HoHoHo!

We're running out of shopping time!

My shopping days are numbered! Fortunately, I don't really give many gifts.

But of course, Christmas won't be Christmas without any books, right?

I'm trying to snag a few signed copies of books for those young readers on my list who might appreciate them. (All of the young readers on MY list!)
Often, a writers' website will tell you exactly where to order signed books.
I'm calling Anderson's Bookstore today to order a special book for a 4-year-old I know (Shhh- don't tell him).

A personal note: My own signed books are ready to be shipped from LEMURIA in Jackson or SQUARE BOOKS JR. in Oxford, MS.

If you'd like me to personalize a book to someone you love who loves to read, give my local independent bookstore a call and I'll scurry over there and sign it to your young reader. And I'll add a bookmark or two.
HERE'S THE INFO for Inkwood.

You can support a writer and order a gift made by these talented authors.
LOVE that charm bracelet, don't you?

Give a gift that gives, or even a card that does.
 
If you're like me and cards have escaped you this year, try these lovely e-cards from paperlesspost.com. 

Everything you need to know is right here:  https://www.paperlesspost.com/lp/christmas-cards
(For example, check out this tree -available in paper or paperless!)

Mississippi, Here I Come!

I'm excited about my trip home to Mississippi. 

Please stop by and say hello 
if you are anywhere near me!

April 8-10. University of Southern MS, Kaigler Book Festival (I'm signing books on Friday morning via Barnes and Noble)

April 11 (3:00). Square Books Jr., Oxford MS.
http://www.squarebooks.com/event/augusta-scattergood-way-stay-destiny

April 14 (4:00) Turnrow Books, Greenwood MS.
http://www.turnrowbooks.com/upcoming_events.php

April 16 (4:00) Lemuria Books, Jackson MS.
http://www.lemuriabooks.com/products/events/the-way-to-stay-in-destiny/

Note to self: Mississippi travels, Ten Things To Remember

1. In the six Mississippi schools I visited, the kids mostly said Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am.
I know some people don't get that, but I loved it.

2. Pimento cheese and sweet little peach pies. Food from the book at my friend Ivy's house. Surrounded by old friends and lots of family. Does it get better than this?

3. Four of my teachers showing up to say hello at the very same library I pictured every time I set a Glory Be scene in a library. And a whole bunch of librarians were there. I lost count.

4. The view of the river. Yes, that river. From my friend Nan's house.

5. The charm bracelet with the little guitar and "sisters" charms. From my own sweet sister.
(And she packed the audience at Square Books, Jr. in Oxford.)

6. Good old southern cooking, cafeteria style, with my sweet brother. (Reason enough to return.)

7. Meeting Ellen Ruffin of the amazing DeGrummond Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi. (Another big reason to return. I must see this!)

8. College friends I hadn't seen since college and high school friends I hadn't seen since forever. All celebrating and buying my very first book. 

9. Signing a ton of books at both Square Books and Lemuria, in Jackson. ☺
I suspect there are still a few available, for anybody who's looking for an autographed copy:

Square Books Jr.: (662) 236-2207  

Lemuria: (601) 366-7619

10. Learning how true it is: You can go home again.

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91943725/wall-quote-home-is-where-your-story

My Glorious Mississippi Trip

When I arrived at my sister's in Batesville, look what greeted me.

I'm ready for touring. She supplied the flowers and the framed GLORY BE cover.
I added my Junk Poker box, Scholastic book bag, and Leslie's waterproof tote. Not that I needed it. Weather was fantastic.

After a stop in Oxford (see previous posts!), it was on to my hometown of Cleveland, MS. Home of Delta State University. More on that later.

I spoke at my local library. The same place I've checked out a zillion books, met a girl who inspired the character of Laura, researched swimming pool closings, and was inspired by some pretty great librarians.

Here's the poster my friend Nan designed for the event. They were all over the place!

I signed books for friends' moms, my pre-school teacher, my former librarian, my Latin teacher. I could go on and on. It was an amazing afternoon. I still can't quite believe it.

(So far, this is the best I can do, photo-wise. More to come I hope.)

Here I am speaking to the terrific kids at Bell Academy in Boyle, MS, just outside Cleveland.
It looks like a couple of them wish I'd been handed the Stop Talking card. But really, they were very attentive and had great questions.

I signed the books they'd bought at Scholastic's Book Fair. Cute kids. Such fun.

Then it was off to Jackson.
 Three schools! One great evening at Lemuria Books! And a gathering for my old college friends and my family at my very oldest friend's house. Here's Ivy's table.

