Laura McNeill's Blog, page 24
September 26, 2012
A New Book, Bad Hair Days, & Blessings
Hello, hello Lauren Clark Land! I feel like a lucky duck that you let me stop by this summer, and you actually gave me the keys to the kingdom one more time while on tour for my new memoir, The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt. Lauren, my heart overflows with your friendship, love, and support. Thank you for allowing me the floor today.
Mom, You’re Having a Bad Hair Day
Now that I have reached my forties, I seem to be having a mad, passionate affair with my natural curls. What began as my laziness to wash it, gel it, and let it air dry, has become my new normal. I have no desire on most mornings to spend time in front of the mirror like I did in my youth. Mike is a huge fan of my curls; my teenaged sons like them as well and bounce them when they stroll by me. My daughter, Gracie, not so much…
I was getting ready to volunteer at her school one morning, gelling and scrunching the snot out of my blonde strands, when she walked into the bathroom. She gasped. “Mommy, please do not make your hair curly today! Please!” Her six-year-old hands were animated.
“Gracie, I’ve already put the stuff in my hair that makes it curly. Plus, Mommy has a million things to do this morning to get us both out the door,” I replied while putting on lip gloss, and closing a lower cabinet with my foot. I’m a multitasker! “I don’t really have time to dry it straight, then flatiron it today, honey.”
My daughter came closer, then stood at my side. She looked up at me, and speaking softly said, “But Mommy, if you do not have your straight hair at school, then how will I know you in the hallway? I want to know it’s you if I see someone like you.” A-ha! We have hit the root of the problem.
Gracie does not do well if I am in her school building during the day. She becomes agitated, and worries about where I am constantly. Poor thing. When I join her during lunchtime visits (which are not often due to her tears when I make my exit), her BFF’s surround when I leave and comfort her, saying adorable things such as, “Don’t worry, Gracie. When you cry in high school because your mom leaves at lunch time, we’ll still take really good care of you.” Isn’t that sweet? Horrifying if true, but the sentiment is lovely.
Still keeping my teacher’s bag of tricks handy for times like this, I said, “Gracie, it’s a scientific fact that a baby knows their mommy no matter what her hair looks like. Ask your teacher today during your science lesson.” Ta-dah! That should fix it, don’t you think?
I breezed by her and went to grab my jewelry off my dresser. She followed me. She looked serious. “Mommy, I didn’t want it to come to this. I think you should sit down. I have something to tell you.”
Quickly, I sat on the bed, staring at my youngest child. She intently took my hands into hers, paused, and then said, “I have to tell you something, Mommy. I think it is very important that you know this. Your hair…it’s just not a good look for you. I thought you should know the curls just aren’t that great.”
All of the years that I said to my father, “You’re wearing that!” as he walked into the kitchen on early mornings flooded my mind. The moments I chastised my mom for her jeans and t-shirt style, when she could jazz her closet up a bit haunted me. It was my turn to be persecuted by the offspring fashion police. Yet, the funny thing was that although my parents would quickly adjust their wardrobe, or ask me to accompany them on a shopping spree, I honestly did not feel the need to change my look one bit.
“Gracie, God gave me curls. End of discussion.”
Jen & Gracie
My daughter looked into my eyes, then quickly shifted her gaze to her feet and burst into tears. Holy smokes! What had I done?
I picked her up and placed her upon my lap, “Gracie! What is wrong, sweetheart? Why are you crying?”
Gracie sniffled and wiped her tears. “I’m crying because when you have curly hair, then we do not look the same. When you have straight hair, then we have the same hair and I don’t want to look different from you, Mommy! I love it when we look alike.”
I felt like a heel.
It was too late for me to make the change in hairstyle, and honestly I wouldn’t have done so anyway. This was a teachable moment. Instead, I told her that no matter what we look like on the inside, we are family. No matter what we wear, or where we are when we are apart, we are still family. There was no Aussie Sprunch spray, or hair straightener that could change that. Gracie seemed to accept what I had to say, gave me a hug and went on her way to find her pink Mary Jane’s. I adore her words and her honesty.
