" Author Extravaganza "

Last night I attended the 6th Annual " Author Extravaganza " at my local Indie, Main Street Books! What a great line up of Mississippi Authors. Among them was my dear friend Anne B. Magee whose book " Historic Photos of Mississippi " has been nominated in non-fiction category for best book by The Mississippi Institute of Art''s and Letters! Good Luck Annie !






































My thrill of the night...........meeting and talking with Neil White! Neil is the author of the the Incredible memoir " In The Sanctuary of Outcasts"! One of the most amazing books I've ever read! If you haven't heard of this book, go to Amazon and read the reviews!

Another thrill was meeting author Howard Bahr who writes fact based fiction novels set in the Civil War era such as "The Black Flower" and " The Year of Jubilo" ...........

It was poring down rain but the turnout was great..........
Oh! Did you know John Grisham's brother Mark is an author also! He was there but I didn't get a picture. :(

The owner Diane is ringing up those book sales.................

See that line at the cash register? Notice the woman in blue with dark hair? More on her later.

Book lovers everywhere...........

The woman in blue is Artist Donna Talbot Woods who painted the original painting of this print.

This is WINDSOR before it burned. Some of you may remember that Hubby and I saw a full bodied apparition of a Union Soldier at Windsor Ruins a couple of years ago which I did a post on called Did You See That? I saw this print at Main Street Books when I went to the Rick Bragg luncheon. I took this picture. I told Hubby I was REAL tempted to buy it. Well, last week he did!

As a Christmas present for me!! He gave it to me early so I could take it to the framer. There are 2,000 prints of this and will be no more. Mine is number 551. The original is privately owned by the man who commissioned it as an engagement gift for his now wife 15 years ago.

Tomorrow, December 9th, The Writers Porch blog celebrates its ONE YEAR BLOG ANNIVERSARY !!!!!!!!!! I will celebrate with an interview of Jessica James, author of the AWESOME book " SHADES of GRAY ! I will be giving away a copy of this wonderful book!

So get your name in the pot!!

SEE YOU TOMORROW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 -F Night

This was my view this morning from the porch as I "slept in " till 7 ! I needed that little extra!




Yesterday morning I got up at my usual 5 A.M and this was my daylight greeting! Foggy!








I love the foggy misty mornings, they remind me of the Smoky Mountains!

Very mystical................

I was excited all day about my friends coming for dinner.............Disappointed that three were unable to come for very good reasons . Carolyn, Diane and Jerry, you were missed and you missed out on a wonderful night! :( Hubby is getting his cooker ready..........

Frying up them Bream ( Blue Gill to some) You cannot order Bream off a menu in any state, so Bream are a treat!

Dang! Those fish smell good!!

Ruth and Greg brought me this fabulous Birthday Cake! Too pretty to cut! Everyone loved the food and I was told that I make the best Potato Salad they've ever tasted! :)

I made this Yummy Frozen Chocolate Pie with Rum in it and a Pecan Crust!

They are all yakking while I make coffee to go with desert...............It was a 4- F night! Friends, Fellowship, Fried Fish and Fun!! We talked about their books, Anne had a book signing at Books A million in Meridian yesterday and sold 50 books! Funny thing is, they were already sold out before she got there and had to send someone to the store here(90 miles) to get the 50 she sold! we told Ghost Stories and related tales about our travels! GREAT conversation!

The Three Musketeers.........We laughed for hours! Ruth White, B'Day Girl, Anne McKee ! See my Rose? Anne and Doyle brought me that! :)

Anne's husband Doyle takes my picture, I take his, and Greg, Ruth's husband, looks at the ones he just snapped...........
Hubby is laughing at all the flashes going off!
We all had a wonderful time and next time they are going to spend the night so we can play cards till the wee hours! This was me and Hubby after everyone left! Happy and contented but two tired A**es!

I now have a dozen eggs from Miss Trixie GoLay! Question is, will she take the Sabbath off again today? I'll keep you posted! Have a great Sunday everyone! I plan on a little R&R today, Reading and Recouping!

Mississippi Book Launch 2009

I know you won't believe what I'm about to say is the truth but I am really a very reclusive person! I don't get out much, as I like staying at home. The only thing that gets me out of the house is books! This week I attended not one but two author book launches. Actually one,
Anne McKee's was launched in her hometown of Meridian two weeks ago and I'd made plans to go, but BROKE two toes a couple of days before and couldn't make it, so I wasn't about to miss this one. Main Street Books in Hattiesburg is my independent book store owned and operated by Diane and Jerry Shephard. Thank you guys for your hard work!

On Tuesday, my friend Carolyn Haines launched her 9th book in her Mississippi Delta Mystery series titled,

" GREEDY BONES " .

Set in the fictional Delta town of Zinnia, Mississippi, the series known as the Bones series, is a lighthearted and delightful cozy paranormal mystery excursion with one Sarah Booth Delaney.

Sarah is both a PI and a talented actress whose sidekick is a delightful and humorous antebellum ghost named Jitty.

Carolyn is a wonderful author and these books are really fun reads! Carolyn is also the author of several great literary works, Penumbra, Touched and Fever Moon are my favorites. If you feel you deserve a treat, treat yourself to the " Bones" series by Carolyn Haines.

Friends celebrate the Written Word !

This is Carolyn with Diane, owner of Main Street Books. Smile girls, your on Carol's camera!

Have you ever seen two prettier smiles?

Carolyn is a animal rescue advocate and here she tells of her latest canine addition.

"Lord help me, I've adopted another dog" she says.

Reading from Greedy Bones

Talking to one of her many fans about the book

If you don't think we still believe in Southern Belles in Mississippi....Meet JoAnn waiting in line to get her book signed.

JoAnn getting that left handed "john henry" of Carolyn's

Smile JoAnn and show me that book!

On Thursday, it was Anne McKee signing her book,

" Historic Photos of Mississippi ".

This is a beautiful coffee table book depicting our state.

Anne is a top notch ambassador for Mississippi and this book is a work of dedication and love!

The Civil War pictures are incredible! Seeing these photos really brings Mississippi History front and center for me. No one from Mississippi should be without this book!!!

Anne McKee is also a wonderful storyteller and she also does a fantastic reenactment of Eudora Welty reading " Why I Live At The PO". She is also a playwright including a great play based on the life of Mississippi native Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.

Here she reads from her new book about her love for Mississippi.

Sign those books Annie B.......

At her launch in Meridian, she sold out of all the books her publisher had sent, sent Hubby home for 15 more and sold them! Congratulations Annie on a wonderful book!