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Pat Conroy Book Prize

March 1, 2016 By Susan Crandall Leave a Comment

TFC double

So honored to have THE FLYING CIRCUS longlisted for the Pat Conroy Book Prize in literature! SIBA 2016Such an amazing list of books in all categories, many of which I’ve read, two of which are written by my fab critique partners, Wendy Wax and Karen White. What a great way to start the day.

Thank you Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, once again!

For more http://www.authorsroundthesouth.com/read-this/siba-book-awards

Filed Under: Award, Blog, Book Clubs, Fiction, News Tagged With: Audio Book, Fiction award, Historical Fiction, Karen White, literature award, Okra Pick, SIBA, Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, Susan Crandall, The Flying Circus, Wendy Wax

Knifed in New Orleans — vol. III in the Vanishing Tableware Series

October 3, 2013 By Susan Crandall Leave a Comment

I should have known it would happen—well, I did know it would happen, eventually.  I just thought I’d been careful enough not to have had it happen so soon.  For those of you who’ve missed the previous two volumes of the Vanishing Tableware Series, you really must read Forked in Nashville and Spooned in Atlanta to get the full story, but here’s a brief skinny.  I have a writer friend, Karen White, who is prone to the practical joke.  She’s even corrupted my innocent little granddaughter, aka Olivia Grabbyhands, with her schemes.  I have now found a full setting of tableware in my purse, one utensil at a time, after dining with Karen in three different cities.

Karen and I were both honored to be invited to attend the SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) trade show in New Orleans.  This organization has been phenomenal in their support of Whistling Past the Graveyard.  To be able to sit on a sibapanel at their trade show was a wonderful experience.  Can you imagine, all of those book lovers concentrated in one spot? What great conversations we had!

There was also a wonderful evening game of Trivia (for Cheaters—which suited Karen and I fine) as a fund raiser for Binc (Book Industry Charitable Foundation).  This evening deserves its own blog, so I’ll just tempt you with this tid-bit: Karen and I “bought” John Densmore of The Doors (he’s an author, too) to help us cheat in the trivia round dedicated to The Doors.  There was no tableware at this event, so I felt safe in taking my eyes off my purse long enough to full out the answer sheet for our team.

There were lunches and dinners with authors and booksellers and I believe it was at one of these meals that the travesty occurred.  I was no doubt engaged in a deep conversation on books, or distracted by an amazing New Orleans dessert, when Karen must have slipped the knife in my purse.  It probably has her DNA on it, because it had been used.  I’m considering taking it to the forensics lab in Indianapolis to be analyzed.  Not that there could be any doubt about who is responsible.  The only time I ever end up with silverware in my purse is after a meal in a restaurant with Karen.

Now that I have a full set, let’s hope this practical joke has seen its end and I won’t be an inadvertent thief any more.  I’m pretty sure any restaurateur that reads this blog will have photos of Karen and I posted at the doors with orders not to admit us to the premises.

silverware clock

 

If this continues, maybe I can create a cool piece of art from my booty.

 

Quincy

 

Even if I never find another spoon in my purse, there is a problem to address.  Karen and I are tit for tat.  So you know that means I now need to come up with some clever practical joke of my own to play.  I’m considering kidnapping her dog (whom I adore and he adores me, so it’s really like eloping not kidnapping)…but that might be a bridge too far.

No?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Karen White, SIBA, Whistling Past the Graveyard

Spooned in Atlanta (vol. II of the Vanishing Tableware Series)

September 10, 2013 By Susan Crandall Web Admin Leave a Comment

Spooned in AtlantaI’m still catching up from my summer Southern Book Tour and trip to the fabulous Decatur Book Festival over Labor Day weekend. On these two trips, I was lucky enough to several days in the Atlanta area—lucky because I could spend a lot of time with my Atlanta-based writer buddies Karen White and Wendy Wax (as well as some other-out-of-towners, Beatriz Williams, Karen Kendall and Eloisa James—who wouldn’t want to hang with this crowd?). At the Decatur Book Festival I enjoyed seeing my pal Jane Porter and finally got to meet some of my favorite authors for the first time, Susan Rebecca White, Karen Spears Zacharias, Lynn Cullen and Claire Cooke. Add those to all of the great readers and booksellers I met and you get one incredible summer!

Although Karen, Wendy and I are regular critique partners, it’s a rare for us all three to be in the same place at the same time. Most of our work is accomplished via email and telephone (when you all drink a glass of wine at the same time while on the telephone, it does count as not drinking alone). We do squeeze in an annual retreat…it’s always a working “holiday,” the best part being able to literally share a bottle of wine and some awesome Talente Sea Salt and Caramel Gelato (our new addiction thanks to Wendy’s discovery of it).

