Giving Thanks

I never got around to soliciting stories of thanks, as I did last year. (I'd love to read yours; please put them in Comments.)

Here's what I'm thankful for:

1. President Obama.
2. That I live in the USA, where we can count on a peaceful transfer of power after an election, and (usually) the rule of law.
3. That I don't live in Congo, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Afghanistan, Haiti, Cuba, Russia, Mumbai...the list gets longer every day.
4. That I have a safe house to live in and enough food to eat.
5. My wonderful husband.
6. My son, the light of my life.
7. My parents.
   
8. My friends far and wide.
9. My clever and generous business associates.
10. The kindness of strangers.
    

Gates of Repentance

I won't be going to Yom Kippur services again this year; I still can't sit long enough. Tomorrow I plan to keep the computer off and spend the day in the garden, making the weeds atone for invading my flower beds.

I love the Kol Nidre service, performed this evening, more than any other. Here's an exquisite rendition of the prayer:



Peace and good health to all.

Thankfully Going with the Flow

From Kathryn Jordan, to my knowledge the only author to successfully combine hot sex, humor, and a discussion of Hannah Arendt with a red Lamborghini:

Like most authors of “first” novels, my story is not without pitfalls. Yet nearly two years after my novel, HOT WATER, hit the book stores and my promotion frenzy started, the bumps in the road now seem small. Mostly I am overwhelmed with gratitude at where the path has taken me. And especially grateful for Bella’s Book Promotion 101.

Here’s what happened. After three "practice" novels written in early morning hours while teaching high school English full time, I decided to write a book so sexy, fun and smart that no one would turn it down. HOT WATER sold in three weeks to Berkley/Penguin. I retired from teaching.

Soon after my agent, B.J. Robbins, called with news of the sale, I attended Bella Stander’s Book Promotion workshop in Los Angeles. In one long, productive day [make that two long days--she attended twice] I absorbed tons of priceless marketing tips, including the idea to pitch HOT WATER as the "Ultimate Spa Novel." It IS every woman’s fantasy: A midwestern housewife escapes her stifling life for a weekend at a lush spa resort, where she rents a red Lamborghini and hires a hot male escort (a combination of Antonio Banderas and Johnny Depp with a philosophy degree--hey, I did say fantasy). And what better niche market than spa resorts! Just for fun I added what I call "HOT WATER House Parties." (Like lingerie or Tupperware, only with me and my hot novel).

It worked. Grassroots word-of-mouth marketing. I went on the road, touring spa resorts from California to New Mexico, with stops in Colorado, Texas and Florida. Oh yes, and the Aladdin and Paris hotel spas in Vegas! Tough job, but someone has to do it. I even did an event in Bisbee, Arizona, at the Hot Licks Barbecue & Saloon: "HOT WATER at Hot Licks on Hump Day," complete with a woman sitting on the bar singing sultry love songs, belly dancers, a sexy lingerie show, and me pinching myself--an author doing readings to a packed house in a bar!

Books sold like crazy...at least compared to the four bookstore signings my publicist at Berkley set up. Four! Women loved the book, read it in one sitting, passed the word. Since January 2006 I’ve done more than 80 events--at bookstores and book clubs, parties, libraries, festivals, blogs, and, best of all, spa resorts. I’ve returned to the Oaks at Ojai four times. They comp me room and meals. Some spas even carried the novel in their gift shops. Still do.

Now for the bumps. A month before the novel was released, my editor at Berkley passed away. Leona Nevler was a veteran, nearly 50 years in the business, one of the first women to run a publishing house. Terrific lady; I flew to New York and had lunch with her. Three months later she was gone. Berkley assigned me an editor whose name I won’t mention (no longer with the company). She never connected with HOT WATER, wasn’t interested in STEAM, our proposed sequel. With a 13,000 print run, sales were decent, but not spectacular.

Last summer, Anne Weston of Gross & Weston Productions contacted me about a HOT WATER movie for Lifetime. They loved the book, really wanted to do the movie. They had great credentials: over 30 films, many for Lifetime. Wow! Rebirth, I thought. But Lifetime said the novel didn’t have a big enough name, not a bestseller. I guess #2 on a bestseller list in the San Luis Obispo Tribune (with DA VINCI CODE at #4) didn’t cut it.

