Who is the Snake Lady? Find out on this video

Find out in this video of a reading of my second novel, "Leaving the Comfort Cafe." Recorded LIVE--at Via Cappuccino in Rocky Mount.
This video should play on Windows media player. I'm kind of new to the video upload, so forgive me if there are any problems.

Newspaper Article

Wow! seeing myself in the Telegram. Yee ha!
Hopefully this will generate some buzz about the booksigning. Y'all come!
Below is a link to the story.

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/marquee/content/marquee/stories/08/03/27/Dawn.html

And yep, that's my grandmother's chair I'm sitting on. Isn't that cool? That chair is at lest 50 years old.
I've found that it's very important to indicate to reporters, etc. that you emphasize that it is not a "vanity" press. Evidently, I'm sure there are a lot of good self-published books out there---I'm just saying that I'm sure there are even more that are not. One editor actually told me that with print on demand publishing "getting published really isn't the big deal that used to be..." Well...maybe not if you pay someone to publish it with print on demand technology.
But it is still tough to get into a traditional publisher---large, small or otherwise.
I have the rejections to prove it. BUt as I stated in the article, persistence is 80 percent of the game...

Top questions for writers--Question #1

Many times, as a writer, I get some of the same questions over and over again, so as an FYI, I'm going to start a list of the top 10 questions I get as a writer---and any of you fellow writers are welcome to join in and give me your input.

Question #1--- Are your characters real, based on someone, or what?

In a country over- populated with lawyers, that's a dangerous question. But I think that the bottom line is that all characters (at least with me, anyway) are a combination of so many things. For example, a character may have A's sense of humor with B's good looks but C's crummy marriage. Of course, as a matter of courtesy, legal issues, etc. you need to realize that while someone may "inspire" a character, that doesn't mean that they are based upon them, and you need to realize that--as Thomas Wolfe learned--basing characters too closely on people can still cause you inconveniences at the very least.

Personally, in the South, I don't think there's any shortage of inspiration for characters. I think it also should be noted that once you get these characters "started"-- they just kind of take on a life of their own...

Any other ideas? Comments?

Postcards and chatting

Hoping to get my postcards out in time for my reading on Sat. March 29 at Via Cappuccino in Rocky Mount. I'm trying to go with a retro theme with comic book characters (Since one of the main characters in the story aspires to be a comic book writer!)

ON THE NOVEL TRAIL
I'll be logging in tomorrow afternoon at Talking Two Lips to discuss my novel. Thanks to the folks at the Wild Rose Press for setting up all these loop events.
I'll be giving you some feedback on how the event goes and maybe some hints for participating in a loop chat? OR maybe you can give me advice, as I'm kind of new to all this.


And right now I'm....
Haning out at the coffeeshop slowly realizing that I am becoming sooooooo addicted to wi-fi. And Hugh Laurie. But anyway, now some random guy is bringing in equipment to give us some live music and all I'm thinking about is how I've really, really, got to get caught up on housework. I read somewhere that women with finished novels rarely have clean houses. That's my story andI'm sticking with it.

Reading at Alma Mater

I've been invited to go back to East Carolina University and read as a part of a graduate students /creative writing thing. I'm torn between reading from my novel and reading from a short story that lends itself more to being read aloud.

Hey, do any of you read your short stories out loud as you edit? Would you edit something out just because it doesn't sound good on your ears? I would.

ever on vacation?

As writers, are we ever on vacation? Do you take your laptop everywhere? Folks can't believe that sitting on the balcony and cranking up the laptop is my idea of a good time.
I'm on vacation right now in ASheville. So many stories so little time.

Any thoughts out there on this?
D

Reading at ECU

I'll be participating in a creative writing reading at East Carolina University with other MA English students. I graduated from ECU in Dec. with a master's in English and a concentration in creative writing. Once a year, they have all the MA creative writing students read from some of their work. I may or may not be reading from "Cafe." we'll see...

It will be on a Thursday night in March---the Thursday before Good Friday---at 7:30 p.m. in the Bate Building at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.

First Reading Dates Set

The first comments from folks on my novel have been very positive---though most of these folks are my friends, so I doubt they'd simply say "it stinks"--still, very good to have some positive feedback.

I will have a reading from my novel on March 29 at 9 am. at Via Cappuccino in Rocky Mount, NC. I know it's early---esp. for a Saturday, but fortuneately, they have coffee there :)
Mom and Dad will probably be making the trek from Asheville to go to the reading.

I'm also going to give a free seminar on how to get published at the Cooley Library in Nashville, NC, right outside of Rocky Mount. Details forthcoming.

Hopefully, I'll be able to add a video of some of these readings and post them here.

Also, I'm a guest blogger on Mystic-lit. Check it out. It's a great blog of some great writers.