Susan Crandall and Karen White at Parnassus BooksBoth Karen and Wendy supported my Atlanta book store signings, taking time away from their own work to prop up a tired road warrior and share food and libations. As you may recall from my previous blog Forked in Nashville, Karen took advantage of my little granddaughter, Olivia Grabbyhands, facilitating the accidental “borrowing” of a fork from a local Nashville restaurant. That fork became my little memento of Olivia’s part in my book tour and now sits proudly in my office. Alas, my apologies now must be rendered to a restaurant in Roswell. After a wonderful book signing event at Bookmiser, several of us returned to our restaurant where we’d dined prior to the book signing for coffee and dessert (book signings always call for dessert). I foolishly left my purse at the table while I visited the ladies’ room … seriously, I’ve known Karen for over 17 years, I should know better. Later that night I received a text: “Have you checked your purse yet?” I now have a spoon to go with my traveling fork.

I’ve presented Karen with a challenge. I expect to discover the last piece in my full place setting, a knife. And I expect it to come from a different city than the previous two. But I’m not making it easy for her. My purse is not allowed to be unguarded in her presence. I double-check before leaving every restaurant. And I’m keeping my granddaughter away from Karen until she’s old enough to know that we do not remove things from restaurants that do not belong to us. As I said, I’ve known Karen for a long time. She’s dedicated to her pranks. She’s patient and cunning. I’m sure one of these days I’ll let my guard down and she’ll have her way. Maybe I’ll start carrying a fanny pack instead of a purse—Karen, a fashionista as well as a prankster, would be appalled on so many levels.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Atlanta, Book Festival, Book Tour, Karen White, Whistling Past the Graveyard

Forked in Nashville: A Blog from Parnassus Books

July 15, 2013 By Susan Crandall 4 Comments

Out of the Mouths of Babes … or Into Their Tiny Hands

Forked in Nashville

An Accidental Forking

It’s hard to be gone from home for nearly three weeks straight, even if I’m having a great time meeting booksellers and readers and discussing Whistling Past the Graveyard. It’s even harder to be away from a 16-month-old granddaughter. To prevent complete Gram-withdraw symptoms, my hubby, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter made a five hour drive from Indianapolis to meet me in Nashville, TN where I was signing books with author and friend Karen White at Parnassus Books.

The signing was wonderful. Lauren at Parnassus did a great job facilitating (even though she still felt the weight of Parnassus’ Neil Gaiman event just a few days prior). Karen and I both gave our spiel about our books and did our little readings before we had a great q&a / discussion with the fine folks in attendance. Interacting with readers who enjoy books as much as Karen and I do is truly a treat, and helps to pull us through long drives and distance from family.

Afterward, Karen joined the Crandall clan for a Saturday evening dinner (the restaurant will remain nameless to protect my identity). It had been a long, long day for baby Olivia, but she was a trooper, an angel at the dinner table. While we adults chatted, she busied herself unloading and reloading my purse (very into organizing, this baby). Of course, Karen, jokester that she is, maneuvered plenty of inappropriate things into Olivia’s reach to be reloaded into Gram’s purse. Before we left the restaurant I removed and returned to the table a salt shaker, a pepper mill, two different bottles of hot sauce, variously used cocktail napkins and sugar packets. Once all that was back where it belonged we left the restaurant. We put our sweet little girl to bed and I was able to lay my head down with images of her bright smile in my head.

Olivia Parnassus Books Nashville

Olivia Grabbyhands at Parnassus Books in Nashville

At breakfast the next morning (in a different restaurant, wherein my husband and son consumed more french toast than perhaps they should), I was searching in my purse for my lip balm and what did I discover? One fork. Misplaced, of course, I won’t go so far as label myself (or my granddaughter) a thief!

At least it looked to be near the end of its useful life.

It is newly loved by me on the road, as a gift from my little Olivia. By the end, this will be one well-traveled fork, and, hopefully, the (nameless) restaurant will be none the wiser.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Book Tour, Independent Bookseller, Karen White, Nashville, Parnassus Books, Whistling Past the Graveyard

Chapter 16 Feature Whistling Past the Graveyard in Tennessee

July 8, 2013 By Susan Crandall Web Admin Leave a Comment

Whistling Past the Graveyard Chapter 16 FeatureTennessee writing and reading community Chapter 16 has written a very positive feature of Whistling Past the Graveyard. Susan will be signing in their back yard in Memphis on Friday, July 12 at The Booksellers at Laurelwood and in Nashville on Saturday, July 13 at Parnassus Books (with Karen White). She hopes to meet and mingle with some of these fine readers and writers along her swing through the south on the Whistling Past the Graveyard Book Tour!

