THE O.R. WAITING ROOM
For me, as I imagine it is for most writers, it is impossible to separate my own life experiences from the stories I write. That is not to sat that my novels are autobiographical as people often ask. They are not. But my stories do reflect what I’ve lived, how I think, how I see the world.
With that said, I must tell you that my 23-year-old daughter is in the operating room right now having a bilateral nipple-sparing prophylactic mastectomy with reconstruction. Two years she was determined to have a BRCA 1 mutation – in others words – her lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is somewhere between 85 and 90 percent. Well, until today. When I see her next, her lifetime risk will have been reduced to less than 5 percent.
So this really is a day of celebration.
Claudia asked me to update her friends on FB while she is the operating room. I thought I would be too nervous to do that, and yet I have found it oddly comforting to write emails and updates, send texts, and even write a blog post.
I doubt I will write specifically about this experience. Then again, never say never. But I do know that the feelings I have experienced today – pride, fear, anxiety, compassion, tenderness, gratitude, peace – all of these will, at the right time, surface in my work.
For now though, my thoughts are with my baby girl, Claudia, who has been such an advocate for young women who carry the BRCA 1 or 2 mutation. She was born at this Georgetown University hospital 23 years ago this March, and she will leave this hospital in a day or two even more empowered, even more beautiful than ever before.
Love to you sweetie,
Mama
WHAT’S THAT BOOK ABOUT?
All authors know that you need a two-minute elevator speech for the very frequently asked question, “What’s your book about?”
To tell the truth, I’m still working on the prefect answer for The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove. I’m not sure why it’s been so hard. Maybe I just feel that there’s more to talk about than will neatly fit into a two-minute reply. But every time I’m asked this question, I feel as though I’m back in my high school English class trying to quickly answer my teacher’s plot questions about Master Skylark or The Great Gatsby.
Anyway, I recently spent an evening with the fabulous book blogger, Kathy Roberts, in her South Carolina home. Kathy and I met with her fledgling book club. We sipped margaritas and talked books until well after ten o’clock (OK, that’s late for me!) And at the end of all, Kathy pulled out her Flip camera and made this little video of me talking about The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove. So in case you haven’t heard my two-minute elevator speech, here it is, at least one version of it. Enjoy!
A bedful of bloggers at the SIBA convention back in September in Daytona Beach. Rebecca Schinsky on the left, Heather Figearo in the middle and Kathy is the one on the right!
DAVIS-KIDD CLOSES
Yesterday evening, I was working on my computer when a news bulletin appeared in my email. Joseph-Beth Booksellers is closing. That was it. That was the headline. Another victim of these hard economic times.
Even though I have read several obituaries in the past two years in Shelf Awareness about other wonderful indies forced to close their doors, this is different. This is family.
Davis-Kidd, Nashville, has been my hometown store since I moved back to Nashville four years ago. And they have enthusiastically supported me every step of the way on this publishing journey. I debuted Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen there and released The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove there. The Davis-Kidd staff is professional, creative, knowledgeable, kind-hearted, and they have become friends.
On a deeper level, I am grieving that books seem to have lost their place in our society, that literature no longer seems to be of value, a foundation, like all the other arts, on which we can build a stimulating, enriching, thinking community. Maybe I am blowing things out of proportion. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just too sad today to see things any other way.
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: HEADS NORTH??
This past weekend, I traveled north to Boston to visit my daughter, celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday and EAT! Oh my, did I eat – cannolis, seafood, pasta, pizza, thai and on and on and on.
So pretty it was almost hard to eat.
Now I don’t know if it was the scrumptious food, the crisp fall air, the clear blue skies, but I got to thinking that maybe when THE IMPROPER LIFE OF BEZELLIA GROVE comes out in paperback (date yet to be determined) that I need to climb back in my car and head north. What do you think? Do you think Northern readers would take kindly to a Southern girl like Bezellia? And what are some of your favorite indie stories north of the Mason-Dixon line? Help me out y’all. Tell me what you think. Oh, and it might not be a bad idea to include some of your favorite restaurants. After all, a girl’s gotta eat!
