Winterville Writer

2011-10-16T16:06:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone. I've moved my blog to my donnyseagraves.com website, which is a Wordpress-powered website/blog combo. I hope you'll also follow me there by clicking here to visit the new blog. I'll also be leaving this blog up for awhile but all of my new posts about Gone From These Woods, upcoming books, and other things will appear on donnyseagraves.com. In case you want to reread a post from Winterville Writer, I've also ported most of my past posts to the new blog.

Thanks for following Winterville Writer and for your support.--Donny

The Harriette Austin Writers Conference is Back!

2011-06-03T11:25:00.000-04:00

Harriette Austin

I'm delighted to tell you this fantastic news: the popular Harriette Austin Writers Conference is back! The 2011 HAC will be held July 22 - 23, 2011, at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on the University of Georgia campus. This year's conference has a great line up of speakers and critiquers and the deadline for manuscript critiques is June 20.

I'll be presenting my "Finding Fiction in Your Own Backyard" writing workshop. Other presenters include: Terry Kay, Janell Walden Agyeman, Robert Alan Black, Doris Booth, Tony Burton, Evelyn Coleman, Dac Crossley, Paige Cummings, Susan Dansby, Wally Eberhart, John Fristoe, John Gilstrap, Judy Iakovou, Amanda Luedke, Rebecca McClanahan, Susan Mary Malone, Jackie Lee Miles, David Oates, Kevin O'Brien, Susan Olson, Chuck Sambuchino, and Beverly Varnado.

Authors Evelyn Coleman and Donny Bailey Seagraves at the 2009 HAC.

My association with the Harriette Austin conference goes way back to the beginning. A call went out to present and former students for writing contributions to a fund-raising calendar that helped finance the first HAC. I contributed a short story, "Dear Delores," to that calendar and also attended the first conference. "Dear Delores" has been published and republished many times in magazines, including Seek and The Roswell (NM) Literary Review. I've attended many of the HACs, served on a nonfiction panel at an early conference and presented two workshops at the 2009 HAC, which took place about the same time as the publication of my debut novel, Gone From These Woods. I've learned much from HAC presenters and even acquired my literary agent at a Harriette Austin conference. I've also enjoyed seeing Harriette herself, a quiet, encouraging presence at the conference with her name.

All the pertinent conference info is here. Check it out. Sign up. Submit your manuscript. See you there.

Winterville's Mary Whitehead, My Favorite Pianist

2011-02-28T10:49:00.000-05:00

Winterville United Methodist Church's newly retired pianist, Mary Whitehead, has filled the church on the square's sanctuary and our small town with music for 75 years. That's a lifetime of tapping the keys for Jesus and for Mary's neighbors and friends.

I got a chance to visit with Mary briefly the other night while standing in line at the funeral home visitation for her late sister-in-law, Latrelle Carney. Mary didn't look 91 that night. She radiated ageless beauty and charm as she spoke to me in that smooth, warm, Southern-accented voice.

Mary now lives about 15 miles away from Winterville, but she's still very much a part of our town. If I close my eyes and let my mind drift back to scenes of Winterville in years past, I see Mary in many of my memories. Her distinctive piano playing is the sound track as she plays hymns in the Winterville Methodist's sanctuary on a Sunday morning. I see her fingers tapping the ivories of a piano in the park gazebo on a hot June day, playing Dixieland songs with the Merry Makers at an early Marigold festival. And who could forget Mary riding in festival parades, beside her husband, the late Wesley Whitehead, our mayor for 23 years, and more recently as parade Grand Marshall in our newly-revived festival?

Mary Whitehead playing piano at her home in Watkinsville. Photo by Richard Hamm.

There are many other women, and men, who can tap the keys of a piano and make it sing and create instant feelings of happiness in those who listen. But I've never met anyone else who has the charm and the by-ear natural gift for music that Mary Whitehead possesses and who shares her gifts so graciously. There is music and there is Mary Whitehead. Put them together and you have pure joy.

Mary Whitehead Video

Christmas in Winterville

2010-11-28T18:16:00.000-05:00

One of the most popular events in the little town of Winterville, Georgia, where I've lived for many years, is the Christmas in Winterville celebration. This year, this event takes place on Friday, December 3. It begins with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. In Winterville, they don't fly in on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. These holiday dignitaries cross the city limits line in style in the locally famous Marigold Express train! Afterall, Winterville began as a railroad town many years ago, called Six Mile Station. One of our landmarks is our historic train depot on the square. Why not have Santa and Mrs. Claus roll in on the Marigold Express?

More Information

Christmas in Winterville begins at 6 PM in Pittard Park and on the town square.
The event is sponsored by The Commercial Bank, with contributions by other community groups and individuals.
Visitors to Christmas in Winterville will enjoy free cookies, candy, hot dogs, hot cocoa and cider.
The Winterville Express train will provide free rides to children (with adult supervision).
Santa will arrive on the Marigold Express just after 6 PM and will then be under the gazebo in the park for pictures. Bring your cameras!
Other Christmas happenings in Winterville include The Mayor's Christmas Motorcade 52nd Anniversary Celebration to East Central Regional Hospital in Augusta, Thursday, December 9, 2010. Winterville also will collect Toys for Tots. For more information on supporting these programs, call city hall: 706-742-8600.

Thanksgiving Memories, Past and Those Not Yet Made

2010-11-21T20:02:00.000-05:00

They're coming to my house for Thanksgiving this year. "They" are my family members: daughter, son, son's girlfriend, mother, maybe nephew. Counting my spouse, that's only six or seven of us planning to gather in my Winterville dining room this year. We'll dine on the usual: turkey, ham, dressing, cranberry sauce, vegetables, and, of course, pumpkin pie. I'm not an expert cook, like my grandmothers were. But I guess the point of this big meal on Thanksgiving day isn't the food. It's all about the family and others who eat the food together on this special day each year.

But the food sure comes in second on Thanksgiving day. Especially, the dressing. In my humble opinion, dressing, or stuffing, if you feel inclined to stuff the bird, is the star of this holiday meal. While I'm making my dressing, from cornbread I cook before I begin, I always think about my grandmothers' dressing from Thanksgivings past. Both contained cornbread, both were Southern recipes, but they were so different.

Grandmother Coile made her dressing in a big metal pan. It was greasy and featured a golden brown chicken in the middle of it, and it tasted heavenly. Grandmother Bailey made little dressing patties. First she mixed the ingredients, which included bell pepper. Then she carefully patted out each mound of dressing. Her dressing patties were to die for.

I'm lucky to make dressing at all (after looking up a recipe via Google). But I make it and somehow, it always turns out okay.

At least the family gathered in my Winterville dining room tells me the dressing is okay. And I'm thankful for that -- and my family. Happy Thanksgiving to you and
yours. I wish you a Thanksgiving holiday full of dressing and love.

Front Porch Book Store Book Signing Event November 9, 2010, 6 - 7 PM

2010-11-02T18:16:00.000-04:00

Winterville' Front Porch Book Store opened for business one year ago in a tiny building on Marigold Lane that once housed city hall. In just a few short months, this store, which provides funds for the Winterville library, has become a community gathering place, as well as a great source of reading material at reasonable prices.

On Tuesday, November 9, 2010, from 6 - 7 p.m., I'll help Front Porch Book Store celebrate their one-year anniversary with a book signing event.

