The
Goodweather
Report
XXIII ~May 2009
I was hopi I was hoping to have something to tell you all about Miss Birdie's book but I don't. I've done the rewrite as suggested by Herself, my long-suffering editor, and sent it off to New York. But, as yet, no word.
The change getting rid of a subplot and a supporting character who was stealing some of Miss Birdie's thunder wasn't too painful. I was fond of that character which is, no doubt, why she was trying to elbow Miss B. aside but I eliminated all traces of Myrna Lou and I feel that Birdie's story is much stronger now. (Myrna Lou's particulars are safe in a file labeled for a possible future book.)
So here I am in a writerly Limbo not wanting to dive into the next book when any moment may bring a communication telling me I'm not yet done with this one. Fortunately, there's a house in need of Spring cleaning and a garden in need of weeding and hoeing and more planting to keep me from fretting.
And books to read . . . I've been having a little orgy of reading! I've even watched a tiny bit of TV (The Daily Show and The Colbert Report) and the occasional episode on DVD of Prime Suspect.
But I'm ready to get on with it to finish up Birdie's book and move on to the next Elizabeth. There's a nagging question yet to be resolved that puzzling midnight message on the answering machine . . .
QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS FROM YOU ALL
( or you uns,' as Miss Birdie would say)
Elaine in (not so sunny) Hawaii says: I was horrified when I read your April Fool's spoof! My actual thought was, "NO,NO,NO,NO!" I had forgotten that today is the first of April! Good one.Nothing new here: still raining. We had sun yesterday till about 130p, then the rain started again. Last week, we went to Kona
to escape the rain and see sunshine. Alas, the vog was thick enough to hide the sun: at least, there was no rain. I have an inkling what SAD (SADD?) must be like.
Re books: try THE WOOD BEYOND by Reginald Hill. This mystery is twofold: a present murder with roots in WWI. Involves a place
I'd never heard of but which remains fresh in the British mind . . .
Actually, you all had a number of reactions to my April foolery, from my agent's succinct Smart ass,' to MIZ VICKI, AS THEY SAY IN THESE HILLS....YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHEEYAT!! from She Who Shall Be Unnamed. And more than one of you believed it was true. Evidently Hollywood really does do things as weird as to cast Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock as Elizabeth and Phillip. Who knew?
Sadie S. recommends: a book I just finished called Loving Frank by Nancy Horan about the lives of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick and an affair that caused much stir in the early 1900's. I found it to be excellent writing.
Liz tells me: My friends just returned from France and I now have a copy of
your book in French! They ordered it online (French version of Amazon)
but later when they went to the grocery store - there it was!
RECENT READS AND RE-READS
Books I've enjoyed during the past month
The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory
With Child by Laurie R. King
Night Work by Laurie R. King
What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George
Careless in Red by Elizabeth George
Notes from No Man's Land by Eula Biss
Death's Jest Book by Reginald Hill
Murder in the Bastille by Cara Black
Mourn Not Your Dead by Deborah Crombie
In a Dark House by Deborah Crombie
Assassination Vacation (audio) by Sarah Vowel
The Silver Chair and The Last Battle (audio) by C.S. Lewis
Pride and Prejudice (audio) by Jane Austen
Vicki's Schedule
2009
Friday and Saturday, May 8-9 -- Blue Ridge Book and Author Showcase. Blue Ridge Community College, Hendersonville, NC.
I'm really excited about this. Sharyn McCrumb, Kay Byer, Sheila Kay Adams, and Joan Medlicott all of whom have befriended me and helped me on my journey will be presenting, as well as many other noted writers including Robert Morgan.
I'll l be speaking at 10 AM on Saturday the 9 th and will have a table in the exhibit area where I'll be available throughout the day.
There will be an all-day program of presentations on a variety of topics of interest to any book lover. Free and open to the public, the event is being held in the magnificent new Technical Education and Development Center on the college campus, an ideal venue for this type of gathering. Best-selling author and native son of Hendersonville , Robert Morgan, is honorary chairman. Sharyn McCrumb, award-winning novelist and popular featured speaker, is the keynote speaker.
Complete details of the program schedule, lunch arrangements, directions to the site, etc., can be found at www.blueridgebookfest.org .
Wednesday, June 10 Presentation at Henderson County Public Library, Hendersonville, NC (check schedule on my blog for more information)
Saturday, August 1, Haywood Book Mania, Waynesville, NC More info to come
Saturday, August 22, Episcopal Women's Luncheon, Waynesville, NC.
Friday and Saturday, September 11-12 - CAROLINA MOUNTAINS LITERARY FESTIVAL, Burnsville, NC. Info here .
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