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
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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 Don't you just love it when you post on FB or your blog, and you begin to hear that ding, ding, ding on your smart phone stating someone just "liked" or responded to your status. I LOVE it. It is like we are in a big room and talking back and forth (well ALMOST :) like we are...minus the faces and sounds..LOL). Then it occurred to me...I am the same way about my book, Revenge. Everytime I hit the little counter on Kindle or the paperback and 1, 2, 3, etc....more books/kindles are sold, it's the same feeling. There is such joy in knowing you have something to say that others feel is worthwhile. Your responses to my book has been overwhelmingly humbling and ectactically exciting at the same time. Joy!!
Hugs... Ann A few chapters were written by the time REVENGE was published, but everything got busy and chaotic during this first month. I am in earnest about completion of book 2 on time.
I do have a favor to ask of you, my readers. Tell everyone, especially readers, about REVENGE. Also, if anyone is on Goodreads or similar programs, do a review and talk about the book in your blog, if you have one. If you do not find my book on your reading group program, let me know and I will place it there. It is on Goodreads already. If you know a book club, suggest the book. I hope this is not asking too much. You all have been so kind and enthusiastic about the book, and I am so glad it has been so well liked. Hugs Ann I had such a great day at the book signing. Sold and signed about 40 books. I consider that a successful day. I enjoyed meeting new people, some of which heard about it through the newspaper article. We had great talks about genealogy and how it ties in with my books. If you know of a place near you that would be a good place for a book signing, please let me know.
Hugs Ann The article about my book and signing this Saturday June 23, 2012 was in the community news for our area and can also be viewed online at this address: http://community.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/20/revenge-bittersweet-soddy-daisy-author-phillips/?Community-Hixson
Thanks everyone for telling others about the book. Hugs. Ann |
AuthorAnn Phillips, Tennessee native with roots in North Carolina, mother of 5, grandmother of 15 and loving life.. Archives
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