Deep South Magazine

List Style Wednesday!

1. Don’t forget Friday, September 7th from 1-2pm CST- Erin from Deep South Mag (@deepsouthmag) will be tweet chatting with Kathy Patrick (@pulpwoodqueen). For more information on this, click HERE!

Erin always hosts a great chat- interesting questions, sometimes a giveaway of a book, and generally another Southern Lit author stops by in the chat for a bit.

The chat will have hashtag #southernlit. Erin uses Tweet Chat (but also posts the link to full chat- in case you missed it- on the Deep South Mag facebook page.

2. My library finally came through and ordered The Rook by Daniel O’Malley from inter-library loan. The downside? I’m just not loving the book thus far. I’m determined to read the book since I’ve been in an on-going battle for months over getting this book. Anyone read it? Worth the hype? Not? No spoilers, please, but encouragement is welcome!

3. In case you missed yesterday on my blog- 3 different interviews are posted- 1 with a self-published author, 1 with a blogger/author, and 1 with a blog group dedicated to finding books to discuss and helping show men that reading is good.

Happy Reading and have a great day!

 

 

Literary Friday ya’ll….

Friday…….. I’ve been ready for you all week.
A round-up of what’s happening for Literary Friday:

1. Deep South Magazine– talking about movies and Southern book festivals going on this weekend (and in the upcoming weeks!) If you are near Decatur, GA- go to the Decatur Book Festival- Kimberly Brock will be there!

Deep South Magazine has quite a few feathers in the cap with past author interviews, but I do believe the news I was told today will be the icing on the cake (thus far!) Friday, September 7 at 1-2 pm CST on Twitter will be a tweet chat with Kathy Patrick. If you are not sure who Kathy Patrick is- have you heard of the Pulpwood Queens? Girlfriend Weekend? Beauty and the Book? If you have, then you have heard of Kathy Patrick. The basics behind Kathy is this: Pulpwood Queens was formed because book clubs should be fun, not stuffy. The group does great things, reads great books, and the Girlfriend Weekend is supposed to be a fantastic time- it’s on my bucket list of book events to go to!

For more information on Kathy Patrick, click HERE!

For more information on Girlfriend Weekend, click HERE!

For more information on Pulpwood Queen Book Selection, click HERE!

Psst: A past Pulpwood Queen book selection (main selection) was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  And the October Bonus Selection is Kimberly Brock The River Witch! And the September Bonus Selection is Mary Beth Whalen The Guest Book.

Kathy Patrick and the Pulpwood Queens have this philosophy: Where tiaras are mandatory and reading good books is the RULE!- Now, that’s a philosophy I can greatly admire. Tiaras and reading good books- sign me up!

2. Over the past couple of days, an idea has been spinning in my head- featuring either up and coming writers, bloggers who love books, and other people related to the writing process. I have a couple of pieces lined up to publish to my blog- but always interested in more. If you are interested in chatting with me about this idea- having your book or writing featured or blog- let’s chat!

3. My #fridayreads is Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. While on opposite ends of the spectrum, both are great books!

Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying a great book!

Happy Reading!

Literary Friday ya’ll….

Friday- it’s a beautiful day and I  have a glass of lemonade- it almost does not get more #southernlit than this.

Deep South Magazine has their Literary Friday up and running- with news of Huckleberry Finn and ABC, James Franco, various festivals and book signings, and writing tips from Mark Twain.

Also, if you’re a fan of Erin Z. Bass- creator of Deep South Magazine (and if you’re not- you need to be; this girl is fantastic, funny, and fabulous!) Erin was a guest on Melinda McGuire’s Southern Creatives blog this week- so click HERE for that!

And  not to toot Deep South Mag’s horn too much- but they are tasting and discovering new Southern Food products and want to know other people’s favorites and must-haves! Click HERE for that article. Personally I feel that Blues Hog BBQ Sauce needs to be on the list- it’s got a sweet, but somewhat tangy flavor, and makes a pork tenderloin great! My next addition to the list, for when a person gets thirsty, would be Fat Mama’s Knock You Naked Margarita Mix from Natchez, MS (but can be found in many stores and even Amazon- if Natchez is too far away!)

Friday Reads- Currently reading Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks and A Teeny Bit of Trouble by Michael Lee West. Both books are good- if you read Gone With A Handsomer Man and loved Teeny- rest assured, she’s back and better than ever.

In addition to Friday Reads- let’s discuss authors- new and old! Any favorite authors coming out with new books that are eagerly anticipated?  See a book by an author that you’ve never read before but are drawn to? Chime in! And do tell- I’m all ears 🙂

If you do the Twitter thing- check out #SRblognetwork- a great group of bloggers that are reviewing books that She Reads Book Club has picked.

Listening to a discussion the other night, and a woman was talking about how she dislikes “chick-lit” and called a couple of books that are really more “Southern-lit” the term “chick lit”. Is there a difference between Southern-lit and chick-lit (I think there is, but do others think that?) Is any book that is written by a female considered “chick lit”? Is “chick lit” dead, evolving, or staying strong in terms of readership?

