Had a fairly exhausting but lovely two days here, beginning yesterday afternoon with a radio interview by Elisabeth Grant-Gibson and Pat Grant, co-hosts of "The Book Report" and co-owners of Windows a Bookshop. What a pleasure, to be interviewed by smart, thoughtful people who have actually read my book, and who did not begin the interview with, "So, Mudbound — huh, what's that about?" Afterwards I checked into my hotel (where I had more fried catfish, I confess) and woke this morning at the ungodly hour of 4:30 am to prepare for a 5:45 am interview on a local news program. Since it was TV not radio, I actually had to look presentable as well as sound articulate, while totally uncaffeinated. Ha! Afterwards, at the scarcely-more-civilized hour of 6:30 or so, I had a couple of radio interviews with charming local DJs "Big Jim" Elliott (who is seriously considering quitting smoking) of KLIP and LA-105, and John Reynolds & Toby Otero of KJLO + K-104. Great guys all.

Then, at 5:00 pm, I did a reading/signing at Windows a Bookshop. This is another writer's paradise: one of those places where you know you're in the presence of serious book-lovers. Not only did they organize a wonderful event, but they and employee Betty Jo Harris cheerfully chauffered me around the whole time I was in Monroe.

I have a 6:35 am flight tomorrow to Lexington, KY, the very thought of which makes me just want to end it all now, so I won't have to hear that alarm beeping at 4:30. Did I mention I'm not a morning person...?