You’ll be happy to know Gracie did see me during the day at school, and she didn’t cry one bit. She was so proud of herself. That’s because she came up with a foolproof plan for how our day should go. As soon as I was finished volunteering, I was to go park my van in the carpool line, for three hours, and read my Kindle while I waited for the last bell to ring. She made sure I understood the interworkings of her idea backwards and forwards. That put her mind at ease, and we had a tear-free day. Now, understand that I did not sit in the carpool line for three hours and read, although that sounds like bliss, doesn’t it? I also never promised that I would do it, so there was no lying involved. I simply stated every time she asked, that I understood what she was saying. You’ll let this be our little secret and not tattle on me, right?
Bless and be blessed,
XOXO
Jen
Jen Tucker has never met a gluten free cupcake that she didn’t like. A former teacher and educator, she has worked with children in school, hospital, and enrichment settings. In her years at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, it was Jen’s job to bring the “hands on fun” into the visiting exhibitions in the galleries. Jen broke away from writing children’s books and thematic units in 2011 with her memoir, The Day I Wore my Panties Inside Out which was a semifinalist in the humor category in the 2011 Goodreads Book Awards.
She is a monthly guest blogger at the website, Survival for Blondes where she marries humor with preparedness. Jen lives in West Lafayette, Indiana with her husband, Mike, and their three children.
You can purchase Jen’s latest book, The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt, here . You can also find her on Twitter , Facebook , her blog or on her website at Princess with a Pen .
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September 24, 2012
Pensacola Lit Lovers Book Club
I was delighted to attend the Pensacola Lit Lovers Book Club recently! The members were gracious enough to read Dancing Naked in Dixie last month.
We met at the fun and funky The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company for some great conversation about novels, writing, and publishing!
Lauren and Book Club Organizer Alisa
Lit Lovers Kendra and Jennifer
The evening was a lot of fun and I am so grateful to have met this group of smart and savvy readers. You can find the Pensacola Lit Lovers Book Club on MeetUp.com here: http://www.meetup.com/Pensacola-Lit-Lovers.
And if you’re ever on the Florida Gulf Coast and need a great cup of coffee, stop by The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company!
The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company
Pensacola, Florida
I’m always up for a great book club meeting….if you’d like me to visit your book club or just grab a latte, email me at laurenclarkbooks@gmail.com. Have a great Monday everyone!
xx, Lauren
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September 19, 2012
LCB Author Spotlight: Samantha March
Today, please enjoy this author interview with my lovely friend and talented writer, Samantha March. Today, Samantha’s interviewing her main character, Jasmine Jones, from DESTINED TO FAIL.
Take it away Samantha……….
Samantha: What did you want to be when you grew up?
Jasmine: As a little girl, I thought I would be a model or actress. Upon growing up and out of that fantasy, I remained clueless, but thought traveling the world would be an okay idea.
Samantha: Jock or princess in high school? If you liked sports, which did you play?
Jasmine: I was the head cheerleader in high school my junior and senior year, and made the Varsity team since I was a freshman. I enjoyed watching the football players the most!
SM: Which is worse? A hangover or a really bad sunburn?
JJ: I’ve never been much – okay, at all – of a drinker, so I would have to say sunburn! My boyfriend Nate can get the worst sunburns of all the, because he has to work outside on his family farm. Why won’t guys man up and wear sunscreen?
SM: Favorite food?
JJ: I’ve always been a fan of my mom’s lasagna!
SM: Dream vacation?
JJ: Everywhere! I just went on a school trip to Amsterdam and that was incredible. I would love to see Italy, Greece and Paris especially.
SM: Best advice you’ve ever received?
JJ: I’m not sure this is advice, but my mom has always said “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” My connections through my college really helped me start the plans on Women’s Way, the center I opened for young girls last year.
SM: Worst advice?
JJ: My friend Abby’s ex-boyfriend always said if you just wait for it, an opportunity will fall into your lap. I learned that’s just not true. You make your own opportunities, and why waste time sitting around waiting for them to strike?
SM: For your wedding, share the something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.
JJ: Did Nate propose? Oh, for the future! (Could someone maybe give him a nudge?) Okay, I would say something old could be something’s from my mom’s wedding. Maybe a piece of her dress, like wrapped around my flowers? Something new – maybe Nate could buy me a piece of jewelry to go with my dress, like earrings or a bracelet. Something borrowed – if I could borrow a pair of Cari’s heels that would be fab! And something blue….hmmm….that’s tough! I could have a blue garter….or underwear! Now really – can someone convince Nate to propose already?!