My three daughters having fun at Fenway Park
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: PAGE & PALETTE
Page & Palette
Address: 32 South Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532
Phone: 251-928-5295
Owner: Karin Wolff Wilson
Website: www.pageandpalette.com
Twitter: @PgPalettePirate
Karin Wolff Wilson inherited more than a love of books from her paternal grandmother, she inherited the family business! Page and Palette is, get this, a third-generation-family-owned independent bookstore, founded back in 1968 by Betty Jo Wolff. Is that cool or what!
Page and Palette in Fairhope, Alabama
(Just so you know, Betty Jo was very well regarded in the book industry for years, and a local foundation, the Fairhope Center for the Writing Arts, even named a writer-in-residence cottage after her.
Located on the beautiful eastern shore of Mobile Bay, Page & Palette is a Fairhope landmark, now serving the great grandchildren of their original customers. It truly is a gathering point for the community. Karin says it best, “We host book club functions, storytimes for kids and special live music performances. We are one of the first downtown businesses to open each day and definitely the last retail shop to close each night. Besides offering book recommendations from the classics to the latest bestsellers, we point customers to area restaurants, the famous Fairhope Pier, and the Marriott Grand Hotel in nearby Point Clear. We want to be the best example of Southern hospitality!”
And they are! I recently found my way to Fairhope and what a treat. I spent a good part of the day snuggled up on one of their comfy chairs, drinking coffee, reading and talking to locals. Believe me, the staff is like family for a road-weary author, and I can’t wait to get back down there again. Of course, an opportunity to run into summertime resident Rick Bragg would be all the prompting needed.
Bragg (or Rick as I like to call him) is not the only big name in publishing that stops by Page & Palette. The store is an author-event-driven bookstore for sure and they’re customers are delighted by the national stature of the writers who include Page & Palette on their book tours. They have hosted winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Caldecott, the Newberry and even an Oprah Book Club author.
But this is one of my favorite stories from Karin: One afternoon in October 2009, some of the staff were in the midst of explaining to some customers the details of the Pat Conroy event scheduled for the following day. They were reciting the list of conditions that the publisher had sent when the program was scheduled. Then, from behind the crowd, the author himself stepped up to the counter and said “We’re going to change the rules”. He signed hundreds of books before the event and then entertained the audience of 300 fans for an hour and fifteen minutes before meeting readers individually to personalize their books and pose for photographs.
“We want to be the “Pat Conroy” of bookstores: hardest working, long lasting & with eclectic characters!” Karin says. And I believe her.
Karin and the amazing staff at Page and Palette
In addition to a deep book inventory, Page and Palette offers art supplies, religious titles, Bibles, greeting cards, calendars, journals, and a fabulous coffee shop “LatteDa” with complimentary WiFi. And the best part, yes it gets better, the entire staff is very supportive of the independent bookstore cause. Karin has served as president of the Southeastern Independent Bookstore Alliance (SIBA) and her publicist and assistant, Emily Bell (Roll Tide Roll!), currently serves on its board of directors.
So head on down to Fairhope and be sure and tell everybody I said hello. (BTW, they’re only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter!)
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE/CAFE
Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe
Address: 55 Haywood St., Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-254-6734
Owner: Emoke B’Racz
Website: www.malaprops.com
Twitter: @malaprops
Emoke B’Racz says “I wanted to have a place where diversity and the freedom of speech is the ruling divide. Where book sellers were supported as talented human beings and where knowing literature was appreciated and were considered a noble profession.”
She’s nurtured that dream at Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville, North Carolina. “The magic of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the architecture of downtown Asheville, and the ability to ‘grow up’ within a city and the community that was struggling to survive was a pure invitation for giving all the energy I had,” says B’Racz. “Finally I arrived home.”