As some of you know, I'm a native of nearby Athens and a long-time resident of Winterville. The setting for my debut children's middle grade novel, Gone From These Woods, is the rural North Georgia area and the fictional town of Newtonville in my book is based on Winterville. During this event, I'll read several short excerpts from my book and will then explain the local connections.

The bookstore will have copies of Gone From These Woods available for purchase (cash or check only) and I'll be glad to autograph your copy. I'll also be happy to answer your questions about writing and publication during this hour at the bookstore. We'll have cake and other refreshments, too. Remember all proceeds to go support the Winterville library.

For more information about Gone From These Woods, visit my website. To read more about Front Porch Books, go here.

Interview with Darcy Pattison, Author of The Book Trailer Manual

2010-08-30T18:04:00.001-04:00

My guest on Winterville Writer today is Darcy Pattison, author of 19 Girls and Me; Searching for Oliver K. Woodman; The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman; The Wayfinder; and The River Dragon. Darcy also is the author of one of the books I most often recommend to aspiring and published writers: Novel Metamorphsis. I first encountered this book in an earlier, not-yet-published, version while attending Darcy's popular novel rewriting workshop in Hoover, Alabama several years ago. That weekend in "novel rewriting bootcamp" changed my life. After those two days spent with Darcy and 24 other writers in Joan Broerman's basement, I developed a more serious attitude toward my writing, and approximately five years later, I sold my first book, Gone From These Woods.

Today I am excited to tell you about a new Darcy Pattison book, The Book Trailer Manual. Darcy is offering this book only in a digital format, which you can download by following the link in this blog. (Yes, if you follow the link, I will receive a commission, which will help me continue to offer Winterville Writer.) Darcy says she is making her book available this way because the art of creating book trailers is still so new that this digital format allows her to easily make changes and keep the book updated.

Darcy and I recently did a question and answer session. My questions and her answers are below.

Donny: Darcy, welcome to Winterville Writer. I'm so glad you're here to tell us about The Book Trailer Manual. What made you decide to write this book?

Darcy: Everywhere I turn these days, there are conversations about how authors can market their books, specifically how can they market online; and even more specifically, do book trailers work? I set out to find some answers and it grew into this book.

Donny: What's the number one reason an author should make a book trailer?

Darcy: To reach an audience you believe likes to watch videos.

Donny: In the book, you admit that book trailers aren't for everyone. What kind of book would not benefit from a book trailer?

Darcy: If you want to use a book trailer, you should first find out if your audience is online somewhere. On the sites where they congregate, do they watch videos? If the answer is that you can't find that audience online and/or the audience doesn't watch videos, then a trailer won't help you reach that audience.

Donny: You advise authors to begin early. Tell us why an early start on our book trailers is important.

Darcy: The process of making a book trailer can be extensive, especially if you're a beginner. You'll need to get up to speed on the software and hardware; you'll need to walk through the process of buying images and sound. You'll need to create a YouTube channel and customize it. It takes time to create a great trailer and distribute it well. Do yourself a favor by starting early and having the time to do it right.

At the same time, there may be times when you need to get something up quickly. I think one of the most important tips is to be flexible and nimble. Take time at first to learn the software and how to create a video. Then, when the book is released, be ready to do something quickly if you need to. For example, if you get a great review, you should (of course) post it everywhere. But it's also worth probably a quick video. These types of videos can be informal and stick with the YouTube aesthetic of authentic, but not necessarily polished to the nth degree.

Donny: On page 12, you say that YouTube has proven that audiences respond to great content, regardless of the production quality. Could you talk about that?

Darcy: This is the YouTube aesthetic. If you look at the front page of YouTube at Videos Being Watched Now or Most Popular videos (not the Featured Videos because those are paid-placement videos), you'll see a wide range of aesthetics, from polished to informal. The most popular, those with hundreds of thousands of views, are short, authentic, and have something funny going on that is fun to pass along. If you can appeal to that aesthetic, it works.

For example, look at this video from Jon Scieszka's Guys Read program. It's just a bunch of authors telling a joke; the video spliced in a bunch of authors, each telling a short section of the joke. It's informal and fun. It's also too long, using the last full minute to identify each author and show the book's cover. But that aside, the joke is more of the YouTube aesthetic.

Donny: You say that we must decide what call of action we want viewers of our book trailer to take and you list these possible actions. What is the most beneficial choice for most authors?

Darcy: It depends. Some authors have strong email newsletters and the most logical choice is to ask people to sign up for their newsletters. Others want to send readers to an independent bookstore site. The most beneficial choice will be determined by the book, your audience, and your goals for your trailer.

Donny: I intended to make a book trailer for Gone From These Woods. I even bought a Flip video camera (one of the items you talk about in your book). But somehow, I never did actually make the trailer. I think I felt a little intimidated by the process. Do you advise authors whose book are already out and have maybe even been out awhile to make a book trailer? Are they still helpful if your book is not new?

Darcy: Yes! Alexis O'Neill talks about doing ongoing publicity for your titles in a post on my site, Why you Should Promote Your Back-List Books. She reminds us all, "As long as a book is in print, it's alive!"

Donny: Is there a trailer for The Book Trailer Book?

Darcy: I created a Book Trailer Manual channel on YouTube.com and have several playlists of videos I discuss in the manual. Also on the channel are trailers for my teen fantasy novel, The Wayfinder, demonstrating different software.

Donny: Have you noticed an increase in sales for your books that have trailers?

Darcy: I have trailers for The Wayfinder, my teen novel which is now available for Kindle, Nook, iPad and other digital readers. Yes, I've seen some sales coming in from the trailer, but it's too early to say how much it will help.

Donny: What makes you stop watching a book trailer?

Darcy: Boring concept. Bad music. Static images.

Donny: Do you have any particular favorite book trailers? You've included some examples in your book. Are those your favorites?

Darcy: The trailers mentioned in The Book Trailer Manual represent something that I'm trying to point out. Some are just great examples that make a point; others are truly my favorites. My all time favorite is The Book of SPAM's Toastvertising and the accompanying video which shows how the trailer was made. For me, it's the first entry in the Book Trailer Hall of Fame.

I'm also starting to distinguish between two types of trailers. In some ways, the moniker "book trailer" is unfortunate because it evokes the aesthetic of the movie trailer. Yet the trailers I like best tend to be those with the "YouTube" aesthetic.

Donny: Thanks, Darcy! I feel like I've just had a mini-class in making a book trailer and I can't wait to begin shooting. Readers who would like to learn more about book trailers might want to join The Book Trailer Manual newsletter and receive a free Special Report: 43 Sites to Upload Your Trailer. For more information about author Darcy Pattison, visit her website.

Debut of the Suwanee Festival of Books Aug. 28 - 29, 2010

2010-08-22T15:58:00.000-04:00

This coming weekend, August 28 - 29, 2010, marks the debut of a brand, new literary event: The Suwanee Festival of Books, in Suwanee, Georgia. I'll be participating in a panel at 1:30 pm, Saturday, called Got Kids Books?, along with authors Melinda Long (How I Became a Pirate, Pirates Don't Change Diapers, a Booksense, Publisher's Weekly, and NY Times best seller), Milam Propst (A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street, which was made into a movie, "The Adventures of Ociee Nash," starring Mare Winningham and Keith Caradine), and Diane Z. Shore (Bus-A-Saurus Bop, How To Drive Your Sister Crazy"). I feel honored to be in these fine writers' company. This panel takes place in the Olde Towne Tavern & Grille.

