2 days before Booktopia…

2 days before Booktopia, and a bit of bad news- Jesmyn Ward will not be able to come due to medical reasons. I’ll be honest, I’m quite disappointed; but understand these things cannot be helped.

Ann and Michael (Books on the Nightstand people) have offered us 3 other choices to fill the Jesmyn Ward slot- a chat with Kevin Brockmeier (The Illumination), chat with Ellen F.Brown (Gone with the Wind- from Atlanta to Hollywood) or a Books on the Nightstand live podcast from Ole Miss.

I’m already seeing Ellen F. Brown in the early sessions- so I was really torn between the Kevin Brockmeier or Books on the Nightstand podcast- both sounded great to me. I picked, in order of what I wanted, 1. Podcast, 2. Kevin Brockmeier, and 3.Ellen F. Brown. I’ll find out Friday which one I’m going to.

 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn- A Giveaway

Ok in past blog posts, I’ve been mentioning how excited I am to read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. The book cover and description sound AMAZING and for a girl who loves a little true-crime suspense (I watch Law and Order, Criminal Minds, CSI, Discovery ID, etc like my very life depends on it!) this book sounds like a dream book. Plus, whether it’s becoming of me or not- I’m generally the one that will quickly proclaim “The Husband did it!”

So, if you are like me and like a little crime/suspense book (even though after reading them, I lay awake and listen to every creak in the house absolutely convinced that there is someone coming to get me)- then enter this giveaway for Gone Girl! And if you don’t happen to win- check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble or your local independent book seller for a copy.

Stephanie’s Written Word ( the blog that the giveaway is being hosted by) or if Twitter is more your speed- tweet this by June 17 Stop by @SWrittenWord 4 a chance to win GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn http://tinyurl.com/7odyhc4 thx to @TLCBookTours @CrownPublishing #giveaway

Happy Reading!

Counting down to Booktopia…

Just  4 mere days away from Booktopia in Oxford, MS. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever and now it’s so close to being here! The author line-up is quite nice- Jesmyn Ward, Tom Franklin, Kevin Brockmeier, Ellen F. Brown,  and a few others.

I’m beyond ready to spend a couple of days in Oxford- it’s one of my favorite places. The Square, Square Books, sitting on balcony at Burgundy Room or City Grocery, the food, shopping- plus since it’s summer- the town will have almost a sleepy feel at times with the majority of the students being gone.

While I have not finished all my Booktopia reading, I’m not going to stress. I’m going to go, enjoy listening to the authors, and have a good time. I’m also going to eat at all my favorite places, take pictures and really enjoy a weekend of being away.

My packing list: Flip flops, shorts, cute shirts, nice pants for dinner, books to be signed by authors, camera, big sunglasses, and my Kindle.

 

Fictional characters you’d love to meet…

That question: “Name or tell about the famous people (alive or dead) you would love to have dinner with” inspired this blog post. I generally pick a few famous, obvious choices, and then go for someone slightly controversial to round out my list.

But fictional characters might be an even more interesting table. I think the characters you admire or identify with tell something about your personality- either a characteristic you have or maybe wish you had. Sometimes we identify with characters because they remind me of us a time in our lives or a person we once knew.

For my fictional table of lunch guests- these are my picks (and why):

Grover from The Monster at the End of this Book. This was my very first book I remember reading (and having read to me countless times) when I was a kid. While I cannot say that it started my love of reading, the book is still special to me and Grover deserves a place at the table.

The Babysitter’s Club– the early years of Stacey, Dawn, Claudia, Kristy and Mary Ann. With each girl, I felt a kinship with in some level. Claudia was so great with art ( I loved art class), Stacey was a sophisticated former NYC resident (loved reading about her NYC time AND she dots her I”s with hearts (which was the neatest thing to my 9 year old mind), Dawn (beach and sun- understood her love for that), Kristy (softball- me too!) and Mary Ann (she loved to read- me too!) Even though I liked them all as a group, I felt I was more like a combination of Kristy and Mary Ann. I wanted to live in StoneyBrook, Connecticut. I wanted to be best friends with these girls. I loved how they could walk to each other’s house, loved the feel of the fictional town.

Sweet Valley Twins– Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield. I was more like Elizabeth with her reading and being studious, but I longed to be a Jessica (even though she had troublemaker tendencies).

Rachel Robinson, Allison Monceau and Stephanie Hirsch (all characters from Judy Blume’s Just as Long as We’re Together and Here’s to You, Rachel Robinson). I felt like a cross between Stephanie and Rachel reading the books. They lived in Connecticut in a sub-division, and were best friends. I read Just as Long as We’re Together between my 6th and 7th grade year- and I felt that the girls and I were going through the same/similar things.