Never mind, by then I was well into a new novel. One day when I was delivering copies to the resort where the story takes place--Two Bunch Palms, near where I live--I met a man named John Walton, the son of silent screen star Gladys Walton, who was also Al Capone’s girlfriend. He asked me to write a novel based on their story. Who could refuse?

Today I sent the final draft to my agent for submission. THE GLAD GIRL: A Novel Based on the True Love Story of Silent Screen Star Gladys Walton and Al Capone. Now there’s movie material!

What an adventure it’s been. Follow the flow. And be grateful. I am, eternally.

Thanks from a Sweetheart

From Dianne Ochiltree:

Having been a published children's author for nearly ten years now, I've got a lot to be thankful for--mostly for the wonderful people I've met along the way. Although we all come to the business from a different angle, we all share a passion for the well-written word, the illustrated page and the children who ultimately read the fruits of our labor together.

I am thankful for the editors who have cared so intensely for my words that they wanted to publish them...and have cared so tenderly for my writer's ego along the way to publication.

I am thankful for the illustrators who have so brilliantly brought my words to life.

I am thankful for all the publicists, both in-house and independent, who have worked with me to help bring my books some attention in the marketplace. Your continuing support as cheerleaders, strategists and (sometimes) a professional shoulder to cry on, has helped me weather many a media storm.

I am thankful for the booksellers who have been so enthusiastic about my work that they have told others about it, or have invited me into their stores to share it with their customers.

I am thankful for the parents, librarians, teachers and kids who have taken the time to tell me that they love my characters.

I am thankful for my fellow authors and illustrators. I am grateful that we consider one another comrades-in-arms rather than competitors. I cherish my writer friends for their generously shared information, critiques, business advice, and more. No one understands the ups and downs of the writing life than another writer.

I am thankful for the internet, and the blossoming of blogs about writing and publishing. Thanks be for Bella, who has shared so much valuable insight and so many updates over the years!

Thanks to Godparents

From The Pajama Gardener and author Carleen Brice, whose debut novel, ORANGE MINT AND HONEY, will be published in February.

When I was working on a pseudo-final draft of my first novel, I asked my then-new friend Marisol (author of The Lady, the Chef and the Courtesan) to read it for me. I couldn't for the life of me think of a good title. I gave her a list of almost-there-but-not-quite ideas, and asked for some help.

Well, not only did Marisol read my book, but so did her husband Rob. Then they did a little brainstorming and came up with Orange Mint and Honey, which I loved! (The closest I had come was Orange Mint Tea--boring!) But even better than the wonderful title was how Marisol presented it to me: on a sheet of paper printed with the words "a novel" and my name just like they would be in a book. It was the first moment I felt like this dream could actually come true.

I'll always be grateful to Marisol and Rob for believing the draft they read would become a book, and for helping to make it so by giving it such a lyrical title. I call them my book's godparents now.

Her Majesty Gives Thanks

From debut novelist Jenny Gardiner:

Of course I am most grateful for my family and friends and many of life's good fortunes. Without these things, nothing else would matter, would it?

But with my efforts toward publication finally coming to fruition, there are so many exceedingly generous people for whom I am dreadfully thankful. (I always wanted to sound like the Queen---once I saw her on a news clip thanking some schoolgirls for knitting her a sweater that she said was "horribly lovely.") Without them my book, SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER, would no doubt have languished amidst a mounting stack of rejections and a broken spirit.

First person for whom I am ever so grateful is the guru herself, Bella Stander, who, besides allowing me to frequently pick her brain, pointed me to the awesome Jeff Kleinman at Folio Literary Management, one of the kindest people in the publishing industry. Despite having a plate overflowing with to-do's, he took the time to help this relatively clueless greenhorn, and ultimately hooked me up with my lovely agent, Erin Cartwright-Niumata, who has been wonderful.

