The WILD INFERNO One Hot Launch Party took place this past Saturday night, where we celebrated the release of the newest episode in the WILD Mystery Series, WILD INFERNO. The WILD INFERNO Incident Management Team were all there in their tough-looking tees and caps reading "If You Can't Stand the Heat . . . Stay Out of the Inferno!"
Several area fire departments brought wildland apparatus, and there were exciting wildland firefighter demonstrations. We had a terrific time!

There is nothing like working with a team of dedicated and skillful firefighters. These same folks who came to manage the incident known as the WILD INFERNO One Hot Launch Party are the guys and gals I serve with on wildland fires here in Colorado. They're the folks I work with at the wildland academy where we train new firefighters every year. They're the best possible people you could ever have at your back. And that's for saving your life I'm talking about, not to mention celebrating the release of your latest book.

And that includes family and long-time friends who came to celebrate with me the birth of another book in the WILD Mystery Series. They joined the team, donned the gear, heeded the incident action plan, went by the timeline and the incident objectives. And the results were pure magic. (This may be an omen for WILD INFERNO—magic things are happening all around this book!)

Picture yourself walking into a historic log lodge in a high mountain community and reporting for duty at the Incident Command Post on a wildland fire, perhaps your first deployment ever to a fire. You check in at resources, where Diane and Kristen give you your division assignment, your Incident Action Plan, and directions to the camp supply cache where you will get your gear. At the supply cache, the friendly staff of Macdonald Bookshop of Estes Park—Don, Laurie, and owner Paula—will help you get all the supplies needed for this assignment, including copies of WILD INFERNO and WILD INDIGO, as well as ball caps, tees, and carabiners much like the ones the Incident Management Team are wearing.

When you arrive at your first drop zone, your division superintendent—Tracy or Josh (with the capable help of Vic and Tom)—will seat you to wait for the briefing. While you are waiting to be briefed, the food unit—Bev, Doug, Sherry, and Bobbie—are cooking food, and the facilities group—Jack and Gale—are making sure everything is as it should be.

The briefing begins, as Plans Section Chief Marci walks you through what it's like to wake up in the dark of the wee morning hours in wildland fire camp, then introduces all the command and general staff one by one and they brief in turn: Dave, the Ops Chief; Brian, Logistics (with deputies Jeremy and Tim—who also serves as Ground Support); Kent, Communications and Staging; Claudia, Medical; Dave, Safety; Marilyn, Information; and . . . Liaison Officer Sandi Ault, who reads the first chapter of WILD INFERNO as the newly-reported firefighters in the audience listen in complete silence and then break into a roar of cheers and applause. And finally, the Incident Commander, Greg, tells everyone about the sale of the WILD INFERNO bandanas to benefit the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which benefits our injured and fallen.

After the briefing, Division Alpha makes a visit to the Firecamp Chow Hall for spectacular firehouse chili, potato-veggie chowder, and a beautiful array of condiments, crudites, crackers, and chips and dips. While they're munching, Division Bravo is getting schooled by the Wildland Pack Task Force and the Wildland Tools Task Force, Brady and Weston. On the way between drop zones, each division will visit the Medical Unit for a refresher on self-care on a wildland fire, and for any minor medical needs.

Administrators Terri and Mandy are overseeing needs while the documentation unit: Eric, Pat, and Lee Ann, are making sure that every element of the event is properly recorded. And Kasia from the Associated Press takes photographs. Yours truly is busy signing copies of WILD INFERNO in hardcover, and the newly released paperback of WILD INDIGO in droves! Meanwhile, an exquisite audio-visual display of wildland fire footage and stills plays on a giant screen, and the Incident Management Team mingles and answers questions among the crowd.

We crown the event with the optimal delight: a spectacular cake featuring the setting for WILD INFERNO complete with a smoldering wildfire, a blaze-blackened forest, the twin spires of Chimney Rock with the moon ensnared between the stone pillars, the fire lookout tower, and even the ancient Puebloan ruins complete with kiva—and the cover of WILD INFERNO across blackened ground—all beautifully executed by artist extraordinaire, Pat, with transport assistance from Gary.

Members of the Fall River Writers cut and serve this spectacular cake while two of their group sing and play cowboy music in the auditorium and the fire crew munches on their choice from the two types of cake from this amazing creation: carrot, or dark-chocolate raspberry. Smart firefighters try some of each!

Newly purchased copies of WILD INFERNO and WILD INDIGO pass across the signing table, folks don the red bandanas, crews go back again and again to the chow hall for some of the delicious food, and everyone delights in how fun, exciting, enlightening, and entertaining ONE HOT LAUNCH PARTY can be.

My thanks to the posse from Pinewood Springs Fire Department, Big Elk Fire Department, and all the rest of the wonderful folks who came to celebrate and promote the success of WILD INFERNO. And especially to the WILD INFERNO Incident Management Team. What a team! What a launch! What a hot party!