Filed Under: Press Tagged With: Book Tour, Karen White, Memphis, Whistling Past the Graveyard

Life in the Fast Lane?

March 19, 2010 By Susan Crandall 2 Comments

Really? Fast lane? That’s hardly how I see my life. But lately I seem to be meeting myself coming and going. So here’s an update from my previous blogs:

I had a great brainstorming week with my writer buddy Karen White (The Lost Hours and The Girl on Legare Street — FYI pronounced Legree Street) a few weeks ago. We worked out a few kinks (and added a few intended ones) to my current work in progress. We also brainstormed two books for her. I can’t wait to read them!

I’m still dithering on a title for my newest project, but I’m leaning toward The Last Good Man.

Yoga class (ultra-beginners) is going well for both me and my mom. We still spend a lot of time laughing at ourselves. Let’s just say ridiculously bad balance must be inherited. But always walk out of there feeling so much better and with more energy. You’d think that increased energy would make me more productive. Ha!

Cake class. Hummm, what can I say about cake class? I love the woman teaching it, she has such a wry sense of humor. I get to spend an evening with my daughter, always a plus. Just wish we’d been able to get my daughter-in-law to join us! This session we’re only making one cake, instead of one a week. Good thing ’cause my jeans are getting way too tight. We’re making flowers out of Royal Frosting (it’s the kind that turns nearly rock hard when dried). The last week of class we’re supposed to assemble all of our flowers on a “Grand Finale” cake. I’m sure y’all can’t wait for that photo. I promise I’ll post it, no matter how pathetic it is. I’ll also post my daughter’s so you’ll be able to see what it’s supposed to look like.

My book signing that benefited Best Buddies was such a success, I’m doing another benefit signing — even did a little TV interview about it! Tomorrow I’m having a signing at a great little boutique shop in Noblesville called The Linden Tree. The shop owner and I are donating a percentage of my book sales as well as store merchandise sales to the Noblesville Education Foundation. With budget cutbacks, the teachers can use all of the help we can give them!

Today, the sun is shining — such a wonderful sight after the long dismal winter we’ve experienced. I’m headed out to prune my knock-out roses and pick up what will probably be a truckload of sticks and limbs that the winter battered off our trees. I’d better get to it, winter is due back in town by Monday. Sigh.

The good news is I have managed to keep my feet in matching footwear.

Until next time…

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Book Signing, Charity, Food, Karen White, Television, Whistling Past the Graveyard, Writing

The Wasp and The Slipper

September 20, 2009 By Susan Crandall 2 Comments

All right, I know I’m tardy on posting this little tid-bit, but that’ll make it that much sweeter when you read it. As I said in my last blog, I spent 4 days in the Tennessee mountains with fellow writers Karen White and Wendy Wax. We spent lots of time writing on the balcony of our fabulous cabin, drinking in this view.

While sitting in a lovely rocker, writing away on her next fabulous women’s fiction novel, Karen had an ugly encounter with a Tennessee wasp — which according to Karen is only outsized by the bugs she battled while living in South America as a child. Said Tennessee wasp somehow entered Karen’s slipper (which is required writing attire for her). The result was startling for both Karen and the wasp. In her rapid reaction, Karen’s slipper flew off her foot, through the slats in the balcony railing and landed some thirty feet below (that’s it in the photo below, the forlorn white sole looking up at us longingly). This picture was taken with a zoom lens and it much farther away than it looks.

Now you have to understand the relationship between Karen and her fuzzy slippers — as I said, they’re integral to the writing process. She goes nowhere without them. She quickly donned her tennis shoes and headed out to retrieve her slipper — only to discover it was a much steeper descent to where said slipper lay helpless against bears with cold feet and hawks that needed nesting materials. Also, the plantlife was in cahoots with the forest creatures, protecting what now rightfully belonged to the wilderness with stickers and nettles. She was defeated.

I believe Karen left the slipper’s mate in the cabin, just in case some intrepid soul brought mountain climbing gear and could retrieve the poor abandonded footwear.

This is why I always write barefooted.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Critique, Karen White, Wendy Wax, Writing

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