Today I am happy and grateful.

That is all.

It is more than enough.

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Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m not a sports fan. In fact, other than equestrian sports, in which I joyously participated for two decades, I have no interest in any sport whatsoever. So, when I heard terrific buzz going around about a book named Diamond Ruby and found out it was about baseball, I knew I wouldn’t read it.

But, because I had heard that the author is a genuinely nice (and talented) man and I wanted to be supportive, I bought two copies of Diamond Ruby (one for myself and one for my baseball-lovin’ brother). I figured I’d put my copy on the shelf and that would be the end of it. But one night I decided to at least read a chapter or two, and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Diamond Ruby by Joseph Wallace is a wonderful story that’s very well told.

Ruby stole my heart—a bright and talented and sympathetic character, she beat the odds, and she beat them on a multitude of levels. Set against the backdrop of 1920s New York, this novel is rich in history, it is also human and heartfelt and uplifting. I’m particularly fond of stories where triumph rises from the ruins of adversity, and Diamond Ruby is just that. And more. Oh, so much more.

Bravo, Mr. Wallace! You gave me hours of true reading enjoyment. Before putting your novel back on my bookshelf, I’m going to keep it on the chest in my writing library for a few weeks to remind myself how important it is for me to crack open a book I otherwise might pass by.

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When I first saw this photograph I was drawn in to the point that I could have written a novella about the boy and his dog.

Perhaps I should have.

Perhaps I will.

This single image brought memories flooding back to me of my childhood years on the farm—barefoot days spent running through the open fields with our dog, Midnight, at my side, his ears flopping in the wind. And when I think about those days and all the hours I spent outside exploring, learning, imagining, and dreaming, I can’t help but wonder: what is happening to the children of today? I see them walking to school with earphones crammed into their ears—oblivious to bird-songs. I see them hunkered down in their seats on airplanes engrossed in some animated computer game to the point that hey have no interest in looking out the window to see the Grand Canyon looming below. And I see them “hanging out” at malls on sunny days while the mysteries of nature goes unexplored.

This past weekend I gave an author talk at the Velma Teague Library in Glendale, Arizona. In the front row of the audience sat a lovely young woman who listened intently and scribbled notes. When I had finished speaking and asked for questions, she raised her hand.  She was a creative writing teacher and she told me how much she enjoyed the character development and the sense of place I created in my novel. So much so that she would be using my novel in her classroom. She then asked what advice I would give her students on those topics.

I told her that being awake and aware was the key. When we are fully in the moment, when our senses are completely engaged and we are truly awake and aware, we train ourselves to be open. And, when we are open, we soak up our environment like a sponge. Being a human sponge is the single most important thing that I, as a writer, can do. By opening my senses, I expose myself to the nuances of all that surrounds me. Everywhere I look, everything I see and hear and taste holds the magic to stir my creativity. The inspiration for a well-turned phrase, a story, a poem, or a full-length novel is everywhere.

Truly. Everywhere.

I’d write more on this subject, but the birds are singing, a breeze is sneaking through the window and tickling my face, and the urge to get outside and soak up some good subject matter is impossible to resist. As I walk toward the river, I hope I see a child with his/her dog enjoying the magic of nature, but I won’t know until I leave my computer and get out of the house.

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The Dixie Divas

One of the terrific perks that comes with being a published author is having the opportunity to connect with other published authors. And, being a Southern writer myself, there’s nothing better than getting to know writers who hail from the South and share their love of Dixie.  When I read the book, Bet Your Bottom Dollar, by Karin Gillespie, I laughed and had myself  gay ole time as I followed the antics of the main characters, Elizabeth, Mavis, and Attalee.

Since that day I’ve been fortunate to have connected with Karin Gillespie (shown in the photo on the left—the pretty, mischievous-looking blond with the twinkle in her eyes), and she’s just as charming and entertaining and funny as her Bottom Dollar Girls series, published by Simon and Schuster.

I recently asked Karin if she’d be willing to share with my readers how the Dixie Divas came to be, and though she’s quite busy, she graciously accepted my invitation. So without further delay, here, in Karin’s own words, is her story …

The Dixie Divas

“When I found out my novel was going to be published I talked to lots of other authors and they scared me to death. “The book signings are killers,” they warned. “Usually the only people who will show up are the events coordinator and your mother.”

