Going back to Cali

The stop at Dutton's has been cancelled. Sadly, the store is closing next month.

I'll try to remember to take lots of pics of my stops at Eso Won (L.A.) and Marcus Books (Oakland) and post them when I get back.

In the meantime, please stop by Shauna's place and check out the great interview she did with yours truly!

Podtastic

My Tattered Cover talk is up at Authors on Tour. Check it out!

My Town Monday Mash-Up

Travis Erwin and friends are blogging about their towns on Mondays. For my entry, this week, I want to talk about some of the writers who live in Denver (and the surrounding area...stretching "my town" to include the Front Range).

It's amazing how many published writers live here. I get emails from the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers list serve. I belong to Lighthouse Writers Workshop. I'm a member of the Denver Literary Ladies. And I still don't know (or know of) all the working writers in town. I know this because one of them, J.D. Mason, emailed me after seeing the review in Essence. Here we are both sister-writers in the same city and have never met. (Though we're going to remedy that next month!)

Some of our local writers are quite famous (Diane Mott Davidson, Rick Reilly, Stephen White, Joan Borysenko) so they don't need any extra love from this blog. Following are some of the writers not so famous (though they should be!) who live in (or near) Denver. We got everything from memoirists to literary novelists to genre writers. Something for everyone!

Elizabeth Wrenn, the novel Around the Next Corner
Kim Reid, author of the amazing memoir No Place Safe (see Q&A here)
J.D. Mason, best-selling novels including, This Fire Down in My Soul
Donna Gershten, the novel Kissing the Virgin's Mouth (winner of the Bellwether Prize for Fiction)
Nick Arvin, the highly acclaimed novella Articles of War (see a great Q&A with Nick here)
Robin D. Owens, RITA-award-winning author of novels including Keepers of the Flame
Debra Fine, internationally known conversation expert, author of The Fine Art of the Big Talk
Andrea Cohen, M.D., editor of A Blessing in Disguise: 39 Life Lessons from Today's Greatest Teachers
William Haywood Henderson, literary novels including Augusta Locke
Marisol, The Lady, the Chef, the Courtesan
Karen Degroot Carter, One Sister's Song
Robert Greer, author of the CJ Floyd Mysteries
Mario Acevedo, author of the Felix Gomez vampire stories
Shari Caudron, author of nonfiction including Who Are You People?
Constance Hardesty, Grow Your Own Pizza: Gardening Plans and Recipes for Kids
Marilyn Raff, The Intuitive Gardener: Finding Creative Freedom in the Garden
Eli Gottlieb, novels including the highly acclaimed Now You See Him
Janis Hallowell, novels including The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn and the forthcoming She Was
Karen Palmer, novels including Border Dogs
Sandra Dallas, best-selling novels including Tall Grass and nonfiction about Colorado
Susan Skog, award-winning author of Peace in Our Lifetime and other uplifting books
John Dunning, author of the Cliff Janeway mysteries

I know there are many, many others I'm forgetting. If you know one or if you are one, drop a note in the comments.

And on another note, thinking about best-selling rankings and the Who's Who of local writers made me think about the best books that nobody knows about. When I was a book-seller at the Tattered Cover I used to hand-sell I Asked for Intimacy: Stories of Blessings, Betrayals and Birthings by Renita Weems. I would place the one copy the store stocked on the staff recommends shelf. It would sell and the store would order another and as soon as it came in, I'd put it back out on the staff recommends shelf. I took it as my personal duty to share this slim volume of lovely, moving essays.

What would you recommend as the best book that nobody else has heard of?

#1!

On The Denver Post list of bestselling paperback fiction!!


Local Best Sellers

FICTION
1. The Appeal, by John Grisham, $27.95

2. An Incomplete Revenge, by Jacqueline Winspear, $24

3. Come with Me to Babylon, by Paul M. Levitt, $24.95

4. Now You See Him, by Eli Gottlieb, $22.95

5. Duma Key, by Stephen King, $28

6. The Invention of Everything Else, by Samantha Hunt, $24

7. Remember Me?, by Sophie Kinsella, $25

8. World Without End, by Ken Follett, $35

9. The Outlaw Demon Wails, by Kim Harrison, $24.95

10. Change of Heart, by Jodi Picoult, $26.95

NONFICTION
1. Principled Politician: The Ralph Carr Story, by Adam Shrager, $26.95

2. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, by Michael Pollan, $21.95

3. Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail, by Paul Polak, $27.95

4. The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife, by Marianne Williamson, $22.95

5. The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore, by Deepak Chopra, $24

6. Lyn Peterson's Real Life Kitchens, by Lyn Peterson, $40

7. The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, $23.95

8. The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich, by Timothy Ferriss, $19.95

9. Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, by Jonah Goldberg, $27.95

10. The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a PostReligious Right America,
by Jim Wallis, $25.95

FICTION PAPERBACK
1. Orange Mint and Honey, by Carleen Brice, $14

2. What Is the What, by Dave Eggers, $15.95

3. Plainsong, by Kent Haruf, $13.95

4. No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy, $14

5. The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory, $16

NONFICTION PAPERBACK

1. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle, $14

2. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia,
by Elizabeth Gilbert, $15

3. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time,
by Greg Mortenson, $15

4. The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, $14.

5. Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door, by Rick Steves, $21.95


Thank you, Denver!!!!!

Q&A at TC

Thanks to Sarah Ockler (again!) I'm on YouTube. Sad to say, I'm on YouTube making the mistake of not repeating the question before I give the answer. D'oh! Lots to learn.

And Julie Layne, I don't sound like a goofball...I sound just like my cousin Karen!

KUVO

Thank you Susan Gatschet Reese for a wonderful interview! The rest of the staff was in a meeting so we couldn't do a photo of the 2 of us together.

One of the posters at KUVO letting me know I was definitely in the right place!

I was especially happy to hear the tune "O Nina" by jazz vocalist Rene Marie! What a great tribute to Nina Simone!

More pictures!

Sarah Ockler (on the left) has posted pics from the Tattered Cover signing on Flicker. Look for fellow Lighthouse Workshopper Sarah's first YA novel Twenty Boy Summer in 2009!

This is a photo of some of the Lighthouse folks who came out to cheer me. Let me say a great big fat thank you to Lighthouse for all the support (and for a case of wine)!!!!

If you're in Denver and you're a writer, check Lighthouse out: our people get published.

