Julia McDermott's Blog, page 13

List Post: octobre 2015

It’s only October 2nd, but I’m going to be so busy this month that if I don’t get this done now, it won’t happen.

It’s Promotion month for UNDERWATER: Yesterday through October 31st, you can download my Suspense novel set in my home town of Atlanta for only $1.99! UNDERWATER is an Amazon HALLOWEEN KINDLE BOOK DEAL. Look for it under Mysteries/Suspense — Suspense — Psychological!

My trip to Raleigh is fast approaching! I’ll be a “Dark Romance and Dark Smiles” Panelist at Bouchercon next Friday at 10:00 a.m, and the next day I’ll be at the New Author Breakfast bright and early at 7:00 a.m.!
Note : even though I’m a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, I once worked in Durham, have visited Duke, and have flown in and out of RDU several times, this will be my very first trip to the state capital of Raleigh. I hear it’s nice. And I feel pretty comfortable in that neck of the woods, anyway.
My other appearances this month include the Book and Art Fair in Griffin GA Oct 16-18; book signing with fellow Sister in Crime Hank Phillippi Ryan at FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock GA Oct 21; and book signing at the Marietta Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors Oct 24 with authors Valerie Connors & Mike Buchanan. (See News and Events for times and details.)
At the end of the month, I’ll be at the Killer Nashville International Writers Conference with some Atlanta Sisters in Crime! My first time at this conference, and my third time ever (I think) in Nashville!
November Preview: in between 2 quick trips to Florida (I hope) I’ll appear yet again with some Sisters at the Ansley Book Club Meeting in Atlanta! Details to come.
Quoi d’autre? What else? Watching football, of course!

Pizza and a Movie: Black Mass

This weekend’s Pizza Toppings at Corner Pizza:

Chicken
Red Onions
Spinach

Movie:

Black Mass

Johnny Depp is another one of my favorite actors, and this was a compelling film. I like Johnny best in movies like this; another one I liked him in was Blow. This film was solid, and the account of real events was incredible. “Stranger than fiction,” as they say. I found the story fascinating, and in one scene having to do with James “Whitey” Bulger’s family, I was moved to tears.

The Pizza:

My husband wanted one of the toppings to be chicken. We’d only had chicken once before (I think), and he asked me to choose the other two toppings.

“What if I select the two we’ve already had with chicken?” I asked, knowing that he’s keeping track of our topping combinations, and that he doesn’t want to repeat one that we’ve already had.

“I don’t think you will,” he said. Then, ever the mathematician/statistician/probability/keeper-tracker, he added, “What are the chances?”

“Maybe there are only certain other toppings that I would even think of, to have with chicken,” I protested. “I mean, it’s not like I’m going to choose italian sausage and pepperoni with it.”

“Good point,” he said.

[Actually, we had the second half of this conversation (starting with, “Maybe there are only…”) the next day, but I’m using artistic license in telling it this way, here. Instead of replying when he asked, “What are the chances?”, the truth is, I merely tossed my head and chose the other two toppings, fully confident that, if we’d already had that exact same combination, he would veto it immediately.]

The pizza was good; chicken goes well with spinach, and the onions added a bite.

Back to truth and fiction, and artistic license. One thing I remember from grade school (and remember marveling at, when I fully understood it) was the principle (?) of  “willing suspension of disbelief.” In Black Mass, though you knew the film was based on a true story, you almost had to do that – willingly suspend your disbelief. As an author, when I write fiction, it’s what I want you to do, as the reader. It’s what I’ve done, countless times, as a reader.

It makes everything so much more real.

 

Wine with Wendy on Wednesdays

My friend Wendy is a talented artist, an avid reader, and the mother of 5. How does she do it all? Je n’ai aucune idée! (I have no idea!)

The last two times we had a rendez-vous, we met for déjeuner – lunch – on a Wednesday, and we had a glass of white wine. As we caught up on each other’s lives, the subject of our creative endeavors came up.

Art, and writing.

Wendy is full of energy, smart, clever, and fun. She’s been encouraging me and my writing for years. Her objets d’art are lovely and cool. Last Wednesday, as we dined at La Petite Maison, I told her about my latest book – the one I’ve just finished writing, for which I finally decided on a title.

I told her a little about the story, and although the book has already been edited, revised, edited again, and proofed, she asked if she could read it, pre-publication.

She wanted to be my beta-reader.

Of course, I said yes, and I sent her the PDF later that day. That night, she sent me her initial (very positive) reaction (phew!). She also helped me fine tune the “elevator pitch” or “log line,” and the “blurb” (description).

It was so refreshing to talk to someone who reads constantly (and reads a variety of work) about my next book. Inspired by the fact that our birthdays fall during the next two months, Wendy and I also decided on a new plan: we’ll have lunch at a French restaurant once a month, on a Wednesday, and have a glass of wine with our meal.

Une très bonne idée! et merci, Madame!

CURE Childhood Cancer, and how you MIGHT be on my Street Team

On Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, I went to my first Quiet Heroes Luncheon hosted by CURE Childhood Cancer, here in Atlanta.

I was one of over two hundred “Quiet Heroes” honored guests invited to the event, now in its 11th year. CURE Executive Director Kristin Connor had invited me to attend after she read my latest book, ALL THE ABOVE: My son’s battle with brain cancer.

A silent auction to raise funds for CURE took place before lunch, and each “Quiet Hero” received a big gift bag filled with bling. Then we sat down and listened to Kristin’s welcome, and to speakers Jill Becker, Chris Glavine, Amber Larkin, and (former Atlanta Braves player) Tom Glavine. It was inspiring to hear their stories, why they are involved in CURE, and what’s being done to help win the fight against childhood cancer.

After the lunch, I hurried over to thank Kristin for inviting me and to say hello to Tom. I told him that my son Jack, who is a cancer survivor, is a big Braves fan, and that several years ago, he saw Tom at a birthday party somewhere and got his autograph.

“He’s 24 now, and he still has it,” I added. We chatted for a minute, and I nervously forgot to ask if I could get a photo of us together. But after I picked up my auction item, I spotted him again and boldly asked. “Sure,” he said.

Earlier, I explained to another mom that Jack was technically an adult when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 19. But in the world of cancer treatment, he was “pediatric,” or a child, because he was under 21. That was a big benefit for him in some ways (usually, easier MRIs, and sometimes, gentler handling and help).

Many of his countless MRIs were done at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Egleston Hospital, and he saw a pediatric oncologist at the AFLAC Clinic. I remember being in the waiting room there with him, in the midst of very young cancer patients; at six foot four, he was the tallest one by far. But his radiation treatments were done across the way at the Winship Cancer Institute; in that waiting room, he joined the adult cancer patients, most of them decades older, and many of them very sick.

During the lunch, I sat between a mom whose son is a cancer survivor, and another mom (and dad) whose son passed away after a long, difficult battle. Talking about Jack brought back the emotions I felt when he was fighting cancer. I left with renewed gratitude that he survived, and renewed hope that other young people will also beat the disease.

Flash back to before I knew about the Quiet Heroes Luncheon. Jack was involved in Relay for Life at UGA, but not in CURE. I had heard of the organization only by listening to Atlanta native Comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s spots on the radio; he’s been a strong advocate for CURE for many years.

Which brings me to the second half of this post, a la Jeff Foxworthy’s famous “You might be a Redneck if,” applied to my book, ALL THE ABOVE (and my other books) – and how you might be involved:

You might be on my Street Team if:

you’ve read any of my books (or all), and have posted a (nice) review on Amazon and Goodreads
you’ve told at least one friend or acquaintance that you read my book(s) and told your friend to buy the book(s) – or maybe, even, you bought a copy for them
you looked for my books in your favorite bookstore, and when you couldn’t find them, you complained to the store
you’ve attended a Book Festival or Book Signing where I appeared
you’ve recommended one of my books to your Book Club, and you may have invited me to attend your meeting for Q & A
you’ve Liked my Facebook page
you’ve commented and Liked at least one of my posts on Facebook
you’ve followed me on Twitter, and have retweeted my tweet, or someone else’s tweet that mentions me
you’ve followed me on Instagram, and have Liked one of my photos
you’ve connected with me on LinkedIn – and you’ve Liked one of my posts
you’re my friend on Goodreads, and you’ve messaged me there
you’ve hosted a reception or party for me to tell your friends about my books and asked me to sign copies
you follow my Blog, and have commented something nice on one of my posts
you’ve sent me a personal handwritten note expressing how much you like my writing and books (see the above photo of such a note, beginning “Congratulations on a fine work”)
you’ve written to or called media and publicity people about getting the word out about me and my books!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, and I hope that you’ll buy a copy of ALL THE ABOVE: My son’s battle with brain cancer. You’ll find a story about a mama bear (me) who did everything she could to protect her cub (Jack)…and you’ll see how Jack’s journey changed his life. Join my Street Team if you haven’t already,  donate to CURE, and help finish the fight against childhood cancer.

