From Nora --
added on Friday, April 6, 2001 @ 9:30 P.M.
Lisa and I headed out about three-thirty to
Colorado Springs. Hit two stock signings on the
way. Tons of books in each location, but they were
ready for me. Moved through pretty quick. Just
enough time for a quick bite to eat. Nachos and a
margarita. Rush, rush.
Got to the B & N. Full house. Their count
was about 250. Signing ran close to three hours.
Totally adorable event coordinated named Sean, who
gave me a box of Godivas at the end. As their mike
was broken, I did about ten minutes of Q and A at
the top of my lungs, but realized lots of people in
the back of the store couldn't hear, so just told
them to bring them questions up with them. LOL
Got back to Denver about 11. Too tired to eat,
too tired to sleep. First bad night I've had since
the tour began, sleep-wise.
Up at seven, can dress in sloppy clothes for the
plane ride. Wonderful not to wear a bra. LOL.
Flight is simply awful. Bumpy nearly all three
and a half hours. I do my best to dive into a book,
and it helps. But boy, oh boy, that was a rough
one.
In Boston it's mid-40's and raining. Liaison
type person meets me at the gate and hot foots it
to baggage. My ass is dragging, but I do what I can
to keep up with her. Baggage is delayed, but it's
there, and we sprint--Jeez, this girl is fast--to
the driver who'll be with me throughout my stay
here.
Traffic is hideous. Seriously hideous. Crawl
through the tunnel. I'm desperate to land and have
hit that point in Tour World where all I want to do
is go home. I don't want to face another hotel. My
stomach actually clutches at the thought of it. And
I remind myself I have the evening off to recharge.
Check-in is smooth and simple and I go up to my
suite. It ain't no Denver Brown Palace, but it's
seems nice enough. Until I hear the TV from the
adjoining room as if it's my own. And a baby crying
miserably. I love babies. I adore them. But the
thought of hearing this poor thing crying
throughout my stay here makes me want to wail along
with him.
Putnam has sent me up a delightful bottle of
champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, and I
think I can deal. But the baby keeps crying, and I
hear the parents trying to soothe it. I hear their
TV. I can't stand it. I'm so damn tired. Just worn
to the bone.
Finally, I break down and call the desk, explain
and ask if they have a quieter room. I hate doing
this. But Jane comes up with a key and takes me
down the hall to a much, much nicer suite, and a
much quieter one. I realize now that my bathroom in
the other was what hotels call a guest bath. I have
a slightly larger one now, and a nice roomy parlor,
bigger bedroom and no babies next door.
Happy days.
Then I go to set up my laptop. Very high tech
looking phone. With no data port. I'm forced to
call down again. They tell me I just have to follow
the cord to the wall jack. Hey, this isn't my first
day on the job, and I have already done so. Wall
jack is behind the two ton armoire. They don't
believe me and send someone up.
He is very nice, very accommodating, and as
puzzled as I when he discovers the jack is indeed
behind the armoire. He tries to switch the desk
phone with the simple bedside phone, but this
doesn't work. I tell him not to worry. I'll compose
on the desk and send from the bed. I want him, as
courteous as he is, to go away and leave me alone.
I don't want to talk to ANYONE.
There is no steak on the room service menu.
Bummer. I wanted plain red meat, and I'm not going
to get it tonight. But I'm about to order
something, get in my pj's and hopefully find an
in-room movie to relax me until I have to go back
to work tomorrow.
Jeez, I hate business travel. It's so damn hard.
Nora
Nora's The Villa Tour
2001 