Wednesday Mashup…

Got A LOT to catch up on! Read on for articles you need to be reading, giveaways you should be entering, and more!

Articles You Should Be Reading:

1.Dana Bate, author of The Girls’ Guide to Love and Supper Clubs, has this to say about writing: Find Your Voice. It’s an article that asipring writers should read!

2. Randy Susan Meyers poses the question: Are Writers Badgering Readers? It’s an interesting question, because in the land of social media- a person can promote their book till the cows come home- and it costs little to nothing. And does that help or hurt the writer? While Randy’s article takes a lot of other things in consideration- my thoughts on the social media aspect is this: I LIKE to see the author interact with fans, bloggers, and more on social media. It makes for a pleasant experience. I know that the bottom line of being an author is selling books. I get it. I don’t dislike you for wanting to make a living. In fact, as I’ve said before- authors are some of my favorite types of people. There are some things I don’t like about social media for authors- but for the most part, it’s a good fit. But remember- social media is not your personal platform for selling- if you think that, you’ve missed out on the “social” part of social media. And just like your mama taught you- if you see someone that has bought a book, or is talking positive about the book- a simple “thank you” goes a long way.

3. Wendy Francis writes about A Letter to the Author You’re About to Become– advice and more for people in the process of becoming an author.

4. The Affair by Colette Freedman was April’s #gr8books online book club discussion. And Colette was fun- letting the online book club know some future work she has planned, and talking extensively of the plot of The Affair. After the Twiiter chat, she wrote this blog post about it. Colin Firth, Brad Pitt and why I love book clubs is funny and a great summary of the amazing people who participate in the #gr8book chat. As I read the article, I was touched to see that 2 of my comments that I made in the post was listed in the “Some of my favorite tweets from the discussion” section- I’ll let you guess which 2 sound like me 🙂

Giveaways:

1. Great New Books is giving away Priscille Sibley’s book, The Promise of Stardust.

2. Lilmommareader’s blog, Read Baby Read is giving away The Good Woman by Jane Porter.

3. Bookmagnet is giving away The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman.

She Reads:

As you know, I’m a She Reads blogger, Twitter chat hoster, and online book club leader- so I like to make sure other readers are aware of what’s going on at She Reads. April’s book club pick is AND THEN I FOUND YOU by Patti Callahan Henry- it’s fiction; but based on the real life experience of her sister. Beautifully written, heart-tugging and so much more- it’s a book that begs to be read.

I’ll be hosting the Twitter chat with Patti Callahan Henry on April 29th from 2-3pmEST. Use #srchat to join in. There will be a giveaway- and you’ll need to be particpating in the chat to be considered for the giveaway. Hope to see you there!

But, wait, there’s more! Can’t make it to the Twitter chat? No problem! April 29th- May 6th will be the online book club discussion at shereads.org/forum. Come, talk, tell me what you loved about the book. Or what you didn’t like. The discussion will last all week- and I love to hear from readers!

1. Dear Reader: A Note from Patti Callahan Henry

2. Featured Recipe for AND THEN I FOUND YOU

3. Release Day and launch party for AND THEN I FOUND YOU

Looking for Spring Thrillers? She Reads has a list! Spring Thriller Round-up

Meeting Jill McCorkle- Life After Life book signing

Jill McCorkle reading from Life After Life

Can I just say how much I adored meeting Jill McCorkle? I totally enjoyed it! Now from that statement, I’m sure most would think that I’ve been a Jill McCorkle fan for years- but surprise- Life After Life was my first book to read by her. I had an opportunity to review Life After Life several weeks ago through Netgalley, and during this time frame, Life After Life made Deep South Magazine’s 10 Reads for Spring. I trust Deep South Mag’s opinion- and if they say it’s a good read; well then, I’m going to give it a try. And lastly, during this time, I checked Turnrow Books in Greenwood, MS events and guess who was coming to town? Jill McCorkle! So like the Magic 8 ball says “all signs point to yes”- it was decided that I needed to read this book. So I did- and I really enjoyed it. Funny, heartwarming, sad at times- great characters. All are dealing with a heartache, a situation, and some are trying to make the last years of their lives count.

But what made meeting Jill McCorkle the best was how funny and nice she is- she could go from talking about some of the most heartfelt things to making the room crack up with loud giggles and laughs.

