WHAT ARE YOU READING?

I was asked yesterday what I was reading. Well, I just finished an old Lee Child novel called Tripwire. It's an early volume of child's fantastic, long-running Jack Reacher series. What else? The memoir by New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey, Wherever I Wind Up, and in the on-deck circle (baseball pun intended) is the latest Sarah Booth Delaney novel by Carolyn Haines, The Bonefire of the Vanities.

Which brings me to a great point: How important is a good title? For this reader, the answer is VERY. Oh, sure, if one of my favorite authors (James Lee Burke, Greg Iles, Lee Child, Dennis Lehane, Harlan Coben) comes out with a new novel entitled My Really Good Story, I'd probably chance it on the author's credibility with me. For the rest of us who aren't superstars, the title needs to be something the prospective buyer/reader will remember.

With that said, here's the cover of my forthcoming Oakdale series novel, Last Chance Texaco!



I sincerely hope this intrigues you!

 We'll roll out Last Chance Texaco in my hometown of Starkville, Mississippi, at The Book Mart on Thursday, September 27 (3pm) and in Jackson at Lemuria Books on Saturday, October 6 (1pm). This is volume IV of a suspense series that began with Judgment Day in 2007 and continued with The Magnolia Triangle and The Long Road Home. This book rolls out a new protagonist (Chris Brantley), although you'll find many familiar Oakdale folks from previous volumes as well as the usual stuff in these books: old money, lots of crime for such a small place, and a high concentration of crazy people!

Dogwood Press just published an e-book by my son, John! It's called The Legend of Roger and is a fantasy and adventure novel with a lot of humor. It's great for the middle schoolers in your life and holds together remarkably well, in my humble opinion, for a work written by a kid who was thirteen at the time!
If you have a Kindle, look up John Lee and The Legend of Roger and download it today!

A true Proud Papa moment!

In addition to Last Chance Texaco, Dogwood Press is proud to publish Deception, the fourth collection of John M. Floyd mystery suspense short stories, in April 2013. The last Floyd collection, Clockwork, was released in fall 2010, and I assure you this one is definitely worth the wait. John is the entire package: a great guy and a fantastic, versatile writer whose stories all have a Hitchcock-like twist at the end, not to mention his capacity to write well in genres ranging from police procedural, nostalgia, Western, romance, and more.

The new addition to the Dogwood Press team is Gulfport, Mississippi resident Michael Hewes. His novel, Watermark, is a legal thriller with the destruction and heartbreak from Hurricane Katrina as a backdrop. As a publisher, I've received a number of queries over the years from folks who've asked me to consider their Katrina-related projects, and while many were fine works in their own right, Watermark, treats the after-effects of The Storm in just the right way. We'll launch the book in fall 2013.

Mark it down: Watermark is just over a year away!

Upcoming events: Valerie Winn will speak to the Friends of the Library in Moss Point, Mississippi, on Saturday, September 29 at 2pm. Valerie just completed a couple of appearances at Gulf South Art Gallery in her hometown of McComb, and there was a really nice write-up on her in the new edition of Pulse, a quarterly magazine published by the Enterprise-Journal newspaper in McComb.

Valerie made her own poster for her signings. I love the creativity!

Valerie, John, and I will all crisscross the region this fall selling our new books and old. Scheduling updates are always on the Dogwood Press website, which you can visit at www.dogwoodpress.com. We look forward to seeing you! And don't forget to download my son's e-book, The Legend of Roger!

THE PERFECT WRITING ENVIRONMENT

At book talks, I'm often asked when I like to write. Well, there's no set schedule. I typically write each morning, although I've gotten plenty of great work done at night and on weekends. And yes, there are times when I wake up in the middle of the night with what I think is a killer idea and go right to the computer.

As to my preferred writing environment, I have a home office. Back in 2004 when my second novel, Dead Air, was brand new, Gary Pettus of The Clarion Ledger interviewed me and described the office as "...bristling with posters and memorabilia linked to Lee's Muses, including the Three B's: the (Mississippi State University) Bulldogs, the (Atlanta) Braves, and the Beatles."



I had the paper football goalposts up in case interviewer Gary Pettus ran out of questions. Photo taken by Joe Ellis.


