The End of Summer

When our friend John (who I can think of only as Johnnie) left his job at Borders last spring to go to work at Murder By the Book, I was thrilled for him. I became familiar with the Houston bookstore through writer Dean James (who I first met in a Yahoo writers’ group). Dean has never failed to give me sound advice and encouragement, writer to writer, but among the best gifts he ever gave me was my first welcome to Murder By the Book, where he then worked as manager.

Anyone who shops at the store will tell you that it’s like a home where an extended family drops in to talk–about books or writers or whatever other random topic comes to mind. It’s a little paradise for a reader, because anyone on the staff can direct you to authors similar to those you already enjoy, introduce you to new writers whose works are destined to become mystery classics, or help you find older writers whose work you might have overlooked.

I knew the store would be a place where Johnnie could enjoy what he loves best about books and bookselling. He’d be working with like-minded people, including McKenna Jordan–who bought the store from its original owner in 2009. Like Dean, McKenna has on occasion been my go-to person when I come up with ideas for new novels. It’s fun to watch them go through their mental filing cabinets when I ask, Has this been done before? They always know.

Then there’s McKenna’s husband, David Thompson, who worked at Murder By the Book for twenty-one years. When Dean told David about my Houston-based A Coventry Christmas, David said the store would host a signing. I told him nobody gets murdered in the novel, but he said it didn’t matter. I’m a Houston author and the store is always happy to support local writers.

I was scheduled to sign with two crime novelists, Colleen Thompson and L.A. Sparks in December 2006. When I told McKenna I was sending out postcards to my mailing list to promote the signing, she said, “Bring the cards in. We’ll stamp them for you.” She was amused at my shocked reaction. I was so accustomed to doing all the Timothy James Beck publicity that it never occurred to me a bookseller would take on some of that. David and McKenna not only hosted that signing, but they kept my books in stock so I could sign them whenever I came into the store. David occasionally nudged me to write something else so we could do another signing, and he also indulged my reading lust by introducing me to several new mystery series that he thought I’d like.

At Dean’s most recent signing, as I was paying for my books, Johnnie mentioned that I’d get home in time to watch Project Runway. He told David how I do the show’s challenges by making doll clothes. David said he wasn’t sure he was going to enjoy this season, and we critiqued the show for a few minutes. I was reminded of how tickled Lindsey and Rhonda get whenever Tom talks fashion. Project Runway has apparently made more than one straight man a fashion critic.

The next day, I received a direct message on Twitter from Murder By the Book: David here… last night’s PROJECT RUNWAY was *much* better! 🙂

I was looking forward to going back to the store with a couple of dolls dressed in my designs to make David laugh.

Monday, at age 38, David died unexpectedly. Though I didn’t know him well, I know by the measure of my own sadness that his loss is devastating to those who know and love him best. The comments on the store’s Facebook page, on Twitter, and on so many blogs of authors, booksellers, and readers around the country are a testament to how highly esteemed David, McKenna, Dean, and the store’s entire staff are.

This is the kind of mystery we never unravel–when someone so full of joy and enthusiasm, so beloved, is taken away too early. My summer has been bookended by two such losses, and my heart goes out to all those who mourn them.


David Thompson
1971–2010

Rambling update to leave you all spellbound

I went for a three-month medical follow-up today to see what condition my condition was in, and all was fabulous. After running a couple of errands, I came home with the intention of shooting some photos and working on an art project. When–BAM! I couldn’t swallow, had a fever, and could think of nothing more inviting than crawling between the covers and sleeping, which I promptly did, to the joy of the ever-lazy Rex, Margot, and Guinness. (Pixie and Tyson II were at the TimLair.)

Sore throat is better now, but I still feel wiped out. This reminds me of what Lindsey described that came and went quickly for her last week. I’m hoping the same is true for me. Wonder what the heck it is, though?

There is a Victoria doll in the house. What if she’s SUCKING THE SOUL OUT OF MY BODY?

LJ Runway Monday: What’s Mine Is Yours (PR 8:7)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were split into teams of two. The twist: Each designer had to cut, sew, fit, and style his or her partner’s design.

Summer: The challenge was to create a resort look. Since Becks doesn’t have any competitors to partner with, I described a look I’d like in resort wear. It was up to her to pick the fabrics and sew it to my specifications.

Barbie: Fortunately, this was another challenge in which I could pick the perfect model: one of Mattel’s “On Location” Model Muses from 2007, the stunning Barcelona.

Heidi: You know what else is stunning? That I finally get to wear the shortest dress of the three of us.

Tim Gunn: Why do I suddenly feel as if you’re so fine, there’s no telling where the money went?

Barbie: Might as well face it: You’re addicted to us.

Summer: We’re simply irresistible.

Heidi: But is Becks? Let’s take a look.

Click here, please.

Some celebrating on September 10


September 10 is the birthday of my friend Denece. My father taught me the value of having a Virgo in my life, and Denece and Jim have upheld that tradition. Every year when I think of Denece on her birthday (and send a card that will always get there late, because I have a bad habit of doing that), there are a ton of special things to connect to her. One of the biggest is that she brought yet another Virgo into my life: our dog Margot. Denece is the one who saw Margot’s photo on Twyla’s Friends and told us about her. Since Margot was about a year old when we adopted her in September of 2000, we gave her my father’s birthday (September 16). But I figure she’s special enough to celebrate on Denece’s birthday, too.