At 4:00 pm, in Suwanee's Town Center Park, 370 Buford HIghway Northwest, Suwanee, GA 30024, I'll be presenting on my own on the Young Readers Stage. I'll talk about my debut children's middle grade novel, Gone From These Woods.

Barnes & Noble will have a bookfair at the Suwanee Festival of Books where you can purchase signed copies of GFTW, as well as books by other festival authors. Speaking of other festival authors, they include keynote, Terry Kay (To Dance With The White Dog, The Book of Marie), Philip Lee Williams (Campfire Boys and a new book, The Flower Seeker: An Epic Poem of William Bartram).

Other authors who will appear include: Deborah Wiles, Grady Thrasher and illustrator Elaine Rabon, Elizabeth Dulemba, Helen Ellis, Jackie Cooper, Jessica Handler, Laurel Snyder, Lauretta Hannon, Mark Braught, Mary Ann Rodman, Patricia Sprinkle, Rick Smith (also a keynote), Susan Rosson Spain, Vicki Alvear Shecter, and William Rawlings. Also in the Southern Breeze booth: Connie Fleming, Donna H. Bowman, Jo Kittinger, and Peggy Shaw. If you're interested in finding out more about the Society of Children's Book Writers and Book Illustrators, be sure to talk to Donna and Jo, our Southern Breeze Region co-advisors. Jo, Donna, Connie and Peggy also will have a selection of their own books for sale in their booth. For a complete list of authors, schedules, workshops, panels and other information, but sure to visit the festival website: http://suwaneefestivalofbooks.com/index.html.

2010-08-10T17:50:00.001-04:00

The dog days of August seem like a good time to stay inside and spiff up the Winterville Writer blog. I've added a new background, colors, and layout and there are new tabs near the top of the page that lead to brand new pages (that also need more work). Let me know what you think about these changes via the comment link and also tell me if you have suggestions for other changes and additions to the Winterville Writer blog.

Clicking on the Winterville tab will take you to the new page about Winterville, Georgia, the small town where I've lived for many years. One of the most exciting projects going on in our town right now is the renovation of the old high school and auditorium. We're still in the planning stages, but improvements and cleaning already have been done to both buildings. I've just added a new link on the Winterville page that will take you to the Winterville High School website where you can learn more about these community projects. Be sure to check out the great vintage photo of the first Winterville school.

In the coming weeks and months, I plan to write more about Winterville's history and about living in this small Southern town. Winterville is only about six miles from Athens, home of the University of Georgia, but those who live here will tell you that our town is a unique place to live. I'll also be writing about books I'm reading, including new ones by my author friends. Be sure to subscribe and follow Winterville Writer so you won't miss this train.

SCBWI MD/DE/WV Summer Conference in Maryland

2010-07-21T13:05:00.001-04:00

Like most writers, I spend long hours in my home office, tapping on a keyboard in isolation. But every now and then I get to leave the computer and my current manuscript and my white cat, Casey, and venture out into the real world.

This past weekend was one of those "venture out" times. I just got back from spending three days in Maryland, in the towns of Frederick and Buckeystown. I flew Delta from the Atlanta airport and we landed in Baltimore about 3:45 Friday afternoon. Sue Poduska, member, and Naomi Wender-Milliner, Assistant Regional Advisor, of the SCBWI MD/DE/WV region greeted me at the Baltimore/WI airport, along with writer/teacher Teresa Crumpton.

Sue drove us all to the motel in Frederick and later that night we got to meet author Edith Hemingway, who also happens to be the Regional Advisor of this region of SCBWI, and other speakers at the conference, including authors and keynote speakers Margaret Peterson Haddix and Joyce McDonald, authors Bonnie Doerr, Marc Aronson, and Carolyn Reeder. Also Highlights for Children senior editor Debra Hess and art director Kelley Cunningham, plus author Carolyn Crimi, and author-bloggers Mary Bowman-Kruhm and Wendie Old. Also Karen Nelson, freelance art director and cover designer, and Louise May, VP and Editorial Director of Lee & Low Books, and agents Elana Roth and Stephen Fraser, fantasy author Amie Rose Rotruck, author Lois Szymanski, and Green Willow Books Assistant editor Michelle Corpora.

Michelle Poploff also was there. Michelle, who is VP and Editorial Director of Delacorte Press, a division of Random House Children's Books, and an author as well, just happens to be my editor and also is Edie Hemingway's editor. Our debut solo novels, Gone From These Woods and Road to Tater Hill, came out at almost the same time in 2009. For more information about Edie's book, which won a Parents' Choice Gold Award recently, visit her website. To read more about my book, click here.

This summer conference was held at The Claggett Center in Frederick County, Maryland. In addition to breathtaking mountains views out the windows, the conference center served delicious cafeteria food each day. I had never been to a SCBWI conference outside my own Southern Breeze region, so speaking at this Maryland/Delaware/West Virginia summer conference about my book, GFTW, and how I used inspiration from real life to create a fictional story with fictional characters and a setting taken from my own backyard and surrounds was a real treat for me.

One of the best things about traveling to Maryland for the first time and speaking at the conference was the opportunity to make new writer friends, including Kathleen Thompson, who lives in Birmingham, is a member of the Southern Breeze Region of SCBWI, and writes a charming blog called "Word Spinning by Kathleen." I also got to meet Patti Zelch, who has a new picture book out from Sylvan Dell Publishing called Ready, Set, Wait!

I also got to know Bonnie Doerr, author of the YA eco-novel, Island Sting, and enjoyed exchanging conversation and getting to know writers Teresa Crumpton and Gayle Payne, plus many more.

If you live in the SCBWI MD/DE/WV region and/or just want to read more about this regional writers and illustrators group, visit their great blog, As The Eraser Burns.

Thanks again to Edith Hemingway and everyone in this region for inviting me and hosting me this weekend. I enjoyed my trip up North and look forward to visiting again.

Appreciating Our Local Libraries as They Morph and Prevail

2010-04-05T09:43:00.001-04:00

Sometimes when I go out and speak to kids and adults at schools and other events, I tell them how I became an avid reader and writer at age eight. I did this by reading lots of books, such as The Wizard of Oz, my childhood favorite, and by falling in love with my local library, the source of most of my reading material.

During my childhood days in Athens, Georgia, the Athens Regional Library was housed in the historic Stern House at the corner of Hancock and College Avenue, across from the Athens City Hall and the famous double-barreled cannon. This home was purchased and remodeled into our local library in 1947. I remember the building in the late 1950s and early 1960s as the hub of my reading world. One of the things I can recall most vividly about that building is the smell of books as I walked in. Then there were the sounds those wide wooden stairs made as I climbed them on my way to the second floor where the children's department awaited me. I read all of the books in the children's department in the Athens Regional Library of my childhood and I highly recommend that route to becoming an author.

Later, as an adult with young twins, I rediscovered the Athens Regional Library. It had moved to Dougherty Street by then. Today that building is the home of the Athens Clarke County Building Inspections and Permits Department, where my husband works. The first time I walked into his brick-walled office, I realized that he was working in the former fiction section of the library, an area where I had hung out for years before the library moved to its present location on Baxter Street.

