended, but everything was as I left it, except the level of candy in the bowl. 😆 Lots of people in the lobby, there for a wedding. I sold one book to a very nice young couple who kindly hung around and chatted with this bored author. 

The next morning found me at Garcia Street Books, in company with two other members of New Mexico Book Association -- Ann and Dennis. I had just put the first stack of books on the table when a woman rushed up and pointed at the book, "Is this you?" I nodded. "Oh, good. My friend sent me here to buy a copy for her. She loves your work!" Ultimately, she bought one for her friend and one for herself. I still don't know what other work her friend is referring to, unless she's read my short stories. But I'm not about to quibble! Two more people bought my book before the morning was over. 

Then it was back to La Fonda for lunch --  burrata with port wine figs, pignoli, fresh peas, and baby greens -- and an afternoon of bookselling.

It was a wonderful afternoon. First, Ann from the morning came by just to say "Hi," but stayed to help me sell my books. After an hour or so, I suggested that she put her books out on the second table. The time went much faster with the two of us, and I observed that people were far more willing to walk up and look if the two of us were talking to each other. We weren't ignoring them, but we also weren't intensely fixated on them. Upshot was I sold another 5 books! One was to a couple from Kansas who are Fred Harvey fans! Of course I told them all about the Fred Harvey History Weekend and gave them the link to the website. 

So, that was Saturday. Sunday saw me back at the La Fonda at 9:00. Ann arrived shortly afterward. The morning was very quiet. It started to pick up around 11 or so. Between then and about 2, I sold another 5 books! Three men stopped and asked if the book were about Carlos Castaneda 🙄

My observations -- people who are checking in do not stop to look at books. They just want to get to their room. And they don't come back downstairs until dinner.  People who are checking out do not stop and look at books. They just want to get out and off to wherever they are going. If they came down for breakfast, it was a quick bite and then back up to pack. 

A very profitable weekend in every way! A total of 17 print books were sold and at least one ebook! Several more people took bookmarks, with promises to buy through that online vendor. At least as important, dozens of people are now aware of my book. The word is getting out.

Author talks and book signings galore!

My calendar went from empty to full -- and it continues to fill! I'm amazed at my new-found ability for self-promotion almost as much as by people actually buying my book. First up was the Tony Hillerman Branch Library, followed two weeks later by Page 1 Books, then South Valley Branch Library, and Juan Tabo Branch Library just last Saturday. I will be honest -- very few people show up to author talks at public libraries. In one branch, the library manager stayed just so that there would be someone in the audience. However, the people who do come are interested and engaged and full of questions and the desire to learn. A few bought books. All took bookmarks. At the suggestion of the library manager at Hillerman, I donated three copies of my book to the library. It is now in the catalog and ... all three copies are checked out! This bodes well. I have, however, given up on Erna Fergusson and Special Collections for the time being. Maybe once I'm famous and a real draw, but for now ... attendance doesn't warrant the additional time and effort. 

The staff at Page 1 Books were delightful and I sold 4 books -- a record! It is a very laid-back, kind of funky hipster (in a good way) community book store. Lots of used books as well as new and lots and lots of books by local authors. The wind, on the other hand -- they warned us that Albuquerque gets wind in the Spring. It would blew not only bookmarks but actual books onto the ground. I spent most of my time sprawled across the table holding things down. The staff felt so bad, they offered to host me again later in the summer, after the time of the winds!

This Saturday, June 7, I will be in Santa Fe at Garcia Street Books from 10-1 or 2, with two other authors, members of the New Mexico Book Association. The Association has an arrangement with Garcia Street Books for three authors on the first Saturday of the month. I'm so excited, I'm going up on Friday and staying over just so that I won't risk being late!

Wheels Museum is coming up on June 28, the Mesa Verde Literary Festival on July 12, and four others, including Page 1, are in the works for August and possibly September. These will be with the members of my writer's group, Write Minds, so we should attract more people to the tables, with our variety of works in a variety of genres. 

