Going Home by Ann O'Farrell

Going Home, the third book in Ann O’Farrell’s Irish historical saga, Norah’s Children, is now available. 

The trilogy tells the poignant story of a young family’s inexplicable dissolution, and their vastly different lives over thirty years. It touches the very core, the essence, of family and attachment; nature versus nurture, loyalty versus duty, love versus hatred. 

Set in Ireland and England this vivid tale is an exploration of parenting values, sibling differences, and family based challenges. It is wonderfully painted, expressive in detail, settings, and emotion.

Going Home completes the story of the five siblings Pierce, Mary, Colm, Sheelagh, and Michael. This final novel follows the young adults into marriage and parenthood. We share their joys and their sorrows as we experience the heart-warming and heart-wrenching events that challenge the powerful bond that neither time nor distance has, so far, been able to break.

All three books are available  on Amazon   Price: $15.00 for paperback and $4.99 on kindle.    

 

About the Author

Irish writer, Ann O’Farrell, holds an MA from Trinity College, Dublin. Her short stories and articles have been published in several newspapers, magazines, and anthologies including the always popular Chicken Soup series.

More about the author, and her work at:  www.annofarrell.net

Florida Publishers’ Association (FPA) 2012 Spring Fling Conference: "DIY Book Power!"

Calling Florida writers, authors, and publishers for Florida Publishers’ Association (FPA) 2012 Spring Fling Conference: "DIY Book Power!" This one-day workshop will focus on ways to market and promote yourself and your book(s) inexpensively in order to make money! 

Participants are invited to bring their laptops for the hands-on workshops that will cover virtual book tours, getting e-books on Kindle, school presentations and foreign rights.  

Saturday, April 14, Orlando, FL. The event details (including downloadable agenda, speaker information and hotel information) can be found at http://www.floridapublishersassociation.com/fpa-spring-event?servId=1883 . 

Open to nonmembers. Cost: $99 for members/$124 for nonmembers.

News from William Cuimmins

William Cummins', author of King and the Cowboy, next event is Tuesday, March 6th. The show has been in the works since July 10, 2011. 

Here's his  upcoming weekend schedule:

•       Saturday March 3rd  at 2:00 PM visit Hope Reins Therapeutic Riding Program at Marcody Ranch in New Smyrna Beach which is featured in the book.
•       Sunday March 4th The Daytona News-Journal book editor, Karen Gallagher, will publish an article about the book and library show in Section G of the newspaper called MY Week.
•       Monday March 5th: the radio station WELE 1380AM will interview him at 11:00 in the morning on their “Movies and More” show with Bobbie Thomas.
•       Tuesday March 6th: 2:00 PM is "show time" at the City Island Regional Library Center featuring “Trick-Roping and Political Horse Sense from a Feed Bucket Philosopher.”

The public is welcome and encouraged to invite friends to join the fun at the show if you are in town. 

As you can see, your prayers are very much welcomed. 

www.caipublishing.net
wacummins@clearwire.net

31st Annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair

The 31^st Annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair returns to St. Petersburg’s Historic Coliseum March 9-11, 2012.

The book fair is the oldest and largest fair of its kind in the Southeastern United States and features more than one hundred specialized dealers from all over the country. This year’s “Book Sail” theme celebrates the long maritime history of the Tampa Bay area and Florida.

Visitors will find books of every age and about every conceivable topic, including modern fiction, Americana,Florida history and literature, travel and exploration, fine bindings, poetry, cooking, military history, world history, the classics, art books, religion, children's literature, illustrated books.

Additional materials found at the Fair include maps, prints, postcards, ephemera, autographs and other paper collectibles.

A complete list of the exhibitors is available at http://www.FloridaBooksellers.com.

Many dealers will help carry out this year’s “Book Sail” theme by featuring nautical books in their displays. The theme is a natural for Florida and for Tampa Bay, reports Mike Slicker, Book Fair Chairman.

"After all,” he explains, “It was here that Spanish explorer Nunez Cabeza de Vaca landed and began his cross-country journey. Hernando de Soto landed here just seven years later. The two earliest explorations of the North American continent started right here.”

"During the Civil War, blockade runners defied the United States government to bring the South needed supplies. The U.S. Navy did its best to prevent that activity. During Prohibition, rum runners plied the Florida coastline with prohibited alcohol, taking advantage of Florida’s long coastline with plenty of hidden inlets.

"In more recent times, great yacht designers like Morgan were headquartered here. The pram was developed here. In the old days, if you simply wanted to go from St. Petersburg to Tampa, you had to take a sailboat."

"Always, throughout the region's history, sailing, ships, and boats have had a huge influence. As a result of that, we are celebrating 'Book Sail.' "

The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is open Friday, March 9 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is $10 Friday and is good for the entire weekend. Saturday and Sunday, tickets are $6 for the day or $10 for the weekend. Children 12 and under, and students with valid identification, are free. Parking is free.

