Newsletter

This is a quick introduction of a fellow writer and friend of mine, Julia Spencer-Fleming. Julia is a native of Alabama, but her award-winning books are set in Maine and she has been earning awards and praise all over the place. Good fellowship is common in the mystery world, but Julia is one of the most generous writers I know, and I can highly recommend her series.

Her latest book is I SHALL NOT WANT and continues the complicated relationship between Episcopal priest Clare Fergusson and local sheriff Russ Van Alstyne. Throw in a potential serial killer, and the runaway plotting and story twists will keep you breathless.

In an effort to help spread the word about Julia’s terrific series, I’m hosting a contest to give away 10 ARCs of her latest book. The official release date is June 10, so these ARCs are truly “hot off the press.”

This is a great opportunity to learn about Julia’s work. And you can learn more about her at www.juliaspencerfleming.com

What I’m going to do is take every tenth e-mail request for an ARC, and that person will be a winner. Please remember to put your mailing address in the email, and in the subject line, please put “I want Julia’s book!”

My e-mail address is cehaines@mindspring.com There is a spam filter, but I check everyday, so your email won’t get lost and it will get counted.

And please check out Julia’s website and learn a little about her. I believe this will be her break-out book, because she’s been growing a loyal audience throughout her series.

On the Bones front, WISHBONES will be out June 24. I’ve created some booklets that include the first chapter (which I will post here on my website later in May) that includes an interview with Jitty. Actually, Jitty interviews me! So these are fun booklets and I’ll be giving some of those away here on the website too in a few weeks. Please keep checking back.

I also have some dates set for book signings. I’m still working on my “Mississippi leg” of the signing trip. My plans are to travel across the Delta with a college friend of mine, Fran Utley. Fran and I both worked as photographers at the Hattiesburg American when we were going to USM. Although we were working, we managed to have a lot of fun. So we’re going to enact “Operation Delta Blues” and see about signing books and snapping photographs in a part of the world that I adore. More details will be forthcoming as we plan our trip.

May 29, 5-6:30 p.m., Lemuria Books in Banner Hall in Jackson, MS. This is a big signing by a number of my fellow Mississippians who are included in the University Press of Mississippi book, GROWING UP IN MISSISSIPPI. Charline McCord and Judy Tucker, the fab editing team who have done four collections of Christmas stories by Southern authors, have created this collection of essays by people who have been marked by the land and the culture of a state that is often misunderstood.

As a special treat, Mississippi artist Wyatt Waters has created another cover that exactly captures the moment. I’m thrilled and delighted to be a part of this book, and I think the signing event will be fun. I hope those of you in the area can make the event.

May 30—I’m finally meeting Michaela Kleemann and her husband, who have traveled to the States from Germany to tour Mississippi and visit some of the locations in the Sarah Booth Delaney mystery books. The Kleemanns have an intensive schedule of things to see and do, and they’re spending a day or two in Mobile so we can visit. (These guys are experienced travelers and I am impressed with all they plan to see and do.)

Michaela is an avid reader, and the Bones books have intrigued her about the Mississippi Delta area. I’m looking forward to meeting the two of them.

June 25, 12-1:30—Book signing and gab fest at Capitol Books and News in Montgomery, AL. Always a good town to visit and a chance for me to visit with the wonderful River City Press.

June 25, 6 p.m., Alabama Booksmith in Birmingham, AL. This signing will feature a special opportunity for readers to have their name (or the name of a beloved pet) used in the next Bones book. Readers can purchase a $1 ticket at the bookstore between now and the signing. The winning ticket will be drawn at the signing—but the best thing is that all the money will go to Hand in Paws, a local Birmingham organization that helps animals and people by training service dogs.

As you all know, animals are a major part of my life. With 20 critters here on the farm, I spend a lot of time and energy caring for them. Almost all of them are strays, and so I urge you all to please spay and neuter your pets and make a donation to your local humane organization to help with the cost of spaying and neutering strays who can then find a good home.