On the radio

I'll be on Jazz 89 KUVO (89.3 FM) tomorrow morning about 10:30 a.m. MST talking with Susan Gatschet Reese about Nina Simone and Orange Mint and Honey. If you get a chance, tune in! Click here to listen online.

Health care for all

I'm "one of the lucky ones," which means I have health care coverage. Though I pay more for insurance through COBRA every month than I do for my half of our mortgage, I'm grateful to have it. There are more than 790,000 people in this state (roughly 47 million in the country) who aren't so lucky. I try not to think about what happens when my COBRA runs out (you can have COBRA for 18 months).

Yesterday I went to a rally at the state capitol to encourage the Colorado legislature to act now on universal health care, rather than wait to see who gets in the White House and what they do once they get there.

A woman named Regina spoke. She too is "one of the lucky ones." She has health insurance through COBRA. Except, Regina has stage 4 breast cancer, which means the treatments that are extending her life come at the cost of basic necessities for her and her husband. I believe she said half their monthly income goes toward her health costs. As a woman standing said next to me said, "It's a crime." With the energy and time she has left, Regina works hard advocating for health care reform and universal health care hoping to leave a better system for her son.

I suspect most folks who read this blog agree that health care is in a state of crisis in this country. But just in case you don't, check out this story from 60 Minutes, which talks about a physician's charity organization that has been delivering care to Third World countries and now finds that it's needed in this country. In Tennesee, people slept outside in 20-degree weather the night before the clinic opened, hoping to get a spot in line! (Lack of health care anywhere in the world is a crime and a shame, but in a country that has wealth, it's especially sinful that we can't guarantee this basic human right.)

I am not well-versed on policy enough to argue for or against single-payer care. But I have to say from the way Gov. Ritter so quickly dismissed it yesterday and urged a slower approach (how much slower can it be??), it made me believe single-payer must be the right way to go. Anyway, Health Care for All Colorado was one of the sponsors of the rally, and they have a great website. I intend on learning more and advocating for this issue. As one of the lucky ones, it's my duty.

On a TOTALLY different note, doesn't this young man look Oliver-esque? He was so cute, I had to snap his picture!

Gettin linky wit it

No time for My Town Mondays today, but do head over to Travis' joint and check out who's blogging about their fair cities. Travis features a very interesting (read: kooky) gentleman today!

I'm getting some lovely reviews from blog readers. Here are a few:

Julie Layne even put Ann Patchett aside for me! Wow! Talk about an honor!

Sustenance Scout's sneek peek of the launch also reviews the book.

Miss Sherry has a review at one of her many blogs (when does this woman sleep?)

Have I forgotten anybody? Oh...and I won't be mad at ya if you leave a review on Amazon, either! :-)

More signings

Don't despair! If you missed the big bash at Tattered Cover, you can still join the Orange Mint and Honey party at West Side Books this Saturday (March 8) at 7:30. West Side Books is located in Denver's Highlands neighborhood at 3434 W. 32nd, Denver, CO 80211. There'll be live jazz, free food AND I'm giving a free gift to the 1st 10 people who buy a copy of OMAH there that night!

If you're in California, I hope you will join me at the following events coming up soon!

7 p.m., Wednesday, March 12
Eso Won Books, 4331 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008. Phone number: 323-290-1048

7 p.m., Monday, March 17
Dutton's Brentwood Bookstore, 11975 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. Phone number: 310-476-6263.

7 p.m., Friday, March 14
Marcus Books, 3900 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94609. Phone number: 510-652-2344.

(Yes, I'm doing Oakland in between events in L.A.)

And if you're in Virginia, don't miss the VA Book Fest in Charlottesville March 26-30! See Kim Reid, Therese Fowler, Judy Merrill Larson, Jenny Gardiner, me and many, many others!

But here's the big news: Look what I discovered to get my feet CA- and VA-sandal ready: orange mint foot cream! And speaking of feet...I have a confession to make: I have discovered zappos.com, a Godsend for a girl with size 11 feet. Check out one of my pairs of book-signing shoes (which were a bigger hit than me Tuesday night!) So the confession is that now that I Zappos...I kinda get the shoe thing.

Leaping

Happy Leap Year Day! Here's a little from my book launch party on Tuesday...the results of my taking a leap of faith about 6 years ago. And what results! It was a grand time!

So the thing about being the guest of honor is that you don't really take photos. But lots of other folks did, so as soon as I get photos emailed, I'll be posting them. In the meantime.... One half of the crowd, taken right before I was introduced. Sold more than 150 books!

Signing books for Diane and Marleen.

With my flowers Leslie brought for me.

Don't know what the heck was going on here, but that is one glam photo!

Today, the Rocky Mountain News gave Orange Mint and Honey an A-!

Sneak peek

Sustenance Scout over at Beyond Understanding has a sneak peek of my very successful, extremely fun book launch!

Tattered Cover

Killing a couple of birds with this one (hmmm, sounds like a metaphor created by my cat!): taking care of My Town Monday and hint, hint my book-signing tomorrow when it's supposed to get cold and rainy/snowy. Grrr. On Wednesday it's supposed to be back sunny and in the 50s! Not that I take weather personally, or anything. :-)

Anyhow, back to Tattered Cover, one of the best independent book stores in the country. TC (as we friends of the store call it) has 3 locations. The store I'll be signing at is the LoDo (Lower Downtown) store.

The other day I was at a meeting and someone commented that after I do my signing at TC, my life would change. Getting published and doing signings is great and all, but...I've done 3 signings at TC already. It doesn't exactly change your life.

I actually worked at TC for about 2 1/2 years. I used to (very lovingly!) call it the home for the vocationally challenged. I know I was when I worked there. It's a good place to go when you need to lick your wounds or dial down the stress in your life. You'll never meet a bunch of kinder, smarter, more interesting people anywhere. I worked with a former judge, a former ER nurse, a former nun, a former monk, and a lot of good writers. Many of my coworkers had more than one advanced degree. It was hard not to laugh in the face of people who wanted to apply for a job when they tried to impress me with their BA, JD or MFA. I used to think, "Yeah, get in line." (Not that I was hiring, but sometimes people would ask me for an application and take the opportunity to point out just how cool they were and how lucky the store would be to have them.)

I started about a year after my first book, Walk Tall, had been published. I actually had the opportunity a couple of times to sell my own book. Once a customer approached me and asked if I knew where she could find it. I thought a coworker had put her up to it. But no. Just right place right time. Another time, a man was buying it along with a stack of others. As I rang up the book, I turned it over to reveal my photo on the back. We both had a good laugh, but I always wondered if those customers left thinking, "Book must not be any good or would she be working in a book store?"


