Southern Sass Publishing Alliances

12/19/2019

Merry Christmas!
Need last minute gifts? Check out books by local authors at The Elephant Ear!
Great reads available.

10/22/2019

A.L. Kennedy’s 10 Rules for Writing Fiction - Writers Write

good advice here for all writers! https://writerswrite.co.za/a-l-kennedys-10-rules-for-writing-fiction/

A.L. Kennedy is an award-winning Scottish writer of novels, works of non-fiction, and short story collections. Here are her 10 Rules for Writing Fiction.

08/09/2019

The SC group of Women's Fiction Writers will meet October 26 in Charleston from 12:00-2:00. If you are a writer and would like to attend, please contact me for more info.

07/31/2019

Even when reading is impossible, the presence of books acquired produces such an ecstasy that the buying of more books than one can read is nothing less than the soul reaching towards infinity... we cherish books even if unread, their mere presence exudes comfort, their ready access, reassurance.
A.E. Newton

05/06/2019

We had a great time at Arts on the Ridge in Ridgeway on Saturday! Thanks to all who organized and to all who came out to see us! My two co-panelists were WONDERFUL! I'd like to have hours and hours to sit and talk about Southern stories with both of them. Friends: look up their books and buy them....you won't regret the reads!
Tom Poland and Johnny Bloodworth.

05/02/2019

"It is with words as it is with sunbeams the more they are condensed the deeper they burn." ROBERT SOUTHEY

03/21/2019

“And one day, the girl with the books became the woman writing them.”
Kristen Costello

I came across this quote on Pinterest yesterday and fell in love with it. I pinned it to my board I named “ME.” Because it is. ME.
My nose stayed in books throughout my grade school, middle school, and high school years. Summer vacations: I packed books. Family trips in the car: I packed books. Study hall on my schedule: I packed books.
I’m sure my parents must have worried over me. I was the quiet child, they said. "She reads a lot," they apologized. My teachers sent home notes that I daydreamed a lot. My friend's parents would say with a sort of sad smile, "I forgot she was even in the house."
Classmates would come over to get help before writing papers for school because they all knew I had really read the book--the whole book! I'd start talking about the stories and hours later, their eyes glazed and fingers sore from taking notes, they'd leave with enough information to do the assignment. I often told them it would be easier if they'd just take notes in class and read the books themselves, but no...they had me for that. I loved retelling the stories. And they knew it.
Of course, it wasn't all nerds-ville. I had plenty of friends. I did my share of partying and dating and all the other things teenagers do. I was even a cheerleader. But I never got too cool for books. NEVER.
When I went on my honeymoon: I packed books: When I went to the hospital in labor with both my children: I packed books. When I went to my children's Little League games, dancing lessons, guitar lessons, tennis lessons, shopping trips with them and they didn’t want me to “help” them choose clothes: I packed books.
I spent hours in a parked car waiting on one child or another, shivering in the cold, or sweating in the heat and humidity of South Carolina weather. But I always had a book to read.
When I taught school and took my own lunch with me: I also packed books. Now, when I travel to visit friends or family: I pack books. When I drive on long trips: I pack books (in the form of DVD’s).
I can remember only a few situations in my life when I didn’t have at least one book with me, usually more, Even now when I take my Kindle, I also pack a real book—just in case the Kindle dies, and there’s no power source, or worse, some maniac takes out the power grid!
I love my Kindle. It can store lots and lots of books. But because I really do fear that downed-grid situation, I still buy real books, too. I have stacks of them to be read. And yes, I still buy more. I fear being in this world without my books.
But, I digress…back to the quote.
I saw it, pinned it, copied and pasted it. And I have thought about it for hours today. How blessed I am. All those books and now to be writing them and even publishing them.
My dream. My passion.
How fortunate I am to be able to sit at my desk for hours at a time and work really, really hard, but not for a moment consider it work.
How absolutely blessed. And thankful. And humbled, I am.

Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Thank you, Lord.

03/21/2019

“And one day, the girl with the books became the woman writing them.”
Kristen Costello

