As the second half of the year begins, I find myself reflecting back on the time I’ve spent “on the road” thus far in 2021. When I began my writing career in earnest, I, like many authors, set copious goals that I hoped to achieve. One of those objectives was to get out “on the road” and tour in support of my books and such.
My touring objective was realized in 2019 shortly after the release of my debut novel Gunslingers a Story of the Old West. That first edition propelled me out on an official book tour to a number of towns in Texas and Louisiana. Then, as we all know, an unfortunate pandemic struck the world in 2020 and shut down everything, including my modest tour which had numerous dates set in additional states. While I was able to hit the road again in the second half of 2020 and meet many new “masked” fans, my travels were limited like the rest of the nation.
Fortunately, the click of the calendar to 2021 brought me a full schedule of wearing out tires while the mileage on my trusty Ford F-150 moved skyward at a hasty pace. From January through June, I found myself being a “weekend warrior” visiting nineteen cities in five states covering more than five-thousand miles on the ground, and another couple of thousand in the air, gaining gold status on my hotel membership along the way.
Now, I assure you, this is not a complaint nor claim of being worn out or weary as you may have heard in a popular “road” song or two over the years, but documented evidence of achieving one of my lofty goals. In addition to the enjoyment, I experience when writing, hitting the road, and meeting fans is a list topper. Hopefully, we’ll not experience anymore “interruptions,” and I can continue my pursuit of signings, sales, and salutations during the second half of this year.
Check out my Appearances page to find out where I'll be headed next!
Happy Trails!
John Layne