Which leads me back to my point: in terms of fame and fortune, for many, many, many of us writers being successfully published means about as much as any other job I've had. You could fill the Grand Canyon with writers who've published multiple books and been reviewed in newspapers across the country and yet they're not household names, they don't get on Oprah, they don't have a million dollars, nobody recognizes them in the grocery store.


Having said all that, being a published author is much cooler than any other job I've ever had! And for all you out there working on your first novels I hope you get to find out just how cool it is. I'll be posting pictures from the launch party sometime later this week. I've got relatives and friends coming in from 4 cities for a few days of celebrating (I'm taking 7 of them to Idaho Springs on Wednesday). I'll be back to the blog when the champagne wears off!

Yoo hoo Borders

Update on the Borders OMAH-pub date situation: Lafreya tells me that in Ann Arbor she went to one of the new hi-tech Borders today. Their computer still stated that my book hasn't been published yet (so much for hi-tech!), but when she talked to a salesperson, they discovered there were 3 copies on the shelf.

So, if you go in Borders, please check the shelf (I believe they're shelving me in AA Fiction) first. If you don't see it, ask them to order it.

BTW: Lafreya says the store is absolutely beautiful. Thanks Lafreya!! And thanks everybody for helping me get the word out!

In memory

Today is a day I remember two women. The first: my mother, who died on this date 16 years ago. She was the age I will turn in May (God willing). Ever since I was 28, I've been haunted by the idea that I might die the same way she did (of breast cancer) and at the same age she did. It looks like I'm going to make it past the age she was when she died (God willing). And who knows how I'll go? Perhaps this is one fear it's time to let loose. A poem by Lucille Clifton says it better than I ever could:



poem on my fortieth birthday to my mother who died young



well i have almost come to the place where you fell
tripping over a wire at the forty-fourth lap
and i have decided to keep running.
head up, body attentive, fingers
aimed like darts at first prize, so
i might not even watch out for the thin thing
grabbing toward my ankles but
i'm trying for the long one mama,
running like hell and if i fall
i fall.



The other woman I commemorate today is Nina Simone, who was born on this date 75 years ago.



On the surface these two women seem to have nothing in common. Nina Simone, born in the south, a piano protege, a voice like no other, mother to one daughter. My mother, born and raised in the midwest, not famous, couldn't sing, mother of three children. But they were both larger than life characters. Each one just...herself. Each one an inspiration. Each one on my mind and in my heart today.

At a book store near you?

Next week is the big launch party at Tattered Cover LoDo (NOT Colfax as was reported in yesterday's Denver Post). It's Tuesday, February 26th. Hope to see you there!

I've also added some dates for California next month. Please check here for list of my events. (And more to come--I'm looking to set up something in Omaha and Chicago...maybe in May)

On another note, if you live near a Borders would you please help them learn that the book has actually been published? And if you feel brave enough, ask them to stock it. Thank you!

For Shay

One of the best things about publishing Orange Mint and Honey is that I feel like I got to give a voice to these people I came to know and love. I actually cried for Shay (my main character) when Essence called her "talented" and "super smart." I know how much she would like that.

I'm polishing up Children of the Waters, so I'm reading poetry (it greatly helps with editing). Today, I ran across the poem "Dance in Your Blood" from Rumi and it made me think of her. So I post the last stanza for Shay:

Dance, when you're broken open.
Dance, if you've torn the bandage off.
Dance in the middle of the fighting.
Dance in your blood.
Dance, when you're perfectly free.

My Town Monday

Travis Erwin came up with this great idea. On Mondays we blog about our home towns, or where we live or about some town. I'll be blogging about Denver.

Travis blogged about (yuck!) Dr. Phil. I'm blogging about Hattie McDaniel. Most of y'all know her as "Mammy" from Gone with the Wind. McDaniel wasn't born in Denver, but moved here when she was a little girl. Now, all this I've known for a while. What I didn't know, is that her family (her father was a freed slave) was lured here just like white folks were by the idea of striking it rich. There was a black prospector named Jeremiah Lee (former slave of Gen. Robert E. Lee) who hit the mother lode and was living it up in Central City.

During this time, 1890s-early 1900s Denver was very welcoming to blacks (y'all remember I pointed out that Madame C.J. Walker had started here in the early 1900s). The city had African Americans in city government and on the police force.

But as the black population grew, the white citizens became less hospitable. (Denver actually has quite the Klan legacy.) McDaniel's family struggled quite a bit, but Denver is where her career began. Her family's history and continuing racism is what led McDaniel to famously declare she'd "rather play a maid than be one."

McDaniel, of course, was the first black person to win an Oscar (and the first black person to even be invited to the ceremony--though she was made to sit at a different table). That means in one generation, her family went from slavery to Hollywood. I'm sure she took a lot of shit (from whites who were racists and blacks who saw her as a sell-out), but what an achievement!

And, good to know: Clark Gable was a good friend to her and advocated strongly on her behalf in Hollywood. I knew I always liked Rhett (especially more than ole wimpy Ashley!).

Source: Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood, by Jill Watts

Spring!

Look: buds on one of the rose bushes!

The first daffodil!

For all you suffering from this long dreary winter (Sherry!), hold on: spring is on the way!

Superdelegates, listen up!

Democrats turned out in record numbers at caucuses and primaries around the country to make our voices heard. Superdelegates need to honor our choice. As my good friend E put it, we were betrayed by the Republican party during the 2000 election. What do Dems do if we're betrayed by our own party during the 2008 election?

Click here to sign a petition that MoveOn.org is sponsoring to tell superdelegates to honor the will of the people.

Jamaica Kincaid, pub day and Angela Davis

Jamaica Kincaid was fabulous! She spoke about her experience as a gardener and read from the book I linked to before, Among Flowers, which is about her trip to Nepal to collect plants and seeds. Unfortunately, I didn't take the best notes (more on that in a minute), but a couple of quotes:

"There's no place I feel so much like myself as I do in the garden."

"All cruelty should be confined to the garden." Said in reference to how gardeners fall out of love with a plant and get rid of it.

So, Jamaica Kincaid spoke on my pub date, as you may know. And this is how pub date went: Got up at 6 and read all your wonderful comments and emails! Thank you all so much!!!

At 9 I met my good friend Maryann for breakfast at a Greek diner and then we went over to Tattered Cover (the Colfax store) to witness the miracle of my novel actually being on the shelf. It was so much fun. The booksellers there are excited and handselling, and putting my book in nice displays. Thank you Tattered Cover!

