After seven solid fun-filled days in Bristol (for the phenomenally well-run Left Coast Crime conference, even if there were a few too many fire alarms at the Royal Marriott) and London, I've stumbled back onto American soil, somewhat jet-lagged and reasonably out of the publishing loop. But I'll catch up to my normal posting speed soon enough, even if I'll need to take several naps in between.

One of the unexpected highlights of the trip (more of which can be found on my main haunt) was visiting London's civil courts -- though I didn't actually go inside Court 61, where the Da Vinci Code trial has just finished up proceedings and now everyone awaits a verdict before the Easter holiday on April 13. The premises are gorgeous, stately and not surprisingly, somewhat crowded (the NBC truck has been a daily fixture around the Strand.)

LCC also afforded me several opportunities to talk to various publishing folk. Among the most prominent were Penguin UK thanks to the room set aside last Saturday to hype their Penguin Most Wanted site. It's indicative of a growing shift by the house to more internet-based marketing, and I had my brain picked somewhat by them about what sort of audience reach there is and how online marketing can work in tandem (but obviously, not replace) print-based approaches. Outreach is a good thing...