One of the librarians who made a big impression on my children at Athens Regional Library was Jacqueline Elsner, or "Miss Jackie" as she was fondly called during her many years as Children's Librarian there. Jackie is now head of the Oconee County Library, but for many years, starting in 1979, the year my twins were born, she ran the children's department at ARL and was well-known all over Georgia and beyond as a gifted storyteller. Recently, I asked Jackie several questions about libraries. Her answers are below.

DS: In a few words, tell me why you choose librarian as a profession.

JE: I chose librarian as a profession because I really love people and books. Plus I was an English major, with no real job prospects besides waitressing. That's why I got my Masters in Library Science.

DS: What's the best thing about working in a library?

JE: Being around co-workers who love books and have a literate sense of humor, and helping people a lot with reading.

DS: What's the worse thing about working in a library?

JE: Dealing with inappropriate behavior of people as patrons, and as co-workers.

DS: Tell me what you think about the future of books and libraries.

JE: The future of books: the formats will change, but reading and the love of the word, first written, then spoken, will prevail. The future of libraries: we'll just have to morph with the times and the formats. And the lousy, inadequate funding.

I couldn't agree more with Jackie. And for the sake of future readers and writers, I hope she's right about libraries morphing and prevailing. We need libraries and librarians to nurture children and adults in this rapidly changing world we live in today. So by all means, appreciate your local library and the librarians there, and don't forget to urge your local and state government officials to fund these literary havens. Our future readers and writers are depending on you.

NXN4SGJHH6TM

First Ever Northwest Georgia Valley Writers Conference a Great Success in Calhoun, GA

2010-03-24T18:30:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, I enjoyed being part of the very first Northwest Georgia Valley Writers Conference in the Harris Arts Center in downtown Calhoun, Georgia. This new conference, organized by Gray Bridges, Literary Director of the Arts Center, featured a 90-minute writing workshop with author Terry Kay, during which he explained "The DNA of Writing: Reducing the Must-Know Requirements to 2 Issues," and another with author Rosemary Daniell, who told us "What Geniuses Know."

Other workshop leaders included poet Anne Webster, who also is the sister of Rosemary Daniell, Geri Taran, founder and former executive director of Georgia Writers Association, Bobbie Christmas, who is known as "The Book Doctor," and Fran Stewart, a freelance editor by day and a mystery writer by night.

Two panel discussions rounded out this conference. The first included Terry Kay, Tony Burton, Fran Stewart, Anne Webster and Geri Taran talking about the advantgages and disadvantages of publishing your book with Large Press, Small Press, or Self-Publishing. This panel was moderated by Wayne Minshew.

I participated in the second panel, entitled "Living the Writer's Life," moderated by Tony Burton. Other authors included Rosemary Daniell, Jimmy Blackmon, Fran Stewart, Bobbie Christmas and Geri Taran.

The Harris Arts Center is an impressive facilty. Housed in a former hotel building in the heart of downtown Calhoun, the center provides space for art, music and other classes for children and adults. Local artwork is displayed throughout the building. But one of the most interesting and unique features of the center is the Roland Hayes Museum.

Roland Hayes was the first African-American classical singer to have an international career on the concert stage. He was also a son of former slaves and was born in Gordon County in 1887. Initially compelled to arrange and promote his own concerts, Hayes eventually became the highest-paid tenor in the world, despite the racial barriers that often excluded African Americans from careers in classical music. He was named to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1991.

If you'd like to learn more about the Harris Arts Center, visit their website: www.harrisartscenter.com. For information about future Nortwest Georgia Valley Writers Conferences, contact Gray Bridges, graygray@bellsouth.net.

SpringMingle 2010: What a Weekend!

2010-03-02T16:30:00.001-05:00

What happens when 200 children's writers and illustrators gather in one place for a whole weekend? If the group includes award-winning author Jane Yolen, editors Cheryl Klein (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic) and Meredith Mundy (Sterling Publishing), plus agent Josh Adams (Adams Literary), the result is literary magic!

In a time when some writers' conferences are struggling, our SCBWI Southern Breeze continues to thrive with top-notch conferences such as SpringMingle at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center. In addition to the headliners mentioned above, the conference included from Peachtree Publishers: Jessica Alexander, Editorial Assistant, Loraine Joyner, Art Director, Kenya and Kenyette Kilpatrick, Marketing. Also Peggy Shaw, a former senior editor for Dalmation Press and Intervisual Books.

A moving tribute to the late Liz Conrad, a much-loved and admired Southern Breezer who passed away last year was presented by Illustrator Coordinator, author, artist and best friend, Elizabeth Dulemba. This year Southern Breeze awarded scholarships in Liz's honor to artists Kristen Applebee and Jeremy Evans.

A highlight of this year's conference for me was the Book Launch. There were eight of us with new books within the past two years. I talked about my middle grade novel, Gone From These Woods, published August 25, 2009 by Delacorte Press/Random House. Other book launchers included Hester Bass, Doraine Bennett, Donna Bowman, Elizabeth Dulemba, Jennifer Jabaley, Irene Latham and Heather Montgomery. I feel very honored to be in the company of this talented group.

Other authors I enjoyed meeting and chatting with included Brad Strickland, who has a new book, Wicked Will, out under a pen name, Bailey MacDonald, and Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, whose book, Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different was published in 2008 by Delacorte Press. Kristin lives in Tennessee and is very familiar with the Cleveland, Tennessee area where my mother and other family members live.

So what did the publishing experts tell us this weekend? As most of us already knew, the odds of getting published are daunting. Jane Yolen said that if you'd asked her 20 years ago if you needed an agent, she would have said maybe. Today she says yes. Agent Josh Adams said he receives 6,000 submissions a year and might take on six new authors.

On the other hand editor Cheryl Klein, who has edited Harry Potter books, said our job is to create stories and hers is to edit them and though things are changing rapidly in the world of publishing, she believes our jobs are still to create and edit. Editor Meredith Mundy, who has been laid off twice from publishing companies is now with Sterling Publishing, which is owned by Barnes and Noble, and still feels optimistic. They are all looking for "crunchy characters," "munchy" dialog, and high concept projects. They agree "quiet" is not being published these days. But Jane Yolen says quiet may be making a come back in children's literature. She also says "go armoured into the marketplace."

Overall, this was one of the best conferences I've ever attended. Here's a great big thank you to Jo Kittinger, Donna Bowman, Heather Montgomery, Heather Kolich and everyone who worked to make this SpringMingle a great success. My only problem was I didn't win the Joan Broerman book basket for my local library. But, hey, there's always next year.

From Spelling Bee to Josh and Tiffany or Writing is Rewriting

2010-02-15T15:21:00.001-05:00

Now that my debut children's middle grade novel is published (Gone From These Woods, August 25, 2009, Random House/Delacorte Press), I'm often asked, "Are you writing another book?" I usually answer yes. And then they ask what it's about. And I usually say, "Two kids and a spelling bee." Next, they want to know when they can buy a copy. And if it's anything like GFTW and if the characters are like Daniel and, well, you get the picture, right?