After that, I went to Target and Borders, where I didn't yet see my book (or Theresa's). Then I came home and read and reread the Essence review about five million times. :)

After that, I met my good friends Elizabeth and Heather for a 3 p.m. happy hour of champagne and tempura (they also had sushi). Which turned into 3 happy hours of eating, drinking and gabbing.

After that, I hopped in the car and over to the Botanic Gardens to hear Ms. Kincaid. My good friends Lois (owner of West Side Books) and Karen were there, so I showed off Orange Mint and Honey and Essence and got a few other people excited about the book.

Then, Ms. Kincaid went to the podium and they turned down the lights. She has a beautiful British accent and was very charming and wonderful. Except...I'd been drinking champagne for 3 hours. And they turned down the lights. And I'd been up since 6 a.m. So you know what happened, right? I didn't go all the way to sleep, but I spent most of her talk mentally slapping myself to stay awake. Hence the bad notes.

Yesterday, I did see my book (along with Therese's and Patry's) at Target.

Yesterday, I also received an invitation to go hear Angela Davis speak about "radical social justice." Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend. But here's the details:

Place and time: The Regis University Student Center Cafeteria at 8 p.m. on February 21st.

Background: Through activism and scholarship Angela Davis has been deeply involved in our nation’s quest for social justice. Her work as an educator – both at the university level and in the larger public sphere – has always emphasized the importance of building communities of struggle for economic, racial, and gender equality. Email for more information.

It was in the 60s yesterday. Today, snow. But that's ok because girlfriend has to get some writing done!

ringShout

I just discovered ringShout a cool new blog that is a breath of fresh air. Started by black writers "of some seriousness and ambition," the site says:

"RingShout was founded following Martha Southgate's essay "Writers Like Me" in the New York Times Book Review in July of 2007. The response in the blogosphere and in the literary world was enormous. So Martha wanted to harness this energy. She contacted Cornelius Eady and Alison Meyers of Cave Canem , a group she greatly admired, for insight into how they had formed their organization. The next step was contacting several writers, editors and a bookseller (Sarah McNally of McNally Robinson Books who participated in our first couple of meetings) who she knew and respected. The five got together over a period of six months and brainstormed until they had come up with a way to form a book list and a tool kit that would help carry out the group's mission. We kicked off with a party to drum up support and volunteers on February 1, 2008. At the present time, we remain an all-volunteer effort that is unaffiliated with any larger organization."

Writers (black, white, Latino, Asian, Indian, everybody!) please check it out. The most recent post is about a desire for "our books to be for everyone--Barack style."

The Essence Recommended Read

Wow! I'm over the moon with joy! This feature opens with:

"Carleen Brice's Orange Mint and Honey, a new novel about real mama drama, will have you hooked from page one. Taking on the fabled mother-daughter bond, the Denver author confidently strides onto terrain many lesser writers have tripped over--with winning results."

A great day...

...to curl up with a great book!

Or even two great books! Don't forget: Souvenir hits shelves today too. If you're so inclined, please post a review on Amazon.com or other sites.

Thanks everybody for all your support and for sharing my excitement! And P.S. you did it! My friend M is writing! Thanks for all your comments for her too!

Fans of Hillary and Barack, enjoy!

Refrigerator magnet synopsis

Two brief shining moments

I caucused last night. What a madhouse. In 2004, 15,000 Colorado Democrats caucused. Last night, over 100,000 did! Lines were out the door and down the block at my caucus site. Caucus workers were told to plan for 600. Several thousand showed up. I heard at least a dozen people say "This is a zoo!" as they wove in and out of lines trying to get to the line for their precint. It was crazy.

Mayor Hickenlooper was at the same site (we live in the same district, but not the same precinct.) He said something that summed up the evening for me, "Democracy is messy." If the caucus here and the caucuses and primaries around the country are any indication, get ready for a very messy election.

But what better reason to be "messy" than to be passionate about making your voice heard? I was thrilled to see many of my neighbors, and I was proud to be part of the process. Others obviously were too: they brought their children from infants to teenagers to show them what it was like to speak out about how you want your country to be led. Also, the sense that we were participating in a historic event was palpable.

In funny coincidences, my precinct was crowded into a tiny middle-school classroom in which writing is taught. On the board was a reminder for students to give themselves permission to write "badly." And the Obama precinct leader was Charlene Porter, author of Boldfaced Lies.

In other news, for this brief shining moment, Orange Mint and Honey is #24 on the Amazon list of best-sellers about mothers & children. Therese Fowler's Souvenir is #21. The Amazon numbers fluctuate wildly and mean next to nothing, but, for now, it sure feels good!

Jamaica Kincaid coming to Denver

As part of the Bonfils-Stanton Garden Personality Series, author Jamaica Kincaid will give a presentation called, "The Writer in the Garden: The Garden as Metaphor and Paradox" on Tues., Feb. 12, 7 p.m. at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The price is $17 for Botanic Garden members and $22 for nonmembers.

Kincaid is author of best-selling novels Annie John and Autobiography of My Mother. A visiting professor at Harvard University and an avid gardener, her gardening books include My Favorite Plants: Writers and Gardeners on the Plants They Love, My Garden (Book) and Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalayas.

Go here for more information.

Yes we can

This video sort of sums up everything we've been discussing here lately: writing, hope and politics. These 3 little words are my new mantra: yes we can.

The dark place

My friend M is a writer. Somehow though she's got the idea that there's something wrong with her because she's afraid of writing, publishing, revealing herself, rejection, failure, success, the whole ball of wax. I try to tell her it's common. It's normal. But she still doesn't quite believe me.

So I'd like to enlist your help. Please leave a comment about how you handle fear and writing.

And for all of us who battle fear, here's a quote from Walking on Alligators, A Book of Meditations for Writers by Susan Shaughnessy:

"The dark place seems less dark when we get there. It was only the journey that was fearful....Join us as we take the less-lit road, the road that curves into the unknown places. See what you bring back."

In the stars

So much going on in February. Black History Month. Groundhog Day. Super Tuesday (I will be caucusing for the first time!). Valentine's Day. The American Heart Association wants us to remember to be good to our hearts. But, of course, the big enchilada for me (and my pal Therese Fowler) is February 12th, pub date.

FYI, because Karen asked about events, I added a link to the event page on my website. We're still working on a trip to LA and San Francisco, but right now it looks like I'll be there the week of March 10. And I'll be (along with Kim Reid, Therese and Judy Merrill Larsen among hundreds of others) at the VA Festival of the Book at the end of March. Other cities are in the works too, so stay tuned.