SAMANTHA MARCH, Author of Destined to Fail
Samantha March fell in love with books at a young age. Thanks to her mother and grandmother, both avid readers, Samantha followed in their footsteps. Field trips to the library highlighted her week, and she went on to do volunteer work at her local library while in middle school. Her early works closely resembled characters from The Baby-Sitters Club and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movies. In high school, Samantha excelled in writing courses and even the mundane tasks of writing history papers.
A slew of real work wake-up calls caused Samantha to shelve her dream of becoming an author. She took what she considered the practical route and enrolled in a business college in Des Moines, Iowa, where she graduated with honors in 2009. But her thoughts of writing never dissolved. In October of 2009, Samantha started the book blog ChickLitPlus.com. From her small blog, Samantha meant fellow readers and writers who pushed her to continue her goal of becoming published.
Destined to Fail is the debut novel from Samantha March, and was published by Marching Ink in October 2011. Samantha currently lives in West Des Moines, IA with her fiancé and jumbled cast of friends who help inspire her writing. Besides reading, writing, and ChickLitPlus responsibilities, Samantha enjoys sports- especially the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs- and will never refuse ice cream.
Visit her website at www.samanthamarch.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samantha-March/104518512989033?ref=ts
https://twitter.com/SamanthaMarch23
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5287274.Samantha_March
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/destined-to-fail-samantha-march/1035061145?ean=9780615546926
xx
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August 31, 2012
Romancing the Blog Hop
Join the Fun!
Do you like free books and giveaways?
Today, August 31st through September 3rd, 2012, LCB will be participating in “Romancing the Blog.” This week, 100 great authors & bloggers have joined together to give away…..
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack
Each time a person comments on a blog, he or she is entered in the drawing. And, yes, you can comment on ALL blogs, but be sure and leave an email addresses to be entered into the grand prize drawing!!
Romance, Dancing Naked in Dixie Style
If you adore the sweet accents of those charming Southern gentlemen, what exactly would you need to know if you’d like to strike up a conversation, keep him interested, and land yourself a date? Romance in the Deep South doesn’t have to be a tricky business. Here are some tips!
For Julia Sullivan’s love interest, Shug Jordan, in Dancing Naked in Dixie, it was all about family, preserving his hometown’s historical landmarks, and celebrating the annual Eufaula Pilgrimage.
For anyone who’s set her sites on ‘catching’ her own Southern gentleman, here are the Top Ten Must-Know Topics:
1. Cheerin’ – Find out his favorite SEC Football team, that team’s biggest rivals, the mascot, and the record from the last ten or twenty seasons.
2. Huntin’ – Does he hunt? Deer? Turkey? Does he bow hunt or take his dog? Does he expect you to cook any of it?
3. Fishin’ – Saltwater? Fresh water? What’s his favorite catch? Bait?
4. Cookin’ & Bakin’ – The way to any Southern Man’s heart is through his stomach! Be sure to get his mama’s recipe for fried chicken, banana puddin’, and chicken salad. He’ll love it!
5. Golfin’ – Many southern men love to get in 18 holes before noon on a Saturday. Read up on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and research his favorite places to tee off.
6. Church Goin’ – Often takes place Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening. Wear comfortable shoes!
7. Socializin’ – Learn favorite phrases, which likely include y’all, holler, fixin, ma’am, sir, get up with & many others.
8. Sunnin’ – Bring the sunscreen, plenty of water, and a wide-brimmed hat! The sun is brutal on the Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, and Carolina Coasts.
9. Eatin’ – Prepare to dine on oysters, shrimp, BBQ, okra, greens, congealed salad, cheese straws, pimento cheese, gumbo, red velvet cake, and banana puddin’.
10. Visitin’ – The Deep South is all about family and friends, so put on a big smile, your best dress, and prepare to meet his siblings, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and buddies.
Of course, there are many techniques useful in ‘catching’ a Southern man. Any more you’d like to share?
Now what are those prizes, again?
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!
For a FULL list of all of the participating blogs, please click one of the links below!
http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/
Happy Blog Hopping!
xx, Lauren
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August 29, 2012
Wet & Windy Wednesday
Wednesday!
I’m happy to report that Hurricane Isaac has only brushed by our city, leaving behind some rain, wind, and many downed tree limbs.
