A Thank You and an Invitation
I am proud of my most recent novel, Keeping to Himself. And I was pleasantly surprised when the prestigious PenCraft Book Awards Program awarded Keeping to Himself First Prize for literary excellence in the "Southern Fiction" category. (I love the irony of an Iowa guy winning this prize for Southern Fiction)
I am grateful for the support from so many of you, some even buying multiple copies to take to libraries and/or encourage libraries to order it. Further, many of you were kind enough to go on Amazon and write reviews of the novel, which is important for its promotion. So, if you wrote a review, many thanks. Now, if you do not yet have a copy of Keeping to Himself, or you do have a copy but have not written a review, I would appreciate it if you would kindly review the book. Reviews make a big difference and just a sentence or two will suffice.
Finally, we continue to make appearances at various writer/reader gatherings in the area. A big one will be a Father-Daughter presentation at M. Judson Booksellers in downtown Greenville on March 15th from 5:30 - 7 PM. It will be great to present with Rowe, my best-seller poet daughter next to me, the novelist. The M. Judson Booksellers venue is beautiful, from the imposing front steps to the bright and comfortable insides. If you're anywhere near downtown Greenville on the Ides of March, please come. (They also have a coffee shop.)You will be welcome and entertained. And there will be signed books to buy!
Thankful Thursday (and all the days)
A favor...
Encouragement is... encouraging
I have published books before. There was Son-Up, Son-Down, a fictional depiction of a residential treatment program for adolescents, publish by the National Institute of Mental Health. The Thomas O'Shea trilogy came along a few years later. And I am proud of them all.
But my most recent novel, or novella, is different. I took artistic risks with the book, and I believe I pulled it off. The cover is beautiful and I believe the content is, as well. When I reviewed the acknowledgements for Keeping to Himself, I notice that the word "encouraged" shows up frequently. Lots of people encouraged me along the way as a writer in general, and Keeping to Himself specifically. Humbling when I step back and take a look.
I hope it does well, but that is out of my hands. Getting it out there was the point, and we did it!
Self-Promotion Plug
I’d like to share the kind article that Evan Peter Smith of the Greenville Journal wrote on me and Keeping to Himself. The new book will be out June 22, available wherever books are sold. We’re doing a virtual launch with Fiction Addiction the evening before at 7. Sure hope some of y’all can join us.
Me and Emily
Good News
In a year of problems, I am pleased to provide a bit of good news. I have a signed contract with Koehler Books, a prize-winning small publisher that will publish my short novel, Keeping to Himself. I am delighted and proud, and will provide more news as we move ahead.