Jamey Hatley turned me on to Susan Miller's Astrology Zone. Because so much is going on, I thought I'd check my February horoscope, and boy is it interesting! Susan predicts publishing or broadcasting opportunities/developments and travel, and says my picture will be in the newspaper or on TV. I especially like this part about the solar eclipse on February 6th:

What will happen precisely? Much will depend on what you've done in the past, for as you enter each month...you bring with you previous hopes, dreams, past experiences, and ongoing projects and relationships. This eclipse is meant to be your moment of reward. It will offer you a chance to take hold of something you've always wanted to do and run with it.

If you're a Gemini, you just got a taste of what's in store this month. Check out your horoscope and let's see what's up. If anything interesting pops up, let me know in the comments, ok?

The Liar's Diary

I've ordered my copy. Have you?


More than 300 bloggers will be writing about Patry Francis and her novel, The Liar's Diary, today. So almost certainly you won't be able to avoid hearing about how Patry is being treated for cancer and, therefore, unable to tour to promote the paperback release.


I've written before about how much I appreciate my blogosphere friends. One small, easy-peasy way to pay it forward is to dedicate today's post to Patry and buy her book (like I needed an excuse!). If you have anything to pay forward (and who doesn't?), please do the same.

Good advice

From Jesse Jackson for Dems to keep our eyes on the real prize, which is November:

My point is I know that in November, whoever wins, Clinton and Barack are going to need each other. I saw in 1980 there was such a dog fight between Carter and Kennedy that they could not reconcile at the convention, and that opened the door for Reagan to get through to win. So, however tough this thing gets right up in here, keep one eye on the primary and an even bigger eye on the Super Bowl, which is in November.

If you want to read his whole interview with activist and blogger Gina McCauly, founder of the What About Our Daughters? site, it's at Essence.com.

January?

Yesterday it was in the 60s, as it was on January 29th 9 years ago--the day hubby and I tied the knot. Sustenance Scout asked me some time ago what I like best about Denver. I'd have to say getting t-shirt weather in January is right up there! As is the fact that this is the city that brought me my husband. Denver has been very, very good to me.

I took this in City Park (she's got a more colorful summer pic on her site). You can't tell from this snapshot, but the park was full of folks biking and walking, playing with kids and dogs. Everybody happy for the hint of spring in the air. I even stopped at City Floral to see if they had any pansies out. Not yet, but soon come.

"Fairy tales" can come true

Change is gonna come.

Linkages

As South Carolina Dems go to the polls today, NPR's John Ridley offers another take on the aspect of race in the Democratic primary. In a nutshell, Ridley says we all know race is a consideration in America, so we're better off knowing up front how the candidates think/feel about it. I enjoyed this essay and agreed with most of it, except for his slam of Obama's answer to the question about whether or not Bill Clinton was "the first black president." Actually, I think the ONLY way to answer that question was with humor, and I'm glad he pulled it off. Lots of stuff to think about here.

News from the gardening world. The NY Times says drought-tolerant plants and plants that can withstand harsh conditions with a minimum of care are the hot things in the marketplace this year. Well, duh. From the article:

Sedums and fragrant creeping thymes are being marketed as “Steppables,” “Jeepers Creepers” and “Treadwells,” because these old-fashioned plants have been rediscovered for their ability to take beating sun and very little water. They will ramble over that bare slope where the grass can’t grow, or creep between pavers on the patio, or stones in the garden path.

Yeah, we've got sedums and thymes for just this reason. But let me tell you, in Colorado, they still take a beating when we get up into the 90s!

The writer ends the story with this note: I left the show with an optimistic feeling: maybe the gloom and doom of global warming and high fuel costs have given us gardeners a road map to smaller, hardier gardens that give back to, rather than take from, the earth.

What a concept.

Download ebooks and audio ebooks legally and for free. As a consumer, this makes me happy. As an author...I dunno how I feel. Check it out. What do you think?

Abandon hope?

While we're on the subject of peace...In my own search for peace, I've been reading When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron, an American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun, and it's blowing my little mind. One of the things she seems to be saying is give up hope. Hope takes you out of the present, which cuts you off from the real experience of life. Hope also sets up a false idea that one day everything will be groovy, and this false idea causes suffering. The reality is that some days will be groovy and some days won't. In a word, the Tibetan Buddhists seem to be saying (with loving kindness): deal.

But let go of hope? I would have slit my wrists years ago without hope that things would change and get better. (And they did.) So I'm struggling with the notion even though I can also see the wisdom in it. In her words:

"Turning your mind toward the dharma does not bring security or confirmation. Turning your mind toward the dharma does not bring any ground to stand on. In fact, when your mind turns toward the dharma, you fearlessly acknowledge impermanence and change and begin to get the knack of hopelessness.

"In Tibetan there's an interesting word: ye tang che. The ye part means 'totally, completely,' and the rest of it means 'exhausted.' Altogether, ye tang che means totally tired out. We might say 'totally fed up.' It describes an experience of complete hopelessness, of completely giving up hope. This is an important point. This is the beginning of the beginning. Without giving up hope-that there's somewhere better to be, that there's someone better to be-we will never relax with where we are or who we are...."

"To think that we can finally get it all together is unrealistic. To seek for some lasting security is futile....One has to give up hope that this way of thinking will bring us satisfaction. Suffering begins to dissolve when we can question the belief or the hope that there's somewhere to hide."

Now doesn't that make sense? However, even though I'm not a religious person, I am a believer. When I look at the world and see Darfur, Iraq, Gaza and good old Haliburton, deep underneath my inability to see God, deep underneath even my certainty that there just can't be a God, is still a belief in God. I don't think I could shake it no matter how hard I tried.

I am Grandmama's granddaughter. She and her sister, my Aunt Susie used to take me to church when I was a little girl. I loved everything about church when I was little: The Methodist ladies in their hats. The butterscotches and peppermints my grandmother and great aunt kept in their "pocketbooks" to calm coughs and soothe children. I'm going up yonder to be with my lord sung in loud, sweet voices. The paper fans with Jesus's or Martin Luther King Jr.'s picture on one side and ads for Thomas Funeral Home on the other. (Grandmama & Aunt Susie's brother-in-law was Lonnie Thomas.)

But when I was about 10 and my parents' marriage was beginning to unravel and I was old enough to hear the snippy gossip and notice when folks weren't exactly walking their talk, I stopped going to church. When I went to college and took religion and philosophy classes, I grew even more distant from religion.

