If I die this week, here's the culprit

Ah, the email scams are upping the ante, and I haven't been "speared." I got the following this weekend:

SOMEONE YOU CALL YOUR FRIEND, WANTS YOU DEAD.

I felt very sorry and bad for you, that your life is going to end like this if you don't comply, i was paid to eliminate you and I have to do it within 10 days.

Someone you call your friend wants you dead by all means, and the person have spent a lot of money on this, the person came to us and told us that he wants you dead and he provided us your names, photograph and other necessary information we needed about you. If you are in doubt with this I will send you your name and where you are residing in my next mail.

Meanwhile, I have sent my boys to track you down and they have carried out the necessary investigation needed for the operation, but I ordered them to stop for a while and not to strike immediately because I just felt something good and sympathetic about you. I decided to contact you first and know why somebody will want you dead by all means. Right now my men are monitoring you, their eyes are on you, and even the place you think is safer for you to hide might not be.

Now do you want to LIVE OR DIE? It is up to you. Get back to me now if you are ready to enter deal with me, I mean life trade, who knows, and I might just spear your life, $8,000 is all you need to spend. You will first of all pay $3,000 then I will send the tape of the person that want you dead to you and when the tape gets to you, you will pay the remaining $5,000. If you are not ready for my help, then I will have no choice but to carry on the assignment after all I have already being paid before now.

Warning: do not think of contacting the police or even tell anyone because I will extend it to any member of your family since you are aware that somebody want you dead, and the person knows some members of your family as well.

For your own good I will advise you not to go out once is 7pm until I make out time to see you and give you the tape of my discussion with the person who want you dead then you can use it to take any legal action. Good luck as I await your reply to this e-mail contact: mayhissolerestinpice1@live.com (Some people are signing this email address up for gay porn sites, but I'd never suggest such a thing...)

Bye.

William yahman.

The Pickle walks!

Haircut #2

It didn't go as easily as the first one (note Nicholas' hand running interference), but the results were great.

Book Expo America

I've started posting a few blogs about Book Expo America on The Austin Chronicle's book blog. Check out the first one here.


Here's a second one about books for dads and Diaper David fans.

I'm gonna miss the boy

I"m flying off to Los Angeles today for Book Expo America. It will be the longest I've ever been apart from Nicholas, so it should be tough. But I guess it's the first step to me going back to the actual, physical workplace on a regular basis.

Today he was pushing his play cart around the kitchen. He's really close to walking, and is standing freestyle (no hands) often this week. I told him he's not allowed to walk until I get back.

Book Expo America podcast

I'm off to Los Angeles this week. Check out this podcast I was interviewed for in advance of the event.

Surviving the book tour

Going on the book trail is an often odd and interesting experience. You never know where your book will sell well or what kinds of stories you'll learn along the way.

This past week I was in Waco to sign at the Barnes and Noble. I didn't have high expectations, particularly when the manager didn't even seem to know I was coming and the flyers I hand-delivered in advance were nowhere to be seen (they were later found in the back, but never posted.).

But it ended up being a good day, both for sales and for finding the cultural center of a town that the guy at the counter, a retired high school drama teacher, informed me had been declared the worst place in the country to raise kids. It seemed more friendly and wise this day.

Oh, and the dog in the photo? He's the true survivor. Look closely in the photo and you'll note the woman holding him has a cast on her arm. Seems she was grabbed a fews days earlier by two men as she was getting in her car. They shoved her in the car and took off. She opened the door on the moving car and skidded across the pavement to safety. The dog stayed behind, but was later found safely in the car. OK, maybe Waco has a little bit of work to do yet...