February 4 2003
Tobias called about three yesterday and told me the blinker relay switch is going to cost $350. Ouch! Evidently they have to pull out the steering column, deactivate the air bag (I wonder if the shuttle had one?). All from a deer.

Julie from Wyoming E-mailed me: “I had no idea there actually are deer in AZ. I thought they all lived here. Learn something new every day. Everyone here has massive steel guards built for the front of their trucks. That way when a deer jumps in front of you, you square up on it, smash it to smithereens and keep on going. The roadside carnage of exploding deer is amazing. The eagles really dig it though, it's the Las Vegas Buffet for them.”

Worked all afternoon on artwork. Did about seven roughs. I love doing art, but I have so little time to do it. Just as I got untracked it was dark and had to knock off.

My journal entries have benefits. Mark Boardman saw I am doing a Classic Gunfight piece on Bass Outlaw and E-mailed me the following: “The late Jim Browning found evidence that Bass was not his real name--instead, it was Basil or Bazil, shortened down to "Baz." But most folks wrote it down wrong. After all, they were more familiar with the fish or the outlaw. What in the hell is a Baz anyway?” Amazing. My source said it was his real name. Great catch and it’ll be in the piece. Thanks, Mark.

Sales staff is really kicking it. We are poised to have the biggest issue ever—136 pages! Just incredible. Great issue. Jana came in this morning and we had an excellent editorial meeting. Lined out our Wyatt and Doc issue, coming in July. Good jamming with R.G. and Meghan.

Went to lunch with Jana, Debbie and Pam from Bookcrazyradio.net. Went to Tonto Bar & Grill. Debbie and Pam brought true crime books so we could compare cover ideas. Jana has got the rights to her Winnie Ruth Judd book back and the Poisoned Pen is going to publish it. I told Jana I would help her design her cover. We threw around subheds. My favorite was “Everything you know about Winnie Ruth Judd is a lie.” The main title would be “The Trunk Murderess.” Jana also had a stunning never-before-published photo of Winnie Ruth on the witness stand. Sexy, intriguing and wrought with anguish. Book should be a barn burner.

Walked down to Tobias to pick up my truck. ($398, biz account). Came home, fed chicken (oatmeal and leftover homemade bread). Kathy and I have another conversational Spanish lesson tonight. I feel good. I’m about as happy as I’ll ever be.

“A computer beat me at chess once, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.”
—Gerald Ford (not really, but the idea of him saying this made me laugh)