Yet it goes bone deep. The first thing I do when I need help is say "Please God." The first thing I do when I'm happy is say "Thank you God." Belief is all through my writing. Every single book.

Belief in God and hope (for me) go hand in hand. Letting go of one would seem like letting go of the other. And even though that makes sense on so many levels, the Grandmama and Aunt Susie in me will never let go.

However, I'm still getting a lot from this book (which I have to read very slowly because it does blow my little mind). And I have some CDs by Chodron called "How to Meditate." Clearly, there is much to learn. If any Tibetan Buddhists (or anyone else) wants to weigh in, I'd love to hear what you have to say about hope.

10 ideas for peace

For the MLK holiday, my friend Susan Skog, author of Peace in Our Lifetime: Insights from the World's Peacemakers, has an article on Beliefnet called 10 Ways to Bring Peace to the World. Please check it out.

Peace to you.

If you knew Nina

Shauna Roberts asks, "I've been wondering, Carleen, since I'm not familiar with Nina Simone's music, whether you think I would enjoy your book more if I got a Nina Simone album before I read it?"

First of all, sounds like you're going to read Orange Mint and Honey, and for that I thank you!! To answer your question, I don't think the reader really needs to know Nina Simone in order to get her role in my book. However, to not know Nina Simone would really be a loss (and knowing her music probably would increase your enjoyment of the story). So, yes, pick up a CD or two or check out several of her videos on my website where I have sort of a Nina Simone primer.

I had a glass of wine the other night with Bella Stander and Karen Mack who was in town (with her writing partner Jennifer Kaufman) to promote A Version of the Truth (They also wrote Literacy and Longing in LA). When I told Karen that Nina Simone is in my novel, she said something like, "Is Nina Simone having a recurrence? It seems like people are talking about her more." I thought it was just me--being sensitive to Nina sightings (like the reference in Before Sunset) because I was writing about her. As we were discussing it, a young waitress stopped and asked "Are you guys talking about Nina Simone? Did I hear you say her daughter sings?" So sometimes it does seem like Nina Simone and her fans are everywhere.

Just curious: How many of you know Nina Simone's music?

Thanks Shauna for the question!

An Invitation from Stephanie Rose Bird

I've started a new Yahoo group called International Clan of the Eclectics (I-COTE) we are a Earth Spirituality study and practice group using my books as a point of departure but exploring the work of many others as well. Every two weeks we have a new topic. We've worked powerfully on dream incubation, elders in the community during Elder Moon, lucky New Years rituals and visions for 2008. Right now we are on the topic of addiction, abuse and recovery--with guided readings from my work but also we've been looking for inspiration from Iyanla Vanzant's "Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace." We are small, about 30 women; just started in late Nov. You and fellow pajama gardeners interested in deepening spirituality through earth veneration are welcome to join us.

Thank you Judy Merrill Larsen!

My friend Leslie continues to be amazed at how writers help one another. And when I think about it, it is truly a lovely thing. People I've never met have been so kind to me. I am taking the time now to especially thank Judy Larsen who has talked me down off the ledge a few times. One of the Ballantine Babes, Judy's book All the Numbers was a Target "breakout book" and stayed on their shelves for a year! I'm going to go out on a limb and say this was due not only to the fact that it's a great book but because Judy worked hard herself to get the word out. She's still working hard, finishing her 2nd novel and promoting her 1st one...yet she's willing to take the time to help other writers sort through the maze of the publishing world. A gem.

I will try to pay it forward.

Maya Angelou weighs in

My friend Helene sent me a link to a Canadian interview with Maya Angelou. You can watch the whole 10-minute video here or the short version below (if you have time I recommend the full interview). When Dr. Angelou read On the Pulse of Morning at Bill Clinton's inaguration in 1993, it was the first time I felt included by my government. It was the first time I felt invited to the party. Barbara Jordan once said, "But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in 'We, the people.'" That's how I felt to hear and see Dr. Angelou read that day.

But for some reason, as much as I admire Hillary Clinton (and if she gets the nomination, I will definitely, happily support her), I can't help but feel that we will have taken another step forward from that January morning in 1993 if in January 2009 Barack Obama is the one taking the oath of office.

Either way, it's a beautiful thing that we live in a time in which Clinton and Obama are the top candidates for the Democratic nomination. On top of that Dr. Angelou is backing Clinton and Oprah Winfrey is backing Obama and people are LISTENING to them. Can it be that what black women say matters? Truly, these are exciting times!

Walk Tall

Today is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday (not the holiday, the day he was born). In honor, I'm posting the January 15 reading from the new edition of Walk Tall: Affirmations for People of Color, which is now available from iUniverse:

There’s an old adage that goes, "If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything." We have to stand for something in this life. If we think we can avoid responsibility by choosing not to take a stand, we are wrong. If we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem. There are many things we can commit to—our personal growth and recovery; the well-being of our children; the welfare of our communities; equal treatment for all people. Whatever it is we believe in, we need to be committed to it and be willing to face the hardships we might encounter along the way.

I honor Dr. King’s memory by taking a stand for something I believe in.

Walk Tall

is a dream I had a long time ago. Fourteen years ago actually. My mother had recently died, and I was doing freelance PR. I was leaving a meeting to set up free prostate cancer screenings at a church on behalf of the American Cancer Society. I was driving down Colorado Boulevard and this voice in my head said, "You should write a book of affirmations for people of color." I was near 1st Avenue and swerved into the far right lane so I could turn west and go to Tattered Cover (it used to be located in Cherry Creek). That day I bought a book called How to Write a Book Proposal and went home and told everyone I was going to write a book. Just like that. (There's a funny/sad story about that book that I talk about in the new intro to Walk Tall.)

Where did that voice come from? God? My mother? My deepest self? I don't know, but I listened to it and I'm so glad I did. Walk Tall lived in print, first with RPI Publishing then with Beacon Press, for 10 years and had 100,000 copies in print. When it went out of print, I thought the story was finished...but not yet.

I'll be posting about new chapters in the life of Walk Tall over the coming weeks. (I also hope to get a decent jpeg of the cover)

Black or female?

Yesterday's NY Times had an article that reminded me of the book All the Women are White, All the Blacks are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave edited by Akasha "Gloria" Hull (who has a short fiction piece in Age Ain't Nothing but a Number), Patricia Bell Scott and Barbara Smith.

