No, I didn't write a book about Amtrak. But I AM on tour via Amtrak across the United States, and I'm nearing the end of this month-long trip. As I write this, I'm in Scottsdale, Arizona, trying to catch up while I have connectivity (it's been either poor or non-existent during most of the trip, so I've been making hay whenever I have decent WiFi service.

Being able to speak to people all over the country-- about the story, about my process, about the trip, and especially, about elephants--has humbled me in ways I never imagined would happen. From the very beginning when I started putting this marketing plan together, I knew that what I wanted to do was to use my own words to help the magnificent creatures I was blessed to see in Thailand. I think that my simple message is reaching people, and at this point, I'm feeling that perhaps my little ripple of information will spark some curiosity in others so that they, too, can become educated about what's happening in the elephant world.

Last night, the event at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, an event that I'd been expecting to be a reading-and-signing as are most bookstore author events, turned into an intelligent and valuable discussion of the themes of the book, specific analysis of themes, and an in-depth Q&A about what's happening to Asian elephants.

The hostess, Betty Webb, is an author herself and had read (and told me she loved) The Mourning Parade. Her well-thought-through questions opened the door to me to help the audience understand how traumatic it is for orphaned elephants to lose parents to poaching, what an elephant's trunk can do, and how their fairly delicate spine structure is damaged by the tourist practice of riding them.

I finished the evening feeling really good.

But, to be honest, there haven't been any events at all along the way that have been bad. Or even slightly disappointing. All of the people I've visited along the way and those I've met at events or on the train have been phenomenal. I've heard amazing stories about life and the human ability to survive.

I'm looking forward to the rest of my time here in Arizona, as well as to the last days of the trip, including my events in Houston and New Orleans where I'll stay with a writer friend and cousin, consecutively. I'm also looking forward to going home, cuddling up with Izzy, and giving Ryes and Jen big hugs. This is the longest time I've been away from home (a month, by the time I get home), and it's been a fascinating one that makes me appreciate the joy of home and family and puppies that make me smile :-)

Hope you're hugging those you love close and reminding them every day that you love them.

Peace
Dawn