On October 18th Rachel Hartwig went to the Mojave Desert with her mother to participate in the RiSE Lantern Festival 2014.  She had been telling me about it, and I knew she was excited to go, and she told me she was going to release a lantern in my name, but I honestly had no idea how beautiful and meaningful it was until after she sent me this video (notice the words at the end.)

Rachel is a reader who has become a friend.  I first met her several years ago when she came to my reading at Warwick's in San Diego.  She and her husband Mike had driven all the way from Las Vegas.  I thought that was pretty incredible.  She made the same trip this year, only she brought a cheesecake for everyone who showed up at the bookstore, packed it in ice to keep it cold, and served it to the gathering.  The cake was delicious.

No writer expects anything from a reader; we only hope you'll enjoy our books.  But to think of Rachel going to the Mojave Desert to release a lantern in my name, with all the hopes and dreams and spiritual meaning it represents, is very humbling.  She also wrote this beautiful blog post.  I feel so honored and grateful.