Remember the picture of us from a while ago?

Here we are last week, a few birthday parties later, post Book Tour. Still smiling.







Goodbye to family and friends. Great time "Back Home." Thanks to all, especially my sister the Tour Guide and her twin brother, for all their support. Love you all!

Jackson!

 I'm on the road. Three Mississippi towns. 4 schools and counting. Having a ball- but blogging isn't too easy.

Who needs to create a blogpost when you have friends doing it for you?
Here's a link to Leslie's blog about my adventures.  
CLICK HERE to go there!

Home Grown Writers

When I was in high school in Cleveland, Mississippi, I was a member of the library club. Or whatever we were called. I can find out because my sister has her high school yearbooks carefully lined up on a bookshelf. But you know what I mean. We checked out books with the little rubber date stamps. Shelved carts full of books, read all the new ones.

There was an entire section of bookshelves devoted to Mississippi writers. I devoured them. And I still do. And now, since I'm back home, it seems only natural to be reading local authors.



I just started Julie Cantrell's new book on my Kindle, which I can't live without while traveling. So far, really enjoying Into the Free. And it's making quite a splash on the booksellers' lists. Check it out.

I bet you could even get it autographed if you order it via Square Books (where you can also get a whole bunch of autographed copies of Glory Be ☺).

CLICK HERE for a link to Square Books in Oxford, MS.

Another Oxford writer I can't wait to dig into? Ace Atkins.
I met him last week in Charlotte, NC, at the amazingly terrific (I'm running out of superlatives for this trip!) evening dinner sponsored by my long-time friends at Baker and Taylor. (all I ever knew for many years of ordering books as a librarian. What an honor to be invited) There were about 10 authors there and his table was right next to mine. Hey, I bet Square Books has a few of his novels you could get your hands on!

 On this morning's Lemuria blog, a bookstore I adore in Jackson, I read about this new book. Love Jonathan O'Dell's guest blogpost.
This will be on my To Be Read list for sure. I may just have to buy it when I'm there on Thursday.

Where next Thursday afternoon, I hope to see a lot of my Jackson area friends and family! And my college friends driving from Atlanta, Louisiana, and all over the place. Gives a whole new feeling and meaning to Old Home Week.

Next stop, Bolivar County Library, Cleveland, MS. 

Monday, March 5 at 4 PM.

Books will be available at the library, thanks to Cotton Row Books.

Mississippi, Here I Come!

                       SQUARE BOOKS JR: Oxford, MS. Thursday, March 1 at 5 PM

      BOLIVAR COUNTY LIBRARY: Cleveland, MS. Monday, March 5 at 4 PM

      LEMURIA: Jackson, MS. Thursday, March 8 at 4 PM

     Signing, Chatting, Explaining, Happily Hugging, 

occasional Sipping and Munching       

Can't wait to see you all there.                  

Glory Gets Around

Since the launch of GLORY BE, the book's had quite a few sightings.

Just this weekend, she turned up at the brand new Los Gatos, California public library. I do love to see her hanging out at libraries.

And somehow, the book mysteriously found its way to a Massachusetts cranberry bog???






Bookstores, all over the place, from NYC to Tampa. Here we are at the Sarasota Barnes & Noble, where my writer buddy Janet and I popped into last week. I followed the sage advice of writers who've come before me (Thanks Christina, Greg and Minrose), introduced myself and signed the copies on the shelves. (Note the little sticker- "signed copy"= yay!)

And this one from  
Lemuria in Jackson, Mississippi.

I'll be signing and chatting there on March 8 at 4 PM. (Can't wait!) Come say hello, please.

Independent Bookstore Favorites

It's been 20 years since A Time to Kill was published. How can that be? It's still my favorite of John Grisham's books. And I treasure my hardback copy, autographed and given to me, a gift of my lawyer brother-in-law who knew Grisham in Mississippi.

I've written before about independent bookstores, and about beautiful bookstores and libraries, with pictures. I think I would be as happy in almost any store that sells books as I am wandering through libraries, and I hope we never lose those places where everybody knows what's happening in the world of reading.

Although I don't live near a great store like these, I like knowing what's the latest and who's visiting both Square Books and Lemuria so I signed up for their emails. This morning's email from Square Books in Oxford, MS, included this link to a USA Today article about John Grisham.

John Grisham wrote this first book, hiding in the stacks of the law library. Lots of independent bookstores have nooks and crannies and probably writers scribbling on legal pads or tapping on laptops. Great places to read and to write.