Ticket sales benefit the St Petersburg Public Library.

Discount coupons are available online at http://www.Floridabookfair.blogspot.com or on Facebook (search: “Florida Bookfair”).

Food and beverages are available onsite.  St. Petersburg’s Historic Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, is known as “the finest ballroom in the South.” It opens its oak dance floor to everything from ballroom dancing to corporate functions.  Opened in 1925, the building was nicknamed the “Palace of Pleasure” in the Roaring 20’s, and has played host to such famed artists as Louie Armstrong, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Harry James, among others. 

Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tagelus by Christopher Tozier

A new fantasy novel for young readers by Central Florida author, Christopher Tozier, features a unique eco-system; the Florida scrub.

Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tagelus is book one of a series featuring a distinctive approach to the fantasy genre. Instead of building on the foundation of old world mythologies such as vampires, wizards, or Greek gods, this novel uses the rare Florida scrub for its inspiration. The adventure endured by the characters provides a unique backdrop for developing a North American mythology, particularly for someone relocated to Florida from other parts of the country.

This novel is especially geared to young fantasy and sci-fi fans. But it can also be used in the classroom to introduce concepts such as the Floridan aquifer, the Cenozoic era, and the rare Florida scrub. 

About the author

Christopher Tozier lives in the Orlando area and has been selected as a 2011 Individual Artist Fellow for by the State of Florida. Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tagelus is his debut novel. The author is available for interviews and comment.

For more information, go to http://www.oliviabrophie.blogspot.com/

To purchase the book, visit http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781561645121

News from Holly Fox Vellekoop

Just a short note from Holly Fox Vellekoop to tell is that her science fiction novel, 

THE GIFT: From our Dimension to Yours, has moved into the second round of

the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. She is thrilled.  

Congrats to Holly.... Keep us posted.

More on the UCF Book Festial... March 31, 2012

 

The UCF Book Festival is coming up at the end of March. Between now and then I'll post some of the events happening at The Arena on the Orlando Campus that you won't want to miss.  

This week I'd like to feature three of the featured authors.  


First, Ted Dekker is a New York Times best-selling author. He co-authored Forbidden with Tosca Lee. He is best known for novels which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans as well. 

Born to missionaries who lived among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia, his parents’ work often included extended periods of time away from their children. Dekker describes his early life in a culture to which he was a stranger as both fascinating and lonely. It is this unique upbringing that forced him to rely on his own imagination to create a world in which he belonged. 

To read more about Dekker, go to http://www.teddekker.com

Next, Nelson George is one of the first writers to document hip hop culture and is the author of several award-winning books on the subject, including Hip Hop America and The Death of Rhythm & Blues; he also coauthored (with Simmons) Russell Simmons’s autobiography Life and Def. He directed Queen Latifah in the HBO film Life Support, and is an executive producer of VH1’s long-running Hip Hop Honors broadcast. 

Go to his website at http://www.nelsondgeorge.net

Sharyn McCrumb is an award-winning Southern writer, best known for her Appalachian "Ballad" novels, set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains, including the New York Times Best Sellers She Walks These Hills and The Rosewood Casket. McCrumb, who has been named a "Virginia Woman of History" in 2008 for Achievement in Literature, was a guest author at the National Festival of the Book in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the White House in 2006.

McCrumb’s other honors include: AWA Outstanding Contribution to Appalachian Literature Award; the Chaffin Award for Southern Literature; the Plattner Award for Short Story; and AWA’s Best Appalachian Novel. A graduate of UNC- Chapel Hill, with an M.A. in English from Virginia Tech, McCrumb was the first writer-in-residence at King College in Tennessee. In 2005 she honored as the Writer of the Year at Emory & Henry College. In 2011 she received the Perry F. Kendig Award for Achievement in Literature from the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, in Roanoke VA.

To read more about her, go to http://www.sharynmccrumb.com/


Save the date for the book festival. It's March 31, 2012, at the UCF Arena in Orlando Florida.

Visit the festival website at: http://education.ucf.edu/bookfest/programs.cfm

Presentation Scheduled: Walking in the Footsteps of Basho by Marilyn Carter

Learning to write in the mail script or with Kanji in Shodo (Japanese Calligraphy was difficult for Marilyn Carter; especially since she started at the age of Sixty. However, she loves working with in and the brush in the Asian manner that requires mental imaging and no sketching.

In 1994, she started a person study with a group of female writers on the subject of Matsuo, Basho, the originator of Haiku poetry by using the first three lines in Haikai no Renga. His travels by foot over most of the peripheral area of Japan's Honshu Island fascinated her, and so she started her adventures by walking in his footsteps.

The latest venture in December of 2010 took her to Mastuashima Island where the tsunami hit the shores a few months later. Thus, her pictured search for his commemorative stone on O-Jima Island was history. 

Carter will be giving a power-point presentation on her last trip to Hakone and to O-Jima Island titled, "Walking in the Footsteps of Basho" in the Palm Bay Campus' Auditorium, March 5th starting at 6 PM. The end of the program shows her own Haiku written after she returned home and heard about the chaos that resulted from the tsunami.

Sidney Andrews to speak to PFLAG

At the invitation of The Peoples Care Center of Vero Beach, Sidney Andrews will be speaking to the PFLAG group on Tuesday evening, February 28th, 7 PM, at the Unity Church of Vero Beach, 950 43rd Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32960. The topic is my memoir, "A Fall to New Heights."

Al Burt Literary Festival Reception and Awards Ceremony

On February 26^th at 2 p.m. Melrose will celebrate its favorite literary citizen with a reception and writing contest awards ceremony.  Al Burt was the voice of Melrose, bringing the community’s charm and natural delights to life in his books about the region. 

Jean Carver Chance will be the keynote speaker.  She is professor emeritus in the College of Journalism at the University of Florida.  Gloria Burt will present the awards to the winners of the Write Like Al prose and poetry contest.  The winners will be announced at the festival.  The event also features a display from the UF Libraries Al Burt Collection. Dr. Jim Cusick will be available to discuss the collection with visitors. 

The Melrose area literary map will be unveiled at the festival and features local literary and historical sites that may interest lovers of literature.  The map has been funded by a grant from the Florida Humanities Council.

Refreshments using regional recipes will be served.

The Al Burt Literary Festival is a free event supported by the Florida Humanities Council, Melrose Library Association, the Putnam County Library System and its volunteers, and our community co-sponsors: Historic Melrose, Inc., the Palatka Daily News, Melrose Bay Gallery Artists, the Lake Region Monitor, Bellamy Road  Gallery (David T. Warner Foundation), FIWI the Melrose Senior Citizen Center, The Melrose Book Place, Gator Office Supplies, the Melrose Café, Lather and Lace, Shake Rag Gallery, the Melrose Business and Community Association, and the Blue Water Bay Restaurant.  For more information about the contest or the festival, call the library at (352) 475-1237.

Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this (publication) (program) (exhibition) (website) do not necessarily represent those of the Florida Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities

Brevard Authors Book Fair: Speakers and Topics

Brevard Authors Book Fair - March 31, 2012 Speakers & Topics

Listed below are the speakers, their topics and the time of their speech for the 2012 Brevard Authors Book Fair. The fair will be at the Central Brevard Public Library in Cocoa on March 31, 2012.

The Brevard Authors Book Fair is presented by ...

AUTHORS FOR AUTHORS

Valerie Allen

Marshall Frank

Holly Fox Vellekoop

    

 10:30 - Mark Mynheir  “Truth in Fiction”

11:15 - Holly Fox Vellekoop “What They Didn’t Tell us About Writing”

12:00 - Marshall Frank  “Converting True Life Into Fiction” 

12:45 - Ava Pennington “Writing for Anthologies: How to Craft a Winning Story"

    

1:30 -   Valerie Allen “Writing For Fun and Profit”

2:15 -   Carol Jose “Get it in Writing: Managing Contracts, Clients, and Clearing up Confusion”

Author News from Valerie Allen

Valerie Allen's novel, Sins of the Father, continues in the Kindle Top 100 in catagory.
Her book can be seen at www.Amazon.com/Sins-Father-Valerie-Allen/dp/0595442609/ref

FWA Spring Mini Conference -- still room available

click on each image for a larger view...

UCF Book Festival: James McBride will be the Keynote Speaker

 

 

The UCF Book Festival is coming up at the end of March. Between now and then I'll post some of the events happening at The Arena on the Orlando Campus that you won't want to miss.  

This week I'd like to feature that James McBride will be the Keynote Speaker.  He is scheduled to speak at 11:00 am on March 31, 2012.   

McBride is the acclaimed author of The Color of Water, a New York Times best seller for two years.  He also wrote Miracle at St. Anna, the story of a black American soldier who befriends an Italian boy during World War II. It was hailed as a "searingly, soaringly beautiful novel" by The Baltimore Sun. The book became a major motion picture through Touchstone/Disney, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee.

McBride's latest effort is Song Yet Sung, a national bestseller about slaves and slave catchers on Maryland's eastern shore. The book is the 2009 choice of the Maryland Humanities Council "One Book/One Maryland."

He is currently a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University. He also appears with his colorful jazz band, highlighting his amusing stories of redemption, forgiveness, and identity with wonderful musical accompaniment. 

The festival website lists his topics as:  

• The Color of Water: A Meditation on Identity
• The Liberal Arts Life: From Jazz to Journalism to Novel to Script
• Appreciating Cultural Differences
• Inspire to Live: A Lecture/Performance on Learning To Fail

In addition to the Keynote Address, there are scheduled author forums, free book appraisals, activities for children, and exhibitors.

For more information about the festival, go to UCF Book Festival