I came across this quote on Pinterest yesterday and fell in love with it. I pinned it to my board I named “ME.” Because it is. ME.
My nose stayed in books throughout my grade school, middle school, and high school years. Summer vacations: I packed books. Family trips in the car: I packed books. Study hall on my schedule: I packed books.
I’m sure my parents must have worried over me. I was the quiet child, they said. "She reads a lot," they apologized. My teachers sent home notes that I daydreamed a lot. My friend's parents would say with a sort of sad smile, "I forgot she was even in the house."
Classmates would come over to get help before writing papers for school because they all knew I had really read the book--the whole book! I'd start talking about the stories and hours later, their eyes glazed and fingers sore from taking notes, they'd leave with enough information to do the assignment. I often told them it would be easier if they'd just take notes in class and read the books themselves, but no...they had me for that. I loved retelling the stories. And they knew it.
Of course, it wasn't all nerds-ville. I had plenty of friends. I did my share of partying and dating and all the other things teenagers do. I was even a cheerleader. But I never got too cool for books. NEVER.
When I went on my honeymoon: I packed books: When I went to the hospital in labor with both my children: I packed books. When I went to my children's Little League games, dancing lessons, guitar lessons, tennis lessons, shopping trips with them and they didn’t want me to “help” them choose clothes: I packed books.
I spent hours in a parked car waiting on one child or another, shivering in the cold, or sweating in the heat and humidity of South Carolina weather. But I always had a book to read.
When I taught school and took my own lunch with me: I also packed books. Now, when I travel to visit friends or family: I pack books. When I drive on long trips: I pack books (in the form of DVD’s).
I can remember only a few situations in my life when I didn’t have at least one book with me, usually more, Even now when I take my Kindle, I also pack a real book—just in case the Kindle dies, and there’s no power source, or worse, some maniac takes out the power grid!
I love my Kindle. It can store lots and lots of books. But because I really do fear that downed-grid situation, I still buy real books, too. I have stacks of them to be read. And yes, I still buy more. I fear being in this world without my books.
But, I digress…back to the quote.
I saw it, pinned it, copied and pasted it. And I have thought about it for hours today. How blessed I am. All those books and now to be writing them and even publishing them.
My dream. My passion.
How fortunate I am to be able to sit at my desk for hours at a time and work really, really hard, but not for a moment consider it work.
How absolutely blessed. And thankful. And humbled, I am.

Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Thank you, Lord.

03/04/2019

Schedule

Please make plans to attend the Deckle Edge Book Festival on Saturday, March 23 at the Richland County Library. I will be presenting a panel discussion of my anthology Wild,Wonderful 'n Wacky, South Cackalacky at 4:00 pm. Check out the schedule of other authors here: http://deckleedgesc.org/schedule/
Hope to see some of you there!

10:00 am Bren McClain Richland Library – Auditorium, First Level Dorothy Allison in Conversation 11:00 am Anastasia Ketchen Queen Quet Glenda Simmons-Jenkins Elder Carlie Towne Richland Library – Theater, Second Level De Gullah/Geechee: Voices of a Living African Legacy The Gullah/Geechee are th...

02/03/2019

The Elephant Ear on Bultman Drive is hosting a “Meet the Authors” drop in on Thursday, Feb. 7, from 4-5:30, in celebration of the opening of the book section in the shop. The shop features all South Carolina authors, some of whom will be present to meet and talk with book lovers. Please join us for tea and cookies. Discover new SC authors!
We’d love to see you there.

01/26/2019

It's What I Do: I Read and I Know Things
Tsundoku- (noun) the act of leaving a book unread after buying it , typically piled up with other unread books.

11/14/2018

Received news today: Wild, Wonderful 'n Wacky, South Cackalacky is a national "Award-Winning Finalist in the Anthologies: Non-Fiction category of the 2018 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest"
We are celebrating Tonight!!!!!!!

10/26/2018

Just two months from today, you'll be opening gifts! Make sure some of them are books! Wild, Wonderful 'n Wacky, South Cackalacky. Prison Grits. His MOther! Available locally at the Elephant Ear on Bultman or on line. Shop today!

10/14/2018

Southern Sass Publishing Alliances

Southern Sass Publishing Alliances

Writing Classes and Lessons Learned (Blog Post)
I am in the middle of teaching a six week writing class in fiction and nonfiction. The participants range in experience from newbies to published authors. There are six of them…and me. I am learning so much!
Seriously, I learn so much from the people I teach. For one thing--and this is soooo important—with each new class I teach, I am reminded of how vital it is to be enthusiastic about our writing.
Other lessons over the last few weeks include:
*How empowering it is to claim to the world, or at least to our friends, that we are, indeed, writers!
*How rewarding it is to look at solid examples of each technique or method presented. (I have discovered so many new books I need to read based on the examples my students provide for each concept.)
*How differently we can each see the same visual.
*How differently we can each respond to the same stimulus or prompt.
There are so many more take-aways from the classes, but I think two of the most valuable are:
*There are many ways to tell the same story
*Each story is important.
Happy writing (and reading) !

