Flew to Seattle from NY last night, after going to see Spamalot (HUGE fun -- I loved every zany minute of it, though my favourite part was probably the song about needing to find some Jews!!). Flew on Delta Song for the first time -- I thought they were pretty good, and didn't mind having to pay for food or movies. We have that system in Europe now, on many airlines, and if it keeps the costs of tickets down, HURRAH!!!!

I'm staying at a cool hotel in downtown Seattle, and an even cooler room -- the John Lennon suite!! I feel like a rock star!!!!

Did my first two events of my America 2005 tour this morning, in Salmon Bay School, and Whitman Middle School. Enjoyed them both. The students were older at the second event, so I varied my act from the first -- I try to pitch my events to the age level of my audience when I go to a school, having learned (the hard way) that a reading that works for 11 and 12 year olds might not go down at al well with 13 or 14 year olds!!!! I don't get the same sort of kick out of school events that I did when I first started touring, because I've done so many of them by now. But I still enjoy them -- each event is different, and I like the uncertainty of not knowing what the questions-and-answers session is going to bring!!!! I have my first public event later, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for agood turnout ...

Found out that one of my best friend's brother-in-law died in a motorcyle accident today. The friend is Liam Fitz, the guy behind Xeropoint and the designer of my web site. I write a lot about death in my books, because I think it's important to dwell on it and get to terms with it through fiction, since that can help you deal with it when it happens in real life. But it's still always a shock when it happens unexpectedly to someone you know. I've got to get on with my tour and keep my show on the road, but my thoughts will be with Liam and his family for the next few days.