My appreciation for my editor, Chris Keeslar, is boundless. After all, he "got" me! When you find an editor (and an agent) who understands your voice and believes in you as a writer, it's just such a great experience.

My endless thanks to my publicists, Erin Galloway at Dorchester, Nancy Berland and Elizabeth Middaugh (thank you, Bella!), and to Brooke Borneman who believes in this book and wants so much for it to sell well.

To the delightful and talented Kristy Kiernan, who invited me to take over the grog she started last year, The Debutante Ball, along with a rocking group of debut authors with whom I share the blog.

And to the iconic Meg Cabot, who had no reason to help me out but chose to do so, simply because she's a really nice person.

All of these people and so many more have been so instrumental in helping my dream come true, so this Thanksgiving I have that much more to be thankful for.

Thankful Tales

Once again, I'm posting tales of gratitude in time for Thanksgiving. Send yours along! Email: {bella at bookpromotion101 dot com}

From YA author & Book Promotion 101 alum Sally Nemeth:

Though my first year of book promo has been up and down, with some seriously epic snafus, I am MOST grateful for all the other authors I've met along the way--at the fests, at your workshop, the fabulous LAYAs (Los Angeles Young Adult writers), and through other writers.

They've kept me sane, with tales of their own less-than-perfect promo experiences; given me amazing advice, straight from the trenches; and more often that not, kept me in stitches. Without them, I'd have crawled into a little cave of woe and possibly never emerged.

So, many thanks and a turkey leg to all of them!

Grateful Author Story #8: Smoky Memories

From Kerry Madden, author of GENTLE'S HOLLER:

I am writing in the garden. To write as one should of a garden one must write not outside it or merely somewhere near it, but in the garden.
-- Frances Hodgson Burnett

I was missing the South and seasons one very warm and sunny Los Angeles winter. My writing was going nowhere, and I longed for fields of wild flowers and thunderstorms and attics and lightning bugs and leaves that turn raspberry gold, and even snow. So I went back to the Smoky Mountains in my mind and imagined my husband as a little boy with his twelve brothers and sisters, and I began to write. Kate DiCamillo wrote BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE during an icy winter in Minnesota while missing Florida, and I took heart in learning this about her.

After several years of ghostwriting, health writing, and a few scattershot attempts at awful soap opera scripts, I knew that if I didn’t write something that I cared about deeply, something that mattered, there would be no more point in calling myself a writer. I know this sounds dramatic, but it's the truth. I also needed to write with love, instead of being clever or mean. I'd done that in fiction and failed miserably.

I wanted my children's novel to be written with love and joy and of course, doubt, fear, worries too--that's inescapable for me--but I let the love and joy for these mountain kids come first. And I listened to Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Mississippi John Hurt, George Jones, Johnny Cash, Kitty Wells, Lucinda Williams, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Reno & Smiley. Their music was a balm and salve--even though it sometimes drove my kids crazy, and the older kids dove for the volume button whenever I picked them up at school.

I'll really show my ignorance, but I didn't realize there was a difference between YA and middle-grade novels when I wrote GENTLE'S HOLLER. I just thought I was writing YA, but I've since learned that GENTLE'S HOLLER is more middle-grade because protagonist Livy Two is 12; even though her older brother is 14 and definitely experiencing my "YA" problems. I also didn't know it was historical fiction because of the 1962 setting. I just wanted to write a story about a kid who dreams of adventures from her mountain home and worries about her sister's eyes.

When writing GENTLE’S HOLLER, I studied flowers, trees, rocks and birds of the Smoky Mountains. I picked a religion that I thought best suited the grandmother who wants her grandkids back at church. I selected an old radio show that was popular in Knoxville, and I did research on Cas Walker and learned how he used to throw live chickens off the roof to attract customers. I listened to old banjo tunes, and I interviewed folks who worked at Ghost Town in the Sky in the town of Maggie Valley. I found the town of Maggie Valley purely by accident when our middle child pitched a fit at Thomas Wolfe’s home in Asheville, and we decided to take the back roads to Knoxville. I thought the name “Maggie Valley” sounded so beautiful, it had to be wonderful. And so we found Ghost Town and let the kids play in the mountains. That was how I came to select it as the setting for GENTLE’S HOLLER.

