The Big July - road trip finishes

I arrived at my friends' house in Horningsea Park, near Liverpool, late on Saturday night, to beers and roast lamb.
I was feeling pretty tired but really positive as well ... Canberra had gone really well.
It as great to be with friends - Ann desperately wants a part if the series ever gets made into a movie and has even offered to play a prostitute, an extra - anything!
After being spoilt with a big dinner and then scrambled eggs for breakfast, I was ready to tackle the day ahead, at A+R Macarthur, Borders Macarthur and Dymocks Liverpool.
Like many of the other outer suburban stores, I love appearing at these ones. Why other authors ignore them, I don't know.
A+R Macarthur is run by Karen Sharp, who had been at the Borders upstairs.
Sadly it was a slow start, with not many people about and I couldn't do much for her.
But that all changed at Borders Macarthur.
The staff there were fantastic, with quite a few picking up my books themselves. James came in on his day off to get book three signed, after I'd done the first two for him on my previous two visits.
They were funnelling people over to me and things got crazy as I shook hands and signed books.
Old friends from Campbelltown Theatre Group popped in to see me and take photos ... it was a lovely time and I sold more than 40 books there.
I was almost sorry to leave but I had almost sold out and had just one more store before heading home. I really wanted to see my family again but Dymocks Liverpool is one of my favourite stores.
The owners are lovely and this was my third time back there.
Sadly, by now, I was starting to really feel the effects of the travel and the long hours outside the front of bookstores.
The crazy traffic and struggle for parking at Westfield Liverpool didn't help and I was nearly 30 minutes late as a result.
Again, though, I met some wonderful people ... a lady called Kristi, who bought WG from me on an earlier visit and loved it so much, she was back for book three. Quite a few of the people there were coming back for book three, which was marvellous.
Likewise I had a great chat with a would-be author called Dan, who wants to get his children's series published. Always good to meet people like that!
But by about quarter to four, I was pretty much out on my feet and had to call a halt.
The drive home took forever and no time at all ... although one Mitsubishi driver doing 30km/h through a roadwork zone near my house nearly had me chewing the steering wheel in frustration.
It nearly broke me, that road trip. It was one day too long and probably two stores too many - but I met so many wonderful people and sold many, many books.
It was an experience I shall not forget.