Malaprop’s is, to me, a must-visit booksore. There’s a real energy here, B’Racz and her carefully chosen and highy knowledgeable staff bring in “big name” authors, but also take care of the rest of us. Members of that great staff have become friends of mine – and also met two women at my first reading there who have become such good friends that I keep up with them every time I pass through town!
While B’Racz says Malaprop’s customers are partial to many different kinds of books, including literary fiction, poetry, cultural studies, and current events, the largest (“and most beautiful,” B’Racz notes) section in the store is devoted to Southern culture, the Regional Collection section. “We carry a large and diverse selection of southern fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. The most recent tribute to Southern literature at Malaprop’s was a Read-a-thon celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. 17 regional authors read for four and a half hours to an enthusiastic crowd. It was fantastic!”
A few titles that are perennial favorites are “Serena” by Ron Rash, “Mayhem in Mayberry” by Brian Lee Knopp, “Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger” by Lee Smith (my beloved seventh-grade English teacher!), and”The Girl Who Chased the Moon” by Sarah Addison Allen. Local authors are so important to the store that ten years ago Malaprop’s commissioned a stained-glass work highlighting important Asheville authors: John Ehle, Gail Godwin, Thomas Wolfe, Elizabeth Daniels Squire and Robert Morgan. It’s a beautiful tribute to the interconnectedness of creativity and commerce.
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: DAVIS-KIDD BOOKSELLERS, NASHVILLE
Davis-Kidd Booksellers – Nashville, TN
Address: Green Hills Mall, Suite 281, 2121 Green Hills Village Dr., Nashville, TN 37215
Phone: 615-385-2645
Owner: Neil Van Umm
Website: www.DavisKidd.com
Twitter: @Daviskiddbooks
What can I say? Davis-Kidd in Nashville is my hometown bookstore. I may have just moved to Chattanooga, but that doesn’t make a lick of difference.
In terms of the store’s history, I’m sure you’ve guessed that a “Davis” and a “Kidd” were actively involved. You guessed right. Back in 1980, Karen Davis and Thelma Kidd crossed paths and thought it would be fun to run a business together. They were ardent readers and wanted to create a bookstore that was comfortable, inclusive, and inviting. And, after twenty-five years, four relocations, seven expansions, millions of books, and countless author events Davis-Kidd Booksellers is still going strong, in a 36,000 square foot store at The Mall at Green Hills.
Their customers – me among them – agree that the store’s local interest section is by far the best in the area. It features various books on the state as well as books from local authors. In addition, Davis-Kidd has a wide array of backlist titles and of course new bestsellers, alongside more serious literary works. Southern favorites among their clientele include “Serena,” “Geronimo Rex,” “Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’ Easter,” (by my Nashville buddy Lisa Patton) and “South of Broad.”
One thing I have always admired about Davis-Kidd is that their booksellers really speak to Southern culture. They have several who are experts on Southern literature Southern art, Southern cooking etc.
In additon, the love their staff members have for each other and for books in general that really shines through to our customers. Because of them Davis-Kidd is really a happy place to be and to shop.
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: GARDEN DISTRICT BOOK SHOP
Garden District Book Shop
Address: 2727 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: 504-895-2266
Owner: Britton Trice
Website: www.gardendistrictbookshop.com
Britton Trice says “There’s nothing like owning a business you love.” He got to know the business he owns and loves from the ground up: Garden District Books opened more than 33 years ago, and Trice worked there as manager before buying into the store and then ultimately purchasing it outright. He says that Garden District is the perfect combination of a central location in New Orleans’ most beautiful residential neighborhood, and a prime tourist attraction: The book store is housed in one of the District’s loveliest examples of antebellum architecture.
Garden District Books capitalizes on this combination by offering a wide selection of books on New Orleans and Louisiana – both in-print and out-of-print, as well as offering frequent literary events for local and regional authors. Trice also makes sure to book national authors, since he says “our large selection of signed books” is a customer favorite.
