BUTTERFLY IN FLIGHT

ThE sUmMeR oF mY Discontent Watercolor Author Event

BUTTERFLY IN FLIGHT

Greetings!

Although I’ve been a worthless slug– sitting on my fanny two months– a certain butterfly kept fluttering and has taken off. Bookclubs are her destination.

Thank-you Author Buzz, M. J. Rose, and Bookmovement (representing 35K bookclubs) for readying her. Who knows what states she will visit. I wish I could latch on and fly with that girl. But I’m still dragging this patched foot and learning to walk again. Still, Author of the Month with Bookmovement is nothing to sneeze at dear, cocky butterfly!

Below is my interview with M. J. Rose, creater of Authorbuzz. Bookmovement released it to thousands of readers promoting my new book. The interview sheds light on why I wrote Chasing Ordinary-my sequel to Far Outside the Ordinary. In truth, I never planned to. Repeat after me. Life is in charge of us.

If you’re not a member of Bookmovement you might consider doing so. It’s pretty cool!

Click here for more information: https://www.bookmovement.com/landing_2/

They also have a phone app. Say it ain’t so!

BOOK CLUB GIVEAWAY

Chasing Ordinary

by Prissy Elrod

Chasing Ordinary is about a Southern housewife who loses her way with the death of her husband. After the loss, through a series of unexpected events, and with courage, she rediscovers her confidence and happiness by becoming who she had forgotten she once was. Her journey is described through a collection of flowing true stories. Her description of each character and event is woven together to show how each contributed to, and impacted her transformation. In this sequel to Far Outside the Ordinary, the story picks up a full year after the death of her husband, when her college sweetheart appears back in her life and she learns he is still in love with her. However, when it comes to parenting and relationships, nothing’s ever that simple. As she attempts to create a new life and have a second chance at love, she realizes extending her family requires courage and difficult choices.

Writing her first novel, Far Outside the Ordinary was an exercise of discipline. It took four years to write, three computers, two espresso machines, 48 how-to writing books, a Florida State University Memoir-writing class, 24 blog subscriptions, a half-dozen periodical journals and 14 revised drafts. Elrod kept the manuscript to herself, not allowing anyone to read it for the first three years of writing her story. Then finally, in 2013, she sent the draft to a Pushcart Prize-winning writer in Texas (Steve Adams) engaging him to read the manuscript and provide feedback. Elrod has just published her second book, Chasing Ordinary

Author Q & A

by M. J. Rose

Your book is a memoir – your second memoir. What is it like to examine your own life and write about it? What is the toughest part? The most rewarding?

The first memoir-FAR OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY– told of loss, how to live after loss. But it left some of my readers believing the only way life can be happy after loss is being rescued by some Prince Charming. That is wrong on every level. So, I wrote the second memoir –CHASING ORDINARY– to clarify THAT belief. Happiness comes from within and someone who loses a person they love must learn to love life, and themselves again-from within. My point is this…when one person dies two people shouldn’t.

What is the toughest part? I think the toughest part about memoir is writing your truth, from the deepest level, and doing so without hurting others, especially those you write about.The most rewarding is learning how many people my story has helped- in so many ways (letters, emails, texts, and phone calls) It validates my returning to all that pain to write my story. It also left a blueprint for others. I realize my late husband’s death was not in vain.

One of the themes is about how one door closes and another opens. That suggest keeping hold of hope and being open to opportunity… how did you manage to do that in face of your personal tragedies.

I am one of those people who looks for the positive in life, no matter how dire it is. I try to make the lemonade with the lemons. Sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes, very tart. You acquire a taste for the differnt flavors because you must, even if you don’t want to. It’s about trying, never giving up, and learning to appreciate what you have, and not what you lost.

You chose to tell this tale through a series of short stories, all true. What gave you the idea for that format and why did you choose it?

Funny in that I didn’t realize I was writing in short story format until the manuscript was finished. It was the way the story came out in the purest form. I saw no reason to change the flow of the narrative arc.

Thinking of all the book club readers who are reading this interview, would you put together your ideal book club– made up of authors –who you would pick to meet with to discuss your book. And what would you expect them to ask you?

I would invite Elizabeth Gilbert, Joan Didion, Mary Karr and Carl Hiaasen.

Elizabeth Gilbert I would expect her to ask me, “What are you most excited about in your life today?” She asks everyone that. I would answer in this way. Through loss I found the girl left behind and discovered my talent through pain. Losing was winning in a bitter, sweet way.
Joan Didion understands and writes unexpected loss with such clarity. She would understand my story then dissect it, and me. Something I would welcome.
Carl Hiaasen is Southern funny, much like me, only he’s a better writer and funnier. One must find humor is life, and even death. It’s the only way to survive.
Mary Karr: She is crazy and writes about her crazy family so well. We might be sisters with different mothers. I have one of those Southern Crazy families, too.

M.J. Rose is a NYT bestselling author of Tiffany Blues and 16 novels, founder of AuthorBuzz.com & 1001DarkNights.com. Rose’s work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.