Just returned from hanging out with Gregg and Elmore and a couple Detroit boys at the Mystery Bookstore in Westwood. Elmore was there about an hour and a half, signed a couple hundred copies of Honey’s Room and all the other titles placed in front of him, and was happy to shoot the shit with anybody who wanted to talk. As usual, he was a complete gentleman.

Elmore fans in the LA area can meet the man and get books signed at Book Soup on Sunset tomorrow evening.

Hello All,

I could quote LACrimAtty word for word about Mr. Leonard always being a gentleman.  He is a man’s man.

He spoke and answered questions for about an hour.  He signed books for over an hour.  In fact, he signed books 15 minutes after the store closed.  I got my RYAN’S RULES (SWAG) and COMPLETE WESTERNS signed.  I even got a few pictures with the legend.  I talked to fans that drove up from San Diego and from all over LA county.

Here are some key points:

1)  FOLEY’S BACK is his next book.  Three characters from three different books converge in Venice, CA.  George Clooney, are you listening?

2)  THE TEN RULES FOR WRITING will be published as a book this fall.  It will be over 50 pages with illustrations.  Perfect for teachers and writers. 

3)  THREE-TEN TO YUMA and KILLSHOT were screened for Mr. Leonard and will be out this fall.  There were changes made from print to the screen.

I would love to thank Gregg.  He didn’t know I was coming for sure and, of course, had a surprise gift for me (1959).  Thanks for the conversation and insight. 

Thanks also go out to Mr. Leonard’s grand-daughter.  I mentioned to her that I was a middle school teacher and she said that she did STICK as a book report in junior high.  Classic.

Tonight is his last day in LA.

Friday night in LA—last stop on the tour. The Writer’s Guild: be there.

And if I had known you dudes were gonna be there I would’ve packed the dog and Madame in the Echo and made the trip. Sounds like a great event.