For a very long time, this manuscript that I hope will be my next published book has been called Spelling Bee or some version of that name. These days the "spelling bee book" is called Josh and Tiffany, or Wild Josh and Tiffany Cool, depending on how I'm feeling that day. And oh my goodness, I'm still rewriting this middle grade novel . . . again and again. It's not that I'm such a perfectionist (ask my husband -- he'll quickly verify I'm not). My latest rewrite centers on making this book different from another Random House author's book that came out in 2008. Even though I had rewritten many drafts of my story long before she probably even thought of her idea, there were enough similarities to cause me to plunge into yet another rewrite. I'm also working on making this book equally Josh and Tiffany, rather than just mainly Josh. My first published book is considered a "boy's book." I like the idea of a book for boys and girls. So each kid in this book gets an equal part via alternating points of view. First you hear from Josh. Then you view the world through Tiffany's much different eyes. Hopefully this will make Tiffany a more interesting character.

So when will this latest rewrite be done? Don't know. But I hope it's soon. In my 20-plus years of writing fiction I've learned that most manuscripts (the ones written by me anyway) require a great deal of rewriting and they're simply done when they're done. I've set writing goals and at the moment I'm on track to reach the latest ones. So maybe Josh and Tiffany will walk out of my office, into the big, wide world soon and eventually hit the bookstores and libraries . . . and the Kindles and Nooks and iPads and such.

One of the things I look forward to after completing this latest Josh and Tiffany rewrite is starting a new book. I'm also excited about diving into my "to read" pile to catch up on some of my favorite authors' books. Look for my thoughts on recent novels, poetry and memoirs by Philip Lee Williams, Anne Webster, Linda Lee Harper, Lauretta Hannon, Amanda Gable, Edith Hemingway, Susan Rosson Spain, Ann Stamos (Judy Iakovou), Fran Slayton and many more in the coming weeks.

Oh, and one more thing: If you're a writer, how do you approach rewriting? I'd be interested to hear your rewriting comments and stories via the comment feature on this blog. How many rewrites do you go through? How do you feel about this process?

Now, it's back to the iMac for me. Josh and Tiffany are calling . . . again . . . in alternating but equal voices!

Manuscript Swap Shop, Sat., Jan. 23, 2010, 10 - 1

2010-01-13T13:05:00.002-05:00

The picture shows a joint writers' group meeting in Washington, Georgia, in the 1990s. I'm on the front row, first left. Next to me is Elise Weston (author of Coastwatcher), Jackie Elsner (now head of the Oconee County Library), Gail Karwoski (author of nine books now, including Riverbeds, her latest). The back row shows Cathy Fishman (author of many books including Passover and On Sukkot and Sim Chat Torah), Bettye Stroud (author of The Patchwork Path and Down Home at Miss Dessa's, and several other books), Laurie Myers (author of Lewis and Clarke and Me and Co-author of My Dog, My Hero, with her mom, Newbery-winning author Betsy Byars, who is one of my all-time favorites, and sister Betsy Duffey), and Sherri Jones Rivers (owner of Mr. Frog and rhyme writer and author supreme). Our annual joint writers' group meetings in beautiful and historic Washington are a treat each summer and a writers' dream, since we meet in the Washington library and critique all day and most of the night!

Right now, I belong to two different writers' groups. One is presently called "Tuesday Writers" and is made up of several members of the Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), a professional organization for published and aspiring writers of fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Tuesday Writers evolved from another writers' group, Powersurge Writers. And Powersurge Writers was the result of a merger between two other groups, Four at Five Writers and a writers' group that formed as a result of a social event in 1996 (what was the name of that group? I don't remember us calling ourselves anything but "the writers' group" back then.)

I've lost track of how many writers' groups I've belonged to over the years. The other writers' group I currently belong to is called Sub Rosa in the Shoals. It's an offshoot of author Rosemary Daniell's Zona Rosa. I'll write about ZR in a later post.

Today, I want to tell you about an event hosted by Tuesday Writers (and sponsored by SCBWI) on Saturday, January 23, 2010, from 10 AM to 1 PM, at the Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation, OCAF, in Watkinsville, Georgia. We're calling this event a "manuscript swap shop." From 10 - 10:30 AM, we'll visit and catch up and exchange chit-chat about writing and such. After that, I'll speak about writing and publishing and will take questions. Then we'll break up into groups of no more than five and have a manuscript critique session.

Things you need to know about this event:

It's free!

You need to bring five copies of one manuscript, up to ten pages long. (We won't turn you away if you come without a manuscript, but you'll get more out of the swap shop if you bring a writing sample).

You don't have to register, but if you know for sure you'll be there, shoot me an email at donnyseagraves@gmail.com, and let me know.

This swap shop is for writers of fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. (We like writers of fiction and nonfiction for adults, too. But this event focuses on writers for children.)

You don't have to be a member of SCBWI to participate. If you're not a member and are interested in joining, we'll have info and membership applications available.

We'll have refreshments!

So come and join us on Saturday, January 23, 10 - 1, at OCAF.

Oh, by the way, the publication of my debut children's middle grade novel, GONE FROM THESE WOODS, is tied directly to my participation in writers' groups and SCBWI. During my 20 or so minutes of talk time at the Manuscript Swap Shop, I'll tell you all about these connections and how you can follow the same path. Disclaimer: There are no guarantees that you'll end up with a published book by attending this event. However, this is how I made it to published author. Join us on Jan. 23 at OCAF to learn more!

OCAF Signing & Singing a Great Success!

2009-12-17T11:08:00.001-05:00

Last night I got to wear a Santa hat onstage, along with authors Terry Kay, Gail Karwoski, Julie Cannon, Grady Thrasher and Philip Lee Williams. We took the stage to do an ensemble reading of "The Night Before Christmas" as part of the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation Christmas event, Signing and Singing: A Holiday Treat in Watkinsville. From the photos you can see we were quite a festive, literary group as we took turns reading the lines from the famous poem that first brought St. Nick to life, as we know him today. We were planning to discuss how Clement C. Moore, the author credited with this holiday poem, might have plagiarized the work of another author, which is unlike any of the other poems he wrote during his lifetime (they were all rotten, according to critics). But time prevented us from launching into this discussion. Whoever the author of "The Night Before Christmas was," I'm so glad this classic poem survives.

We enjoyed music by two talented choirs, Decatens Acapella Choir of Oconee County Middle School (sorry I didn't get a picture on this one) and a chorale from the Westminster Christian Academy's lower school. Authors gave away books from their own libraries, plus we donated copies of our own books for the book basket giveaway. Delicious refreshments were provided by OCAF. And yes, we signed many books, with all proceeds going to OCAF.

I can't say enough about OCAF and the dedicated volunteers who put this event together. I also thank Terry Kay and the other authors for including me. As the "new kid on the block" author, it felt wonderful to stand on the stage among this literary company. I can't think of a better way to celebrate this holiday season.

My Reading Stack: A Treasure of Novels and Two Special Books of Poetry

2009-12-12T19:23:00.001-05:00

"What are you going to do during the holidays?" That's a question I hear often this time of year. My rather ambitious plans are to read some of the wonderful-looking books on my "to read" bookshelves. Notice I said "bookshelves" with an s. I've lost count of the novels and other books there, many written by my author friends.

Here's a small sampling of what I intend to read soon and write about here on Winterville Writer. They're in no particular order and I'm looking forward to them all.

Elegies for the Water: Poems by Philip Lee Williams. Phil was my very first editor (as an adult) back when I wrote columns for The Athens Observer, a popular alternative weekly newspaper published in my hometown of Athens, and I count him as a dear friend and writing mentor. Phil has published 14 books over the years, including his first, The Heart of a Distant Forest, and A Distant Flame, which won the prestigious Michael Shaara Award. Phil began his writing career by writing poetry. Believe it or not, this is his first published book of poetry and I'm looking forward to curling up on the futon by the fire in our den and taking it all in (I've sampled it already and I know I'm in for a treat!) I'll also be reading his new novel, The Campfire Boys, soon. Published not long after his book of poetry, this book is the story of Civil War camp entertainers told via fiction. Watch this blog for my reviews of both of these recent Philip Lee Williams' books.

