JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING

I saddled up yesterday and drove to the Memphis home of Susan Cushman, who's the latest addition to the Dogwood Press team, and brought several cases of Cherry Bomb for her to autograph. It was Susan's first time to see actual copies of the book--which she worked on for a full decade--and her reaction was wonderful. For any author, and as a novelist I speak from experience, the feeling of joy at being able to hold your own book in your hands is difficult to express. And it's the first of many happy moments Susan will have with this great read.

A gifted artist as well as a fine writer, Susan has painted many religious icons, including St. Mary of Egypt. That icon is on the back cover of Cherry Bomb and is to the immediate right of Susan along with St. Basil the Great.

We took signed copies over to Burke's Books and visited with Corey and Cheryl Mesler, the owners and a very nice couple. They'll host Susan for a launch event on September 7 at 5:30 p.m.

Corey Mesler (far left) is the author of Robert Walker and Memphis Movie among several books he's written.

Gotta like that! Southern Writers Magazine is well worth your time, especially the July/August issue!

We can't wait for the Mississippi Book Festival! Susan will be on the Literary Fiction panel for Cherry Bomb and is hosting another panel, and John Floyd will be on a panel for his great collection of mystery/suspense short stories, Dreamland! Randy Pierce and Valerie Winn and I will also be at the festival. Look for all five of us in the Dogwood Press tent! And look for the long-awaited follow-up to Valerie's Forsaking Mimosa in the fall of 2018!

Saturday, August 19. Come say hello!

A great review of Dreamland in the July/August edition of Portico Magazine of Jackson, MS!

Okay, see if you've heard this one before: There's nothing more fun for authors than getting out and visiting with other readers and writers. John Floyd shared some tips with a group of middle school youngsters at a creative camp at Northwest Rankin High School in Brandon, Mississippi, not long ago, and Randy Pierce visited the home of a book club president in Ocean Springs--the group had gathered to discuss his novel Pain Unforgiven and jumped at the chance to ask questions of the author himself. Both Randy and John figure they had as much fun as anyone!

This was MUCH more enjoyable than math and science classes!

Mr. Pierce, you didn't put those stories we told you in your book ... did you ???

And congratulations to John for getting another terrific story published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. It's called “Trail’s End", the first in a series featuring Mississippi sheriff Ray Douglas. John describes it as sort of a whodunit and said the second installment has already been purchased by Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and should come out in the next few months.

Look for John's story in the July/August issue!

We're asked about digital downloads a lot. Order right now and have any number of our Dogwood Press titles on your Kindle in just minutes!

SUSAN CUSHMAN - Cherry Bomb (***COMING SOON)

JOHN M. FLOYD - Dreamland

JOHN M. FLOYD - Fifty Mysteries

JOHN M. FLOYD - Deception

JOHN M. FLOYD - Clockwork

RANDY PIERCE - The Peter Bay

RANDY PIERCE - Pain Unforgiven

RANDY PIERCE - Magnolia Mud

VALERIE WINN - Forsaking Mimosa

JOHN LEE - The Legend of Roger (perfect for the middle-schooler in your life!)

JOE LEE - Director's Cut

JOE LEE - Last Chance Texaco

JOE LEE - The Long Road Home

JOE LEE - The Magnolia Triangle

Thanks for your time, and we hope to see you at the Mississippi Book Festival! For all Dogwood Press author appearances, as well as information about ordering our books and contacting our authors, please visit www.dogwoodpress.com. Have a great day!