Talya Tate Boerner's Blog, page 59

beach time

It’s been too longsince I’vewalked in sand, but I did just that on Monday. And Tuesday. I’m in Floridafor three book events (!), and my primary goal (other than the book events) is to accomplish some writing. So far I’ve done a decent job of it. I wrote lots of words for several hours while tropical storm Colin moved over. But thenthe rain stopped and the air felt fresh and clean and the clouds parted and, well, I headedto the beach.

Turns out, Laguna Beach is a hop, skip, and a jumpfrom my...

Scenes from a Book Club

Y’all—oneof the most fun things about being an author isbeing invited to attend abook club when your ownbook is beingdiscussed! I’ve already participated in three book clubs in Texas (one via Skype), and I just attended my first one in Fayetteville last Thursday night.

Through the years, I’ve been part of various book clubs. Each has involved great food, lively conversation, adult beverages, and (sometimes) a book discussion. Not necessarily in that order.

Thursday night’s book club had all t...

WWII Letters of Reverend L. T. Lawrence

Osceola Courthouse lawn. Seeing soldiers off to war.

Reverend L. T. Lawrence served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Osceola during WWII. The Mississippi County Historical & Genealogical Society recently devoted an entire Delta Review publication to Reverend Lawrence. Lib Shippen, Treasurer of the historical society, spent hours and hours of her time on this project. It’s special and perfect for Memorial Day. I think you’ll agree.

As local boyswent off to war, Reverend Lawrence b...

Baylor Football. From where I sit.

As a Baylor alumna and a collegefootball fan, I feel the need to speak out on the Baylor news clogging my Twitter feed. As usual, these are my opinions based on what I’ve read, what I feel, what I believe. Observations from where I sit. And I sit 427 miles away from the beautiful old dorm I lived in, and 33fast-as-lightning years away from the day I received my Bachelor of Arts degree.

I hate what has happened for many, many reasons. Reasons I can’t quite get my head around yet.

Baylor is min...

Turnrows: Farm is the New Hip

Do you know about Turnrows? Turnrows is a hipboutique in Jonesboro, Arkansas that you need to visit if you like farming and the Delta and southern casual clothing and accessories. And eating… Yes, farm is the new hip. And guess what? Even if you don’t live in Northeast Arkansas, you can still visit because there’san online store. Bringing the farm to everyone… (This post is sponsored by Turnrows. Opinions are my own.)

I visited the storewith my friend Becky the last time I was in Jonesboro.W...

Drained of words but ’bout to get my shine on…

In the here and now I feel tired and drained of words because I’m a homebody who hasn’t been home much lately. Home is my recharge place. I need home the same way Icravequiet. And there’s no place I’d rather be right now than where I am at this moment—sitting on my back porch listening to the birdswith nothing much to do for the next few days.I’m not complaining, just explaining why I haven’t blogged lately.

It takes words to blog.

And time.

Balancing all the things can be tricky.

Why is that...

Life is a Highway

It’s true. Life is a highway, and a portion of mine has been spent on Interstate35 from Dallas to Austin. Dallas holds the most memories, some so fresh I can rememberparticular smells or what I thought at the time. Some memories hit me unexpectedly, carrying me back twenty years or more.

Waco is midway between Dallas and Austin.We speed past the exit but I marvel at the obvious changes since I was a young college student. The interstate is lined with restaurants, Baylor’s impressive new stad...

Eureka Springs to Dallas.

Eureka Springs to Dallas may sound like a railroad line, but it’s the most recent route on my book signing adventure. Yesterday, I drove it without benefit of a dining car.Just a quick post to let you know I’m alive and well and waking up in North Texas this morning. I had a blast on Sunday at Books in Bloom in Eureka Springs. Iwas a speaker at the event, which was a fun thing for me. A few folks even told me,“I only came to hear what you have to say.”

Gulp.
Really?
Yikes.

It all worked out...

Finding your Why: a little graduation advice…

When my son graduated from the University of Arkansas last May, the commencement address was given by Donnie Smith, CEO of Tyson Foods. His inspirational, “go get ’em” messagechallenged the graduates to do great things and change the world. He quoted Mark Twain. The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

Heck, quote Mark Twain to me and I’ll be inspired all day long.

Finding your why. Those three little words are weighty.

For many years, I...

my most excellent CHICKEN SALAD recipe

This is my favorite chicken saladrecipe and the perfect way to useleftover chicken. Simple to make and super flavorful—what more do you need for an easysouthern dish?

An old-fashioned recipe withupdated taste.

One reason the flavor is so great is the chicken itself is delicious. Grilled chicken adds asmoky flavor to your dish. Whatever seasonings were used during the grilling process become part of this recipe. Even a quick rotisserie chicken from the deli will add lots of flavor to your chi...