I was told once that such an environment was NOT conducive to "good" writing, whatever that is. Well, forget that. My advice: write in a place where you're comfortable. I like my office. There are pictures of my family in here, stuff on the walls I enjoy looking at, and my computer is in here. There are folks who write on their laptops and blackberries and iPhones. Not me. I do my best work at my computer, in my office, with my Bulldogs and Braves and Beatles posters and memorabilia on the walls, as well as other trinkets and artifacts that I've collected over a decade of writing and publishing books.

Our latest addition to the Dogwood Press team, Valerie Winn, has crisscrossed Mississippi in recent weeks and has sold oodles of copies of her fantastic debut, Forsaking Mimosa. In addition to being a quality writer, Valerie is a gifted artist and a talented photographer. She asked if I had any preferences when she went to stores to do book signings, and I always tell our authors to be ready to hand out brochures and bookmarks. As to decorating her workspace, I told her to have fun with it, and she does, as you see here.



Valerie's signing table at Miner's in Ocean Springs, MS, on May 26

We're still getting great mileage from Valerie's interview with Marshall Ramsey on Super Talk 97.3 FM in Jackson on April 3, the day she was in Jackson for her Lemuria event. Super Talk is statewide, and Marshall, in addition to being a fantastic talent himself (he's the award-winning editorial cartoonist for The Clarion Ledger and his work is syndicated in newspapers all over the country), is a really nice guy. That was one of Valerie's very first interviews, and he made her feel at home and did his usual great job.



Testing...one, two, three...is this on?

And we had our usual fun time at Cajun Fest, which takes place each spring at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Madison, MS. I have the Dogwood Press tent out there each year and always enjoy visiting with folks and selling a few books. The challenge for me is to keep from spilling any of the delicious food on my books!



Of course I'll sign that for you. And if you buy all the books, you get the table free!

 The next Dogwood Press title is my new novel, the suspense thriller Last Chance Texaco. It's Volume IV of my Oakdale series and will be released at the beginning of October. I'm very excited about this one, and we also can't wait for the next John Floyd collection of mystery stories, Deception. Watch for that one in spring 2013.

Finally, I want to recommend a book I edited for a couple of friends of mine. Noraine Moree and Dave Berry have teamed up to write White Shirts, which is a non-fiction account of the tragic Kenneth Tornes workplace shootings which took place at Central Fire Station in Jackson, MS, in April 1996. This book will be available in mid-June and is a very powerful story of tragedy and forgiveness. For signed copies and/or a way to contact the authors about speaking appearances, visit http://www.cannon-ridge-publishing.com/. 




VALERIE'S LAUNCH AT LEMURIA

Valerie Winn had a very successful night at Lemuria in Jackson on April 3, selling over three dozen copies of her debut novel, Forsaking Mimosa. What was amazing to this observer, though, was the outporing of support from family members in McComb (a three-hour round trip) and the Gulf Coast (a six-hour round trip). A whole bunch of folks came up for the day and shopped in Jackson, putting a little boost into the economy, and rented hotel rooms and ate out after buying books at Lemuria. As Valerie's publisher and head cheerleader (GO, TEAM, GO!!!) I couldn't be more grateful.

Nothing like signing your first book for old friends!

A lot of folks drove a lot of miles to Lemuria that night!

Plenty of people stayed for the reading...

...which was as much fun as sitting in the legendary Lemuria signing booth!

I've talked often about how great it is to get to visit with old friends while selling books on the road. My friend Perry Dew and his wife, Betty, are old friends who live near Meridian, and they were kind enough to stop by when I signed at the area Books A Million in early March.

Not only does Perry read my books and give me through feedback, he's kind enough to even brag on them in front of total strangers who walk by for a look. What a guy!

Next up on the signing calendar: My buddy John Floyd and I will visit the Quitman Public Library in Clarke County on Thursday, April 12 at 1:30 p.m. for an informal talk and q/a session that we think will be a lot of fun. We thoroughly enjoy getting to both take shots at questions from audience members.

Late 2009, back when Quitman librarian Sue Sexton managed the library in nearby Pachuta.