The picture to the left (on top) was taken from my front door looking out on the street. Here’s a photo of my back patio with only a few broken branches!
My back patio
All of the kids are home from school, most businesses are closed, and almost everyone’s staying inside. I decided that it was high time to catch up on email, read, and bake some bread! (Hello COMFORT FOOD!)
Whole wheat bread 
In Other News …..
I am pleased to report that the Audible.com pricing snafu is worked out and that Stay Tuned is now listed at the proper $ 5.95 for everyone through September 2. Here’s the link again: www.audible.com/ACX595. This will bring up ALL of the sale books, so if you are interested, please search the title or “Lauren Clark.” There are lots of great books at the $ 5.95 price!
How are things where you live? Any Isaac rain, wind, or damage? Stay safe!!
xx, Lauren
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August 27, 2012
Hurricane Prep, Marketing, & Audio Books
Everyone along the Gulf Coast is getting ready for Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac, and my family is no exception! I spent yesterday getting patio furniture safely stored in our shed, taking down hanging baskets, and buying supplies!
Isaac is now projected to sweep near my hometown, but there’s no predicting Mother Nature!
Water, Water, and MORE Water!
Meanwhile, the GOOD news is that the Gulf Coast Chapter of Romance Writers of America has invited me to the November 3rd, 2012 meeting to talk about Marketing!! Yay! Most members of the group are published writers, so I hope to be able to add something constructive and useful to their promotion and sales plans! Here’s the link to the site: http://www.gccrwa.com/calendar/.
Of course, that is all provided that Isaac and following tropical storms don’t wipe the Gulf Coast off the map (Please Lord!) Here are more shots of out lovely supplies … aren’t Pringles and Raisin Bran Crunch on the emergency list?
More Hurricane Isaac Supplies
Finally, if you are evacuating or just plain stuck somewhere, Audible.com is having a fantastic sale now through September 2nd, 2012 on 1,000 titles, including Stay Tuned ($7.95 for members)! Here’s the link: www.audible.com/ACX595. This will list ALL of the sale books, so if you are interested in Stay Tuned, please search the title or “Lauren Clark.”
If you decide to pick up a copy, please let me know what you think! Dixie’s audiobook will be ready in about two weeks (or less….squee!)
Until Wednesday, stay dry and stay safe!
xx, Lauren
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August 22, 2012
The Night Train rolls through LCB
Jayrod Nash is the fictional character from Carl Purdon’s novel, The Night Train. Carl caught up with Jayrod in his hometown of Chutahachie, MS. Six months have passed since his adventure ended.
Question: Jayrod is not a common name. Is that your real name or a nickname?
Answer: My real name is James Rodney. Everybody just calls me Jayrod.
Question: Your father abused you, yet you never reported it to the authorities. Why not?
Answer: I didn’t want anybody to know. Besides, the cops arrested him all the time and he always came back.
Question: Were you ashamed to tell?
Answer: (shrugs) Sure, I suppose. Yeah.
Question: What do you remember most about the trains?
Answer: Dirt. Boxcars are the worst. It was nice inside the chip cars most of the time, though. As long as it wasn’t raining.
Question: What’s your favorite food?
Answer: Peanut Butter. And Snickers. I like Snickers.
Question: What’s next for Jayrod Nash?
Answer: (shrugs again) I’ve heard there’s a sequel in the works, but I’m not sure if I’ll be in it or not.
Question: How’s your life now?
Answer: You’ll have to read the book for that answer. I was told not to give too much away.
Story Synopsis: Abused at home and bullied at school, young Jayrod Nash steals away on a freight train with a vow never to return. His best friend tags along, but his heart’s not in it. They meet up with a hobo named Farley, who offers protection in exchange for obedience, and soon learn he’s running too.
The Night Train is a novel about the struggle of innocence against brutality, written with powerful characters who allow no commentary from the author. Together they paint a picture of life as it exists too often.
Carl Purdon weaves a tale that takes the reader through the full gamut of emotions, and leaves them feeling as if they have known the Nash family all their lives. Perhaps they have.
Author Bio:
Carl Purdon lives in Pontotoc, Mississippi with his wife and two of their four children. Pontotoc is halfway between Tupelo, which is the birthplace of Elvis, and Oxford, which was the home of William Faulkner. Since he can’t sing, he writes. Since he’s not an expert on anything in particular, he writes fiction.
