Tag: houston

A bit of art and link love

Tim posted a photo the other day of a little work of art that Lindsey and Rhonda brought back from their trip to Columbus, Ohio. I thought some of you might like to see my gift from them, too.


Actual size 4×6 inches.

Ah, how things have changed since the era of Glorious Technicolor. The artist of these whimsical works is Paul Volker, and I highly recommend a visit to his site, volkerworld. com. Just a little bit of exploring will take you to classics like “Loch Ness Bacon.”

Tim also placed an order at Maine Days Designs, and Kate, the artisan and proprietor, included this pendant for me when she sent his merchandise:


Actual size 1×1 inch.

Seriously, GO TO HER ETSY SITE (linked above) and check out her jewelry, which I love. As for map pendants, Kate will design and make custom orders. Wouldn’t that be a great gift for sharing the memory of a place you’ve been with a friend or loved one? Or maybe remind someone of a place you’ve dreamed of going together?

Earlier this year, I became acquainted with the work of Houston artist Gilbert Ruiz through his Draw 365 Group on his Flickr site. As I once told him, when I want to relax, I like to launch a slide show of that set and listen to whatever my iTunes randomly plays while I watch. There was one sketch I kept going back to, and finally I begged him to let me buy it. I’ve had it quite a while and still haven’t framed it–I need to take care of that. Meanwhile, I’m glad to share it with you:


Actual size is 12×12 inches.

Something interesting that I didn’t realize until I took out the sketch to shoot it was the date Gilbert drew it: March 4. That’s my mother’s birthday–one of those funny coincidences that makes me feel close to her. I think she’d have enjoyed Gilbert’s art, especially the darkly humorous vein running through many of the sketches.

Saturday night I visited a new place (to me): H Gallery on 19th Street in the Houston Heights. I went because a couple of Gilbert’s paintings are hanging there, and I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the other work, too. I will definitely be keeping up with their installations and going back to visit.

Please click here for Images from H Gallery.

And another one’s gone.

I can’t even begin to number how many movies I’ve seen at the Angelika. Independent films, art films, even some big releases. Tom and I used to meet James with Joe and maybe Steve V for dinner and a movie. The cafe was fun, with interesting food and good people watching. Some nights you’d spy a Houston athlete or a member of ZZ Top at another table. This is the theater where I trained myself to buy bottled water instead of Coke–but I still bought popcorn.

The hue and cry you heard from the direction of Houston this past Sunday was the shocked reaction to this note on the door:

Some of my Thursday

Seriously, you can’t take me anywhere. Tonight, I was THAT person. I got to Murder By the Book for Dean James’s signing of his new cozy mystery Murder Past Due, written as Miranda James, in time to enjoy some conversation with him and get a hug from Johnnie beforehand. Then I turned the sound off on my phone. Only I DIDN’T! I must have forgotten that vital last step, “Set,” because in the middle of Dean’s story to a VERY good crowd, my dumb cell began to ring. Which meant I had to scramble in my purse and find the thing and turn it off–it took an eternity. Sorry Dean and readers. I’m a moron.

Still, it was a wonderful night, because that’s the only way Murder By the Book knows how to do an event.


David introducing Dean with accolades from other mystery writers.


Kinley and John, two members of the best staff you’ll find at any bookseller anywhere.


Dean had a gratifyingly large audience and a long line to get books signed. In addition to Murder Past Due, he signed his Trailer Park Mystery series (written as Jimmie Ruth Evans), and his short story in the Delta Blues collection. Delta Blues includes well-loved writers (James Lee Burke, John Grisham, Ace Atkins, Charlaine Harris, Suzanne Hudson, Bill Fitzhugh, Suzann Ellingsworth, Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, Mary Saums, Lynne Barrett, Dean James, Les Standiford, Toni L.P. Kelner, and Carolyn Haines), plus new authors (Alice Jackson, David Sheffield, Nathan Singer, Michael Lister, and Daniel Martine), and contains an introduction by Morgan Freeman. A portion of every book sold will go to Freeman’s Rock River Foundation, an organization that promotes literacy and provides grants to assist schools.

One thing I’ve found concerning recent changes to my health is that I MUST EAT when it’s time to eat or I get…cranky. Very cranky. So I was not amused to get home to find someone’s car blocking the drive into The Compound. A simple phone call and my problem would have vanished courtesy of the HPD’s choice of a tow truck. Instead, through some eel-like maneuvering, I was able to get my car inside the gate. Then I left this poster on the offending vehicle’s windshield:

You can make your dreams come true

‘Nathan just tweeted the following:

NathanBurgoine Life goal update: have signing at @murderbooks

‘Nathan, I believe this will happen. And I can tell you from experience that Murder By the Book is a great place to have a book signing because the store, the staff, and its readers are the best.

Meanwhile, I have a photo that may remind you of Houston’s best little mystery bookstore: