It seems that Barnes & Noble in River Oaks Shopping Center was the place to be for power players the other night when public policy columnist Bill King launched his book Unapologetically Moderate: My Search for a Rational Center in American Politics.

While King says that he is waiting to assess the mayoral race before throwing his hat in the ever-expanding ring, the book signing served as a nice spring board for the attorney and former mayor of Kemah. Still no formal announcement.

The book, published by Bright Sky Press, is a compilation of what King considers his best writing over the past decade with subjects including hot-button issues such as Social Security reform, religion in politics and the federal deficit. Much of the writing originated in his weekly column for the Houston Chronicle.

Immigration attorney Charles Foster introduced King to the SRO crowd of 350. After reading an excerpt from the book, King spent two hours greeting guests, discussing the state of the city and assessing the mayoral field.

Among those applauding King's book and his possible entry into the political fray were Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and wife Tricia, Kenny Friedman, Jack Sweeney, Philamena and Arthur Baird, Kay and Fred Zeidman, Alfred Moran, Karen and Scott Rozzell, Marie and Alain LeNotre and Eli and Said Taghdisi.