The Night Train: Available HERE on Amazon
Carl’s Website: http://www.carlpurdon.com
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August 20, 2012
Whirlwind Trip & More Winners
and Gift Cards
Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you all had a lovely weekend, filled with sunshine and laughter.
I’m back from a whirlwind trip to Eufaula, where I managed to grab a delicious cup of coffee at Blue Moon Cafe on my way to Shorter Mansion. (The wraps are wonderful, too!)
After explaining about Dancing Naked in Dixie, I managed to convince two of the lovely girls behind the counter to let me snap their photo! Aren’t they cute???
The lovely gals at Blue Moon Cafe in Eufaula, AL
Funny sign at the Blue Moon Cafe in Eufaula, AL
After admiring the decor and funny signs, I went on to Shorter Mansion, where I had two tables of books waiting for me to sign!! The ladies in the photo below, Jolene and Betty, travelled from Clayton, Alabama to see me and we had a great chat about books and libraries. I was able to meet several other couples who passing through the lovely city and admiring the architecture.
Jolene and Betty from Clayton, Alabama
Books to sign at Shorter Mansion!!
In other news, I’m pleased to report the winners of the CoffeeTimeRomance/Dixie giveaway. Congratulations to Joanne, who won a $25.00 Amazon gift certificate, and Kelly, who will receive a Dixie bookmarks and goodies! Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest!
That’s it for now! Did you do anything fun and exciting over the weekend? I’d love to hear about it!
I’ll see you back here on Wednesday!
xx, Lauren
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August 17, 2012
Paris, Food, & Something Blue on LCB
Roxy Rule for LCB
Looking for a book to help wind down the lazy, hazy final days of summer? Grab a copy of Breaking the Rules by debut author Cat Lavoie, slather on some sunscreen, and head for the beach!
Cat’s on a whirlwind blog tour for Breaking the Rules, and took a few moments from her busy schedule to stop by LCB to talk with her story’s heroine, Roxy Rule, about life, love, and letting go.
Here’s the novel’s very short synopsis: When twenty-seven year old Roxy Rule’s best friend and roommate accepts a glamorous new job overseas, she expects their relationship to continue as it’s always been—carefree and easy—until they share a heart-stopping kiss. Roxy must come to terms with her feelings for him, learn to stand up for herself, and go after what she really wants.
Take it away, Cat…….
CL: What did you want to be when you grew up?
RR: I wanted to be an English professor like my father for a while but then I realized that cooking was my passion.
CL: Jock or princess in high school? If you liked sports, which did you play?
RR: I was a total wallflower in high school and—even if I’d tried—I don’t think I would have been able to play sports with my two left feet.
CL: Which is worse? A hangover or a really bad sunburn?
RR: A hangover is definitely worse. I haven’t had many but I remember each and every one of them.
CL: Favorite food?
RR: Roast chicken with garlic mashed potatoes. That’s what I usually make when my friends come over.
CL: Dream vacation?
RR: Paris! I want to visit every single patisserie and bistro and eat my weight in pastries, cheese and bread. And see the Eiffel Tower.
CL: Best advice you’ve ever received?
RR: Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight.
CL: Worst advice?
RR: Just ignore the problem and it’ll go away.
CL: For your wedding, share the something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.
RR: Something old: my mother’s veil.
Something new: the sky-high designer heels my sister Steffi bought for me. I am definitely going to trip down the aisle.
Something borrowed: my sister Izzie’s vintage diamond earrings. I’m hoping she’ll forget to ask for them back but I know she won’t.
Something blue: Electric blue nail polish on my toes.
Cat Lavoie was born in the small town of Jonquière in Québec, Canada. At the age of nineteen, she packed up her things (mostly books) and moved to the big city of Montreal where she currently lives with her tempestuous cat Abbie—who is both adorable and quite possibly evil.
An incurable Anglophile since her university days where she studied English Literature, she can often be found daydreaming about her next trip to London. Since she’s an expert at the art of procrastination, Cat is easily distracted by cooking and home improvement shows—even though she’s not particularly good at either.
Cat grew up watching soap operas and legal dramas and—had she not decided to be a claims analyst by day and write chick lit by night—she would have probably become a designer suit-wearing lawyer. Or a character on All My Children (which is what she really wanted to be when she was twelve).