"I Don't Like to Write...I Like To Fish."
A boy told me that in my first writing workshop in Appalachia on my book tour. And I said, “Well, write about fishing. Tell me what it’s like. How much does a can of nightcrawlers cost?”

He was incredulous. “You mean I can write about fishing?”

I said, “You can write about anything!”

So he wrote of fishing, and how a can of nightcrawlers cost about a dollar-twenty-five, and they come twelve to a can, and losing one is like throwing a dime in the water, and there’s nothing better than catching a big old bass and bragging about it.

I believe kids are storycatchers and storytellers. I find I am most connected and alive when I am encouraging kids, teens, even adults, to find their voice as storytellers. To tell them, “Yes, you do have a story to tell! Tell your story!” And I'm so grateful to be able to tell mine through these Maggie Valley novels.

After GENTLE'S HOLLER was published and I finished my book tour, Viking was so pleased with the reception of the book and of my hard work in reaching kids through school and library visits, that they bought the next two companion novels. LOUISIANA'S SONG comes out in 2007 and JESSIE'S MOUNTAIN comes out in 2008. GENTLE'S HOLLER was recently named a PEN USA Finalist in Children's Literature for 2006.

I continue to try to write my Maggie Valley novels with love and joy, and I will be returning again to the mountains for more writing workshops for kids in the next few years. How lucky am I to be able to write about a huge family of kids growing up in the Smokies?

My favorite reading was at Joey's Pancake House in Maggie Valley, where a little girl, Caroline, read her stories with me. She had to stand on a chair she was so tiny, but on that day, I read from GENTLE'S HOLLER and she read of Egyptian princesses, and everyone ate pancakes in the heart of the Smoky Mountains listening to stories.
# # #

Happy Thanksgiving!

Grateful Author Story #7: Naive Newbie

Judy Larsen just came across Bev Marshall's moving tale and wrote me, "She's one of the people I'm incredibly grateful to, one who has helped this first-time author." Judy shares this gratitude story for 2006:

My first novel, ALL THE NUMBERS, was published in July by Ballantine/Random House. I owe so many gracious, generous people for stepping in and helping this to happen.

First, in the summer of 2004, I went to a summer workshop at The University of Iowa. I'd been working on this manuscript for 5 years (while teaching full-time and raising my two sons). I wanted to see how my book fared in a bigger forum than the writing conferences I'd been attending in Missouri.

The man who led my particular workshop, Josh Kendall, was then an editor with Picador. At the end of the week, he offered to introduce me to some agents. He felt that my manuscript, while not something he would make an offer for, was good, and he wanted to help. He not only helped me with my query letter, but personally called several agents to tell them to expect my manuscript. Josh assured me that this might take several rounds, but he would help me every step of the way.

One of the agents I queried, Marly Rusoff, called me the day after she received it and said she wanted to represent me. I was so stunned (and so much of an amateur!), I stammered and told her I needed to think about it. What a complete idiot I was.

Marly was incredibly kind and patient, and gave me the names of several of her clients so I could call them as references. I had no idea how lucky I was to have her want to take me on as a client. We worked on the book for a few months and then Marly started submitting it.

Within a month, Allison Dickens, then at Ballantine, made us an offer. Again, Marly talked me through the whole process. Then she suggested that we ask Bev Marshall if she'd be willing to do the author interview that Reader's Circle includes in all of their books. Bev graciously took the time to work with me on the interview, and in the process she became something of a mentor/big sister to me as I nervously awaited publication.

This past spring, I went to the Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival, which Bev helps run. It was the first time we met in person. I was attending, not presenting, but Bev and her husband went out of their way to introduce me to all the writers there, and the other organizers. For the first time I started to really feel like a writer.

I'm overwhelmed with the generosity of writers and those in the industry. I'd worried that when I left teaching to write full-time, I'd feel isolated. But what I've found is this wonderful community of writers who encourage each other, help one another, and learn from one another.