And finally to end Literary Friday on the cutest note possible- my dog, my wonderful Zeke, pictured earlier on my blog “reading” Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich- the other day, while I was reading the book, sat beside me and kept looking at the book. I imagined him saying “Hey! I wasn’t finished with the book!”

Happy Reading!

 

Literary Friday ya’ll…

Friday- TGIF- TGIF! Ok now that I’ve gotten a little Katy Perry out of me, I can start in on Literary Friday!

1. If you missed out on seeing Kimberly Brock, The River Witch,  in both Jackson and Greenwood, MS- 2 things: 1. You missed a great book signing AND 2. Fear not because the ever-so-smart, Erin, from Deep South Magazine thought ahead, took notes, pictures and video- and made it possible for people to experience what we were seeing in real life. To learn more about Deep South Mag’s road-trip through Mississippi on The River Witch tour with Kimberly Brock- click HERE!

2. If you missed my blog entry on The River Witch and Anna Kline and the Grits and Soul band- click HERE for a recap.

3. Yesterday was the 35th anniversary of Elvis’s death- I hope you listened to at least 1 Elvis song or watched 1 Elvis movie- heck, even if you said “Thank you, Thank you very much” in an Elvis voice- you honored the King of Rock and Roll. If you happen to be passing through the Tupelo area- a new statue was unveiled last week of Elvis. Totally road-trip worthy, imo.

4. What are you reading this weekend? The summer season is winding down- will you put the beach books away or not?

Wherever you are, whatever the plan is for the weekend- have a great one & enjoy some great books!

Happy Reading!

Literary Friday ya’ll….

Oh how I love Friday’s- it’s just the official beginning of the weekend for me. Friday was always the best day in school- an extra-long recess! Friday’s are good day for movies usually the movie opens on Friday night. For years Friday night was THE night to watch TV on ABC (TGIF line-up).  But I digress- Friday is the best.

A round up of information for Literary Friday:

1. Always check out Deep South Magazine– Literary Friday is the best there!
This week has news about The Great Gatsby film, The River Witch book signings for Jackson and Greenwood (be there or be square!), and a collection of book/town festivals. Also in Deep South Mag’s round-up of Literary Friday is my guest blog for Melinda McGuire about Rowan Oak and William Faulkner- thanks to Deep South Magazine for posting that link!

2. Are you a fan of reading book reviews? If so, She Reads is a place to stop by! Follow She Reads on Twitter (@SheReadsBookCLB) and use hashtag #SRblognetwork for reviews on great books!

3. My current #literaryconfession: I still have a copy of The Monster at the End of the Book- I actually have 2 copies- my childhood one and one that was given to me as an adult because of my great love for the book. I freely admit that this book holds a prominent place on my bookshelf!

4. My #fridayreads is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin. Kind of fitting since Vanity Fair calls Emily Giffin “a modern day Jane Austen”.

5. My friend, Keetha, did a great blog post on handwritten letters/cards and how she loves that kind of mail, loves getting those kind of things for gifts. I have to 100% agree with her- cute mail makes me happy. And I adore buying or getting as a gift great cards/paper- throw in a good-writing pen and I’ll do a happy dance! So, thoughts: Is paper just paper? Do you like getting random cards or letters from friends in this day of digital communication? Do you save the cards or find them to be a nuisance that you have to throw away?

Have a happy Literary Friday- and chime in with what you are reading or book recommendations!

Literary Friday ya’ll…

F-R-I-D-A-Y!

Literary Friday is here!

The biggest news for Literary Friday is that Kimberly Brock’s book, The River Witch, is on sale today only for $1.99 as an Amazon Kindle Daily Deal. $1.99- that’s a steal my friends- a complete and total steal! It’s worth full price, but if you’ve been waiting to buy the book, on the fence about whether you want it (Trust me- you want this book!)- now is the time to buy! Carpe diem!

Here’s an idea- since the book is so cheap today- book clubs should buy it for their groups- Having a book that is good and amazing to discuss is a great thing!

Deep South Magazine and their weekly Literary Friday is filled with information: A giveaway of Faulkner books from Book Riot, a giveaway of Shine, Shine, Shine from Joshilyn Jackson, a mention of the hit summer book, Gone Girl, and Reese Witherspoon, and book festivals/book signings going on all over the South. For more information on the giveaways- read the Deep South Magazine’s Literary Friday!

Other Literary Friday things:

My Friday Reads- trying to decide between A Teeny Bit of Trouble or  Summerland. Thoughts?

Happy Reading!

Literary Friday ya’ll…..

Friday- TGIF. Katy Perry Songs. #DAYSASTER (if you are a fan of Days of Our Lives). Oh yeah, and tonight- Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics- I love the Olympics!

So since this is a special Literary Friday (because of the Olympics) I’m going to change some things up- I’ll be raving and providing information on Literary things, but will tie it in with the Olympics by breaking categories down in Gold, Silver and Bronze worthy sections.

Gold Medal:

1. Deep South Magazine and their Literary Friday- a weekly what’s what in the world of literary gems. Always insightful!

2. Mia March The Meryl Streep Movie Club– I’m def giving it a Gold Medal. I enjoyed it that much.

Silver Medal:

1. Melinda Mcguire is still looking for people to guest-blog for her #STHRN idea. She’s had some interesting people (and my guest-blog on Rowan Oak, Faulkner, books will be posted in August!) so if you have ideas, please check her page out!

