By The Time I Get To Arizona

The last time I was in Tucson was 1993. I was 22, I was the President of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at lovely Cal State Northridge, had absolutely no money to speak of and yet still managed, along with Dave, Tommy, Todd, Ari and something like 9 other guys, to afford to fly to Tucson to go to a football game and then spend the weekend getting drunk at the UofA Sig Ep house. I imagine this is why I still get collection calls on a credit card I conveniently "lost" at some point later that year. (When Wendy and I first got together and she was invested in fixing my credit -- I didn't even have a bank account when we moved in together -- that credit card was on my report and I said something like, "Oh, yeah, that was the card that, uh, yeah, some shit, like, uh, you know, some shit, uh, happened to it and, uh, what happened, uh, was that, in that spirit, I, uh, stopped, uh, paying it." And she said, "You're an idiot." No pause. Just: "You're an idiot." The pausing would come later.) Nevertheless, I am returing to Tucson this weekend to replicate that experience, but instead of going to a football game, I'm going to a book festival. And instead of going with 12 frat guys, I'm going with Rob Roberge. And instead of getting drunk at the Sig Ep house, I think I've got plans on Friday night to, uh, well, probably write some of my new Burn Notice book and get to bed. Saturday  night I'm going to see Rob's band play...somewhere...and Sunday, uh, well, Sunday I intend to, uh, well, go to the book festival and then, uh, you know, see some of what Tucson really has to offer, which I suspect means I'll be heading back to the Embassy Suites to do a bit more writing on my new Burn Notice book.

Does Tucson have anything to offer?  If so, let me know.

If you're in Tucson and you love you some Tod Goldberg, you'll be able to find me in several places:

On Saturday, I'll be signing books at the Mysterious Galaxy booth at 12:30pm and then on a panel with Rob at 2:30. All points in between will be spent in the UCR-Palm Desert MFA Pimpage Booth. Come by, get a free pen, bring me a churro. On Sunday, I'll still be sitting in that booth. Bring me a funnel cake, please.

For more information, visit the Tucson Book Festival website, where you'll see there are a ton of very interesting authors apart from me, too. But they aren't asking for you to bring them a churro. Only I am. In fact, the first person to bring me a churro/funnel cake/frozen lemonade/chocolate covered banana/other fair-like food item, will receive a handsome galley for Burn Notice: The End Game, replete with all 200 typos. Come one, come all.

And then later this month, I'm visiting Fresno, which this time of year is like Paris.

Comments

[Clair Lamb]

Old Tucson Studios is actually worth a visit, and the desert outside Tucson (Saguaro National Park) is some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

With the current temperature here 21 degrees, I envy you...

[Carey Rossi]

I'll miss you. Heading to the Bay Area. I second the Saguaro National Park.
Enjoy!

[Yvonne Navarro]

I'll be at the MG booth at 2:00 p.m., maybe cross your path and intro myself. Tuscon has a wonderful Ethiopian restaurant called Zemam's at 2731 E. Broadway. Tricky to get in on a Saturday, though. Also fabulous Indian at New Delhi Palace, 6751 Broadway (between Wilmot & Kolb). Sorry - can't help forced my tastes on other people. I love living in Arizona. It beats the hell out of Chicago snow.

[Dave Baker]

Do you remember the parade & the subsequent throwing of the beer cans madness? And how did we afford to fly there anyway? I don't know...what I do know is that a million memories of mine would be lost without you bringing them up Tod...keep up the good work...and mention Calvin in your blog sometime!

[Yvonne Navarro]

Rats -- missed you!

[Mike Barer]

I've never been to Paris, but I've been to Fresno. There is really something wrong with that.