John Floyd and me at Lemuria in early 2007 when I signed Judgment Day

There's a story that goes with the trailer sign: Back in 2003, I got a call from Sue Sexton, who said a handful of folks in their Friends of the Library group were familiar with my debut novel, the legal thriller On The Record, and wanted to know if I'd come to town to do a program. Are you kidding me? Absolutely, I said, and we agreed on a date of July 10. The meeting room in this tiny little library was full, with 16-18 people taking up all the chairs, and I learned that I was the opening act for...a local Baptist minister who was auctioning off cakes! I took a picture of the trailer sign, and to this day it hangs in my office: AUTHOR JOE LEE REVIEWING ON THE RECORD AND FUNDRAISING CAKE AUCTION. I even mentioned it to Gary Pettus of The Clarion Ledger a year later when he interviewed me just before my second novel, Dead Air, was launched. And when I signed Dead Air a few months later in Pachuta, I made sure the Friends folks knew they'd been bragged on in the statewide Mississippi paper.

So I'll be interested to see if Sue has some sort of trailer sign in Quitman to promote the Floyd/Lee event in Quitman this Thursday!

WITH APOLOGIES TO CARLY SIMON...

Remember Anticipation, the classic song from Carly Simon long ago? I remember hearing it in ketchup advertisements somewhere along the way. And it's in my head right now because we're so close to launching my new author, Valerie Winn of Gautier, Mississippi, and her fantastic debut novel, Forsaking Mimosa. Valerie will sign copies of her book at Lemuria in Jackson on Tuesday, April 3 at 5:00 p.m. (reading to follow at 5:30), and she'll do her first Coast-area signing on Thursday, April 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Pink Rooster Art Gallery. We can't wait!

Valerie and Linda Rosetti, Owner of Pink Rooster Art Gallery

My next venture is tomorrow at Books A Million in Meridian, Mississippi. We'll tee it up around noon and hopefully find a few folks shopping for Mother's Day or Father's Day gifts. Heck, just make up your own special occasion and pick up a copy of The Long Road Home, like these nice folks did when I spoke at the Tunica Public Library in January...and at the Pearl Public Library, also in January.

The guy on the left is my old buddy James Duke Denton. Always good to see him.

There's nothing an author likes more than folks standing around with their checkbooks open!


John Floyd and I will visit the Quitman Public Library for a dual book talk on Thursday, April 19 during National Library Week. We're really looking forward to seeing Librarian Sue Sexton and her patrons. It's great fun to do a talk with John and answer questions that are put to both of us. And one event I always look forward to is Cajun Fest at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Madison. This year's event is Sunday, May 20. We'll again have the Dogwood Press book booth wide open.

I'm always grateful to the festival organizers for not putting me next to the Space Jump! Sure don't need any wet books! 

COMING SOON...TO A BOOKSTORE NEAR YOU

Now that it's 2012, we're in the very last days and weeks before the new Dogwood Press author, Valerie Winn of Gautier, Mississippi, bursts onto the scene with a wonderful novel called Forsaking Mimosa. It's mainstream fiction with a hint of literary flavor, a coming-of-age tale that's set in South Mississippi just before World War II. There are life lessons, humor, tragedy, compelling characters, and a storyline you won't be able to walk away from in Forsaking Mimosa, and we're gearing up for Valerie's launch on April 3 at Lemuria in Jackson. Here's the book cover:

Valerie will sign copies of her debut novel at Lemuria at 5pm on April 3, with a reading at 5:30.

One of the highlights of my Christmas season was signing books on December 17 at a gift shop in Madison, Mississippi called Persnickety. Owner Ben Rogers, his wife, Randy, and manager Flo Bryan carry a variety of upscale decorative items and also host author signings--Ben didn't have to ask me twice if I was interested in an event with him, and he and his staff were wonderful hosts.

Joe and Ben. That's the first time my books have ever been displayed on a roll-top desk before.

We start 2012 with my latest Oakdale novel, The Long Road Home, officially available for download through Amazon.com. If you own a Kindle, grab it any time--as they say, you'll be able to begin reading in a minute or less.

Upcoming speaking events: I look forward to meeting folks at the Robert C. Irwin Public Library in Tunica, Mississippi on Wednesday, January 18 at noon. On Friday, January 27, I'll visit the Pearl Public Library at noon for their monthly Brown Bag luncheon. I was actually at the Pearl library last night to speak to the Chapter One Book Club, which was a lot of fun. I fielded some questions, and we all shared stories about writing and books and the business--great stuff. My thanks to Cecilia Sandifer, who invited me, and Kimberly Coley, who was kind enough to bring me in to speak to the Brown Bag group.