I still haven't heard back from the Castañeda or Plaza Hotels. I'll follow up one more time, but at this point, I'm thinking it might be better to just wait until November and the Fred Harvey Weekend.  

My first professional review in a book review magazine!

 "A deftly crafted masterpiece of the cozy mystery genre, "Fried Chicken Castaneda" by Suzanne Stauffer is a fun read for 'whodunnit' mystery buffs from cover to cover. Original, memorable, and solidly entertaining, Stauffer's eloquent and narrative driven storytelling style is distinctive and reader engaging throughout. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Fried Chicken Castaneda" from Artemesia Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99)." Small Press Bookwatch, April 2025. A masterpiece. Original. Eloquent. Distinctive. Take that all of you agents who wouldn't give me a chance -- and especially the one who told me that "it isn't a cozy. I don't know what it is, but it isn't a cozy." Hah!

I had to look up "narrative driven." Some people say it's a nice way of saying "plot driven," but others define it as "a story in which things happen in chronological order." That's what makes it solidly entertaining!

Book talk and book signings!

 It's my first, so be kind! It's too big to upload, so here's my first YouTube video, as well! 

Fried Chicken Castañeda Book Talk

As of today, I have three book signings at the public library -- Tony Hillerman, South Valley, and Juan Tabo branches -- and at the Page 1 Bookstore all in May and at the Wheels Museum in June. I'm working on setting up a signing at Erna Fergusson and Special Collections, as well as in Las Vegas at the Castañeda and/or Plaza Hotel. 

In July, I'll be at the Mesa Verde Literary Festival, part of the Mesa Verde Writers Conference in Mancos, Colorado. Sometime this year (sooner rather than later, I hope) I'll be at Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe. 

In the meantime, my novel is on display at the Erna Fergusson branch, along with others by members of Croak & Dagger, the Albuquerque chapter of Sisters in Crime and will be on display at the New Mexico Book Association table at the New Mexico Writers Dinner on April 17, and  Santa Fe International Literary Festival on May 16-18. And I'll be entered in the New Mexico Book Awards in Cozy Mysteries and First Book by Author. 

Books, bookmarks and business cards have arrived!

Ready for the five author talks/book signings lined up for April, May, and June! 

Description from the back of the book : 

Videos of Fred Harvey History Weekend presentations are now available!

 Videos of all of the presentations can be found at https://fredharvey.info/fredtv/

This includes mine (of course), "El Navajo and Gallup : The Tribal, Railroad, and Harvey Culture Crossroads" by Matt Kluge, "The Appropriate Challenge : From Fred Harvey's Indian Room to the Contemporary Clash" by Lucy Fowler Williams, "The Bully Saga of Teddy and Fred" by Justin Riner, "How the Railroad and the Fred Harvey Company forever Changed Navajo Weaving" by Laura Webster with demonstration of Navajo weaving by Brenda Spencer, and others.

As most of you know, I have spent the past 20 years presenting at conferences several times a year. I can honestly say that this was the most responsive audience I've ever spoken to and that the other presenters among the most engaged and engaging.  The presenters and the members of the audience are there for the love of the topic, not to earn points toward tenure -- which is not to say that academics do not love their topics, but there's always that pressure to meet the critique of peer reviewers and to present yourself as the expert in your niche. I will say that the various Popular/American Culture conferences come close, but even there, the audience feels bound to ask probing questions that are intended as much to demonstrate their knowledge of the topic as to clarify some point or expand on the presentation. FredHeads just want to know more! And if they do have knowledge of the topic, they want to share it with everyone. 

Now -- what has Prudence been up to lately? Well, my writing group has critiqued the entire manuscript of my second novel, French Toast a la Santa Fe. I'm putting it aside while I wait for Fried Chicken Castaneda to hit the shelves sometime in the Spring. The publisher is working on the cover as I type (!). I'm as eager as you are to see what the final design is!