I also discovered a book called Mortification: Writers’ Stories of Their Public Shame. How terrifying! I thought there had to be some way to attract an audience to book signings. I talked to a mystery author, Denise Swanson. She traveled with other mystery writer and they called themselves the Deadly Divas. She said they sometimes attracted hundreds of people to their signings.

I decided I would borrow Denise’s idea. Since I was a Southern author, I formed a group called the Dixie Divas. I asked J.L. Miles, Julie Cannon, and Patricia Sprinkle to join me in my venture.

We decided we would have fun book signings. We wear boas and tiaras and other silly accessories. Patty, our mystery writer wears black and yellow crime tape. We tell jokes and stories. No staid, stuffy readings for the Divas. We aim to entertain.

Because we have to watch our pennies we often pile into one car and one hotel room. (Thankfully none of the divas snore.) I call us Thelma and Louise squared.

And yes, for the most part, our signings are wonderful. Sometimes we sell over a hundred books and present to packed houses. The press loves us and we have enjoyed half-page feature article spreads in many Southeastern newspapers, coverage we would have never gotten as solo authors.

But every now and then we have a dud signing. Once we spoke at Cocoa Florida library and the crowd was sparse and composed primarily of elderly retirees. The librarian apologized for the small turnout. A retiree who was listening in said, “You should have been here last week. There was an author who had a long line out the door.”

“Who was the author?” I asked wearily.

“I don’t remember,” said the retiree. “I just remember the name of his book. It was called Overcoming Incontinence.”

So yes, dear friends, we were upstaged by incontinence.

On another occasion we visited a small-town library in Georgia. The cub reporter interviewing us was wet behind the ears. His story had many inaccuracies but the most glaring was the title of his piece, which read, “Dixie Beavers to Visit Local Library.”

We’ve traveled together over three years and we’ve shared a heap of embarrassments as well as countless triumphs. You get to know a lot about people when you swill wine together, share long car rides and sleep in the same bed. The Divas and I have become as close as sisters and we cherish our relationships. I can’t imagine doing signings without them. When I’m with the Divas it doesn’t matter how many people are at our book signings. I know J.L. Miles will make me laugh, Julie Cannon will have a word of encouragement and Patty Sprinkle will give me valuable advice. That’s all I care about. Now it’s less about selling books and more about spending time with my darling Divas.”

Karin’s books can be purchased at fine independent booksellers, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s, Books-A-Million and many other retailers.

Bio: Karin Gillespie is the author of the Bottom Dollar Girl series and the   founder of A Good Blog is Hard to Find, a group blog for Southern authors.

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For all my life I’ve loved libraries. Be they old or new, one story or an entire building, in a crowded city or on a country road, I always know I can walk into a library and spend hours browsing the shelves in peace. I also know that if I can’t find what I’m looking for or need a recommendation, a knowledgeable librarian will be more than happy to help me. With all the budget cuts that have hit libraries so hard, now, more than ever, I try to support them whenever I can. I can’t imagine a town without a library, and if we don’t take action, that just might happen.

During these scary economic times, I am especially excited and honored to be a guest author at the Velma Teague Library in Glendale, Arizona. Lesa Holstine, Library Branch Manager, was so kind in extending her invitation to me, and I gladly accepted. Velma Teague is a very special library; it’s the only one to receive the Arizona Governor’s Arts Award, and, it’s also the oldest library in the valley, serving book-loving residents since 1895. I can’t wait to meet Lesa, see the library, and talk to the attendees. I know we’ll have a terrific time.

Lesa Holstine writes a fabulous blog. She is a contributing book reviewer for Library Journal, Mystery Readers Journal, and various websites. Lesa’s Book Critiques is syndicated through Blogburst, and her reviews have been picked up by Reuters, USA Today and other distinguished news distributors. Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Spinetingler Awards for Best Reviewer, Lesa’s book reviews and author interviews are always hugely popular with publishers, readers, and authors alike. You can visit Lesa’s blog HERE.

This event is free and open to the public, and I’m looking forward to meeting the residents of Glendale and surrounding areas. So, if you’re in the neighborhood, please come to the library and say hello. Lesa Holstine and I have a wonderful event planned. And, I have a special surprise for Lesa!

Here’s the information:

June 26th (Saturday)

Authors at The Teague, Glendale, Arizona

7010 N. 58th Avenue

Glendale, AZ 85301

623-930-3431

(2PM)

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