Cat is not sure whether she’s a geek or a nerd—and is afraid she might be both. Breaking the Rules is her first novel.
Cat blogs about the writing life and posts adorable pictures of Abbie over at the Catenabi Chronicles. Come say hello at: www.CatLavoie.com and follow @Catenabi on Twitter.
Buy Links:
Links:
http://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieAuthor?ref=stream
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440914.Cat_Lavoie
xx
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August 15, 2012
LCB Author Spotlight: Kathy Lynn Harris
Beer Nuts, & Something Blue
Today, I’m happy to share the LCB Blog with sweet and sassy Texan Kathy Lynn Harris, the author of Blue Straggler. She’ll be interviewing Bailey, the novel’s heroine (and according to many…a complete mess most of the time).
Take it away, Kathy ….
Kathy: What did you want to be when you grew up?
Bailey: An international reporter for CNN. Like Christiane Amanpour only with a bit more attention paid to tweezing the eyebrows. Also, I would typically only want to work where there is no war going on.
Kathy: Jock or princess in high school? If you liked sports, which did you play?
Bailey: When I was in high school in South Texas, the only sports girls could really play were basketball and track/field. Both required a good deal of running, it seemed, which I still to this day try to avoid. (See above note about war reporting.) I did attempt barrel racing for the youth rodeo circuit, but mostly just to please my dad and to meet cute boys who wore Stetsons and Wranglers.
Kathy: Which is worse? A hangover or a really bad sunburn?
Bailey: Well, both have been regular occurrences in my life, unfortunately. But I’m gonna go with a bad sunburn being worse. Because technically, a hangover has no long-term repercussions (other than what you might have done while drinking the night before) and a bad sunburn can totally kill you when you are 50 and develop an asymmetrical mole.
Kathy: Favorite food?
Bailey: Beer nuts. Pure protein, people.
Kathy: Dream vacation?
Bailey: Italy. Because those people know how to drink and eat. Also no one there cares if you have B.O.
Kathy: Best advice you’ve ever received?
Bailey: From my best friend Idamarie (who has a temper and 40 years on me, by the way). She’s been telling me for a while now that I’ve got to stop fighting whatever’s going on inside me. Just sink down into it, hold it in my hands and squeeze it between my fingers like raw bread dough or thick river mud from the Guadalupe. She says that’s when the heaviness will lift some. She watches a lot of Oprah.
Kathy: Worst advice?
Bailey: Pretty much everything Rudy has ever advised me to do, including one particularly bad moment in college involving cheap vodka and Dr. Pepper.
Kathy: For your wedding, share something old, something new, something borrowed, & something blue.
Bailey: Something old: The clip-on, fake diamond earrings that Idamarie wore in her own wedding in 1958. Something new: My wedding dress, which I will make by hand. Yeah, right. Something borrowed: Maybe I’ll finally wear a little lipstick, as my mother urges, and use her Revlon ColorStay Ultimate in Grand Garnet Red. Something blue: A temporary Spider-Man tattoo from Rudy, on my ankle. By the way, Rudy will be my Bridesman of Honor.
Kathy Lynn Harris
And more about Kathy’s novel, Blue Straggler…
Just what is a blue straggler? A blue straggler is a star that appears to be disconnected from those stars surrounding it in its globular cluster and has an anomalous blue color and high luminosity relative to those stars that surround it.
But this is not a story about astronomy.
Bailey Miller is “disconnected” from the cluster of her rural south Texas family. She has never quite fit in and now in her early 30s, she finds herself struggling with inner turmoil and a series of bad choices in her life.
She blames many of her personal demons, and there are many, on a self-proclaimed condition called “RODA” — short for Recurring, Obstinate Dread and Anguish. She’s drinking too much (even for a member of her family), has a penchant to eat spoonful after spoonful of Cool Whip, works in a job that bores her beyond description and can’t keep a relationship longer than it takes for milk to expire in her fridge.
Even with the help of her two outspoken friends, Idamarie — owner of a local cafe and fourth-generation Texas woman with the big hair to prove it — and her quirky college pal Rudy, she’s having a hard time.
As a series of sometimes humorous, often semi-tragic, events send her reeling, Bailey packs up her Honda and heads out of Texas, in search of herself and answers to secrets from her great-grandmother’s past.
Here’s where you can find Kathy:
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