Kinsey Millhone (Sue Grafton’s ABC series)- a PI in the 80’s in California. She relies on her wits, her stubborn streak, and street smarts to solve each case. She’s not fashionable, but she’s real and hardworking. She’s also not afraid to bend the truth when needed, and I love that.

Claire Cossi (Cleo Coyle’s Village Blend mystery series)- part owner of the Village Blend in NYC. She solves mysteries on the side while whipping up delicious coffee drinks. I would love to pick her brain about coffee!

Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich’s series)- bounty hunter. I would tell her to pick- Ranger or Joe- and would outline the reasons that she needs to be with Joe more (and not just because he calls her Cupcake)

Bailey Weggins (Kate White’s Bailey Weggins series)- true-crime novelist in NYC. Would enjoy helping her solve crimes and writing a tell-all book with her.

Abby Knight-(Kate Collins Flowershop Mysteries) she could bring a fabulous floral centerpiece to the table and if a crime happened- could solve it!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants– Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget. Admire the strength of friendship between the girls. Bonds that are lasting.

Rachel White and Darcy Rhone- best friends, but also girls who share a lopsided friendship. Rachel would be the one that was more interesting to talk to, the one who would be more like me. Darcy would bring a sense of fun to the party, but also would have to be a person to watch to make sure she didn’t hog the spotlight. (Emily Giffin Something Borrowed, Something Blue)

Lacey Smithsonian (Ellen Byreum- A crime of Fashion series)- fashion advice and fashion clues- Lacey would provide both.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark- Katniss could show how to shoot a bow and Peeta could make the bread.(Suzanne Collins- The Hunger Games trilogy)

In all honesty, I could probably write about fictional characters for much longer. Books have a way of getting inside your thoughts, making you feel understood, even validated at times. My fictional table has characters from many years of my life. Each character is special to me.

So- who would be at your fictional table? Would you invite childhood friends? Just adult friends? Maybe have 2 or more lunches? What,if any fictional characters, have been influential to you, a comfort to you, remind you of a happier time?

 

Kimberly Brock/Deep South Magazine Literary Friday Chat

Today is Friday. But Deep South Magazine (@deepsouthmag) calls it Literary Friday. Why? Because Friday is all about either chatting with an author or finding out some literary facts.

Today, Kimberly Brock (@kimberlydbrock) is the author that is being interviewed for Literary Friday. Stop in on Twitter and actively participate with the chat by using the hash tag #southernlit between 1 and 2 CST time. If you can’t make it, check out the facebook page of Deep South Mag. Erin so kindly posts the link to the chat for people to read later.

Psst… A copy of The River Witch will be given away to a lucky person today.

 

Happy Literary Friday!

Book news…. (list style!)

1. Recently began reading  James Patterson. Sorry to report that I have been ignoring his great books for years. Loved Kiss the Girls, I, Alex Cross and now reading Roses are Red. Good books.

2. Received my copy of The River Witch by Kimberly Brock that I won from Hallie Sawyer’s blog. Kimberly personalized my copy with the sweetest message: To Tamara- My sweet friend. May the story sing for you! Love, Kimberly Brock
I cannot wait to sit down and begin reading this book. With the rave reviews it’s getting, I’m very excited about reading it.

3. Bought Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn yesterday. Have never read a book by her, but between the description of the book from Reader’s Digest, the book cover and my book friend, Keetha’s, excitement over the book- I feel sure it’ll be a winner. I hope so anyway.

4. I’m still waiting on the library to get my copies of Ready, Player One and The Rook from the inter-library loan. This is probably why people buy, as opposed to borrow books mainly- it’s too long of a wait.

5. I was asked to guest blog about The Hunger Games trilogy for a friend’s blog- Man Vs Books Club. The blog is a collaborative effort among a group of people who read and encourage others to read. If looking for another blog to read or some great reviews, please check them out.

6. It’s 9 days till Booktopia Oxford, MS. Books on the Nightstand has several great events planned. Look for future blog posts on the authors I met at Booktopia.

7. Speaking of Books on the Nightstand, if you don’t listen to their weekly podcast, give it a try. They usually have great recommendations for books. This week, they recommended Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier. Nichole’s book was getting quite a bit of attention from several bloggers I follow yesterday- based on the talk, I’ve decided to add it to my list of books to read this summer.

8. My “to-read” list is growing exponentially. It bothers me because no matter how much time I devote to reading, it seems I never make a dent in my list.

9. She Reads is looking for more bloggers to join their network- if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please check out their website.