Grateful Author Story #6: Stranded on a Panel

From author and artist Jennifer Macaire, who lives in France:

Here's why I'll always be grateful to Marianne Mancusi and Cheyenne McCray.

I showed up at my first Romantic Times convention full of anticipation. After all, they were spotlighting young adult books and had chosen my book, SECRET OF SHABAZ, which was launching a YA line at Medallion Press, to put on the cover of RT magazine.

I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to meet readers. I was chosen to be on a panel for YA writers. Since this was, after all, Romantic Times, the subject we were debating was, "How much sex is too much sex in a YA book?" I sent in my application for the panel and was accepted. There were to be five of us on it, including the moderator.

I flew to St. Louis from Paris. My luggage actually arrived with me--an auspicious start, I thought. The panel was the next day. I was thrilled. There were so many people! And the panels were chock-full of famous authors!

I arrived early and sat through a first YA panel, with an editor and four authors. The panel host hadn't shown up, so I volunteered to ask questions for them. There was a nice crowd and the half-hour passed quickly. The panelists left.

Then it was my turn. I had been anxiously scanning the crowd looking for my fellow panelists. I took my place behind the huge table. And waited. No one joined me. I stood up and asked, "Is anyone from the second panel here?" Silence. Some people got up and left the room. I started to panic.

Marianne Manacusi must have seen the panic on my face. She jumped up and said, "I'll sit in on this panel too!" And Cheyenne McCray, who had just been about to leave, said, "I'll be the monitor and ask questions for you." Thank you, Chey, and thank you, Marianne!

And to answer your question: "How much sex is too much for a YA novel?"

Well, I asked my mother, who has taught English all her life. She said, "If you can imagine yourself reading the scene aloud for an 11th-grade class and not feeling that it is innapropriate, then it's all right. If it's making you squirm, then you know it's too much sex for a YA novel."

Thanks, Mom!

[I disagree, but unlike Jennifer's mother, I'm not teaching young men--many of them sex offenders--in a maximum-security juvenile prison. Context is everything.]

Dips & Twirls with a Thankful Publicist

From Janet Reid, founder, JetReid Literary Agency:

Years ago, I was one of the publicity girls that took authors around to their media appointments. It was lots of fun and I met some very interesting people. One day, the publicty director at Oxmoor House called and told me he was sending a cookbook author. “No problem.” I chirped, 'cause cookbooks were a total pain, but sort of fun (we did the marketing, and food prep, and set up for the TV cooking demos).

Then he told me the author was Jenny Craig. I about fainted. Of course she was pretty famous and all, but mostly I knew she was going to take one long look at me and say, “Get with the program, honey”.

The appointed day arrives. I have shopped, chopped, steamed and polished. I am ready. I am terrified.

And so is Jenny Craig. It takes all of about two seconds to realize that this woman, rich, famous, THIN and very self possessed is NOT used to doing live TV at all. She’s used to commercials with endless retakes. She doesn’t care if I’m fat, thin, green or chocolate brownie chewy at the seams.

I swing into uber-confidence building mode. I walk her through the piece. I show her the cooking utensils. I set it up so all she has to do is stir while talking. She relaxes visibly.

We have about half an hour before the show starts, so we chat about our lives. I mention I’m learning to tango. Jenny Craig’s face lights up in the first genuine smile of the morning. Tango! Turns out she and Mr. Jenny Craig are long-time ballroom dancers. Nothing to be done then, but give me a few pointers. With this, Jenny Craig takes me in her arms, and tangos me across the set of the local morning TV show. In front of the camera people, the director, the interns, the floor director. One-two-Three!

I’ve been forever grateful to Jenny Craig for the tango tune-up, and for helping me remember that no matter how rich and famous someone is, they too are afraid to fail or look stupid, and everything I could do to help them feel confident was a good thing.

Now, let’s dance!

