I know, it was billed as Buffalo Bill meets Turpentine, but Turp was the definite underdog and it is my web site. Here is Vicky Panzich of the Next Chapter Bookstore in Woodland, California. (This is a GREAT bookstore. It used to be a hardware store and all of the great hardware ghosts must be roaming around being helpful and interested. It's got a wonderful feel, a gallery running around the upper floor, a coffee shop, a wide and fine array of books, and Vicky and John are friendly and interesting. Go to Main Street and hang around for a while, you'll love it.)
It was a lot of fun to appear with Louis. I didn't realize how nice it was to have a break in between reading passages. While Louis talked (and he can talk) I could sit back, wave at friends, (Louis may have found this very irritating) get a drink of water. I, at one point, took a call on my cell phone. It was Jess and when Louis looked askance at me I said, "It's one of your sons." Next time I'll turn the phone off because the next time it could ring while I am reading.
It was also great to have an expert on the scene. If anyone were to take exception to my depiction of the past, they knew I would put Louis on the case, and no one gave me any trouble at all.
Further, he bought me coffee afterwards and drove me home.
I'm not sure what the perks were for Louis in sharing the podium with me...I didn't buy him coffee or drive. According to the photographs, I did look adoringly at him a few times.
I'll ask him what he liked about the experience. If he can't come up with something good, he's in big trouble. He can usually be counted on to say something sweet and if must be true, because he's the historian.
