Writing Advice

Go here forwriting advice . Every day. Susan Woodring's outstanding prompts and reflections on the writing life.

Mickey reads a poem!

Applause for my spouse! The anti-poet! Keep tuning in to B2Br's blog, too, for National Poetry Month contributions, every day.

Lilith magazine

Thanks, Erika Dreifus for the mazl tov on this review of Invisible Sisters in the new issue of Lilith magazine. I'm Jewish, I'm a feminist, but it's major to be reviewed in this magazine. And (whew) they like it. I'm "cogent." And it's a smart, thought-provoking review. I would expect no less from these folks.

I can't upload it and don't have a link yet, so pick up a copy and read it! I will!

Temporarily Away

All this traveling has generated this photo from the Southern Kentucky Book Festival (thanks Jian Ping for the photo!), and this news clip from the Bowling Green Daily News this morning! (Thanks, Liz the reporter for stopping by to chat!)

Who knew Bowling Green was so pretty? Or that there are KFCs in Kentucky. (We checked, from the window of the very Secret-Service type SUV that whisked me and a few fellow authors from the Nashville Airport.)

And a rollicking night out with new and old friends, including the screamingly funny Cracker Queen , Lauretta Hannon, her pal Stephanie Snowe who has already managed to memorialize her salad, accompanied by her cousin Becky of the impeccable timing, and Amanda, (see prior post) and now gets another.

The other photo above is from the Nashville Airport - I didn't need resuscitation but if I did, I'd want it to come from Loretta Lynn. I found this very touching.

Heading to Kentucky

Heading to Kentucky tomorrow for the Southern Kentucky Book Festival . You'll be there, right? I know that my pal Amanda Gable will be, and we'll finally get to hang out. We have this tendency to be at the same festivals on different days, or at the same time, so we never see each other.

Georgians Need Art

A zero arts budget in the state of Georgia? Does that chill you? It should! Make a call, write a letter, read more here .

AN UPDATE: Artist's march on the Capitol, Monday 4/19, 1pm.

Congratulations!

This is indeed a tremendous book. E. (mentioned elsewhere in this blog) knows her stuff. Congrats to the BLP and to Tinkers.

True Story #4

My husband's reading from his work next Monday (April 26) at the "True Story!" gathering #4.

This is a terrific local nonfiction reading series in Oakhurst, at Kavarna . Come on out, meet the folks, hear some trippy and true stories, this time from mi esposo, from Kate Sweeney radio queen and one of the True Story founderettes, and the immensely talented Bill Taft.

(PS cat head by M.)

Musical interlude, and spring time.

Take my word for it, this is something you need in your head, especially if you've "traded in your pickup for a Seville. "

I have not. Having a truck-like vehicle was useful today for hauling home a particularly rhubarb colored bookcase from Scott's Antique Market. Also for hauling the worm castings (why did I always think that was "casings?") for planting the azaleas, ref. below.

Today is yom hashoah, holocaust remembrance day. You could light a yarzheit (memorial) candle today, if you'd like. I think it's okay to listen to 80's rockabilly, and have a yarzheit candle burning, too.

An Inspiring Gift from a Quietly Cool Guy

My friend D., who's now the director of the Smith Gilbert Gardens in Kennesaw (an amazing, hidden gem in Atlanta, y'all, seriously) came by today and gave me two azalea plants that will bloom in three different shades on one plant. Kind of like three sisters, he says.

My jaw is slack and my heart is full. What an amazing, kind, gift from a reader, a writer, and a friend.

Do me a favor? Take an afternoon and visit the gardens. (The website's in the link above.) Make a writer's retreat of it, walk around, enjoy the sculpture and the plants and the birds. Sometimes there are special events there, too.


(Photo fm Kennesaw.gov.)

National Poetry Month

Reading Kevin Young's anthology "The Art of Losing." Muy bueno!

And Bound to Be Read Books in East Atlanta Village is celebrating National Poetry Month by recording local authors reading poems - one a day for the whole month!

What to Read Next, or Susan's new book is out!!

It's been so hard to keep this under wraps - I've had this jpeg for like, a week, and the ARC (advance copy) for even longer - but today is the birthday of Susan Rebecca White's new book, "A Soft Place to Land."

Mazl tov, Susan! (Full disclosure, she's my friend, but I'd tell you to read this, no matter what.) Run by your local independent bookstore, or Amazon, or B&N, or wherever you like to buy books, and snag a copy of this one.

The inside's even better than the cover. Here's what the Atlanta Journal Constitution has to say about it.

On the radio

I'm on the radio today!

Didn't D. the producer make me sound smooooth?

Athens, get yourselves Avid Bookshop!

I spent yesterday afternoon in the company of the famous (you'd think from all the 'hellos' we got strolling the fabled downtown) Avid Bookshop proprietress-to-be.

Here's a picture of Janet and me. She's the one who doesn't look like she's insane. I'm the one holding up the gigantic consignment shop faux-coral bling purchased on a spring-day-we're gallivanting whim.

Athen, Ga., get yourselves Avid Books. This woman is working hard to bring a bookstore into being. Go here to learn more!

A Pulitzer, a National Book Award, a Literary Activist, and a funny woman

They're all here at the "With Good Reason " recording of Lee Smith, Ethelbert Miller, Liz Strout, and Colum McCann reading at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville last week.

All four writers were wonderful, of course. So sit back and enjoy their wit, their words, and their warmth.