In this photo, Denece is squatting between Timmy and me at a signing for I’m Your Man. The photo, taken by my mother’s good friend (and professional photographer) Amber Ratisseau in 2005, is one of a group of photos that are some of my all-time favorites. That was a great signing at Borders with all the TJB writing partners, my mother, and some of our closest friends there.

Happy birthday, Denece, and thanks for all the terrific things you’ve brought to my life.

As y’all know, Friday night is usually Craft Night at The Compound, when sewing, painting, knitting, sketching, and who knows what else may happen. This week, our Friday was even better because a couple of real babes dropped by.


Lila and Hanley. They colored…


…watched a little TV…


and tried to decide who had the better toys.

I had a blast watching them and hanging out with Lynne, Lindsey, Rhonda, Tim, Tom, and the usual dog suspects. Thanks, all, for a great night.

Miscellaneous Art

It was just announced that Bravo’s Work of Art will have a second season. I’m looking forward to it and hope that some of what I perceived as flaws in the first season will have vanished.

Meanwhile, portions of final collections (including mine) are appearing on the Work of Art blog that Lindsey created and I participated in. The completed collections are due in a couple of weeks, but I know mine won’t be ready by then, because it’s part of another semi-secret project I’m working on that won’t be finished for probably a month beyond that. When it’s done, I plan to try to find a gallery that will show it. Of course I’ll talk about all that here when it’s more appropriate.

One of Work of Art’s producers is Sarah Jessica Parker’s company Pretty Matches. Sort of on that topic, I recently started watching DVDs of Sex and the City from the first season. I noticed a coffee table book on my favorite artist in SJP’s character Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment:

Over the Labor Day weekend, I also watched a favorite old movie, Trading Places with Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis plays Ophelia, and when we go inside her apartment, I spotted a Rothko poster hanging on the wall. I like watching movies and shows on my computer because I see little things I never noticed before.

Canine Labor Day Weekend

The dogs told me I’m past due for an update on them. They’re having a good long weekend. Tim isn’t here, so Rex and Pixie have been staying with us. They want everyone to know they’ve been perfect angels.


Pixie and Rex in the Land of Conquered Rope Toys.

The Brides are off doing whatever Ninja Brides do on Labor Day. Something about keeping the beaches safe from oil spills. While they’re away, Sugar is staying with us. At home, Sugar is forced to do hard labor, including keeping her blanket securely attached to the sofa, patrolling the garage for palmetto bugs, and letting her moms know when it’s four a.m. So while she’s here, we allow her to watch countless hours of television.


Rex and Sugar watching Rex-TV.

Because there can never be enough canine happiness at The Compound, I got to have a slumber party in Tim’s apartment with his first foster dog, EZ, whose forever dad was away for a night. I offered to paint her nails, but she said she’d rather watch a movie. So we watched The Birdcage, and EZ laughed in all the right places. When it was over, I picked up my Nook to read, but she seemed to be trying to tell me something. So I took her outside, where I could sense she was just humoring me. Once we went back inside, she did this:


EZ settling inside Pixie’s crate to let me know it’s time for bed.

I gave in and went to bed. We both slept soundly until this morning, when Tom came over to let her out and feed her. Then she took up her perch on the window seat in the bedroom so she could watch the world. In the year she lived with Tim, one of my favorite things was glancing up at that window whenever I was outside to see EZ’s happy face looking back at me. After she was adopted, other foster dogs would visit her perch, but no one ever took up residence there until Pixie came. Pixie is so curious that she has to know everything that’s going on outside, especially the bad behavior of squirrels and Guinness’s hunt and murder of cicadas.

As for Guinness and Margot, here they are displaying their perfect hostess skills:

Happy Labor Day from The Compound!

LJ Runway Monday: You Can Totally Wear That Again (PR 8:6)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of–okay, wait a minute. I know we’re supposed to talk about Project Runway and introduce whatever Becks has created this week, but I have to ask: What the HELL are we wearing? She’s dressed me before in a peachy-orangey color combo and I warned her then never to do it again. And this–what IS this look?

Summer: I don’t know what you’re complaining about. At least you don’t look like a governess.

Barbie: Has anyone seen my shawl? I fear I’ve mislaid it and may catch a chill.

Heidi: Zip it, Barbie. We’re not in a Jane Austen film.

Summer: Wrong period. These dresses are the result of Becks reading Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Villette within weeks of each other.

Barbie: You left out Little Women. Who do you think I look like? Meg? Amy?

Heidi: In that frock? You look like the meadow in Twilight threw up on you. We may have to ban books from the work room if this is what happens.

Summer: Could be worse. She also read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Barbie: Brainzzzzzz.

Heidi: Eep! I guess these dresses aren’t so bad. Speaking of bad dresses, that’s what the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway was about: Bad Bridesmaid Dresses. The designers met their new models, former bridesmaids who were wearing the fashion abominations inflicted on them by cruel brides.

Summer: Using those dresses and two yards of fabric they were allowed to buy, the designers were told to create more flattering looks for their models.

Barbie: I picked Dinah as the model for this challenge. Let’s see how Dinah’s dress looked originally.

Summer: Suddenly I’m all right with the governess drag.

Heidi: When we asked Dinah if there was any part of the dress she liked, she told us the color was okay. But she felt the dress made her look like a shapeless blob.

Barbie: She also hated the one-shoulder ruffle.

Tim Gunn: Once the dress was deconstructed, thanks to the bottom ruffle, there was more fabric than one might expect. However, as I warned the designers on the show, the goal isn’t to make clothes. It’s to make fashion. Can Becks do it?

Please click here to see.