The article asked the question about the Democratic candidates: Who will make history first, a black man or a white woman? The article explored the linked movements of women's rights and civil rights, and the historical friction about which group would get the right to vote first: black men or white women.

When I was a little girl, I remember my parents and their friends (all black) having a friendly argument on the topic of the presidency. The women believed a black man would be president before a woman of any color. The men believed that a white woman would be president before any black man.

As Olufunke and I were discussing the article via email yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the missing element of the Times article and of my parents' conversation: What about black women? Where do we fall?

Some of the quotes from Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were shameful. For those who don't have access to the Times, here are a couple paragraphs from the article:

"One bitter case from the 19th century involved a split between the abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the women’s rights’ pioneer Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton was herself a fervent abolitionist, and a close ally of Douglass, who later confined herself to the cause of women’s equality. These ideals would eventually clash, resulting in increasingly divisive rhetoric that reached a harsh climax after Stanton condemned the 15th amendment — which gave black men the right to vote but left out women of all races — as something that would establish 'an aristocracy of sex on this continent.' She also alluded to the 'lower orders' like Irish, blacks, Germans, Chinese.

During a heated meeting in New York City’s Steinway Hall in 1869, Stanton wondered, 'Shall American statesmen ... so amend their constitutions as to make their wives and mothers the political inferiors of unlettered and unwashed ditch-diggers, bootblacks, butchers and barbers, fresh from the slave plantations of the South?' At which point, Douglass rose, paid tribute to Stanton’s years of work on civil rights for all, and replied, 'When women, because they are women, are hunted down through the cities of New York and New Orleans; when they are dragged from their houses and hung from lampposts; when their children are torn from their arms and their brains dashed out upon the pavement; when they are objects of insult and rage at every turn; when they are in danger of having their homes burnt down... then they will have an urgency to obtain the ballot equal to our own.'"

Need I point out the double dis for black women? On one hand we're part of the "lower orders," on the other hand, it's completed ignored that black women's children were torn out of their arms and their brains dashed upon the pavement and all the rest.

I hope in this election we can move past the either/or paradigm. In 2008, must we still remind people of what Soujourner Truth made clear in 1851?

Happy Dance

"Just Fine" is church, the club and aerobic class for me. Seems I'm not alone. Mary J's video for this song makes me happy, but this video of NBC's chief White House correspondent shaking his groove thang while Mary J sings cracks me up, in a good way. (his moves get the thumb's up on YouTube). It's 41 seconds of joy! Thanks to Lolita Files for turning me on to it.

Black Expressions calls OMAH "delicious"!

The Black Expressions Book Club has Orange Mint and Honey on their web site as one of the "Coming Soon!" selections. Here's the club review:

When Shay Dixon was growing up, her mother Nona was an alcoholic mess. She was either drunk or hung-over, and her string of low-life boyfriends weren’t any better. But after burning through graduate school and depleting her meager savings, Shay decides it’s time to reconnect with the mother she’s all but written off. Before she knows it, Shay’s on the next flight out. But nothing could prepare her for the homecoming she receives. Her mother hasn’t just given up booze, she’s become a new person with a positive outlook, a love for gardening, and an amazing new toddler named Sunny. A heartwarming story that shows why life tastes better when the bitter is followed by the sweet, Orange Mint and Honey is a delicious treat.

Now that's what I'm talking about!!

Let the countdown begin!

One month to the big day! I want to say I can't wait, but I can. I've waited almost 6.5 years (from the time I started Orange Mint and Honey). What's one more month?

I sold the book to Ballantine in September of 2006. One of the things I clicked with my editor about is that this book would be a spring title. (I've always imagined it as a spring title. And now, look at the cover (down and over to the right)--doesn't that look like a spring title?) And September was too late to get in the spring 2007 catalog, so spring 2008 it is.

Try explaining that to family and friends though. I've spent the last year and a half saying, No *sigh* it's still not out. But now in just one more little month I'll be able to say, Yes! *squeal of joy* It's out!

Children of the Waters

That's the working title for my novel in progress. I'll tell you the sales story of my story. My agent called me at work because Ballantine wanted to make an offer (there was already one on the table) for Orange Mint and Honey, but first they wanted to know if I had another book in me. They wanted a one-liner. I didn't have a great one-liner, but I had worked on a short pitch. Unfortunately, it was the ONE day in months I didn't have all my book stuff with me at work. Figures, right? So I winged it and this is what we sent and sold for a decent advance:

What happens when two half-sisters, one white and one black, separated by adoption, find each other? Billie and Trish have the same mother, but different fathers. Billie's was black. Trish's was white. Their mother was a wild child who brought Trish home for her mother to raise. When she brought Billie home, her mother refused to raise her black child. So Billie was put up for adoption and was adopted and raised by a black family. Trish was raised by her white grandmother. Told from both sisters' POV, Children of the Waters is a story about race, identity and what really makes a family.

This was actually my first novel. I hit 100 pages and got stumped and put it away. I started Orange Mint and Honey and got stumped when I hit 100 pages and realized that's just what happens when I hit the 100-page mark. So while Orange Mint was on submission, I pulled those original 100 pages out and read them. They weren't half bad. I still liked the premise and the characters. However, the story of what brings the two sisters together and what they do as they get to know each other has changed dramatically. (This is where my research comes in.) I'm at work on the second draft. The manuscript is due to my editor March 1 and will be published in spring 2009.

Attention short story writers

Thanks to Ja for notice of the Colorado Review Nelligan Prize:

Submissions are being accepted for the Colorado Review Nelligan Prize. A prize of $1,000 and publication in Colorado Review will be given annually for a short story. All submissions must be received between the dates of January 15 and March 15, 2008. Visit the Web site for complete submission guidelines.

Simone on Simone

I know I said I'd post about N2, but first a little more about N1.

Nina Simone's daughter, who performs under the name Simone, releases her debut album in March (according to O Magazine). It's called "Simone on Simone." From what I've heard, she's got a dynamite voice (you can hear tracks here, and be sure to check out the hair). Now there's a mother-daughter story! I wonder what Simone (aka Lisa Celeste Stroud) would think of her mother's role as a fairy godmother to Shay in Orange Mint and Honey?

Don't cry for me, Blogosphere-a

Ok. So I know I said I was stressed out and trying not to be and stuff. But really? Writing novels ain't digging ditches and it ain't soldiering in Iraq. It ain't even sitting in a cubicle working for the man. I know this, even though sometimes I forget. Like Jamie Ford said in the comments yesterday, writing a novel is something I "get to do" and I am trying to enjoy every moment of it.