June 26, 4-6 p.m., Tammy’s Bookbasket in Wetumpka, AL is sponsoring the first annual Summer Somethin’ event to celebrate the release of WISHONES, and rumor on the street is that Kirk Curnutt and his band will kick off the event. Kirk has a new release, BREATHING OUT THE GHOST, that is getting a lot of attention and is up for a Foreword Award.

I’ll sign copies of WISHBONES and accept money NOT to sing. If any of my family members are there, they will pay big time to keep me away from a microphone.

July 10, 6-8 p.m., Main Street Books in Hattiesburg, MS, the Mississippi launch party for WISHBONES. Hattiesburg is the city I was born in (and lightning did not strike the hospital!), and it’s where I went to college for my undergraduate degree. I worked for the local paper there, the Hattiesburg American, and some of my best memories involve the people there.

July 12, 4:30 p.m., Murder by the Book, Houston, TX. This is a realignment of the stars and brings back a The Ultimate Quiz Show. Dean James (Jimmie Ruth Evans/Honor Hartman), Mary Saums, and I will grill the audience on facts and fictions of our favorite writers. And it’s all in fun with special gag prizes.

Mary has been short-listed for a prestigious SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Association) award for the first of her clever series, THISTLE AND TWIG. And Dean is ever popular with his fun series of trailer park mysteries and a series involving bridge playing, the latest of which is the newly released THE UNKINDEST CUT. Dean is also a Mississippi native and you can learn more at www.jimmieruthevans.com

Murder by the Book is a great, fun store with a wonderful staff who make each signing special. And I promise to bring the same little miniature bottles with a black label that I gave out as prizes last year.

July 15, 10:30 a.m., Beau Rivage Casino—speech to the Mississippi Credit Union association followed by a book signing there with booksellers Rich Daley and Scott Naugle from Pass Christian Books. The Pass is beginning to rebuild, but Rich and Scott are bringing the books to the casino. A time hasn’t been set for the signing but call the bookstore and check in a few weeks.

Also on the agenda for this signing will be Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays, who are also up for a SIBA award with their book, BEING DEAD IS NO EXCUSE: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral. As any Southerner knows, food is a vital ingredient of a “successful” funeral, and Gayden and Charlotte give chapter and verse on the strange and exotic culture of the South. Both Gayden and Charlotte are Delta gals and know that exotic culture inside out, and Charlotte is a “recovering” gossip columnist and author, and Sister, they can dish the dirt.

Chef Robert St. John will also sign. Robert has a number of beautifully illustrated cookbooks, and his popular syndicated columns have a huge following. It doesn’t hurt that he owns two premier restaurants in Hattiesburg.

If you miss the signing, be sure and stop by Pass Christian Books and pick up some copies of all of our books. Scott and Rich are always wonderful to keep signed copies on hand.

July 24-27 Gainesville, FL, The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings “Writing the Region” Conference. I’ll be hanging out with such terrific writers as Sarah Bewley (playwright), Claire Mateo, Michael Knight and Benjamin Leroy, editor of the fabulous Bleak House Press. It’s a great conference and this will be my third year to attend. (Hey, they’re going to start paying me to stay away.)

I haven’t booked my MISSISSIPPI DELTA Swing yet, but I’ll be traveling with my talented friend Fran Hawkins Utley. We were both photographers at the Hattiesburg American together and college students at USM. Fran is an artist who not only draws and paints but designs space, so I’m in high cotton for this part of the trip. Fran and I will be on the trail of the blues. I want to listen (and maybe dance, if someone will dance with board woman—as in “stiff as a”) and Fran is going to document this adventure.

That’s what I have booked so far. I’ll try to post additions as they come, but you guys know I’m not great at keeping up with this. Check back at the website, though, because I have these incredibly beautiful booklets of WISHBONES to give away starting in May. Jitty interviews me—and she is mean as a snake and relentless. So what else is new?

Carolyn

cehaines@mindspring.com