At the signing/reading- Jill read from “Sadie” a bit, then read from “Joanna’s Notes” about her dad, then read “Joanna’s dad’s” section. Each section had it’s own voice, it’s own thoughts- and was beautifull written- and even humours at times. Jill told the audience that she likes to think there is a lot of humor in Life After Life, even though there is sadness.

Jill also told the audience that it’s a popular misconception that “life will yield when something happens, but that rarely happens”. This was the case during her creation of Life After Life– her dad was dying, her children still needed her for dinner and other motherly duties, and work was still happening (grading papers and teaching). As she told us this, I began thinking that while we may wish life would slow down and let us deal with things as they happen- life has other plans for us. Life keeps spinning- until your final breath.

When questioned if any characters were based on people she knew in life or not- it was revealed that Toby is based on Jill’s work of teaching Introduction to Fiction. Toby, in the book, tells of how tired she was of reading essays about vampires, werewolves and the like- and that is how Jill felt at one point in her Intro to Fiction class. Jill wanted something with emotion, something with human emotion. So she tried to teach her students that emotion is like a primary box of crayons- but that as they got older, the emotions are more like a 64 pack of crayons- so you might feel periwinkle sometimes. But, at the base of that emotion is the original primary color emotion you felt as a child or teenager.

About Jill’s writing process- she likes to write in same place- but after having children- she realized she had to be more flexible. So she sometimes goes to the grocery store and sits in her car in the parking lot and writes- then later goes grocery shopping! She also takes lots of notes- and just reads them in the morning and evening- then she stores them for a time till she can write for an extended period. In this way, Jill speaks of that she’s always working on something; but it just takes time- and that’s a good thing because it gives her thoughts time to “perk”. Some of Jill’s characters will have memories or thoughts of her friends (after she’s asked!) Lastly Jill spoke of that sometimes when gathering her thoughts about writing, something will cross her mind that seems like it does not fit, like it’s not a logical next step in the process. When this happens, instead of ignoring that thought, she knows it’s meant to be in the thoughts, in her writing process.

Before she began signing books, she told this piece of advice for writers: The first draft of the book is like falling in love; but the revision of the book is the real deal in love.

Jill signing a book

Jill and Traveling With T

Thanks Tunrow Books for hosting a great event- and thanks to Jill McCorkle for being so gracious- signing my book and posing for pictures.

My review of Life After Life: Life After Life by Jill McCorkle- review by Traveling With T

Three Good Things by Wendy Francis

At the end of every day, you can always think of three good things that happened.

Ellen McClarety is recently divorced from Max- a man she loves; but with his quick get rich schemes- life was hard. And it took a toll on their marriage- with her being the responsible one. After divorcing Max, Ellen finds herself the owner of the Singular Kringle. Ellen has put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into making the Singular Kringle a place to come to, a place to find friendly faces, sweet treats and a tip for the day. Her hard work is paying off- and she’s beginning to feel really good about everything- until an email arrives.

Lanie, Ellen’s sister, is married, a lawyer, and has an adorable baby boy. Lanie is fighting the working vs mother issue- she’s feeling stressed about the hours at work and knowing that she’s missing out on important things at home with the baby. Between work and being a mother- Lanie’s missing out on husband/wife time- and begins to wonder about the state of her marriage.

With Ellen trying to balance a business and have a personal life; and Lanie trying to work, be a good mother and a wife- they rely on their mother’s advice about looking for 3 good things in the day. Between the advice and the sisterly bond- even the things that appear to be daunting or worrisome, can be overcome.

Three Good Things reminds readers that there should be a balance to life, that there will be sorrow, there will be happiness- but that life is like a kringle- no one ingredient should outweigh the others.

Recommended for beach bound readers, for people wanting a quick and easy read, and people who want to read something fun and lighthearted. Grab a glass of sweet tea and enjoy!

Literary Friday ya’ll….

Friday- oh Friday. And sunny!

1. Deep South Mag and their #literaryfriday- Joshilyn Jackson cover reveal, Jill McCorkle, 2 giveaways, and more (even some The Great Gastsby news!) Grab a glass of sweet tea- and soak up some #literaryfriday!

2. Speaking of Jill McCorkle, I had the pleasure of meeting her at Turnrow Books last night. She is adorable, funny, charming and so much more. Look for my blog post next week with pictures and tidbits of information she revealed as she read from her latest book, Life After Life.

Traveling With T’s review of Life After Life by Jill McCorkle.

3. Tonight, in a fit of luck, I will be at Rita Leganski’s book signing at Lemuria Books. You may remember that The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow was She Reads March Book Club Selection. I’ll be taking notes and pictures- so look for my blog post next week!

4. What is your #fridayreads? Mine is Three Good Things by Wendy Francis!

5. For those curious about when the Patti Callahan Henry Twitter chat will happen- it appears April 29th will be the day. As details are finalized, I’ll keep my readers in the know. If you’ve read And Then I Found You– or want to read- do consider joining us for the chat- it’s kept as spoiler free as possible!

Happy Reading and have a great weekend!

PS: Thanks to the new followers and commenters- you’ve been noticed and I appreicate you stopping by!

I’m a fan of short chapters- are you?

Short chapters- some people dislike them- but I’m a fan. Let me explain:

First, a chapter that just goes on and on gets to be a bit tedious- even if the writing is good. And my mind begins to wander. Which is not a good thing- because that means the author has lost my attention.

Second: I read. A lot. I like to read while I’m eating breakfast. I like to read a quick chapter at lunch. And before I got to bed- I love reading before I go to bed. Long chapters make this hard. Because I don’t want to quit in the middle of the chapter, I want to finish the chapter.

Third: While I get that sometimes the first chapter needs to be on the longer side- especially if you, the author, are establishing certain “key points”- and so I deal with it. But, do consider making the rest of the chapters shorter!

So new authors, as you begin the journey to get published and become a NYT Best-Seller- while contemplating your cover choices and dreaming about swimming around in your newly aquired wealth like Scrooge McDuck (right? Isn’t that what all NYT Best-Sellers do?) Give the length of chapters for the book a thought as well!

Parrots Prove Deadly by Clea Simon

Pru has a gift with animals. She “senses” things they think- and through this they can communicate back and forth. When Pru is called out for a “life or death” emergency, she’s not sure what she will find. But a frazzled woman and an African-Grey who hurls insults was probably not it.

Randolph, the parrot, caretaker, Polly Larkin, has recently passed away and the family is hoping that Pru can perform some behavior modification on Randolph. This would enable Randolph to be able to have a new nice and happy home life. Pru takes the job, but is unsure of her ability to help modify the parrots behavior. Then Randolph begins repeating phrases that lead Pru to think the parrot may have witnessed the event that took Polly Larkin’s life. And that it was murder!

Pru teams up with Wallis the cat, a raccoon, and other animals to find out what Randolph the parrot really saw. One of the animals lets Pru know that “no likes a blabbermouth” which makes Pru worry about Randolph’s safety. To complicate matters further, Pru’s boyfriend, Jim Creighton, is trying to find out how drugs are getting around town so easily. Between the drugs and the murder, Pru has her hands filled trying to find out what happened to Polly Larkin and if there is more to the story than meets the eye. Pru may not know the answers yet, but she knows she needs to find out for her sake as well as the animals.

Clea Simon writes a cute book filled with funny animal characters (especially Wallis) and a mystery that is enjoyable. While I enjoyed the book and the characters, I’m still on the fence about whether I’ll visit Pru’s world again- it’s very different from my normal cozy picks. However, I found the world that Clea Simon created for Pru and Wallis to be a fun place- and one that many cozy readers will enjoy.

** Blogger note: I don’t read cozy books for the plausibility factor- I read for the enjoyment. This book does have some enjoyable moments- however, I theorize that I’m too used to the type of cozy books I read (the cupcake, coffee making, bakery type of books that also solve crime) to fully appreciate the cozy where a woman can communicate with the animals. I did, however, give it a fair review on Goodreads and my blog- because while it may not have been a 5 star for me- for another fellow cozy reader, it may very well be!

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

It is Delanie’s wedding day- and she’s a nervous wreck. Trying to help calm Delaine, Theodosia is going above and beyond bridesmaid duty- but a happy Delanie is better than an unhappy one. However, no matter how hard Theo is trying to make this day perfect- nothing can bring the groom back to life.

Delanie begs Theo to find out who did this to her beau, and Theo readily agrees. Was it murder or an accident? Clues at the scene point to either conclusion. While Theo’s gathering clues, 2 ghosthunters come to town, and are interested in going back to the scene of the crime to communicate with the spirit.