And I've begun the third novel, "Cold Vichyssoise Cream." It's set in Albuquerque, while Prudence is hanging out until time to head to Santa Fe for the Couriers training. She literally stumbles across the dead body of a vaudeville acrobat. I am immersed in the world of vaudeville, which was breathing its last gasps in 1929, in creating a whole slew of suspects, and in dragging red herrings through the story. I've written the first 9,000 words, so only 61,000 left to go 😂 And I STILL don't know "who dunnit!" But I have my suspicions. 

As I noted before, the 1929 Albuquerque city directory has provided me with a wealth of information that is adding authenticity -- the names of tourist courts, cafes, theaters, and their owners and managers. The names of the chief of police and the police court judge. The fact that there WAS such a thing as a "police court" and that it had its own judge. The location of the original city hall, which has apparently been torn down. 

Ebay has proved, once again, a source of contemporary post cards of buildings and street scenes in full color, including the original city hall. And the Albuquerque Museum has digitized photographs and menus for some of those cafes. Unfortunately, the Mecca cafe was not among them, so I've moved them to the Liberty Cafe. Yes, the oldest menu I can find is from 1946, but it's close enough. This isn't a documentary! 

https://albuquerque.emuseum.com/objects/121176/liberty-cafe-and-cocktail-lounge-menu 

Obviously, they weren't serving cocktails -- at least, they weren't including them on the menu -- in 1929. 

Did you know that sauerkraut juice was once a popular beverage served at diners and cafes and sold in grocery stores? And look at that caviar and onion sandwich! What really surprises me is all of the seafood on the menu. Was it frozen? Or, worse, canned? I can't imagine that it was fresh -- although, the AT&SF was getting fresh seafood from California through to the Harvey Houses along the line, so ... who knows?  

Unexpectedly, the back page of the menu reveals more exotic options and get a load of that thunderbird emblem!

Anyone have any idea what the difference is between the Mexican "Spaghetti with Chile" and the Italian "Spaghetti, Chile con Carne?"

An afternoon with the microfilm of the Albuquerque Journal for January 1 1929 provided me with the names of movies being shown at the KiMo and the Sunshine and Pastime theaters, as well as the information that the KiMo really wasn't presenting vaudeville shows by 1929, but the Sunshine was. Also the addresses of these establishments as well as their admission fees. And an ad with menu for the Pekin Cafe -- not sure whether I will use that or not, but I have it if I want it. It was what you might call a "fusion" cafe -- American and Americanized Chinese. And an ad for the "just opened Coney Island Sandwich Shop." I wonder when it became the "Coney Island Cafe?" It bills itself as the " most up-to-date cafeteria and sandwich shop in New Mexico." And the proprietors were Greek.  

Back to the city directory for the names of the owners and managers -- and some further information about the theaters and restaurants, which I shall not divulge here. 

A browse through the Internet to learn that "Coney Island Sandwich" was, in fact, a hot dog with various condiments, such as onions and pickle relish. It varied with the location. And they were selling for 5 cents! I wonder what Prudence will have on hers? 

Once I work out what the precise dates of the story are -- or even "close enough" -- I'll be back at the library getting more precise info on films and shows. And looking up the Pekin Cafe in the city directory. 

Fred Harvey History Weekend 2024 (!)

 Made my first presentation at the Fred Harvey History Weekend in Santa Fe on Friday, October 25 on the role of the Santa Fe Reading Rooms and Fred Harvey Newsstands and Bookstores in bringing books and civilization to the Southwest. It was a fabulous experience and one I can hardly wait to repeat next year -- on a different topic, of course (it begins with a C and ends in "ouriers").

If you were there and want to review my presentation or if you couldn't make it, and are dying to know what I had to say, you can find the Powerpoint slide show at  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mRuERPiOTBSQJawVHpTpMO0E-zZNFVeG/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116507852909006787844&rtpof=true&sd=true

You can download it as a PowerPoint file (under File) and view it in PowerPoint (use Presenter View if you can figure out how) or select "Presenter View" from Slideshow (upper right) and view it in GoogleDocs. 

I'll post the link to the video as soon as I receive it.