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The Funniest Thing I’ve Ever Heard…
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Mon, February 22, 2010
The other night, we were all getting into the car. Coming back after dinner. Evidently, dinner had…affected the kids. The boys were kidding around, racing to the car, first one in, claiming the backseat, etc.. John T. (10) elbowed his way in front of Rives (7). John T. climbed in and made Rives climb over him. When Rives did climb in, John T. then tickled him or poked him in the ribs or something. Rives brushed his hand aside, waved his finger like a windshield wiper in front of his face and said, “Don’t mess with me or I’ll gas you so bad your grandchildren will stink.”
So help me, this really happened…
Posted in Book Clubs on Mon, February 22, 2010
The other night I was the guest speaker to a group of men at the University Club here in Jax. A rather historic group. They call themselves the P.O.E.T.S. They’ve been meeting for more than forty years. Fathers have passed it down to sons, and now grandsons. They asked me to be their guest. Prior to the dinner, my dad and I were milling around, meeting some of the regulars. One man, a tall, handsome guy in his sixties, wings on his lapel, introduced himself and we struck up a conversation. Turns out he’s a retired Admiral. Flew everything, including F-18’s. As luck would have it, he did not know my name or that I was the guest. Didn’t know me from Adam. The conversation turned to books, his Kindle and a story he’d recently downloaded. What people are reading is a constant curiosity to me. I said, “Tell me about the story.”
One of My Favorite Things…
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Thu, February 18, 2010
With all due respect to the large chains—for whom I am grateful --there’s just something really cool about an independent bookstore. Like the people that own them, each has a personality. And nobody, and I mean nobody, handsells like an Indy. Last week, I spoke at one of Georgia’s finest. The Book Shelf in Thomasville, Georgia. Check here for pics and a story, and maybe even a tease.
Random Rules For Writers
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Tue, December 15, 2009
I’ve been asked to speak at a few schools lately. The topic has centered on writing and my process. With that in mind, I’ve written my “Random Rules for Writers.” You may or may not find them helpful but I’ll post them here for you to look at. Comments welcome.
“The Mountain Between Us”
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Wed, December 09, 2009
A link to my next book. Due out June 1st, 2010. ;-)
Highland’s, North Carolina This Weekend
Posted in Events on Wed, August 05, 2009
Aug. 8th, 3-5 pm. I’ll be signing, talking, and shaking hands at Cyrano’s. One of my all-time favorite bookstores. If you’re in the neighborhood, come see us. Main Street. Can’t miss it.
Talk with Me on Barnes and Noble’s On-Line Bookclub
Posted in Book Clubs on Tue, August 04, 2009
My publisher has teamed up with Barnes and Noble to feature “Where the River Ends” in their general fiction discussion for the month of August. If books are your thing, and you’d like to ’join the discussion‘ I’ll be dropping in every day or so to try and answer questions or add my two cents. I’m not quite sure how it all works, but I imagine we can figure it out.
My First 14’er
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Fri, July 24, 2009
Mountains have always had an allure with me. “It’s there. Let’s go climb it.”
Christy and I were in Colorado with the boys this summer and I got to climb Mt. Princeton. My first 14’er. Meaning, it’s peak sits above 14,000’. A great moment. Also, pics from my time on the ropes course. Another good moment.
The Truth About My Next Book
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Tue, July 21, 2009
Here’s the deal…last year, “Where the River Ends” released sometime in June. Maybe July. Can’t remember. It’s all a blur. Its second week, River hit the NYT bestseller list. It landed at #35, stayed there a week, and then some other unkind book knocked it off, but I’m not bitter about it. A few more counseling sessions and I should be okay.
My publisher then sent me on tour—for which I’m thankful. A great tour. Something like 20-30 cities, maybe more, as far north as Boston, west as Texas, south as Orlando and east as Italy. Christy and I returned from Florence towards the end of October.
During all of this, I was trying to finish a manuscript. Not ideal conditions but neither was the gulag when Solzhenitsyn was writing. I have no room to complain. I submitted that manuscript the week following Thanksgiving. Two weeks later, my agent, Chris, called…
My Facebook Page
Posted in The Kitchen Sink on Wed, June 24, 2009
Christy told me I needed to do this. Currently, I have zero friends. Sort of makes me wonder.