The fourth book and nothing to wear.

One of the major controversies around here is how I should dress on the book tour. My wife, my agent, and my publisher are under the mistaken view that I should look like an author-whereas I feel most comfortable as a saddle tramp. I am forbidden to wear my favorite hat in public. As a matter of fact, I once presented it for a refurbishing to Mike at H-Bar Hats in Billings, MT, and he offered to bury it for me. He said he'd sing a eulogy for an extra five bucks.

My favorite shirts are threadbare at the elbows, collar, and cuffs-and after ten years of wear, are just about right. My favorite jeans all have unidentified stains and holes in strategic places (look for the hole in the cuff of my dress jeans where they got punched by the hardware wire in the hay shed). My favorite boots are mud-stained and battered, with heels that have kind of dropped off-I'm kind of like Walt in that respect. They do need a bit of attention... This all points to a dread disease of character-I am sentimental. I refuse to throw old clothes away simply because they're properly broken-in. I guess I feel a connection of spirit, especially since nobody's thrown me out... Yet.

Out of thirty-four cities and towns, you never can tell, I might be near you. So, if you want to witness my sartorial splendor in person-check out the Tour of Duty section of the website at http://www.craigallenjohnson.com/. See you soon.

All the best,

Craig

View more information on Craig Johnson's Another Man's Moccasins.

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Penguin Group (USA) Authors Headline Events and Command the Spotlight at This Year's BEA in Los Angeles

BookExpo America 2008, which takes place next weekend (May 29 - June 1) in Los Angeles, once again features a number of Penguin Group (USA) authors and executives in major events and headline performances.

Lewis Black, author of Me of Little Faith (Riverhead), will headline the BEA Saturday Night benefit event in front of an audience of 2,000 book expo attendees at the Orpheum Theatre. John Hodgman, author of More Information Than You Require (Dutton) will serve as the Master of Ceremonies of the Sunday morning Book & Author Breakfast. Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, author of Taking on the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era (Celebra) will speak at the Saturday Book & Author Luncheon, which focuses on political and social issues. And Riverhead's Khaled Hosseini will be honored at the Book Sense Celebration of Bookselling Reception, as he accepts the award for A Thousand Splendid Suns winning Book Sense Book of the Year. In addition, Hosseini will participate at the Book Sense Author Luncheon, which will also be attended by young readers authors Anna Dewdney, winner of the "Book Sense Honor" selection for Llama Llama Mad at Mama, Steve Kluger and Michael Reisman. Nami Mun will participate in the popular "Emerging Voices" panel, where she will read from her upcoming Riverhead title Miles from Nowhere. And Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will host a private event for booksellers, in celebration of their upcoming Razorbill book, Influence.