So, what else is on Donny Bailey Seagraves' reading shelves? There's The Cracker Queen by my Cracker Queen friend, Lauretta Hannon. This bestselling book is already out in an audio edition, though as Lauretta shared with us at her recent book signing at the Athens Barnes and Noble, the reader is not from the South!

Also on my shelf is a slender volume of poetry, The History of Nursing, by my friend and fellow author, Anne Webster, who happens to be the younger sister of noted author and poet, Rosemary Daniell. I've sampled several of Anne's poems from this book which was nominated for a National Book Award and can hardly wait to finish the rest and tell you about them in a review. Anne worked for many years as a registered nurse in the Atlanta area. She gives readers an inside look into nursing plus shares much more. Stay tuned for the full review.

Another book I'm looking forward to reading is The Confederate General Rides North by Decatur author, Amanda Gable. An interesting thing about Amanda's book is that she also has an eleven-year old main character, as I do in my debut middle grade novel, Gone From These Woods. But Amanda's book, which is her debut, was published as an adult novel. I'm looking forward to reading her story and sharing my review with you here.

Bitter Tide by my friend and fellow writer Ann Stamos (Judy Iakovou) is very near the top of my reading stack and I'm eager to get into it. It tells a story of Ellis Island and emigrants who came to the United States through that place. I'm a big fan of Judy's previous mystery novels with co-author and husband Takis, so I know I'll enjoy this latest publication.

Since I write books for children and young adults, of course there are middle grade and young adult novels in my reading stack. One is Road to Tater Hill by my fellow Delacorte Press author, Edith M. Hemingway. Edie tells a story of death and loss in a North Carolina family in her novel debut. I'll be reading it soon and sharing more about it with you on this blog.

Two other childrens' books that are rising to the top of my reading stack are Susan Rosson Spain's The Deep Cut and Fran Cannon Slayton's When The Whistle Blows. Susan's book is set during the Civil War and is based on a family story. Fran's book, also based on her own family, is about a town, a train and a boy named Jimmy Cannon.

These books will be gifts to me this holiday season as I happily read through many pages in front of the fire. I hope you also find time to read.

My First Holiday Season as a Published Author Rather Than a Bookseller

2009-12-11T17:08:00.001-05:00

I've been a published writer for more than 20 years, and since the late 1980s, I've written fiction for children and adults, including five or six children's middle grade novels, a fat, strange novel for adults, and the world's most horrible romance novel. In 1998, I decided to add "online used and out-of-print bookseller" to my resume and called this new business, "Junebug Books," after a nickname from my childhood. So in addition to writing books, for a long time, I sold the used books of others online, beginning in the days before this was common.

Holiday season 2009 marks my first as a published author with my own book for sale in bookstores and at websites including Amazon.com, where I was one of their first third-party booksellers. Now I get to see my own brand new novel, Gone From These Woods, listed on Amazon.com right next to used and even new copies from third-party booksellers who are constantly engaged in price-dropping wars.

So how do I feel about this as an author?

Of course I don't like it. Like my publisher, Random House, I want buyers to purchase new copies of my book from Amazon.com at their discounted price. That should be good enough, right?

Let's go back a moment, to third-party book selling on Amazon before our used, rare and out-of-print copies were moved to positions right beside the new from the publisher copies. Back in those days, in the late 1990s, our books were in "z-shops" and were only visible to buyers if they knew the web address of our Amazon z-shop or they searched for an out-of-print copy using the Amazon home page search box. And in the beginning, we actually had a tab on Amazon's home page that said, "z-shops." This led buyers to our books. In addition to z-shops, many of us sold our OP books directly to Amazon. They mailed us actual checks.

Then we got Marketplace and our books were moved to the pages where new from publisher books were sold and the rest is history. Booksellers, many with almost no knowledge of the book selling business, multiplied. Prices dropped. And the book business as I knew it was gone forever, forcing many small time booksellers out of business and reducing revenues for the ones who were left. Through this all, I continued to write with the goal of selling my own books someday, instead of the books of others.

Now, back to the present, holiday season 2009. I now can go to the Amazon.com website and see my new book, Gone From These Woods, listed for sale at a discounted by Amazon price (a definite thrill for a first time published author, I must say). And on the same page, there are numerous new and used copies at a much lower price that drops (due to their use of automatic pricing software) constantly.

I never would have chosen to have my used book listings on the same pages as new books on Amazon. When I was a bookseller there, I wondered, along with all the other booksellers, how anyone could make any money from a book priced at $1.99 or $.01? There is a "shipping allowance" given to booksellers for each book sale to help offset the cost of postage to ship orders. However, Amazon also charges each seller a commission, which is a percentage of the selling price.

Why do they keep dropping the book prices? Well, as my husband has pointed out to me many times, that's capitalism. But as an author who sees her own book price dropping on Amazon, I say it's another word that I won't type into a G rated blog. I'm in favor of booksellers and authors making a living (and I admit that I also buy these cheaper books sometimes). But selling recently-published books for $1.99 or $.01 isn't the way. What do you think?

A Reading, Visiting and Fashion Kind of Day

2009-12-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

So what does reading have to do with fashion? Those two subjects don't usually go together, unless, of course, you're reading about fashion, which I wasn't.

First, I'll tell you about the reading. I started my day very early, for a non-morning person, by driving to Barrow Elementary School in Athens to participate in their Guest Readers event. The parking lot was almost full when I got there just before 8 AM. On my way in, I watched three extremely tall athletic-looking young men emerge from their vehicle wearing University of Georgia sweatshirts. They looked like basketball players and this was confirmed later by Andy Plemmons, media specialist at Barrow School, who organized Guest Readers Day.

These tall guys were just the beginning of the big crowd of community leaders and local celebrities and parents and grandparents who gathered in the media center to look over the tables covered with books waiting to be read to kids in grades one through five. Cardee Kilpatrick, former District 10 Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem of Athens during the time I was a councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem of Winterville, and I enjoyed a brief visit as we posed for a group picture before heading off to the classrooms, escorted by student guides, to read.

I brought my own book, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, to read to Ms. Slongo's fifth grade class. It's one of my all-time favorite holiday stories and the kids seemed to enjoy it, too. After reading them the first chapter, I asked if they had questions, and boy did they! This class had read my book, Gone From These Woods, together a few weeks ago, and their faces were familiar to me from my recent authors' visit. I enjoyed chatting with them about reading, writing, lots of bad cousins and a few good ones, and, of course the Herdmans from the Christmas Pageant book. I left them my copy of the book, so they could finish reading it together in class. Once you've heard chapter one of Barbara Robinson's classic and hilarious story, how can you not read on?

So what does fashion have to do with all of this? Nothing, of course. But do read on.

