Remembering Ray

I certainly didn't expect I'd be writing another tribute this month, but here I am. I found out Monday that my friend Ray Frohn had died in his sleep Saturday. I met Ray when he worked in our warehouse back around 2003. Somewhere along the way he found out I ran in the local road races, which is something Ray did back in the day.

It became an annual routine for me to look for Ray from his regular vantage point on the marathon route, Sheridan Blvd. at South Street. Anyone from Lincoln knows that heading East on South Street is a bit of a hill, plus at that time of race morning, if it isn't pouring rain, you're dealing with a lot of sun in your eyes. That has always been one of my least favorite parts of the course, but once I knew to look for Ray at the top of the hill, it wasn't so bad.

I think runners look forward to seeing people they know at particular points in the race, it's what keeps you moving forward. There were always a lot of people around that spot where Ray would be, so I'd quickly scan the crowd to find him so we wouldn't miss each other.

"Hi Ray!" I'd shout and frantically wave. (it was still early in the race, I still had the energy to be frantic.)
"Hi Sweetheart! Let me get your picture!" Ray would shout back.

It was always "Hi Sweetheart!" with Ray, and I didn't mind that. Awhile back I was walking down 11th street and heard from the coffee shop across the street from me, "Hi Sweetheart!" and I knew it was Ray. I wouldn't let a lot of people get away with calling me that, but I hope Ray wouldn't mind me saying that his fatherly qualities were always shining very brightly, so his friendly greetings made me feel good. Ray was always smiling and joking around. You couldn't have a conversation with Ray and not leave it feeling good. (although sometimes the conversations went a really long time. Ray liked to talk.)

At his service today, everyone talked about what a good friend and proud father Ray was. His quirkiness touched a lot of lives. The Havelock Run 10k is tomorrow, and I have to find a way to get through that on what has turned out to be minimal training over the last couple of months. I will be thinking of my pal Ray on the 84th Street climb for sure.

Lewis Black on His Publisher

I wonder if this would work with any of my press's authors. (the part where he's begging you to buy his new book, Me of Little Faith.)

BEA Wrap-Up, part 1

Even though I focused on a few priorities this past weekend at this year's BookExpo America in L.A., I think it's going to take several posts to sort it all out.

Sure, I got my picture taken with Daniel Vosovic from Project Runway, and I snuck a sneaky photo of Alec Baldwin, also saw Lewis Black's act, but the highlight was getting to meet Laurie Perry, aka Crazy Aunt Purl. I had planned for this-I brought along the cat bed crochet pattern I've been working on for an autograph, but I hid it in one of my press's book catalogs on the way over to her booth. I don't think most of the fanatics in this business have a lot of room to ask questions as to why I'm carrying around a cat bed pattern, but I didn't want to take any chances.

I was far up in Laurie's first book signing line. I noticed right away she was as cheery as I expected. She was really nice to her publisher's booth staff as well (being the first one to say hi when one of them walked by) which I have a feeling isn't the case with every author. I got my copy of her book, Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair signed to the Yia Yia's craft night group, and I told her if she's ever in Nebraska, she needs to come to craft night. Laurie then mentions that she's read about a book about a girl in Nebraska and also mentions flyover fiction, which happens to be a series my press publishes! What followed was a series of squeals.

me: "that's us! We publish flyover fiction!"
Laurie: "no way!" (sorry, Laurie, if that's not a direct quote)

I left that book catalog at her table so she could peruse our books. I got a picture, too!