With suspects being added daily to Theo’s list- was it the ex-girlfriend? The law partner? The step-son? Or someone else? Theo’s days are busy. Throw in an attractive ATF agent is interested in tracking down Cuban cigars and seems to like to keep an eye on Theo, it’s a wonder that Theo can remember how to steep tea!

Is Theo able to help solve the murder? Or was it an accident? Read Sweet Tea Revenge to find out!

Agony of the Leaves by Laura Child

With a new aquarium opening in Charleston, everyone is excited. The opening should be a smashing success- between the food and Charleston’s elite. Everything is going great, until Theodosia discovers a body. Not just any body either- the body of Parker Scully, her former love. While most are willing to write it off as a tragic accident- Theodosia will not.

As she begins to search for more clues about Parker’s life over the past year or so- Theodosia learns the restaturant business is similar to Hollywood- talk is cheap. Did one of the restaurant owners set out to kill Parker- either to be able to buy his place or to keep him from opening another successful place?

While Theodosia is searching for clues, Delanie is brow-beating her to help out a charity called Tuesday’s Child. Theo makes time for the charity, all the while wondering exactly what Parker must have stumbled upon to cause someone to kill him. With Theo crossing off suspects and adding more- she doesn’t realize that she’s skating awfully close to the truth of why Parker was murdered.

Will Theodosia be able to solve the murder? Or will the killer get the best of her?

Going Going Ganache by Jenn McKinlay

Going, Going Ganache is book 5 in Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake series- and the series is still going strong!

Mel and Angie, owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, are in trouble. After the cupcake photo shoot goes south (thanks to help from a certain busybody); the magazine owner and Tate are not happy. As part of Mel and Angie’s punishment, Ian Hannigan, SWS magazine owner, decides that his team needs a project to help foster team spirit. And Mel and Angie are the perfect people to teach the magazine team how to make cupcakes.

While Mel and Angie are not happy to be teaching a workshop on making cupcakes, compared to some of the others, they look thrilled. With each day presenting it’s own unique set of challenges, the final straw is when Mel discovers a body. Now Mel must discover the who, what, and why of the murder- and wonders if someone in the kitchen is the killer. Mel’s got her hands full with cupcakes and killers- and her secret engagement with Joe. With a good-looking cop paying equal attention the crime and Mel, does Joe have some competetion?

As the charity event draws closer, Tate’s acting weird, Angie’s worried, and Mel’s got her hands full. Will the 3 friends be able to solve the crime and get the cupcakes to the charity event in one edible piece? Read Going, Going Ganache to find out!

“Serious” book lovers- don’t hate me because I prefer “happy” books.

Last night, I was chatting with a group of women in a conference call about different books. These ladies I met at Booktopia Oxford last summer- and I find them intelligent, articulate, and wonderful. But, as we discuss books and different things, some of the group gets to talking about “serious” books- all the Tournament of Books list, various prestigious awards these books are being considered for, and how most of them were so excited that Orphan Master’s Son won TOB (I’ll be 100% honest: When the ladies wanted to do TOB racket, I was like “sure- I’m in”- and I was doing pretty good. Until Gone Girl got knocked out- because I had Gone Girl taking the Rooster. Side note: this is why I don’t bet in March Madness- I apparently don’t have the skills to pull off the win!)

And while none of the group ever makes fun of me for my lack of serious book reading, this is where I almost being to feel like an imposter in the book world, where I feel like someone is going to discover my lack of “serious” book reading. This is where I begin to ponder the questions: Am I really an avid reader if I don’t prefer the “serious” books? Do I lose “book cred” by not reading the “serious” books- the non-fiction, the tales of life in foreign countries, the dreadful situations, the politically charged?

And thanks to an article that Wendy Wax wrote, I have an answer. Wendy writes: “For those of you who have been made to feel ashamed for choosing a ‘beach read’ over the latest version of War and Peace, I say do not be cowed.”

And so, yes, I freely admit that I read the fun books, the beach books, the cozy books. I like mysteries, I like some Southern Lit. I like the books where the characters go through a bad patch; yet come through it wiser and happy. I still occassionally like a non-fiction, and I don’t mind a book that makes me cry- although I don’t want to cry the whole time I read. I even like books where the ending is not completely clear! I’m just not a fan of the “”serious” books- the ones that make me want to stick a needle in my eye and pull my hair out! As Bob Ross once said:” We want happy paintings. Happy Paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news.”

Life’s too short to read books that bore you- find the books that make you happy, the books that fulfill you- and read.