Back in Winterville, I stopped by our favorite gathering place, the Winterville Post Office, a hub of local news and sometimes gossip, to pick up my mail. The mayor was there, chatting with Bobby Cook, a member of the Commercial Bank's board of directors, a contractor, and former car dealer. Jim Mercer, the mayor, was attired in his usual plaid shirt jacket and casual pants. So, no this wasn't the fashion part of my day (sorry Jim). And then I headed over to Watkinsville, fifteen miles down the road, to deliver a signed copy of Gone From These Woods for the authors' basket raffle at their holiday market event this coming Saturday and Sunday (let's hope it doesn't snow too much this weekend). Things looked festive in the OCAF building, but no, that's not the fashion part of this blog post.

Fashion came at lunchtime when I attended the Athens YWCO Holiday Fashion Show & Luncheon at the Ann Florence Center. My high school classmate, Kitty Meyran, is the director of the YWCO. Our table included classmates Jan Lanier, Donna Griffeth, Eleanor Mason and Eleanor's daughter-in-law. We were treated to a real fashion show, emceed by Sonia Steffes of Sonia Says. Beautiful models, Amy Malone, Brenda Blanton, Crysty Odom, June Turnell, Kiz Adams, Mary Mills, Matt Dixon, Patsy Grimes, Rubelene Norris, Tammy Gilland, Tracie Hedges and Winona Evans entertained us with dazzling holiday outfits and accessories. At one point in the show, Sonia surveyed the room to see which tables featured ladies who had "accessorized." Okay, our table wasn't mentioned. Maybe we need to work on that.

On the way out I enjoyed talking to Lola Finn, a retired principal and former member of one of the writers groups I belong to. I also got to catch up with Pat Brittian, another retired principal (from Winterville School) and Cissy Alexander, a member of the Athens High School Class of '68.

I think this was the first time I've ever combined reading with fashion in one day. The fashion luncheon was a fundraiser for the YWCO and Guest Readers Day at Barrow Elementary raised my spirits considerably when I saw the interest and excitement about reading and writing and bad cousins and the Herdmans in Ms. Slongo's fifth graders. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday in December. Now it's time to get back to writing . . . but maybe first, I'll accessorize.

Signing and Singing December 16, 2009 in Watkinsville, GA

2009-11-27T17:51:00.002-05:00

Okay, the headline of this blog post says, "Signing and Singing," but hopefully I won't be singing when I join five other authors plus numerous young singers in Watkinsville at the 1902 OCAF Center December 16 from 6 - 8 PM.

The other authors, in addition to yours truly, include Terry Kay, author of many popular books including To Dance With the White Dog; Julie Cannon, of True Love & Homegrown Tomatoes fame; Philip Lee Williams, who has two new books, The Campfire Boys and Elegies for the Water; Gail Karwoski, whose latest book is River Beds: Sleeping in the World's Rivers; and Grady Thrasher who is the author of the Tim and Sally series.

The singing part of this holiday event will be handled by two groups: Decatens Acapella Choir of Oconee County Middle School and A Chorale from the Westminster Christian Academy's Lower School.

In addition to signing our latest books, the six authors will perform an author's ensemble reading of The Night Before Christmas. This is one of my all time favorite poems, so I'm looking forward to taking part in this performance (as long as we don't have to sing it).

The OCAF Artist Shoppe will be open as well and stocked with plenty of handmade, original art perfect for Christmas gifts.

Other things you should know: Admission is free and more information is available on the website: www.ocaf.com or by emailing them at info@ocaf.com or calling 706-769-4565.

I hope to see you there.

Front Porch Bookstore Opens in Winterville, Georgia

2009-11-20T14:37:00.001-05:00

I'm a native of Athens, Georgia, but for many years I've lived in nearby Winterville, a tiny municipality of approximately 1,200, located in Eastern Clarke County. We've had a branch of the Athens Regional Library in Winterville (115 Marigold Lane) for a very long time.

Today, I'm happy to announce that the Friends of the Winterville Library are launching a new venture, Front Porch Bookstore, in the quaint, newly renovated old Town Hall building (which was formerly used as the Winterville Volunteer Fire Department and is located near the library at 102 Marigold Lane) on December 4, 2009, which also happens to be the date of this year's Winterville Christmas in the Park event (more on that in a future post).

Front Porch Books is 100% non-profit. All proceeds will go toward purchasing books, equipment and literary programs for the Winterville Library. At the December 4 grand opening, the bookstore will be open 5 PM until 8:30 PM. After that, the bookstore hours will be the same as the Winterville Library's hours: Monday and Tuesday and Thursday, 3 - 7; Wednesday, 9 - 12; Saturday, 10 - 2, and closed Friday and Sunday.

This new bookstore needs both donations of books and vounteers to staff the store. If you're interested, stop by the library or the bookstore or email fow11012@yahoo.com or call Jan Mazzucco at 706-742-7090. Leave your name and number and the shift desired.

See you at Front Porch Books!

Jackie Elsner: New Oconee Country Libraries Director

2009-10-25T14:05:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending Jackie Elsner's farewell storytelling event at the Athens Regional Library in September. Jackie, or "Miss Jackie" to Athens area children, was bidding the Athens branch of the Regional Library goodbye with a special performance of rhymes, songs, a lap puppet show and more. Jackie had served as the children's librarian for 20 years. Now she is the librarian and branch manager of the Oconee County Libraries.

I first met Jackie 20 years ago, when she became the children's librarian in Athens. Our library was smaller then and was located at 120 West Dougherty Street in what is now called the Governmental Building. My husband's office is in that building now, in what was once the fiction section of Athens Regional Library. My children were still young the day we met Jackie. We had come to the library to hear her tell a story. That was my introduction to this amazing woman's storytelling talents.

Over the years, I got to know Jackie better and learned that she had many other talents as well including Sacred Harp singing, puppetry and writing. For several years I had the pleasure of being in a writers' group with her and several other writers from the Athens and Oconee Country area.

Jackie will be missed at the Athens Regional Library. But Oconee County Libraries have gained a treasure.

Southern Festival of Books in Nashville

2009-10-13T10:29:00.008-04:00

I had the pleasure of participating in my first Southern Festival of Books in Nashville this weekend. The trip up through the mountains was beautiful and I couldn't help but remember my only other visit to Nashville as daughter Jenny and I took in the Tennessee sights.

It was way back in the 1970s when husband Phillip and I caravaned to Nashville in a 1939 Hudson as part of the Athens Antique Auto Club. We were accompanied by other antique auto clubs from the Atlanta area and our vintage autos were quite a sight as we motored along the highway, praying that our antique brakes would hold on those twisty, winding mountain roads.

When we got there, it was worth the trip. We enjoyed a picnic sponsored by Kraft Foods and hosted by Roy Acuff, and at the end of our stay, our banquet speaker was Roy Orbison! Roy also was a big antique car buff and he told us all about his collection that night.

This weekend's Nashville trip was all about books. I had the pleasure of talking about and reading from my debut novel, GONE FROM THESE WOODS, on a panel with authors Peter Huggins and Billy Moore on Saturday (this panel was podcast -- watch for the link here when it becomes live on the festival website).

I also enjoyed hearing astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin speak in the handsome War Memorial Auditorium. I got to talk to and hang out with several other authors, too, including Philip Lee Williams, Amanda Gable, Elizabeth Dulemba, Lisa Dale Norton of Santa Fe, and Nancy Vienneau, a Nashville chef, food activist and writer.

Speaking of food, a highlight of our visit to Nashville was eating at the Midtown Cafe, rumored to be Reba McEntire's favorite restaurant. Jenny and I know why! I can't say enough good things about this local Nashville treasure. We also had an outstanding dinner at Valentino's Ristorante, an Italian restaurant nearby.