10/01/2018

Writing Classes and Lessons Learned (Blog Post)
I am in the middle of teaching a six week writing class in fiction and nonfiction. The participants range in experience from newbies to published authors. There are six of them…and me. I am learning so much!
Seriously, I learn so much from the people I teach. For one thing--and this is soooo important—with each new class I teach, I am reminded of how vital it is to be enthusiastic about our writing.
Other lessons over the last few weeks include:
*How empowering it is to claim to the world, or at least to our friends, that we are, indeed, writers!
*How rewarding it is to look at solid examples of each technique or method presented. (I have discovered so many new books I need to read based on the examples my students provide for each concept.)
*How differently we can each see the same visual.
*How differently we can each respond to the same stimulus or prompt.
There are so many more take-aways from the classes, but I think two of the most valuable are:
*There are many ways to tell the same story
*Each story is important.
Happy writing (and reading) !

09/19/2018

Book signing : Brenda Remmes will autograph her latest book Mama Sadie at the Elephant Ear on Thursday from 3:00 - 5:30 . Come join the fun!

08/14/2018

Critique Groups

Critique Groups

My critique group meets next Monday, and I’ve just completed my responses to the work submitted for comments. We allow a week for reading up to sixteen pages submitted from each of us and then...

08/14/2018

It's What I Do: I Read, and I Know Things

It's What I Do: I Read, and I Know Things

Librocubicultarist: One who reads in bed.

08/06/2018

The Empathic Universe

Welcome new beginnings and embrace the the moment!

~THE EMPATHIC UNIVERSE~

07/09/2018

Book Signing: Local Author's Fair at Richland County Library downtown on Wednesday 9:30-1:00. come by to see me!

07/07/2018

On Pat Conroy's My Reading Life
7/6/2018 0 Comments

I have just completed a studied reading of Pat Conroy’s book My Reading Life, and I find myself in need of friends to talk with about it. I am not yet sure of all I want to say about the book, but for now, I need to express this:
I very much loved Conroy’s earlier work: The Water is Wide, The Prince of Tides. I found myself less infatuated with those books that followed, and part of that reaction, I think, was that after meeting him personally/professionally a few times, I was not comfortable around the man. I found him a bit too much (in terms of his public persona)
But after reading this book, I find there was much more to the man than I found evident on the surface. We do often miss the undercurrents and the deeper intentions and motivations of a person because we are blinded and put-off immediately by what is on the surface. (I have trusted first impressions my whole life, and while mostly those have proven accurate, I do recognize and admit that we sometimes need to take a second look.) I only wish I had in this case. I am now certain Conroy and I could have spent hours long into the days and nights discussing mutually shared opinions and insights about books and writing. We might could have been grand friends. And that is my loss.
But, lesson noted and learned.
So, here’s some of what I found on the pages of My Reading Life:
* a beauty and passion in his language when discussing books and the people who helped bring him to books and writing,
* an overwhelming desire to learn--no, to gobble-up--all the good books of the world and to be like those writers. (No matter that I disagree with some of his favorite writers and books, I share this same passion).
* I found him to be self-honest in a way that surprised me—aware of his public impressions on people. He recognized and admitted his faults as a human being, as well as his particular writing short-comings. (And shouldn’t we all be so aware?)
* I found him completely in love with and devoted to those people who had mentored and helped him along the way and of the same opinion as I about the dangerous elitism some writers develop, their selfishness, their desire to compete, rather than support, to shut out, put down, or reject those that come after them.
I was aware that Conroy had helped many other writers along the way get their starts. And I always felt good about that aspect of him, but to hear him validate my own observations of how rare that is was of particular comfort to me. I do not imagine this elitism, nor create it in my mind. It is real. It does exist. Sadly.
*There is a certain under-tone to this book of Conroy’s that left me feeling a bit sad, yet comforted--sort of like the gloaming part of the day (my favorite time), when we know the day is ending lacking all we hoped to accomplish, yet still, there is the satisfaction of knowing that it was filled with what we could manage, and we are at peace with that and with the coming of the night, there is the promise of another day. I detected in this book, what I believe is, a complete but accepted regret in the man that he could not read all the wonderful literature in our world…there was simply no way…and that made him sad, yet he was so in love with what he had read, and that comforted him. He collected books the way I do…saving them, perhaps on the verge of hoarding them for fear that one day there might not be any to read. Books were his friends, his companions, his comfort, his joy, his security in a world where he often felt so alone. I sensed that most likely this was one of his greatest regrets on leaving this world: that he would not and could not read them all.
I love that about him.

So for now, I just need to say that I have found delight and comfort in this book. And I truly am grateful for having discovered the man beneath the public persona. I am sad I didn’t know the man beyond those few brief first impressions, sorry that I did not try to peer through that outer armor, and I am determined to go back and read or reread with a clearer eye and more open heart what I once rejected of his later writings.
I’m certain I will be typing up pages of quotes from this book and will probably share those with some of you at some point or write about them in an essay or something. It’s what I do with what I read. It’s what I do when I am so moved, so touched.

​ And finally, to Pat Conroy: I hope you’ve found a never-ending library in heaven.