That's Cecilia to my right. We all agreed that the most important part of writing is enjoying it.

MEALS ON WHEELS

I don't text and drive, but I must admit that I've had more than a few meals while behind the wheel of the BookMobile over the years. If I'm due for a book event at noon, I usually pack a lunch and eat while traveling. Hey, it saves money, maximizes my time, and even allows me to eat healthy. Then, instead of having to look for something to eat right before my event, I can hop into the store and immediately start sizing up potential book buyers!

I don't know that there's an art to working with walk-up traffic or not, but my author John M. Floyd and I have done a ton of signings over the years where nearly all sales are dependent on selling to customers who don't know us and haven't read our work. I arm my authors for such occasions with foldout brochures and tell them to introduce themselves to the folks browsing about, and it works--John and I have sold lots of books over the years by reaching out like that...instead of waiting for them to come to us.

In addition to being a good friend, John is a fantastic writer. Mystery/suspense short fiction is his specialty, and he was the 2007 winner of the coveted Derringer Award. Dogwood Press has published three excellent, book-length collections of his stories: Rainbow's End (and other stories) in 2006, Midnight in 2008, and Clockwork in 2011. His next collection, Deception, is set for a spring 2013 release. 



Would you buy a book from this man? You should...

It was great fun to hang out with my cousin Jeanie Ables of Vidalia, Louisiana when I traveled to Natchez, Mississippi last weekend to sign in the Turning Pages booth at the Natchez Convention Center. Owner Mary Emrick and her staff were among many vendors at a Christmas Open House event, so I had plenty of chances to meet and greet and walk-up traffic. Not only does Jeanie very generously buy my books, she's also just as enthusiastic as me about visiting with people and waved over a bunch of her friends. The backdrop of the little booth was decorated so well it looked just as charming as Turning Pages Books itself on Franklin Street in Natchez.



The perfect stocking stuffers!

The next trip was to Pontotoc, Mississippi this past Thursday for a book talk at the Pontotoc County Library. Talk about a loyal Friends of the library group--there's almost always a roomful of folks present, and I was very grateful considering how chilly it was. Former Mississippi Supreme Court justice Jim Roberts and his wife, Rose, very kindly bought all three copies of the Oakdale series, and it was great to visit with him after the program and hear a couple of funny stories. Judy McNeece, who heads up the system of library branches in the Pontotoc area, did her usual outstanding job of getting the word out about my talk--there were cute flyers on display inside and outside the library (and the street sign in front of the library).



I was very grateful that folks in Pontotoc didn't throw fruits and vegetables at the sign until after the program.

 


COMPETING WITH SPONGE BOB

No, Sponge Bob isn't an author (not as far as I know), but he remains a rock star with most every red-blooded kid out there. So while there were scads of folks at Edgewater Mall yesterday, many were parents who'd brought their kids to see Sponge Bob and other cartoon characters. Actual book buyers at the Biloxi, Mississippi Books A Million were in somewhat short supply, but it was great to see Laura Golovin-Greer of Ocean Springs and her adorable daughter, Sasi. Maybe I should have gotten Sponge Bob to hang around my signing table and act as if he's a big fan of my Oakdale suspense series.



Laura, Joe, and Sasi. Not pictured: Sponge Bob

 It was great to visit Bay Books again, which was my next stop. Bookends was a wonderful little independently-owned bookstore in Bay St. Louis until it was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina, and owner Susan Daigre chose not to rebuild. But Kay Gough and her husband, Edward, opened Bay Books several years ago in a charming location just blocks from the water and once again gave Hancock County readers a wonderful outlet to find local and regional literary treasures as well as the national best-selling books.

New owner Jeremy Burke is continuing author signings that tie in to the Bay's Second Saturday each month, and I was delighted to sign alongside Poplarville, Mississippi native Whitney Miller, who was crowned the very first MasterChef winner after Season One of the popular FOX television show. Whitney's cookbook, Modern Hospitality, is a hot item after the national television exposure, and folks poured in to pick up copies. Many buyers were kind enough to plunge into my Oakdale series, too. My in-laws, Charlie and Vicky Staehle, have lived in Bay St. Louis for years and did their usual great job in spreading the word to their friends about their son-in-law's new book. 



Charlie, Joe, and Vicky