pet connection

I’m done.

Signed a lot of books, met lots and lots of wonderful people. I only got one signed book for myself, though: Christopher Hopkin’s “Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Guide for Women Over 45.” He was signing next to me, and he was such a warm and funny man (plus he and his equally charming partner have Whippets!) that I had to have the book. I got a signed copy for Christie, too, although she, of course, always looks fabulous and needs no help.

Now, you may think the Oprah makeover guy is the most exciting celebrity I met, but you would be wrong. Very, very wrong.

I also bumped into John Scalzi, who is one of my all-time favorite bloggers, as well as a wonderful essayist, humorist and sci-fi novelist. Also: Animal-lover, of course (dog and cats; one cat is named Ghlaghghee, and no, I do not know how to pronounce that)]. He and I go way back: He was at the Fresno Bee when I was at the Sacramento Bee. We both worked for AOL. We both wrote “… For Dummies” books when the Dummies world was new. He was just walking in one direction, and I was walking in the other. We bumped into each other, almost literally.

John is very cool. Not Kindle cool, but the everlasting kind. John will be cool long after the Kindle is so yesterday.

I also met Carl the Rottweiler, of the “Good Dog, Carl” children’s books. Carl (he’s actually like the fourth Carl) is handsome, friendly and exceptionally well-mannered, and he has the trick repertoire of a circus dog. Good Dog, Carl!

So who was I most excited to meet? Christopher, John or Carl?

Not even close: Carl the Rottweiler, of course. I wish I’d had my camera.

Tomorrow: Dog fun in Pasadena, and then the long … drive … home.