Fun & Games Across America: Beer and Chili in Austin

Lane Madden's Austin doppleganger?

Every town deserves an indie bookstore like Book People in Austin, Texas. It's not just the size (huge), nor the selections (smart and cool), but the thoughtfulness, down to the last detail, including the signage and shelf talkers. It's possibly the most inviting bookstore I've ever visited. I pretty much could live inside this store.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that they make visiting pulp hacks feel like freakin' rock stars:

 

Soooo many bonus points for spelling my last name right.

I'll admit it; I was a little nervous headlining my own event after the awesome turnout for Abbott-Gran-Swierczy jawn in Houston. Even with the promise of free beer (a variety of Shiner beers, no less)... nothing's guaranteed. But I'm happy to report that the turnout was fantastic. Even better, everyone came armed with some great questions. And they even raised their bottles of Shiner for y'all:

Note how very few people chose the front row, as if I'm the Gallagher of crime fiction, spewing profanity, beer suds, bullets and blood everywhere.

Seated next to me behind that big wooden table was my buddy (and Book People Mystery manager) Scott Montgomery, who kept the conversation flowing with a lot of sharp questions and observations. You know, the kind that make you seem smarter than you really are. Scott also sold me two books that I'm eager to read: Benjamin Whitmer's Pike and Caryl Férey's Zulu. (I suppose I was in a mood for crime novels with four-letter titles.)

After the event, a small crew of us (Scott, Book People employee Joe, and hot sauce czar Jeff) retired to the infamous Texas Chili Parlor, one of my favorite places in Austin:

Tarantino fans will know it as the setting for the first half of Death Proof. The food and beers were savory. I'm a Yankee spice wimp, so I stuck with a starter bowl of the mild chili. Our new pal Jeff ordered the "XXX" chili, which should have shut down his central nervous system and guaranteed that he'd have to refrigerate his toilet paper for at least a week. Well, Jeff didn't even flinch. In fact, he asked me if our orders had gotten mixed up, as if maybe he'd received the mild instead. Goddamn showoff.

Postcard update: Oh, did I find some stone-cold winners at Book People. Anyway, cards going out to Marty McC. in Cambridge, MA; Andy J. in Jenkintown, PA; Jan L. in West Covina, CA; Kenny T. in Union, NJ; John M. in Derby, KS; Paul O. in Redding, CA; Alex C. in Anaheim, CA; Chris LaT. in Missoula, MT; Robert K. in Little Falls, NY; Ron E.P. in Charleston, WV; Aaron R. in Jefferson CIty, MO; Joseph H. in Las Vegas; Kris E. in Des Plaines, IL; Nelson "Nasty Bo" McL. in Etters, PA; Lonnie V. in Castalia, OH; Tim O'B. in Port Townsend, WA; John N. in El Lay; Patrick L. in Tustin, CA; Theron K. in Long Island City, NY. I've been having a lot of fun writing these postcards, by the way. Sure, my hand ends up cramped to all hell... but there's something wonderfully old-fashioned about the whole thing. And I really love that some of you have been posting pics of the cards on Twitter, letting me know they arrived safe and sound.

Tomorrow morning: The San Antonio lowdown! More postcards! More stories about beer and Mexican food!