On top of the simple joy of writing a good line or a good scene, sometimes because I'm a novelist I get to do interesting, fun or silly things and call it "research." For example, there was my trip to Idaho Springs. And the other day to understand how to write a specific scene I had to go drinking and sex-toy shopping. I had to! For my book! Could I have made up the 70-year-old couple walking confidently through the store? Sure, but it probably wouldn't have dawned on me. Now they're in N2 and they're wearing leather. Let's face it: there was a LOT of stuff in there that never would have dawned on me. (Strap-ons for women to wear with men? Flavored anal lube?) Actually, the store was a clean, well-lighted place mostly filled with colorful, plastic gadgets and gizmos from China, much like a Toys R Us.

For obvious reasons I didn't take pictures, so you'll have to take my word that a fun time was had. For a bit. Then I got kind of sick to my tummy. Middle-aged ladies should not chug margaritas. Not even one. However, anything for veracity in my writing, right? Because now I can vouch for the fact that one marg slurped very quickly could very well make one sick enough to barf all over a pair of fur-lined handcuffs.

And on top of the fun of writing and research, by blogging about it, I probably have at least one or two of you interested in my next book. So really my drinking and sex-toy shopping outting was research and marketing.

Next up, the big reveal: What is this mysterious N2?

No deadline drama

I'm on deadline--my 2nd novel is due March 1. My first novel drops on February 12. These are glorious, busy, crazy, stressful times. So I'm going to do something wise: I'm going to take care of myself. I'm going to be very gentle, very kind. Rather than get into "finals/term-paper mode" (you know, no sleep, no grooming, lots of caffeine), I'm going to take it easy. I'm going to write every day, but only with the intention of about 500 words a day. If I get more than that, great. If not, that's okay too. I'm in great shape to meet my deadline and I'm going to move forward under the assumption that I will. I'm going to move forward under the assumption that everything, as Mary J. puts it, is just fine. Because it is. No matter what happens.

I'm also going to:

exercise (gently) every day
pray a lot
get a massage (or 2 or 3)
keep my Rescue Remedy handy
write in my journal
take naps
breathe
watch at least one comedy a week
trust the process

If y'all have any other suggestions for self-care, I'd love to hear them. What do you do to take good care of yourself?

Hot Flashes-Call for Submissions

Linda Watanabe McFerrin and Laurie McAndish King are looking for short (1200 words or less) erotic fiction, nonfiction and poetry for the third anthology in the Hot Flashes series, to be published in 2009. The submission deadline is March 1, 2008.

Laurie says, "We are not interested in gratuitous sex. We want the erotic framed in a way that is fascinating, entertaining, enlightening, surprising. We want fine writing. Think: appetite, humor, action, romance, food, travel, nature, personality, nostalgia, culture and counter-culture, mind, body and so on ... and add your erotic spin." More info here:

Please mail hard copy of your submission, along with a short bio, to:

Hot Flashes 3
Left Coast Writers
484 Lake Park Avenue, #29
Oakland, CA 94610

If your work is selected for publication, they will request a Word RTF (rich text format) document via e-mail or on disk.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!!

Congrats Orange Bowl Champs! And they said you couldn't do it!

Seattle

We spent Christmas in Seattle with hubby's brother and sister-in-law. The damp climate was unbelievable. Moss was growing everywhere. Though the temperature was in the 30s, I was freezing the whole time. Something about the wetness sinking into your bones. Brrrrr!

And yet, roses, geraniums and yarrow and other plants were still in bloom!

It was so exciting to see flowers in December!

It rained for much of our stay, but the sun did shine. Or at least the pale, soft light that passes for sun in the Northwest. (Notice the lamps are on during the middle of the afternoon.) My brother-in-law is a landscape architect. These trees are part of a pear-tree hedge around their front yard. My in-laws also grow plums, cherries, blueberries and lots of other fruits and veggies.

The view on another "sunny" day.

On this trip, we didn't make it to the Pike Place Market (we drove by). But we did go to Chinook's for lunch. It's on a real fishermen's wharf.

More fishing boats.

The sun beginning to set around 4 pm.

This was along Magnolia Drive at sunset. I can't recall which body of water this is, Lake Union, maybe? The picture is a little fuzzy because I took it from the car as we were driving, but I love the colors.

I also saw The Panama Hotel, inspiration for Jamie Ford's upcoming novel, Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Awards Season

Lisa, leader of Eudaemonia Land, gave me the Shameless Lions Writing Circle's "A Roar for Powerful Words" award.

The award was initiated in November by Seamus Kearney, a writer living in Lyon, France. Here are Seamus’s instructions: Those people I've given this award to are encouraged to post it on their own blogs; list three things they believe are necessary for good, powerful writing; and then pass the award on to the five blogs they want to honour, who in turn pass it on to five others, etc etc. Let's send a roar through the blogosphere!

The three things I believe are necessary for good, powerful (fiction) writing are:

1. Passion. Call it heart, call it feeling. To me, the quality of caring about what you write about is crucial to being a good writer. Caring about the story, caring about your characters, caring what readers are going to think and feel as they read. Why write about something you care nothing or little about? And why should I care if the writer doesn't even care? Tell me a story that is important to you and chances are much greater the story will be important to me too.

2. Strong dialogue. I can forgive any flaw but boring, repetitive, empty, flat, unbelievable dialogue. To me, dialogue is the strongest means of developing a character. What they say (and don't say) and how they say it (or not) makes a breaks a character. It's probably what I spend the most time on when I write.

3. Storytelling. This is plot, but more than plot. It's also the appreciation of set-ups and pay-offs, tension, suspense, pacing, rhythym. One thing logically, organically leading to another without being so predictable that even the writer is ready to go to sleep. I include it because it's what comes hardest for me.

I'd like to give the Roar for Powerful Words Award to:
Angela Threatt
Jamie Ford
Judy Merrill Larsen
Rebecca Burgess
Tayari Jones

I'm curious to see what they have to say about what makes for strong writing.

In other awards news, Sherry over at Sage and Thyme kindly awarded me with the "Citizen of the World Award." I would like to consider myself a citizen of the world, but I'm afraid I have a lot to learn before that can actually be true. First, I've got to get down being a citizen of my own community; trying to tend to my own little plot here in Denver.

I admire people like my friend Val who can do both--be volunteers and activists at home and passionately contribute to better people's plights in other parts of the world. So, I'd like to give Val the "Citizen of the World Award."

Thanks Lisa and Sherry! I am very humbled and honored by both these awards.