Grateful Author Story #5: 4.0 GPA

Therese Fowler, whose debut, SOUVENIR, will be published by Ballantine, confesses, "I don’t yet have tales (good or awful) from my 'career,' per se." But she has a lovely story of how she became a novelist:

I was 33 years old and in my final undergraduate semester at NC State University. My favorite class that semester was science fiction author and critic John Kessel’s course on—what else?— Science Fiction. I’d chosen the class as the lesser of evils, filling a requirement for an integrated science-and-humanities class. Though not a reader of SF, I was convinced that ANY class where I got to read fiction was better than the alternatives. Mostly I was desperate to finish my degree and move on to “real life” and a career in the field of my major, Sociology.

Kessel’s course turned out to be one of my all-time favorites. Not only did I learn how smart and relevant good SF is, I learned that good writing and intellectual inquiry resulted in terrific stories. The course also turned out to be life-altering.

In reading really good fiction, my own latent desire to write was provoked. When Kessel gave the class the option to write a short story in lieu of a research paper at the end of term, I jumped at the chance—in part (I’ll be honest) because it seemed easier than the research paper, and I was trying very hard to finish my degree with a 4.0 grade-point average.

However, I’d never before written a complete story. I had notebooks filled with ideas and character sketches and story openings, but hadn’t looked at or added to them in many years. So I was anxious, but also determined to do well. I decided to get started on the story early so that Kessel could review it and make suggestions for revision before the due date.

When I had a draft ready for him to read, I turned it in and set up a meeting for a few days later. That day came and I arrived at his office with sweaty palms. Suppose he thought the story was awful? Suppose I had to scrap it and do the research paper after all? Suppose I got a lousy grade and blew my chance for a 4.0? Worst of all, suppose I had no writing talent whatsoever?

I sat down in the chair next to Kessel’s desk and waited while he found the draft and reviewed the comments he’d written out. And then he said the words that, in essence, gave me permission to try to become a novelist:

“Have you written fiction before?”

I told him about my notebooks. “This,” I said, “is my first actual story.”

“You’re sure.”

I was sure.

He said, “I think you have real promise as a writer of fiction.”

If not for John Kessel’s kind and encouraging words, I might not have ever taken my writing desires seriously. But because a professional, well-respected author told me I had promise, I believed I could take a chance. And now, six years later, I have a novel under contract with Random House/Ballantine and seven foreign publishers.

One moment of kindness and encouragement can go a long, long way.

Grateful Author Tale #4: Helpful Competition

SF Romance author Linnea Sinclair took time off from a howling Dec. 15 deadline to write:

I'd not be where I am--deep in blissful deadline hell--without the assistance of other authors. I'd not have my terrific agent, Kristin Nelson, if it weren't for the selfless act of RITA award- winning author, Robin D. "HeartMate" Owens, who, upon chatting with this little then-e-book author at a writer conference, whipped out her cell phone and called HER agent when she (Robin) found out I was unagented. Robin sent me to Deidre (THE DEIDRE) Knight, who gave me one of the loveliest rejections ever AND turned me over to HER friend, agent Kristin Nelson. Who contracted me and sold me within three months to Bantam. Now, how's that for a lovely bunch of happenstances, all based on kindness between "supposed competitors"?

Other delightful darling "competitors" who've embraced me and helped me: author Susan Grant recommends me to her readers. Along with Susan Grant, authors Susan Kearney, Cathy Clamp, Rowena Cherry, Colby Hodge and I swap bookmarks and share promo expenses. We all write for the same or similar genres. Theoretically, we're competitors for the same readers. But yunno, we subscribe to the belief that readers can read 'em faster than we can write 'em. So by banding together we're not stealing readers but doing all we can to keep readers interested in the exciting and fun genre of science fiction romance. No matter who writes it. [Authors in all genres, take note!]

Other Random Acts of Authorly Kindness:
Mega famous author Mary Jo Putney spends time in a one-on-one lunch with me at RWA National, when surely she could have been furthering her stellar career instead of advising me and my newbie-ness on mine. Romantic suspense author Monette Micheals (aka Attorney Babe Moni Draper in real life) answers my emails on legal issues whenever I send them, with delightful humor and aplomb. Author Catherine Asaro nommied me for the John W. Campbell Award a few years back.