 

 

Michael Lee West- A “Teeny” bit of wonderful.

Michael Lee West (@michaelleewest) is the author of several books, although her last 2 books have been about the tales of Teeny Templeton and her fun ways, getting into trouble, and finding her way through life. Teeny is a character, interesting, fun-loving, the kind of character you can root for.

Both of the book covers for the Teeny books are beautiful, eye-catching and quite a conversation starter.

To me Teeny is the type of character that is made for summer reading. Michael Lee West’s books are light-hearted, fun, quirky at times, and with a bit of mystery. The 2 books in the Teeny Templeton series (Gone with an Handsomer Man and A Teeny Bit of Trouble) are perfect beach reads.

Deep South Magazine had an interview with Michael Lee West about the latest book in the Teeny series (A Teeny Bit of Trouble) and what she has planned for Teeny in the future. It’s definitely a worth-while read, so please check that out.

Deep South Magazine also has a 2012 Summer Reading list. If you are in need of a beach read, take a look. The list is chock-full of good authors- such as Mary Kay Andrews, Michael Lee West, Kimberly Brock, Jesmyn Ward, Karen White and others. Practically guaranteed to find at least one book for summer reading!

 

The River Witch by Kimberly Brock (June’s She Reads Book Club Selection)

Kimberly Brock has taken the publishing world by storm- her debut novel, The River Witch, is earning high praise from other authors and getting quite a bit of attention from other bloggers.

Kimberly- no stranger to social media (if you follow her on twitter, you’ll see that posts quite a bit and retweets even more) has been promoting her book like crazy. Reaping the awards of good promotion- on June 8th Deep South Magazine will conduct an online chat with her about her book and writing, She Reads has picked The River Witch as their June book selection of the month, and other bloggers have been giving away her book to their followers.  Hallie Sawyer featured a fabulous chat and book giveaway a few days ago with Kimberly Brock

She Reads will be hosting The River Witch as their book club selection for month of June. They will also be giving away fabulous prizes for commenting and joining in the book club.

With all the great publicity for The River Witch, if you have not found a book to read this summer- give this one a look. Find you a cool place to get, a comfortable chair, delicious drink and sit down to enjoy this book.

To learn more about Kimberly Brock or to read the first 2 chapters of her book, The River Witch, for free- please visit Kimberly’s website

Zippity Doo Dah 2012

I suppose it’s better late than never, so here goes about Zippity Doo Dah 2012 (ZDD). This is the 2nd year of this event- the event used to take place during the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Day parade in Jackson.  Now Jackson has 2 weekends of parades- so March is just a big fun month!

When I arrived in town on Thursday, I immediately saw a pile of women from last year- we all hugged and did the “Ahh! You’re here! What’s been going on?” thing. After unloading my car and taking my stuff to my room- I had to sit in the AC for a bit- it was HOT. Then I went and met up with some of the women- we stood around, talked, and made plans for dinner that night. 18 of us piled into Burger and Blues (a great little place to eat- good hamburgers, sweet potato fries, and and fun atmosphere.) Bless our server’s heart, he did not quit that night after setting 18 women wearing crowns and/or boas. We were a slightly loud crowd, but we were having fun and reuniting after a year of being apart. After eating till our heart was content (and everyone had a full belly) it was back to the Hilton for a night of bands and music. Several different bands played that night- and it was a blast hanging out with friends I see once a year and meeting new ladies!

Friday the first event of the day is called Big Hat Luncheon. And yes, we wear BIG Hats. The past couple of years it’s been held at Sal and Mookies- this great place to eat in Fondren. Pizza, pasta, great drinks and desserts-it’s got something for everybody. It’s non-smoking, has a great patio and a good staff. Eating there and hanging out with friends was a great way to start the Friday. After lunch, most of us went walking around Fondren (it’s small enough you can walk, but big enough that there is much to do!) Most stores were having sales, the weather was nice, and it was just a good day to play outside. After playing in Fondren for sometime- I went to Everyday Gourmet to pick up my Gail Pittman bird (yes, the Gail Piitman that does the dishes- well she designs a bird to sell for Zippity Doo Dah, as well). After that, went back to the hotel to see what was going on and begin to get ready for the night events- The Sweet Potato Queen Ball. After spending some of the afternoon getting made up with false eyelashes and glitter eyes (Thanks to Jen and Jodi!) I went to my room to put my sparkly dress and electric blue wig on- and then I headed to the ball. There was live music- good live music! And it’s always nice to see everyone so dressed up in their outfits- wigs, crowns, sparkly dresses- you name it, it could be there.

