YOU'RE INVITED!

The wait is almost over for an especially cool book I'm proud to have co-written, Jacktown USA. Kamel King and I take a deep dive into the fascinating impact the city of Jackson, Mississippi, has had on so many blues and southern soul artists over the years, including Eddie Cotton, Zac Harmon, and Dexter Allen. Back in the day, there were so many small clubs and juke joints across the capital city, and there were also radio stations that routinely played homegrown talent on the air and even record labels that launched in Jackson. The city, referred to in the book's subtitle as The Capital of American Music, provided an education not available in a textbook to nearly every artist we spent time with. 

Join us Thursday, June 26 from 6-9 p.m. at Lemuria Books of Jackson. There will be live music from several of the artists featured in the book. There will be catered food and spirits available, and signed copies available. If you're a music lover, this is a must-read, and a book you'll turn to again and again.

\

What a cool cover! What a fun read!

My thanks to the Mississippi Writers Guild for plugging in John Floyd in Meridian and me in Gulfport in recent weeks to put on writing workshops for their members in those markets. John, with his three-decade track record of his short stories being published in nationally read publications like Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, The Strand Magazine, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and Woman's World, shares best practices about how to go about submitting one's piece of short fiction, and he also provides gentle encouragement for those who might be inclined to give up quickly. Something I offer is taking audience members step by step from an idea for a book in a writer's head to the day the truck arrives with that author's first printing. But what makes such occasions memorable for both of us is when the event is truly interactive, with most everyone taking part and exchanging ideas and offering feedback.

I just flew in from Pittsburgh, and boy, my arms are tired!

Speaking of John, I'm not sure The Strand Magazine would be in print without his regular contributions. This is the 75th anniversary issue of this fine publication, and John is in good company with a writer both of us greatly admire, C.J. Box. 

That Fleming guy wasn't too bad, either.

I've said before in this space that book clubs are crucial to authors getting the word out about their books. I've also said in this space that books we think of as evergreens, like Valerie Winn's fine first novel, Forsaking Mimosa, perform like the Energizer Bunny and keep going and going and going. Valerie was honored to be the very first guest of the Gulf Coast Newcomers and Friends book club in Ocean Springs. While discussing her first book and answering questions, she described the equally strong sequel, The Dance Between, and her forthcoming third volume, A Glaring Error. 

Doesn't that look like a comfy place for a book discussion?

   

Let your friends know about Jacktown USA, and please try to get to Lemuria and enjoy the party! The book will be on the Dogwood Press website very soon, and while you're there, think about a Father's Day gift, such as the wonderful devotional penned by Hal Kitchings, Dog-Gone, It Hurts. That book has "evergreen" written all over it! Visit the site at dogwoodpress.com. All orders are usually shipped the next business day and are packed with tender loving care.

Thanks for your time. Have a wonderful day, and keep reading.

THANK YOU!

Lots to be thankful for as we charge into the second half of The Roaring Twenties. Sunrise Press, the faith-based division of Dogwood Press, had a HUGE breakout hit with the Hal Kitchings devotional for those grieving the loss of a beloved dog, Dog-Gone, It Hurts. Released in November 2024, the true impact this wonderful little book was going to have was clear when I took a call from a lady in Cincinnati who'd read a review in the Cincinnati Enquirer. She explained that she was 90 years old, had run an animal shelter for years before retirement, was widowed, and had just lost her beloved pooch of 17 years and thought a copy would do her some good. Hal and I have heard from so many people who've found comfort in the book, and we are grateful for the fantastic response.

Hal's launch at Lemuria Books of Jackson, MS

Suspense author Scott Lenoir has been a wonderful addition to the Dogwood Press team. Signed copies of his great debut novel, The Amendment, were opened at a whole lot of homes Christmas morning, and we've heard from many readers who were taken with protagonist Blake Weaver (and the supercharged plot) and couldn't put the book down. 

  

Signing a red-hot read while thankfully indoors on a very cold day!

This is a great time to grab a copy of Sunrise Press author Monica Walton's Lean Into Lent, which provides all the spiritual nourishment of a daily Lenten devotional in a weekly format designed with the busyness of the season. Think not about what you will be giving up for Lent, but what you might be reading for Lent that will really make the season come alive! The book is multi-denominational and great for small church groups, but act fast with Lent beginning on March 5.

Well-written and meaningful.

I am thankful for my friend John Floyd, the short story legend who I've had the good fortune to publish eight times in the past two decades. John's remarkable run of stories continues in 2025, as he graces the pages of the current issues of The Strand Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Woman's World, and Black Cat Weekly all at the same time! John's stories are also included in a great many anthologies, such as this one by editor Josh Pachter. Crime fiction inspired by the songs of Joni Mitchell? I'm wondering if one of the stories includes a Big Yellow Taxi!

                                                                       What fun!

I am very thankful to have written Raphael's Men, the story of a coaching and teaching legend from a small Catholic school in Jackson, Mississippi, for Velocity Sports and Entertainment. Released in late 2024, the book is a reminder of the long-lasting impact a good teacher and coach can have on our lives.

Fast-paced and inspirational.

Signing copies for men who played for Coach Raphael

Appearing on my friend Marshall Ramsey's "Now You're Talking" podcast

I'm looking forward to visiting the Gulf Coast and presenting at the Mississippi Writers Guild workshop on February 15. A free event, it takes place at 5:30 p.m. at the Gulfport Arts Center in the Carnegie Library, located at 1300 24th Avenue. I'll touch on everything from what I'm looking for when I consider authors for publication to social media marketing and AI. Chapter head John Dumoulin is your point of contact if you're interested in attending. He can be reached at jmichaeldumoulin@gmail.com.

Be sure to visit dogwoodpress.com for signed copies of all Dogwood Press and Sunrise Press titles. Most orders are filled the next business day, so you'll have that can't-put-down read in just several business days regardless of where you are. Thanks for your time, and happy reading!