We were a little disappointed that we didn't see any actual country music singers in Nashville. About the closest we came was spotting Keith Urban's tour bus parked at the motel across the street.

So we didn't see Keith or Nicole or their baby. We saw plenty of great authors, marveled at the selection and beauty of all the great books by the festival's 200 authors, and ate our share of out of this world delicious food. Not a bad way to spend an October weekend -- or any weekend.

Soap, Soap, Soap by Elizabeth O. Dulemba

2009-10-02T00:01:00.001-04:00

Today Winterville Writer hosts author/illustrator extraordinaire Elizabeth O. Dulemba on the final day of her blog book tour for her new book, Soap, Soap, Soap. Be sure to read this entire post to find out how you can win an autographed copy of the English only edition of Elizabeth's new book.

I first met Elizabeth at a Southern Breeze region of SCBWI SpringMingle writers' conference about four years ago. I was immediately impressed by her big, bold, colorful book illustrations. The kids she drew had personality. Lots of personality plus really big faces. Definitely my kind of illustrations. We chatted at the conference and I discovered that Elizabeth had studied Graphic Design at the University of Georgia in my home town of Athens. She has also lived in the Tennessee area where my mom and sister and family still live. Small world, for sure.

Something else I noticed about Elizabeth is her personality. It's a lot like her illustrations: bright, happy, fun. She's uses words like "GADS! and "Woosie!" and "Yip, Yip, Yahooooooo!!!!!" and "WooHoo!" and my favorite, WOWSA!!!

I'm going to borrow WOWSA!!! today to describe Elizabeth's new book. Soap, Soap, Soap, which was published September 25 by Raven Tree Press, is clean and boldly illustrated and, well, say it with me: WOWSA!!!

Before I tell you more about Soap, Soap, Soap, remember, I'll be giving away an autographed copy to one of my lucky blog readers. So read on to find out more about Elizabeth's new book and how to win a signed copy.

Now, on to the main event on Winterville Writer today: a review of Elizabeth O. Dulemba's Soap, Soap, Soap. Note: I am reviewing the English Edition, ISBN: 978-1934960-64-6 hardcover. There also is a Bilingual Edition: ISBN: 978-1934960-62-2 and paperback editions, too.

The Review

Soap, Soap, Soap, the first book award-winning illustrator Elizabeth O. Dulemba has both written and illustrated, is based on the classic Appalachian Jack Tale but features a modern twist. Dulemba sets the story in a small town and gives the title role to a young boy named Hugo.

The first thing a reader will notice about this book, which is written for children pre-K to 3rd grade, is the bold, bright colors the artist uses to introduce Hugo, along with a tub overflowing with bubbles and a cute yellow rubber duckie on the front cover. The back cover art features Hugo hanging by his overall strap on an old-fashioned clothesline.

Inside, the endpapers with yellow bars of soap, yellow duckies and soap bubbles are very attractive and lead the reader to the beautiful kitchen where Hugo's mom asks him to run to the store to buy soap. The artist uses graphite to draw the illustrations and renders them digitally. Both Hugo and his mom almost pop off the page, they look so alive. But my favorite part of this first two page spread is the cute brown and white dog (rumored to be Elizabeth's dog). This adorable canine takes in every word Mom says.

Hugo gallops through a school playground and past an attractive group of small town buildings on his way to buy soap. Along the way, he slides into a very large and wet mud puddle and forgets Mom's instructions. His neighbor, a little girl named Jellybean Jones, shows up then and offers to help, though the smirk on her face shows her thoughts might be otherwise. When Jellybean ends up in the mud, Hugo's memory is restored and he takes off again to buy soap at the store.

The rest of the story is easy to predict, which should suit young readers and listeners just fine. The writing is crisp and clear and written in language modern day kids will enjoy. They'll also like Hugo's stinkiness as he continues on his mission to procure soap. The ending is satisfying and clean and the soap bubbles and wink from the dog are just the right touch.

Now, if you'd like to win my copy of Soap, Soap, Soap (English only hardback edition), add a comment to this blog and be sure to use my favorite Elizabeth O. Dulemba word: WOWSA!!! at least once. No Wowsa, no name in book drawing. The drawing will be held October 6. Good luck! And don't forget to visit Elizabeth's Soap, Soap, Soap activity page where you can download neat stuff and even watch a book trailer.

SIBA 2009 in Greenville South Carolina

2009-09-28T14:16:00.011-04:00

Today I end my blog book tour for Gone From These Woods by stopping by Eddie Suttles' blog, Georgia Books and Water. Click on the link to visit Eddie's blog and read an all-new question and answer about writing and publishing my debut children's middle grade and YA novel. And don't forget to come back here to Winterville Writer on Friday, October 2, to read my review of author/illustrator Elizabeth O. Dulemba's brand new children's picture book, Soap, Soap, Soap. This will be the last stop on her blog book tour and I'll be giving away a signed copy of her beautiful new book.

Here's another date to mark on your calendar. On Sunday, October 4, 2009, Elizabeth and I will be participating in a children's author and illustrator's panel at the Athens, Georgia Borders Bookstore. The panel will be held from 1 - 2:30 PM and will include Donna Bowman, Robyn Hood Black, Gene Fehler and Margo Candelario, as well as Elizabeth and myself. This event is part of Borders' Educator Days but is open to the public.

This weekend I had the pleasure of participating in my first ever Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Trade Show! The location was the huge Carolina First Convention Center in beautiful Greenville, South Carolina. My traveling companion, daughter Jenny, and I had a pleasant car trip up to Greenville, about 100 miles from my home in Winterville, Georgia. When we got there Thursday, we checked into our motel and then headed to the convention center to check everything out.
Things were winding down for the day when we arrived but we got a chance to see the set up and where we'd be the next day.

On Friday morning we headed back to the Carolina First Center and at 11 AM, I participated in an author's panel called "Writing the South," along with four other authors. This was the panel line up: Moderator: Karen Zacharias, Will Jesus Buy Me a Doublewide? Cause I need more room for my plasma TV (Zondervan); Batt Humphreys, Dead Weight (Joggling Board Press); Karen White, The Girl on Legare Street (NAL Trade Paperback); Donny Seagraves, Gone From These Woods (Delacorte Press); Amanda Gable, The Confederate General Rides North (Scribner). I can't say enough good things about our moderator, Karen Zacharias. She arrived with our books in her arms and had read them all! Her questions were excellent and tailored to each of our books. Thank you Karen and thanks to Batt, the other Karen on our panel, and Amanda for an enjoyable hour spent talking about the South and our books.

After the panel I had the pleasure of eating lunch with some of the independent booksellers who were in the audience, including Janet Geddis of Athens, Georgia, who is in the planning stages of opening a brand new bookstore. I'm excited about Janet's plans and enjoyed meeting her and her mother at this author's lunch. Speaking of authors, our luncheon speakers included bestselling all-star authors: Patricia Reilly Giff, Richard Peck, Silas Read and Rick Yancey. Each in turn told us about their new book and talked about writing and publishing. No children's author could ask for a better meal! I also enjoyed chatting with Patricia after lunch. Seems we share an editor in common, Michelle Poploff.

Later in the afternoon, I enjoyed meeting more booksellers as I autographed and handed out the books my publisher, Random House, so graciously donated for this event.