I know I'm missing a lot. It's a blonde thing. A senior blonde moment.

Non-Author Act of Kindness:
My current WIP and source of my deadline mania has, as its protagonist, a Florida homicide detective. Yeah, I write science fiction romance and this is. I just have this Florida cop stuck in it. Working with me on this story as an advisor is a Florida sergeant who--bless him--works 11pm to 7am on patrol, has a lovely wife, two kids, an ailing mother and certainly does not need a lunatic author emailing him questions dang near daily. But he answers every one with thoughtful detail and a very genuine desire to help. For free. The man is not only a terrific resource but a wonderful person. Very much an unexpected kindness.

So that's the scoop for the moment. I need to get back to helping my homicide detective save Florida from evil outerspace zombies. But I did want to contribute my gratitude stories. I am grateful, not only to all of the above but to you, Bella, and professionals like you who take the time to interact with authors and share the journey with us.

Grateful Author Tale #3

Time to take a break from skankery and turn to Thanksgiving! Send your thankful publishing and/or publicity story to {bystander at bellastander dot com}.

Dianne Ochiltree writes:
My first book for kids, CATS ADD UP!, published in 1998, is due to the generosity, kindness and help of a famous author and an editor at Scholastic.

Way back in 1996, I was selected, via submission of writing samples, to attend a conference in which part of the day was a 45-minute critique session with a published author, editor or agent. When I arrived, I found that I was paired with the keynote speaker, Paula Danziger. This thrilled and frightened me---if anyone was going to find out that I had no talent for the business of children's writing, and let me know that I'd better go back to advertising, it would be someone as well-published and recognized as Ms. Danziger.

I found in my subsequent meeting that Paula was warm, supportive and full of insightful advice on how to fine-tune my story for submission. She reassured me that I had the basic "right stuff," a confidence-boosting gift I'll always treasure!

But Paula's gift didn't end there. Her last question to me was, "Where do you think your book belongs--which publisher did you have in mind when you were writing this?" I said Scholastic, definitely.

Later in the day, like a woman on a mission, Paula made sure I met every editor she knew at the conference, including one from a division of Scholastic. This editor agreed to receive my submission, with Paula's enthusiasic urgings. More surprising, this editor said that if he could not use the story in his imprint but felt my work had merit, he would send it along to other editors within the house who might be able to consider it for publication. No promises, of course. And I really doubted it would get that far.

Imagine my surprise months later when I got a phone call from an editor at Cartwheel/Scholastic who wanted to acquire the story for the "Hello, Reader!" paperback series.

So that's how CATS ADD UP! first saw print. After several years in the original series, it was reissued in the new Scholastic Reader paperback series this year, which means it's been in nearly continuous publication for over eight years. Another blessing to count!

A Grateful Author's Tale

This story got me all choked up. I was going to save it till Thanksgiving, but decided it's just too good to hold onto for that long.

From Bev Marshall, author of Walking Through Shadows, Right As Rain and Hot Fudge Sundae Blues:

Last fall, my third novel came out the day after Katrina hit. I'm from the Gulf Coast and live on the outskirts of New Orleans. Half of my planned book tour was eliminated by wind and water, and my heart was as broken as the levees in the city.

Nevertheless, I set out on tour with my kind friend Silas House. Birmingham was our first stop and the only book I sold was to a woman who had evacuated there after losing her home and everything she owned. Crying with her, I tried to give her the book, but she was having none of that. When I returned to my hotel room and turned on the television, I learned another hurricane was brewing and headed for Louisiana yet again.

With thoughts of my home being swept away, on the way to Fairhope, Alabama, my car broke down on the interstate, and since it was lovebug season, Silas's reddish hair was covered with co-joined black bugs as we stood on the road waiting for the wrecker. There was no rental car to be had and it would take a day to fix mine.

