HELLO,

General Assembly was super. I signed books in Lakeland, FL, went to church Sunday, then went to the East Coast and started up A1A headed north. Spent the first night in Daytona Beach. Loved being on the balcony and writing with the ocean in the background. Next stop was St. Augustine where we stayed in B&B in old St. Augustine and walked the streets. Oh yeah, and wrote at night. Today, we went by where my daughter and family were vacationing on an island out of Jacksonville. There I handed out my book cards to readers on the beach. It was fun telling them about the book and seeing their interest and promises to check it out. I wish I had carried dozens of more cards with me to the beach and met more people. They were so friendly and excited about meeting an author. I finally THINK I AM ONE.....that was exciting too.

Tonight we are in Charleston, SC. We were here last year but didn't get to do all we wanted on that short trip. This is our second chance to do them. I am writing this, and then will write more on the book tonight and, hopefully, again early in the morning. I have 5 chapters completed. It is taking shape and I love living with some of the main characters of "Revenge" again as they tell me what is going on in their life in 1893.

Hugs,

Ann

I have been writing faithfully EVERY day. In between shopping and hearing all about my husband's business meetings. I am at almost 8,000 words (To make sense of that, I usually do 65,000-75,000 words a book...sometimes more). But its a good start and more to come today. Some days are good writing days, some are good research days.

Another note: The judge's gavel just hit the table!!! The adoption is final for my three wonderful grandchildren to my son and daughter-in-law. They are finally a TRUE FAMILY (although they have felt that for over 6 months, but it's now legal). They adopted 3 siblings that are just beautiful and the most wonderful spirit. They have no idea how fortunate they are to get these parents that love them so very much.

Back to writing. Thank you all for every time you visit the web site, for everytime you recommend my book, post it on your FB or Twitter account, post in you Pinterest account...ALL of it. You have helped me get the word out and I am so very appreciative to all of you.

Hugs,

Ann

Day one of my two week vacation...well at least from my "day job". I actually do a day job of Medical Transcription. Alas, they tell me that all writers need a day job. If I have to have one, this the best, BUT i have not taken a REAL vacation in ages. But to me a vacation means time to write freely. So I hope to get lots more written on "Bad Blood" these two weeks.

My husband is in business meetings this week and I am with him hereb in the Hilton on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. One week will be spent here, and the next one in various places between here and my home in Tennessee.

BUT, the most important thing is, I plan to be writing a portion of every day. You, my writer friends, are going to push, prod, and keep me honest. You are my accountability partners. You may ask how much I wrote on any given day by responding on the web site, and I will TELL you. I won't tell you WHAT I have written, but I will be able to tell you how many pages or how many words. That way others will be able to know that "Bad Blood" is on its way to each of you.... hopefully completed and published in late November. (Thank goodness I already have some written and an outline of what is to happen!!) : )

Give me feedback my friends. Challenge me to write.

Hugs

ANN

I won second in the Alabama Writers Conclave for one of the sequels to Revenge..the story SORROW. It has been a wonderful night. I even sent along a few pictures. Nice to get a "check" attached to it too. LOL.

Hugs,

Ann

I know I promised to let you know what I had won here at the Conclave, and I still will. But when talking with a writer that I met earlier this year at the TN Mountain Writers Jumpstart In Sweetwater Tn (she is also speaking here in Alabama), she encouraged me to blog about something I told her I would do if I taught a writers class. She thinks I should get my name on it, and document my idea. Here it goes....

The other day, I had Violet, my sister, to go to the library and research something that happened back in the forties of which I will use a portion of in my fourth book in the series. She got a copy of the story. (Thank you Violet.)

There in the edges of the story were advertisements of prices of things in grocery stores, ad of someone running for a public office, and tidbits of community lore in the county. If I taught a class for writers at a conference or in a college/high school, and needed student inspiration for teaching my class, I would go to the local library and make copies of old, old papers, hand them out to the students, and they are to incorporate as much as possible from their page into their story, teaching them the value of research and capturing the "times" of their story.

Thank you for bearing with me as I "documented" my idea of a training seminar for writers. You are so patient with me.

I will be blogging later tonight to tell you what place the "first chapter of a novel" (one of the sequels to Revenge) won. Until then.....

Hugs,

Ann

How many of you are members at Pinterest? I just joined and started my boards after invites from family and friends. On it, I have a "Board" for my book 'Revenge'. There I have pictures that remind me of scenes from the book (without giving anything I way I hope). Occassionally, I might ask a question as to what this might refer to or what happened at a place similar to this. I do not answer so that others can still read the book and come back to the pictures and relate to them.

