The gift of adventure
A virtual event surprise and wrapping up the 22 stop 2024 book tour
Smoke doesn’t like talking to a computer. “A look in somebody’s eyes tells me more than anyone could say,” he used to say. But when you’re 90, don’t like to fly, and have fans all across the country, Zoom it is. So, last week, he took the plunge. Hundreds of viewers from 24 U.S. states joined us for a webinar sponsored by the Back Country Horsemen of America—and we had a great time.
Smoke guided them on a summer trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, complete with a thunderstorm, a grizzly bear, and some long-legged spiders in a cave. While we couldn’t see anyone’s faces on the screen, we could still feel their excitement. One woman from Florida later wrote to say how much she enjoyed “riding” in the Bob Marshall Wilderness while sitting in the shade of a palm tree in her backyard. A local reader shared that she watched from her couch, her cats purring on her lap.
We signed dozens of books, and the wonderful team at Fact and Fiction Bookstore (THANK YOU BRYN!) in Missoula shipped them across the country.
It turns out Smoke changed his mind. He actually enjoyed talking to a computer from the comfort of his old stone barn in Missoula. That said, he still prefers looking into people’s eyes and shaking their hands—and he definitely wouldn’t buy a horse or mule online!
Last week, I sat down to tally up all the book events Smoke and I have done since last March. Between public and private storytelling sessions and readings, we’ve done 22 events! That doesn’t even include interviews, class visits, public talks, or videos.
It’s been a busy year, but an incredibly fun one, too! Thank you to EVERYONE - in particular Thelma, Judson, Lynda, Julie, Tammy, Edda, and Noam - who made this tour possible. Without you, our readers from all across the U.S. and the world, there would be no Hush of the Land.
Have a wonderful Holiday season!
Auf bald,
Eva
NEWS Upcoming EVENTS
Check out Smoke’s interview in the new issue of Eclectic Horsemen. Stay tuned for a fun video interview with the magazine’s editor!