List Post: septembre 2015

First – we skipped Pizza and a Movie this weekend…Check back next weekend.
TODAY: I’m honored to be invited to the Quiet Heroes Luncheon in Atlanta by CURE Childhood Cancer. Let’s conquer cancer one day at a time.
My next event: I’ll be a Panelist at Bouchercon 2015 World Mystery Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina. My Panel is called “Dark Romance & Dark Smiles” and will take place on Friday, Oct. 9 at 10:00 am. I’ll also be talking about my debut Suspense novel, UNDERWATER, published by Thomas & Mercer on Nov. 25, 2014 on Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Meet the New Authors Breakfast!

Other October events include the Book & Art Fair in Griffin, GA, Oct. 16 – 18; FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA on Oct 21 (with bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan); Queen of Hearts Antiques in Marietta, GA on Oct. 24 (with authors Valerie Connors and Mike Buchanan); and Killer Nashville International Writers Conference in Nashville, TN from Oct. 29 – Nov. 1.

Pizza and a Movie: Mistress America

This weekend’s Pizza Toppings at Corner Pizza:

Artichoke Hearts
Bacon
Sun Dried Tomatoes

Movie:

Mistress America

These pizza toppings were a particularly good combination. The pizza was tangy, yummy, and semi-healthy.

Ahead of time, my husband and I had agreed on the Artichoke Hearts. We waited until the last second to choose the other two toppings. Looking over the menu, my eyes fell on Bacon and his fell on Sliced Tomatoes, and after a short discussion, we modified that to the Sun Dried version.

A few weeks ago, we walked into Corner Pizza with no preconceived notions of what toppings to select. As we were discussing the choices, a young couple sitting at the bar watched and listened, and once we made our decision, they told us we were “cute.”

I took it as a compliment.

As for this week’s movie…well, I can’t give it more than a C. I didn’t think it was particularly funny or witty, and both of us later decided that the older step-sister was bipolar. I walked away thankful that A, I don’t live in NYC or up north, and B, I’m not the age of the characters in this film.

It would just be too complicated for me.

Now, if you’re a northerner, please don’t take offense. I love visiting “the city” and have traveled up north a good bit – but mostly in the summer and fall. Once I went to New York in January, but lucked out with the weather. It was simply very cold (freezing by Atlanta standards) but not horrible or blizzard-y. In fact, the folks I spent time with who live up there thought it was “nice.” Another time, I visited the city in December, and it was even colder (and windy) but it didn’t snow, thank goodness.

In the movie, I liked the fact that one character was a writer. But a lot of the dialogue seemed, well, pretentious. On the other hand, that worked (and was very funny) in the Woody Allen film Blue Jasmine. I loved that movie, and laughed a lot while watching it.

Now, I don’t like all Woody Allen films (who does?) but I admire the fact that he’s always working on something. He keeps on “showing up.” It’s what I try to do, as a writer.

When you think about it, Mistress America sounds like it could have been the title of a Woody Allen movie. Right now, I’m struggling with a title for my next thriller. I’ve finished writing it, and it’s been edited and is ready to go, except for its name.

I may just have to figure it out at the last second.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got Antiques – and Books?

After I published my recent August “List Post,”  I was asked to appear with fellow authors Valerie Connors and Mike Buchanan at Queen of Hearts Antiques Book Fair at their Marietta location, 2745 Sandy Plains Rd in Marietta, GA 30066.

Queen of Hearts is hosting

“QUEEN’S BOOK FAIR, FEATURING LOCAL PUBLISHED AUTHORS at all of its locations (Marietta, Alpharetta and Buford)

Each store will feature various local, published authors so come out and meet our local authors!”

See below for more information, and come by to browse for antiques and to pick up signed copies of my nonfiction book ALL THE ABOVE: MY SON’S BATTLE WITH BRAIN CANCER, and my novel UNDERWATER!

Pizza and a Movie: No Escape

This weekend’s Pizza Toppings at Corner Pizza:

Green Peppers
Pepperoni
Pineapple

Movie:

No Escape

Owen Wilson, who stars in this film, is one of my favorite actors.

It’s partly because of the way he talks, and partly because of his imperfect nose. He’s not a pretty boy. And whether the movie is decent, good, or great, I usually like his acting. This was the first one I’ve seen him in that wasn’t a comedy, and the first one where he played a dad. I was drawn into the story, and I liked the movie well enough; for most of it, I was on the edge of my seat. I didn’t even mind the slow motion parts, though I’d heard that some people did.

There was one dialogue scene between Owen Wilson’s character and the one played by Pierce Brosnan that I thought was unnecessary, or at least, badly done. At best, it was distracting, and it didn’t explain that much to me. If you see the film, you’ll know what I’m talking about, so let me know if you agree.

Now for the pizza. As Bill (of Corner Pizza) guessed, we I had decided on the toppings before we arrived. I was in the mood for pepperoni, and the other toppings are two of my favorites. My husband agreed, and everything melanged together nicely.

It was the perfect prelude to a fun weekend * – some of which I already wish I could replay, in slow motion.

* I appeared on the Thriller panel at the 10th annual Decatur Book Festival (my first time there as an author), and I moderated the Urban Fantasy panel, just after. I also signed books at the Atlanta Writers Club Booth, attended two presentations at the Romance Pavilion, and attended an interview with YA (Young Adult) author Sarah Dessen. I had hoped to meet her and talk about writing, books, UNC, and many other things, but before I got an opportunity, she had gone back home to Chapel Hill, NC. 

 

 

 

Fear + Courage = Hope

When my child was fighting cancer, this is what I lived in, every day:

But my son is a brave young man, and he understood that courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear.

During his journey with brain cancer, I was his caregiver, and as we pushed fear aside, we focused on one thing:

My child faced something most people never do at any age. At 19 years old, he was forced to look death in the face, but somehow he managed to smile:

He didn’t take No for an answer. Click here to read his story.

 

 

 

 

 

Kindle Countdown Deal TODAY ONLY!

In honor of the last day of August, and a week before Labor Day —

ALL THE ABOVE is ON SALE on KINDLE, TODAY ONLY!

From 8:00 AM EST (5:00 AM PST) until 12:00 Midnight EST (9:00 PM PST), you can download ALL THE ABOVE: My son’s battle with brain cancer at a SALE PRICE of only $2.99!

That’s $2 off its regular Kindle price of $4.99 (still a deal), less than a latte at your local coffeeshop, and a lot less than a movie ticket!

I studied Economics (and French) at UNC Chapel Hill and then worked in banking and IT (before raising a family and writing books), and I remember learning about price elasticity of demand * …And now, I’m putting it into practice on my latest book. No matter how many books you have on your to-read list, this one is unlike any other.

Here’s what readers have said:

“This book shows what Amazon should be all about – really well-written, personal story with depth and insight. This family is so likable. Very engaging prose..”
 “Captivating…made all the more riveting because it is true…Julia McDermott’s smooth, warm, yet detailed style of writing immediately drew me into this amazing story…The courage shown by this young man is beyond inspiring, and the love and support of his family gave me chills.“
“One of the best books I have read. The strength in faith and in each other was overwhelming.”
“Wonderful book! I could not put it down. Tears flowed from beginning to end! True stories are the best and give us all a look at the reality and what a family does when faced with crisis.” 

Click HERE  to download ALL THE ABOVE for less than 3 bucks, TODAY ONLY! 

*Something my daughter discovered when she sold her hand-made barrettes and hairbands in high school “for less than the price of a cookie at the school cafeteria.”