Atlanta Noir Book Party TONIGHT

So Newy is blowing down the comments concerning the next reading.

For some odd reason, I didn't even think to put it up here. I guess because I put it on Facebook...

Atlanta Noir Book Party
Charis Books in Little Five Points.
7:30 pm
Speakers: Jennifer Harlow, Alesia Parker, Gillian Royes and Sheri Joseph


Here's  the link: 

Atlanta Noir Book Party, Charis Books

And here's a bootleg pic of the flyer....

Can you read 0.002 sized font? I can't. If you can, then you are Superman or Wonder Woman. LOL

So I suggest you click that link.

If you're coming, see you there. Don't come late or you will not get in. There is a $5 suggested donation. Hmm... if you ain't got it, holler at me there and I got you.

Hope to see you there! The next one is at the Decatur Book Festival. I will post info about that soon!!
 

A Special Gift (The Glass from the House)

My sister Kentucky attended my reading last Thursday and she brought me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers.

How lovely are those?

Needless to say, flowers don't do well at my house. Sista Callie Jo  and Mitch see flowers and plants and think...

"Yeah. Unh-hunh. Just wait 'til Oldgirl set those down. We are going set it off up in the mutha! It's going DOWN!"

Look... Callie and Mitch like chewing on my plastic plants, so something real drives them crazy.

As can be seen by the work they did on the greenery of the lovely bouquet.

Look at that... They'd been gnawing on the pretty fern leaves.

HUMPH.

So I brought the flowers to work in a glass from the house.

People called me out on "the glass from the house". Especially my workplace mother. She was NOT impressed.

"Lee, that's a glass from the house."

I looked down at the object in my hand. "No it's not!"

"Yes it is!" she hollered.

"Well, it will have to do. It's all I got!"

Workplace Mom did NOT want to hear it. She marched straight into her office and grabbed a fancy heavy glass vase, while her secretary hacked away at the tough flower stems with a pair of scissors. ("The stems must be cut diagonally before placing in water, LadyLee").

Hence, the special gift was made even more special. 

"And when the flowers die, keep the vase,"  Workplace Mom said.

I like her. She's a cool chick. And she keeps me straight.

And she won't let me walk around with my special flowers in a glass from the house.

I am so thankful for those flowers. Every time I see them, I'm reminded of my special night.

I wish they could live forever. 

Sweepstakes Time... Atlanta Noir giveaway

So...

I am giving away a couple of copies of Atlanta Noir.

Autographed by yours truly!!

All you have to do is comment on a post from this week or last week. So comment on any post since August 1. I think we will run this contest until AUGUST 15th.

So many people already have a book, so I will sweeten the pot with a $25 Visa gift card.

That is Visa... that means you can get gas, groceries, makeup and underwears from the Wal-marts... whatever from whoever takes Visa!

How cool is that?

I haven't given away anything in awhile. Most blogging has moved to "micro-blogging", i.e., Twitter and Facebook, so there are not many people reading. Although giveaways do bring the lurkers out of hiding. LOL

I lurk on those sites, and I rarely say anything. I prefer to write long long thoughts and stories. And my blog keeps that fresh for me! Yep!

But comment to win.  One comment per post, please. And who knows, you can leave just one comment overall and be a winner! That will make you lucky!!

So rest assured as always, I have someone pull my winners and certify them.

So comment to win!

*back to our regularly scheduled programming*

Things Left on My Desk

People always leave interesting things on my desk...

This offering has been the most fascinating as of late.

A plastic bag of potatoes.

*lee looks left*

*lee looks right*

Then I remember...

The Cowgirl Cre had extra, and she hooked me up.


Good looking out, Oldgirl!!

Oh What a Night

All I can say is...

Oh What a Night.

Four simple words. But they are full of glee and joy. They leave me breathless.

Oh what a night!

This was the first time that I can remember not being nervous when giving a talk in front of  a bunch of people. And it was a packed house, standing room only.

I have always done great with the scientific talks. But I have never given a reading before.

But it went well. We signed a load of books beforehand. And they sold out. How cool is that?

And I don't even know what to say about the GREAT Tayari Jones.

How awesome is she? She is awesome to the nth degree. She never ceases to amaze me.

And I don't say that because she gave a great reading. She always does that.

But I say that because she beckoned me over to her parents house in SWATS on Sunday and we practiced for a couple of hours. She taught me in that time how to properly read a piece of fiction. And how it is much different from reading something technical, much of which I've been always accustomed to. I will never forget her taking time to help me get my diction and pitch just right. Her Mom and Dad even took time to listen to me read, and they gave me great pointers. I incorporated ALL of that advice, and I did a pretty good job.

I can look over the past decade of our acquaintance, and she is one of those people over that period of time that's made a lasting and positive impact on my life and well being. I can't say that about many people. And I can only hope that someday, someone in the world  will be able to say the same about me that I say about her. 

I am simply shocked at doing something new and so different at this time in my life.

I will never forget it.

Oh what a night.

I have 2 more readings this month.

But I know they will never be good as the first time. :)