Tampa Book Buzz

news and notes:deep carnivale, tolkien, local library websites

• TampaGold.com reports that over 600 people attended the Deep Carnivale:A Celebration of Words festival the weekend before last. (My sources say that it was more like 1,500 people.)  They’ve got pictures, too.  Check it out.
• Some of J.R.R. Tolkien’s furniture was recently up for sale.  (How cool would it be to actually own something of his??)
• SticksofFire.com recently posted a good list of local library resources and websites.  Check it out.

local author marcia freespirit’s book launch party last week

I wasn’t able to attend local author Marcia Freespirit’s book launch party last week, but according to the press release I received, it was a success: 

Tampa Bay author Marcia Freespirit has much to be happy about today.  Her memoir Gladwoman was launched last night at the National Wall Art Gallery in downtown.  The event was such a success that her first edition of the book sold out.

The launch was held almost one year to the day that she quit her job to write her own story.  With well over 100 people in attendance at her launch, she is probably still celebrating her success.  “The support from the community, as well as from my friends and family has just been overwhelming,”  Freespirit admits.

Her own story is one that has been made up of many hardships, and this makes the success of her book launch that much sweeter.  Freespirit recounts surviving domestic violence, damaging relationships, anorexia and more.  Her gritty tale is told in an informal, easy-to-read style.

Priscilla Mixon, past Executive Director of the Mary Martha House in Ruskin (an abused women’s shelter) states, “So often when one does not love oneself, low self esteem becomes self destruction. Marcia tells how she survived and turned her life around.”

From sadness to success, from tragedy to triumph; Marcia’s goals for the future are broad.  She plans to re-vamp the book cover and subsequently distribute a second edition of her book.  In addition, as CEO of JimSam Inc, Tampa Bay’s newest publishing company, she is seeking other talented authors looking to publish their books as well. 

Freespirit offers the following advice,  “At JimSam Inc., we say: ‘We help women, businesses and authors reach heights not yet imagined.’  You have to dream the impossible to live it.”

JimSam Inc. is Tampa Bay’s newest publisher.  Authors retain full rights to their written works of art while receiving vital assistance and guidance.  We ensure the look, feel and format of the end product are all in alignment with the creator’s intent.   Contact us at 813-748-9523 for more information.

The website (www.jimsaminc.com) should be up soon.

bruce campbell pic finally posted

I finally got around to finding, scanning and posting the photo of The Evening I Accidentally Snubbed Bruce Campbell. Enjoy!

my speech on whether or not authors should blog

I’ve found a way to squelch my nerves before speaking in public: Tylenol! On Wednesday I stayed home sick from work because I had a headache, so I was mega-dosing Tylenol all day long. When it came time to give my presentation to the Tampa Writers Alliance Wednesday night, I did a good job, if I do say so myself. I explained what blogging is, listed some of the different types of blogs, gave examples of authors who blog and what they blog about, listed the pros and cons of blogging, and discussed some online marketing tips.

Blogging is my second-favorite subject to talk about (myself being No. 1, of course). I also turned in my TWA membership application, so now I’m an Official Writer and everything. In addition to seeing the usual suspects Skip Allen (who showed me the artwork for the cover of his new book), S.L. Juers (who gave me some insight into how he came up with the main character in his book Eternally Yours) and TWA president Sandra Kischuk (who is an absolute dear), I had a chance to meet:

Kathy Astl, TWA secretary, paralegal and legal textbook author (which means she’s way smarter than the rest of us);

K.L. (Kathy) Nappier, author of Full Wolf Moon, who sat in the back of the room directly in my line of sight and helped me out a lot by nodding occasionally, which was very encouraging;

Chris Jackson, author of Deathmask and a fellow blogger, whose website I’ve only had time to glance at so far, but plan on going back to because he’s written some very interesting sci-fi and fantasy stuff (plus he was a super nice guy);

and Michael Darling, author of Hoplite Renegades, who gave me a copy of his book before getting lost in the library with me as we tried to find our way back to the parking garage. With his interest in military history and science fiction, he reminded me a lot of The Husband, but with a long ponytail. When I told The Husband that I proudly told Michael that I recognized the word “hoplite” he told me that I was wrong: “hoplite” refers to the shield the ancient Greeks used and not to their clothing, like I thought. Michael was polite, though, and didn’t correct me. He was … a darling (sorry, couldn’t resist).

I met several other TWA members also, but without their business cards to refer to, I’m afraid that their names escape me at the moment. All in all, it was a good night.

To blog or not to blog: that is the question!

photos from june 24 book signing

Here’s some photos from last Saturday’s local author book signing at the South Tampa Barnes and Noble (click on photos to enlarge):

Local authors Skip Allen (Out of the Ashes) and Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!) 

Local authors John Pristell (Boy versus Girl) and Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!)

Local author Steven Sims tells a customer about his book Spy Wednesday

Local authors Bill Pearce and Ann Baker (No Coincidence)

Local authors John Pristell (Boy versus Girl) and Skip Allen (Out of the Ashes)

local authors book signing last saturday

On my way to work last Saturday, I stopped by the local authors book signing at the South Tampa Barnes and Noble store. When you walked in the door, the first things you saw were the six tables set up in the front of the store and the smiling faces of some of our local authors, eager to say hello, give you a bookmark and tell you about their books.