Other customer favorites by Southern authors include “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole, “The Moviegoer” by Walker Percy, “The House on First Street” by Julia Reed, and “Gumbo Tales” by Sara Roshen.
Over the many years he’s been involved with Garden District Books, Trice has developed many cherished memories. “There are so many: Having Walker Percy, William Styron, and Willie Morris in the store all at once. Anne Rice’s mega-event, the one where she arrived in a closed casket. Not to mention Pat Conroy’s kindness after Hurricane Katrina. The memories go on and on…”
Fortunately, for its loyal customers, so does the history of Garden Street Books.
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: BARNHILL’S BOOKS * WINE * ART * GIFTS
Barnhill’s Books * Wine * Art * Gifts
Address: 811 Burke St. Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Phone: 336-602-1383
Website: www.onlyatbarnhills.com
Blog: www.onlyatbarnhills.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/barnhills
Barnhill’s is unique – which is perhaps why its web site name is “Only at Barnhill’s.” It’s also perhaps the “youngest” bookstore in the South, having opened on March 31, 2010. In a year that has seen lots of change for publishing as well as retail, the inspiration behind this new place tells its own story: A group of book lovers, wine lovers, authors, and publishers came together with the idea of creating a unique destination in the heart of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that would specialize in local art, wine, books – but especially people.
Located in a 100 year-old former private home, the store is designed to promote a “come in and get comfortable” feeling, inviting customers to settle in on a sofa with a good book, hang out, and even taste some wine if they so choose.
So far customers are selecting books of all types and genres. Although the store has chosen to specialize in small publishers and independent authors, it also carries current best sellers. Events are largely focused on indie authors, but there are big names, too, like “Outlander” series author Diana Gabaldon. All types of books are supported by weekly author signings, and there are plenty of selections from a decidedly Southern perspective, too. The large selection of North Carolina wine is complemented by work from local artists and artisans: You can buy a case of Flint Hill Vineyards wine, a John Reidy portrait, and some regional pickles from Miss Jenny’s, all in one trip.
The owners say “Our acceptance into the community has been overwhelming. We are grateful to be a small piece in the a large tapestry of Southern culture.”
SOUTHERN BYWAYS BOOKSTORE PROJECT: LANDMARK BOOKSELLERS
Landmark Booksellers
Address: 114 East Main Street, Franklin, Tennessee 37064
Phone: 615-791-6400
Owner’s: Joel & Carol Tomlin
Website: www.landmarkbooksellers.com
I recently did a reading at this store and I can’t say enough good things about Joel and Carol, Landmark Bookseller’s wonderfully hospitable owners. The store itself is just as charming. Housed in a 200-year old antebellum Greek Revival building in the heart of Franklin, it comes complete with a quartet of stately columns to greet you out front. According to Joel, they were each formed from four separate giant poplar trees.
The place just oozes history. Andrew Jackson supposedly paid his troops here on the way back from the Battle of New Orleans, with the notorious John and Peggy Eaton living right across the street. The building was used as a hospital after the Battle of Franklin. It was a juke-joint in the early 1900s.
Fast-forwarding to today, the store currently offers more than 50,000 second-hand, out-of-print, and rare books as well as new books on all subjects. Their specialty, however, would best be described as “all things Southern,” both fiction and non-fiction. Due to the rich history of the area, they sell a good deal of regional history and Civil War. In regard to literature and fiction, Landmark boasts a collection of 2000 signed/first editions including most of your Southern authors.
Popular sellers with the bookstore’s avid fans include an array of Southern delights, including “Twilight” by William Gay, “Widow of the South” by Robert Hicks, “Summons to Memphis” by Peter Taylor, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett, “The Civil War” by Shelby Foote, “Nashville, The Western Confederacy’s Final Gamble” by James Lee McDonough, “Nathan Bedford Forrest” by Jack Hurst and “Devil’s Dream” by Madison Smartt Bell, just to mention a few.
And, I’m proud to say that my first novel “Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen” is also among the store’s top sellers!