Then to my amazement, a woman I'd met at the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival in New Orleans showed up after learning at the bookstore that we were stranded, and she gave us a ride into town. She'd lost her home in Pensacola when Ivan hit there. She bought a book, too, and once again, I tried to give it to her, but she, like the woman in Birmingham, refused. My publicist at Ballantine/Random House called again and again with "Are you all right? What can I do to help?" I would cry and laugh every time she called. It was like an angel was flying along beside me wherever I went.

Back home the hurricane arrived, but there was no damage at my house except that we lost power again, so I caught my flight to Lexington, Kentucky, where Silas and I were reunited. From bookstore to television station to radio station, the entire week was unbelievable. Every person I met, at every place I went was kinder than anyone could imagine. I was truly overwhelmed. My angel continued to call, "What else can I do? Are you all right?" We got caught in traffic and missed one television morning show, but otherwise, Silas and I kept all of our dates and showed up on time.

There were tears and laughter when we parted. We'd been on a tour like none either of us will ever have again. Did I sell a lot of books? Probably not enough to suit my publisher, but that seemed beside the point on this tour.

And after all this time, the owner of one of those swept-away bookstores just emailed me, saying Pass Christian Books had been rebuilt and could I at long last do a book signing there. I'm going; it's on my birthday.

# # #

I asked Bev how she and her home fared after Katrina. She responded:

There's a journal on my website [scroll down to "Hot Fudge Sundae Blues Tour"] that tells what happened on that tour day by day. I will forever be grateful to Silas House and to Cindy Murray at Random House, and to all those booksellers and readers who got me through that terrible time.

We were fortunate in many ways. I live in Ponchatoula, which is across the lake from New Orleans, and although we suffered a lot of damage in my neighborhood, we were very lucky and had to deal with only near-misses of trees, no water, food, gasoline, etc. My mother-in-law, who lives in Gulfport, was missing for four days, but we found her safe in her apartment. Other relatives and friends who live in New Orleans and on the coast of Mississippi weren't so lucky. Many of them lost everything they owned, and there's no way to say how differently we all view our lives now.

Since I'm an optimist, I'll end by saying that we're all just grateful that we all still have each other. Possessions can be replaced, but not our loved ones!

A Grace Note of Gratitude

For Thanksgiving, I'm collecting tales of gratitude and satisfaction to counter all the publicity horror stories. Send yours now to {bystander at bellastander dot com}.

Here's a taste of things to come, from Timothy Schaffert, author of The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God, who hit the road last fall for his "Bad Tuxedo Book & Music Tour":

For my book tour, I teamed up with local musicians of the various towns I visited because music is a major element of the novel. The musicians would perform, setting the tone of longing and honkytonk, then I would read from the novel. Though at times the crowds were thin (in some cases, to the point of diaphanous) the musicians all performed as if to a roomful of the faithful.

In Indianapolis, Jeff Roberson performed a sweet duet with his young daughter as a nod to the songwriter in my novel, who also has a melodic little girl. At a bookstore in one town that forgot I was coming [argh!], the jazz singer J. Scott Franklin patiently set up the sound equipment himself, kept his cool as the equipment proved faulty, and performed a long lovely set on a rainy Sunday afternoon. And Thomas Trimble of the Detroit band American Mars invited me to crash at his pad for a few nights.

The day that I left to hit the road again, Thomas’s pre-school-age daughters, Mary and Frances, began to follow me out in their pajamas and bare feet. “Where are you going?” Thomas asked, and they nonchalantly explained that they were walking me to my car to say good-bye. Thomas picked them up and carried them to the curb and the girls waved their farewell, and continued to wave until they were no longer in my rearview mirror.

In Mississippi, I read to a crowd of 200 who had mostly come to hear the delightful Ruby Jane Smith, the 10-year-old fiddler and clog dancer. Despite the sizable audience that night, I only sold one book...to Ruby Jane’s grandfather.

Scotty Karate, the punk/country warbler of Detroit, generously hit the road to make the drive all the way to McHenry, Illinois, to join me on a double bill, but ended up doing a road tour of breweries along the way (which included the sampling of a new brew named after him—Scotty Karate Ale), getting into fisticuffs, and getting lost on the highway. So I’ve not yet met Mr. Karate, but we do keep in touch.