Skip Allen was there, selling his thriller Out of Ashes and being his usual charming self. He kept telling me snippets about the sequel, for which I accidentally repaid him by knocking over a bottle of water on his table. (Luckily, no books were harmed in the making of this story.)

Barbara J. Sorey was there with a big smile on her face, as always, letting people know about her book Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!. Sharing her table was veteran journalist Steven Sims, promoting his thriller Spy Wednesday. I introduced myself to him and we had time to chat for a little while; he’s a really nice guy.

The gracious No Coincidence author Ann Baker was at one of the front tables. We commiserated with each other about having to go to work later in the day (although she was going to put in a 12-hour shift as a law enforcement officer and I was only going to my piddly Second Job for a few hours).

At the table behind her were authors Daisy Parrado (Grandma Reads My Thoughts) and … Bill Pearce (I hope I got his name correct!), both of whom remembered me from the recent panel discussion I participated in at the bookstore, which made me feel like a mini-celebrity. (Plus, Parrado had candy!)

I met the very polite John A. Pristell, who gave me a copy of Boy versus Girl, a collection of his poems. One of Pristell’s friends happened to be videotaping while he and I were talking and exchanging business cards, so the Pristell family videotape collection unfortunately now has a good ten minutes of very unflattering side shots of Yours Truly.

There was another author there whose name I didn’t get, which is ok, because he was a little grumpy.

I’m having trouble getting my photos from Saturday to load, so I’ll post them separately.

kirsten smith was in town last week

I opened an email from last Thursday and saw:

Where were you last night??? (Were you there and I didn’t see you?)

Uh oh! Where was I supposed to be? Did I stand someone up? Did I pay good money for a ticket somewhere and then forget to go? As it turns out, I missed out on a fun evening:

Kirsten Smith came to town for a “talk” at the Clearwater Library and then a group of us gals got to meet with her for lunch today. She’s wonderful. She the Hollywood screenwriter who wrote the screenplays Legally Blonde, Ten Things I Hate About You, and She’s the Man (coming out this month on the 17th) She’s got a new YA book out, Geography of Girlhood, a novel written in poetry form. Her writing partner, www.karenlutz.com, had a chick lit out last year, Bachelorette Party.

I couldn’t have gone anyway (because I went to the Tampa Writers Alliance meeting), but I hate not even knowing about an event!

So many books (and authors and events), so little time…

an evening with stephen king

The movers came again last weekend, so in the midst of packing, cleaning and moving, The Husband and I weren’t able to make it to An Evening With Stephen King at Eckerd College last Saturday night (sniff, sniff). Local author Wendy Boucher had a great time and was kind enough to share her experience with TBB:

Saturday night I attended the reading/lecture by Stephen King. He lives part of the year in Florida and he came out of hiding at the request of Dennis Lehane (author of Mystic River and Shutter Island, among others), who is part of the Writers in Paradise writers’ conference happening at Eckerd College this week. So really it was a two-fer. Lehane spoke first and introduced King, who then read to us a short story called Willa that hadn’t been read or heard by anybody else before Saturday night. I felt like he was giving us a present. After that, he spoke a little and answered some prescreened questions put to him by Lehane. The first question was one he gets asked a lot: “Were you a weird little boy?”There wasn’t anything too surprising for those of us who have followed his career. We all know he loves rock and roll. Most people probably knew that he likes to read poetry before he goes to bed each night. What sometimes surprises those who aren’t King fans is that he has written a very good book about writing and the writing profession (my personal favorite) called On Writing. Lehane mentioned his reputation for being among the most generous when it comes to giving back to the writing community. Lehane also said what I’ve always thought was true, very few authors have created such an amazing array of well-developed characters as King. Lehane mentioned Dickens as another of the few. Apparently public appearances by Mr. King are very rare. I read in the paper about people who had flown from other states just to see him. I brought my limited edition The Gunslinger book just in case he changed his mind and offered a book signing, but no such luck. He doesn’t seem to like that much attention and I thought he seemed just a little uncomfortable at times on stage with thousands of people looking at him. He delighted the crowd when he said he’s got a book set in Florida in mind. He was great and my only regret is that at the last minute, Lisa of Tampa Book Buzz was unable to attend herself.

–Wendy Boucher is a travel writer, a hepcat blogger and author of Parvenue Throws A Party. She’s busy working on her next book, traveling around the world and being the envy of those of us stuck at home.

local author jerry cowling

As TBB readers know, I’m always excited to find out about another author in the Tampa Bay area. So you can imagine how much fun I had at the Festival of Reading in St. Pete on Saturday! I’m still wading my way through the huge stack of business cards, bookmarks and brochures I picked up that day and have been busy responding to the flurry of emails I’ve received so far.

On Saturday, I met local author Jerry Cowling, who has written a book called Lincoln in the Basement. His book is an “alternate history” novel that explores what things would have been like if Lincoln’s life had been a bit different. I don’t know much more about it than that, I’m afraid, but it arrived in the mail yesterday so I will begin reading it soon.

Visit www.jerrycowling.com for more information on Lincoln in the Basement.

skippin’ along at the festival of reading

Here I am with Skip Allen, author of Out of the Ashes, at the Festival of Reading this past Saturday. We took a two-minute break from talking each other’s ears off to pose for the paparazzi (a.k.a. The Husband).