It's no surprise to anyone interested in books that publishing has taken a huge hit in this economic mess. Big book tours are a rare treat for the biggest stars. I was hugely surprised and honored that Simon & Schuster sent me on a smaller tour for the release of OXYGEN as trade paperback. But I wanted to visit a few more of the fabulous independent bookstores here in the Northwest that I could reach without a plane ticket and hotel room—four children do not travel cheaply. So, we combined a mini-book tour with a family camping vacation—proving that six people can share one tiny tent (with a strategic smudge of flavored chapstick under your nose), and you can use an electric curling iron in a campground bathroom (when the line is not too long). Note that I almost never appear in any family photos, since I’m usually the only one who willing to stop for pictures.
