>A Good Blog is Hard to Find

>Sorry for the six-day absence. I was out of town four days and in “recovery mode” since I got home! Today I’m a guest blogger over at A Good Blog is Hard to Find, where I’ve been invited to be a regular blogger, so watch for my posts there every few weeks!

To read today’s post,”Raise Your Hand if You Suck at Math,” click here. It’s about the “10th Anniversary Girlfriend Weekend Author Extravaganza Beauty and the Book” in Jefferson, Texas. I drove down with Nashville author and radio show host, River Jordan, last Thursday, and it was an amazing experience.

Kathy Louise Patrick, who organizes the event each year, is not only a published author, but also owns the nation’s only combination beauty parlor and book store, Beauty and the Book.

In addition to a very impressive lineup of speakers and panelists, including Pat Conroy, Elizabeth Berg, Ron Hall and Jamie Ford, the weekend featured musical entertainment, skits, awards, and two theme parties.

Friday night was the “Happy 50th Birthday, Barbie,” party. I went as Mod Barbie. Here I am with Jenny Gardiner, author of Sleeping With Ward Cleaver, who went as June Cleaver Barbie.

Saturday night we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz, with the theme, “Over the Rainbow.” I went as Elphaba, the Green Witch from the musical, “Wicked.” Here I am, “making up” with Glinda, Elphaba’s arch enemy in the play. Glinda in real life is inspirational romance novelist Deeanne Gist. I think our roles are fitting. (My shirt says, “The Flying Monkeys Scarred Me For Life.”)

The highlight of the weekend for me was meeting my favorite author, Pat Conroy, who served tables at dinner Thursday night, stood in line to buy other authors’ signed books, and mingled with all the book club readers all weekend. His keynote talk at the luncheon on Saturday was terrific, not that I expected less. Pat was also there to support his daughter, Melissa Conroy, who was signing her first children’s book, Poppy’s Pants. Melissa will be at Davis Kidd in Memphis on January 28 from 6-7 p.m. reading and signing Poppy’s Pants. Bring your kids!

Another special treat for me was meeting Elizabeth Berg and hearing her speak. Not only do I love all her novels, but her book on writing,Escaping Into the Open: The Art of Writing True, has been invaluable to me. I quote from Berg’s book on my home page, “In Love With Writing.”

So please drop on over at A Good Blog Is Hard to Find, and leave a comment! I’ll be back here in a few days.