Also you will soon see a "board" started for 'teaser pictures" of "Bad Blood" and later for "Sorrow". I hope this gets you excited to read the next ones in the series.

I am off this weekend to the "Alabama Writers Conclave" in Huntsville to see what my award is. There will be two, but I already know that I got honorable mention on a short nonfiction piece, but I have no idea what "Sorrow" has won. Saturday night is the night!!! There are places 1-4. I would be happy with any one of those!!!! And for sure will get one of them (LOL), or so they tell me. I will do my best to post Saturday night late what I won so you can celebrate with me.

Hugs

Ann

I got a lucky invite to attend the Hooper Reunion in Hiwassee, GA over the weekend. It was super!! Met some of the greatest people in the world. AND I get to call them family. We all descend from Absalom Hooper. He resided in Hiwassee GA abut also in Jackson County, NC. He left descendants in both places, and now we come together to get to know one another, share our genealogy, and give thanks for our heritage. One of the "cousins' I met was Celia Miles. She is also an author and resides in Ashville, NC. Her books, like mine, are set in the mountains of North Carolina. You need to check her out on Amazon.com. I am getting so excited to start reading her books. I will be downloading on Kindle ASAP to take with me to Florida. Let me know how you like them also. She has several.

BTW, I sold quite a few books at the Reunion and in Jackson County NC as I came back by there on my way home. Love those mountains.

Hugs.

Ann

My husband's mother passed away a little over a year ago. We have spent a year sorting through the accumulations of more than 50 years in one place by a woman that lived through the depression. Many of you know that means that those years caused her to "save everything" in case she might need it later. Such a job it has been!!!! I think I am the most amazed over the quilts she had pieced from scraps of clothing and, I am sure, small yardage she bought. Each square was appliqued and then put together with strips. Some are quilted by her on quilting frames and others are still just "quilt tops". I don't know if it is the genealogist in me or the writer, but one or the other (maybe both) causes me to wonder what she was thinking as she worked tirelessly with her fingers. Did she cry over some heartache as she sewed? Maybe friends or families had gathered with her around the quilting frames and they had laughed and gossiped, happy to have others close by to share their thoughts and feelings. Something in me wants to keep most of what we are selling. To keep those things that she held dear for some reason. A toy. An old pot (was it her mother's??). But, if I did, my children would have to sort through it when i am gone. I am sure they would not appreciate it. LOL.

At times, I wish I was like so many that I know that never hoard...that throw away anything that has not been used in 6 months or a year. I just can't do it. Most everything I keep is tied to a memory or an event...but they will never know what it meant. So sad.

BUT this is why I write fiction around tidbits of truth. I love it. If I don't know what it is, I make it up. LOL.

Hugs.

Ann

The summer is proving to be a great time for me. I just got an invitation to come to the "Hooper" reunion in the mountains of North Georgia. They migrated up from there into the mountains of North Carolina...well actually back and forth, and many still live there today. I am so excited and will be bringing books with me to sign. I have enjoyed my talks on email with some of the Hooper family. Hugs to you all.

Then its off to Florida for our church's General Assembly. While I am there I plan on being in the Lakeland, FL area to hopefully sign your books. Let others know so they can come and purchase books and get them signed.

I have been in contact with a sweet young woman that is from the Watson family. It has been great conversing with her and hope to continue to do so...especially as we move on to the next 3 books in this series. I would love to hear from more of you...Hooper, Watson, or just a reader. : )

I will be doing a signing in my hometown area of Lawrenceburg TN in August, although no exact date has been set up yet. I will let you know.

I have tentative dates for North Carolina and will give those to you later as well. Hopefully, maybe at a book club or two, also.

Hugs,

Ann

I am getting excited about going to the Alabama Writers Conclave that will be taking place in Huntsville mid July. They called me yesterday. I knew that I had won an honorable mention on an article I wrote (yay...funny article but I was totaly surprised). Then, of course, I was told that I had won a prize on "Sorrow" (Book 3) of the Revenge Series, but not what Prize I had won. I still don't know BUT it appears it is not honorable mention but either 1st through 4th places. I promise to let you know the night after the Awards Banquet on this blogs. The reason they called was to make sure I was sending the chaper to them along with a personal bio to be included in the 2012 Alalit.com online anthology. If you were wanting to get a sneak preview of one of the other books in the series, this is your chance. I know many of you read the first chapter of Revenge on the Alalit.com anthology for 2011.

Hugs

Ann