The Road To Roswell by Connie Willis

 

Francie never thought she would end up in Roswell, New Mexico, during the UFO convention week.  But her college roommate is about to make a grievous mistake and marry a true UFO believer and Francie has agreed to be the maid of honor although she really means to go and talk her friend out of getting married.  

Francie doesn't believe anything about aliens and spaceships and invasions.  That is, until she is abducted by an alien who looks like a tumbleweed and made to drive him somewhere.  Where is unclear as they can't communicate but he has one tentacle around her wrist and another pointing which way to go.  

Before it all ends, Francie has picked up a haphazard crew to help.  That includes Wade, a hitchhiker who is a conman, off to the convention to sell antiabduction insurance policies, Lyle a rabid believer, Joseph who gave up his job and bought the biggest RV he could find to fulfill his dream of visiting the West and all the locations in the hundreds of Western movies he owns and Eula Mae who is a card counter and slot machine expert while looking like a little old lady.  

Francie and Wade figure out how to communicate with Indy, which is their name for the alien.  He needs to go help a friend of his and they are willing to take him.  But the FBI,  the sheriff and all the state police are soon looking for them as they careen around the West, visit Las Vegas and finally find Indy's friend.  Where will it all end?

Connie Willis is a celebrated science fiction writer.  She has won ten Hugo awards and six Nebula awards and is a grand master of science fiction writing.  This book combines adventure, romance and a peek into the world of alien believers and the reader will be entertained as well as educated.  It is recommended for science fiction readers.