2. Francine Pascal- The Sweet Life– the stories of Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield at 30. Part soap-opera, part nostalgia- and all together a delicious little e-serial. It’s  really the only reason I look forward to Sunday now, so that I can read the latest installment.

3. The blog Man VS Books Club (@MVBClub) and the staff- they post reviews of books that are current and getting quite a buzz, committed to exposing readers to books that they might not know of , and always up for a literary chat on Twitter. Great work, ya’ll!

Bronze Medal:

1. Emily Giffin and the latest book- The book is great, actually, but there is a teensy spoiler to another couple in one of her books. I hadn’t read that book yet, so now I know basically how things work out. I’ll still read the other book, but I wish I’d known that she’d have these characters in her new book Where We Belong.

Other Literary Friday Tidbits:

1. Kimberly Brock, Anna Kline and the Grits and Soul Band will be making their way across the South to different bookstores. Kim will be signing The River Witch and Anna/Grits and Soul will be singing/playing. Don’t miss out!

2. My #fridayreads are as follows: Where We Belong by Emily Giffin (almost finished), Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald.

Happy Reading!

Literary Friday ya’ll…

It’s Friday- Literary Friday!  Let’s break out some bubbly and toast the weekend.
1. Deep South Magazine has posted their edition of Literary Friday– it’s screamingly funny this week- from a link to the books that make you un-dateable (I checked the link and luckily none of my favorite books made the list!) to a round up of Southern events. Sign up to have Deep South Mag delivered to your inbox- that way you won’t miss out on any Southern goodies!

2. Deep South Mag also did a post on Summer Booksignings that can’t be missed- a huge thanks to Erin for posting my picture with Karen White and for mentioning my blog- grateful beyond words! Also mentioned is Kimberly Brock’s The River Witch tour- she’s making stops in Mississippi- so come and see her, listen to Anna Kline and the Grits and Soul Band, get your book signed, and mingle with other fans. Should be extremely fun!

3. I used the term “literary crushes” a few weeks ago- and I was all about Peeta from The Hunger Games (don’t judge and I still am!) However, Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice is gaining ground. I’ve enjoyed reading his and Elizabeth’s back and forth banter in Pride and Prejudice.

4. I’ve been raving about Gone Girl for weeks- it’s great, it’s a summer read, it’s wonderful- get ready for more raves- it’s going to be a MOVIE!

5. My Friday Reads is a bit of a mystery- I have way too many books to choose from- Emily Giffin’s Where We Belong, Elin Hilderbrand’s Summerland, and several others. What are you reading on this Friday?

Happy Reading!

 

Literary Friday ya’ll….

Friday is HERE! A round of all things literary happening for Friday:

1. Karen White will be signing and reading at Lemuria Books today. I will be there. I hear Sea Change is supposed to be great. I’ll be live-tweeting from the book signing using #karenwhite.

2. Deep South Magazine teased us avid readers earlier in the week with a picture of books (most notably Mary Kay Andrews newest book- Spring Fever!) Perhaps that book will be given away to a lucky person today! Deep South Summer Reading List

3. Chick Lit Central is giving away a copy of Stacey Ballis Off the Menu– for the links and how to enter, see previous blog post or Google Chick Lit Central.

4. Judy Blume is on Twitter and since I’m a #booknerd that makes me happy!

5. I’m 6 or  so chapters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice– enjoying it.

6. Melinda Mcquire (@melindamcquire) has an interesting idea for writers, photographers, etc of Southern ways. If you are interested in hearing more about her idea- follow her or use the hashtag #STHRN to get more info.

7. Mia March, Mia March- I may have to add you to my list of writers who are using social media to their advantage- thanks for the follow!

Since it’s been raining all week- it’s been a great week to cozy up with books. Also, I’d missed the 2 previous weeks of Drop Dead Diva- watched the first episode yesterday that I missed- Owen and Jane- engaged- so cute!

Happy Reading!

Literary Friday ya’ll….

It’s Friday- so cue the sounds of trumpets trumpeting, turn the music up and know we are just hours away from a weekend!

Deep South Magazine is devoting their Literary Friday to William Faulkner. Whether you love him or can’t get into his books- you gotta admit that Faulkner was something else. If you ever find yourself in Oxford, MS- I highly encourage you to take a tour of Rowan Oak. Even just being on the grounds is a bit magical.

My current #fridayreads is Buttercream Bump-Off by Jenn McKinlay. Having recently discovered this cozy series- I’m loving the story of Mel, Angie and their cupcake store. If looking for a quick read, check the series out.

Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus will be soon on my list. I’m ready to see what the buzz is all about!

Karen White (Sea Change) will be in Jackson, MS at Lemuria Books July 13.

Having had the opportunity to guest blog, I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ll be guest blogging for another blog in a few weeks- details to follow and links will be posted once complete.

If you have any book recommendations, please feel free to comment. With so many great books out there, it’s hard to keep track of them all.

Happy Reading!