Saturday morning, back in Fondren, at Duling Hall- Jill Conner Browne signed her newest book, Fat is the new 30. Cathead Vodka helped sponsor the book signing- there was biscuits, bacon and screw drivers or bloody mary drinks to enjoy. Also Randall Wallace ( We Were Soldiers) was there. He comes most years, if he can make it, from what I understand- I missed seeing him the year before; but he was so kind to pose for a picture with me this year.

Randall Wallace and me- ZDD 2012

Melanie, Jill, Me- getting our books signed

After a delightful morning of yummy food, meeting Hollywood royalty and getting my book signed- it time for some more shopping and then decorating our float for the parade. Once the work was over, though, the ladies in my group headed to eat at Que Sera Sera- and then some of us went back to hotel to start getting ready (it takes a long time to get in those dresses and get wigs, false eyelashes and crowns looking right- BUT, it is so fun!). The parade line-up began at 6, so we did not have much time to waste.

The parade is just something a person has to see to even believe. Tons of women, dressed up in various outfits, laughing and having a great time. People stopping us to take pictures. Beads flying through the air. Waving to friends. Seeing kids excited. And knowing that while you are having a good time, by doing this, the money you help raise is going to Blair E. Batson for the sick children who are there. After the parade is over, and the car has been given away- begin heading back to the cars and we see the Sweet Potato Queen Float. And they let us take a picture on the float. So cross that off the bucket list, folks- I have a pic of myself on the float, in the big chair. It’s a good night.

SPQ Float- with PPPPPQ’s

The last event of Saturday is the Pearls and PJ’s party. And you guessed it- everyone shows up in Pearls and PJ’s. There is live music, food, and the giveaway of the big crown. It’s fun and fabulous- and a chance to relax while having fun because you are not in the costumes.

Sunday morning dawns bright and early for Bathrobe Brunch- shrimp and grits, pig candy, and other yummy breakfast foods. This is where we are reminded that play is good for the soul, and gather to say goodbye to new and old friends. Bathrobe Brunch is the more serious of the events- it’s a quiet reflection of why and how play is good for you, a reminder that life, if you don’t squeeze some fun into it, is boring.

The weekend is a fun weekend, filled with interesting ladies and great memories to be made!

What Booktopia means to me….

A few weeks ago, I registered for a weekend retreat in Oxford, MS. The weekend is being sponsored by Books on the Nightstand and it’s called Booktopia. In short, several authors will be in town and the participants will be able to meet them, listen to author talks, ask questions and meet other book people. In short, it will be a book lovers dream weekend. After I registered, Ann and Michael ( the Books on the Nightstand creators) asked everyone to please consider contributing what their idea of Booktopia was, and it would be printed into a small souvenir type book. I submitted my idea of what Booktopia is to me, and the book has been published. So I guess, technically, you could say that I’m a published writer! Since it does not seem fair to only let the people who bought the book ,Living in Booktopia, know what my dream of Booktopia is, I decided to write a blog post about it.

My vision of Booktopia is this: Walking in a room with great lighting, bright and colorful bookshelves crammed with books, but organized. Books are divided into sections- chick-lit, suspense, fiction, and the like. There is a beautiful plush pink velvet chair with a table beside it. There is also a rich midnight blue couch with a silver blanket and plush pillows. I can sit or lie down as I rediscover favorite books or invite new friends to my collection. I simply snap a finger and the book I currently want to read just magically appears. The room never gets over-crowded, the bookshelves just expand for more reading material. This room houses all my books- from childhood to current age. In short, when I unlock the room with my antique key, it’s like a magical room: filled with promises of laughter, good times, some sadness, but mainly unlocking emotions and fulfilling me. This room is my utopia- it is where I go to rest and relax. It is where my best friends live and eagerly await my return. Simply put, this vision of Booktopia is magical.

While I understand that not everyone enjoys to read as much as I do, I’ll never understand why some people so proudly announce that they never read. I firmly believe that there is a book out there for everyone- a book that is a game-changer and that will instil at least a slight yearn to read more. When a person does not read, they are willingly shutting themselves off from worlds and stories that can be enjoyed from the comforts of home. Traveling is great, and I firmly believe people should travel; but reading takes you traveling much cheaper than airplane tickets.

Now that I’ve shared my vision of Booktopia- consider your vision, if you are a reader. Might it be a porch where the wind blows and there is a glass of sweet-tea ever present? Or a deep footed claw tub with never ending bubbles and a glass of wine that never empties (yet, you do not get tipsy?) Maybe your vision is walking in a bookstore and seeing row after row, and knowing you have all the time in the world to explore?