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Pat Conroy at Garden District Books

And speaking of the Garden District Book Shop, I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Conroy there a couple of nights ago. He gave a wonderfully entertaining talk to a big crowd to introduce his new book “My Reading Life” (which I’ve been reading and enjoying).

When I thanked him for blurbing my book, he explained that he was just a “blurb slut.” I said I would pretend I didn’t hear that . . .

Paperback Release

The first event for the paperback release of Letter to My Daughter will be a signing/discussion at Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans.

When: Saturday, February 5, 11:30-1:00

Here’s the link to the store (one of my favorite bookshops in N.O.). Hope to see you there. I’ll bring the donuts.

Paperback Edition Coming Soon!

Happy New Year from New Orleans.

I’m looking forward to the release of the paperback edition of Letter to My Daughter on January 25, 2011. The folks at Ballantine have done a nice job of preparing the paperback. It comes with a new cover, an author Q&A, and a Reader’s Guide. Also a free gift of chocolate that pops up when you open it. (Okay, the last one’s not true. But it is a nice edition.)

I’ll be doing some readings and events around Louisiana at the end of January and the beginning of February. I’ll post details here as they’re available.

Faulkner Society Words and Music Festival

It’ll be a busy week for literary folks in New Orleans with the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society 2010 Words and Music Festival. It should be a good festival, with not only lots of readings and panels, but also theatre, music, food, dancing. As a bonus, the ghost of William (“Bill”) Faulkner is said to haunt the festival.

Here’s the schedule of events:

2010 Words and Music Festival Schedule

I’ll be appearing at two events.

The first is the opening event of the festival, a Master Class for Students and Teachers, together with author Tim O’Brien. I’ll be presenting the winners of the 2010 high school short story competition. That’s Wednesday, November 17, 10:00-11:30 a.m. at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre in New Orleans.
The next is a panel discussion on The Literature of War & Collateral Damage: The Art of Telling Your Favorite War Story. That’ll be with authors Stewart O’Nan, Josh Russell, and Elise Blackwell. Saturday, November 20, 8:30-10:00 a.m. in the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.

1718 Reading at The Columns

I’ll be reading from and signing copies of Letter to My Daughter next Tuesday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m. at The Columns hotel and bar on St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans.

The 1718 Reading Series is a terrific monthly event bringing together students and teachers of the creative writing programs from the University of New Orleans, Tulane University, and Loyola University (my alma mater). Each month they invite a different guest speaker-reader, and then a few students from the universities read their work.
Past guests have been Joseph Boyden, Rikki Ducornet, and poet Nicole Cooley. Next week will be me. Anyone can come. Happy hour from 5-7.

Baton Rouge Gallery, July 18 Reading and Signing

I’ll be reading from and signing copies of “Letter to My Daughter” at the Baton Rouge Gallery on Sunday, July 18, 4:00. Refreshments will be served. Everyone’s invited, even if you don’t live in Baton Rouge.

Here’s the info:
1442 City Park Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
225-383-1470
4:00-5:30

Thank You to Bloggers!

Thank you to all the bloggers who have written about my book lately, especially Serena at Savvy Verse and Wit, Vera at Luxury Reading, Laura at Overstuffed, Jenn at Juggling Life, Susan at Suko’s Notebook, Anna at Diary of an Eccentric, Carrie at Books and Movies, Kristen at Book Club Classics, Melissa at Book Nut, Emily at Not That You Asked, Lisa at Lit and Life, and Gita at the Feminist Review. You’re the best readers an author could hope for. I appreciate all the comments from your visitors, as well. Cheers.

Latter Library, New Orleans, May 19

On Wednesday, May 19, I’ll be signing books at the wonderful old Latter Library in New Orleans, 6:00-7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served.

The Latter Library is on St. Charles Avenue, in a mansion built in the early 1900s by the founder of the Maison Blanche department stores and then donated as a library to the city by the subsequent owners in memory of their son, who was killed in WWII. In addition to readings, talks, and signings, the library also hosts a Poetry by Candlelight series. I used to enjoy coming here when I was a student at Loyola–the most elegant public reading rooms in the city.
They have a Facebook page, here.

Alabama Visit

Enjoyed my trip to Alabama last week, to sign books at the Alabama Booksmith in Birmingham and Page and Palette in Fairhope. If you’re ever near one of these cities and you like books, be sure to stop in and visit these places.

Jake Reiss, the owner of Alabama Booksmith, is a huge fan of books with good taste in literature. His store is one of the must-stop venues for author signings, and so he has a wonderful selection of signed new books and first editions. Good cookies, too. Ask him about how he used to be a tailor.
Page and Palette is right on the main street of Fairhope, and gets its traffic from plenty of loyal locals as well as all the tourists who come to see the town. Karin and Kiefer Wilson, the owners, keep the story busy with author visits and signings throughout the week. They have a great coffee shop, too, where you can sit in one of the unusual high wooden chairs (shoe-shine chairs?) and read the books you just bought while sipping your iced mocha.

More Readings and Signings

I’ll be doing a couple more readings and signings this week. On Monday, May 3 at 4pm I’ll be at the Alabama Booksmith in Birmingham. Then on Saturday, May 8 at 2pm I’ll be at Page & Palette bookstore in Fairhope.

Drop by these fine bookstores if you’re in the neighborhood. Here are the links: