Posts Tagged River Jordan
Bookseller & Boardmember Emily Bell Shares RE:#SIBA10
Posted by Wanda in SIBA Trade Shows on October 25, 2010
Written by Emily Bell, Page & Palette, Fairhope, AL; SIBA Boardmember
It is hard to imagine a place more dangerous for me than a book industry convention. As an unrepentant bookaholic, temptation was everywhere. Books from the top national and regional publishers, book related items, fellow booksellers and authors, authors, and more authors!
This was the 35th annual trade show for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. They brought together its members with education sessions, the latest technology trends and head lining authors. Other booksellers from the Mobile Bay area made the trip to Daytona Beach – Russ Adams of Bienville Books as well as Page & Palette’s President Karin Wilson with her two publicists Anderson McKean and myself.
A personal highlight for me was being chosen to introduce author Watt Key, a fellow Birmingham-Southern College alum, to a packed room for a “Late Night Reading”. With seven other authors presenting, Watt told an entertaining account of his travel mishaps in order to arrive on time for the event. It required him to switch his flight to an Orlando arrival plus hiring a rental car (one that will never be a contender at the famed Daytona track). We were blessed that his resourcefulness landed him at the venue with time to spare. I always leap at the chance to brag on the author of “Alabama Moon” and his recent young adult novel “Dirt Road Home”.
Having met so many authors through their appearances for Page & Palette, I was often seated at their tables during meals and was able to witness first hand their special camaraderie. Shellie Tomlinson, River Jordan and I were a rowdy bunch during Patti Callahan Henry’s talk for her latest novel “The Perfect Love Song”. Lisa Patton met her literary hero, Alabama’s own Fannie Flagg who had read and admired Lisa’s novel “Whistin’ Dixie in a Nor’Easter”. After hearing that news, the Tennessee resident’s feet still have not touched the ground!
Speaking of Fannie Flagg, she made quite a favorable impression of the booksellers as the final speaker for the weekend’s hottest ticket. She was preceded by Emma Donoghue, author of “ROOM”, Walter Mosley, author of “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” and a newcomer to the publishing world, Benjamin Hale with “The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore”. Fannie was charming funny and supportive of her fellow writers and also kindly acknowledged her favorite booksellers, my boss Karin Wilson as well as Jake Reiss of the Alabama Booksmith in Birmingham. Fannie’s official launch for her latest novel “I Still Dream About You” will take place on its publication date, November 9 during events on either side of Mobile Bay.
By the weekend’s conclusion, many attendees called it the best book industry event in recent memory. For me, it is a bit difficult to call it “work” when I enjoyed myself as much as I did. Stay tuned for some of the books that we were introduced to at SIBA this year to be on the best seller lists and named as an “Okra” pick!
Not Quite 20 Questions with River Jordan
Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers on October 15, 2010
River Jordan, Saints in Limbo, SIBA Fiction Nominee: Author, Creative Conversator, Host of Clearstory Radio on WRFN Nashville 107.1 Has been known to tell stories standing up. In public.
What are you reading right now? The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
Why independent bookstores matter? It will take a passion for the written word to keep the flame of reading alive. Indie booksellers are the embodiment of that passion.
Favorite part of writing a book? Getting lost, absolutely, completely lost in the world 
between the pages.
Least favorite part of writing a book? The line edits. I used to look at authors like they were insane when they were saying I’m in line edits and rolling their eyes and having heart palpitations. Now, I get it.
Are you working on anything new? Yes. In the middle of final rewrites for Praying for Strangers and completing a very Southern Gothic novel I started ten years ago.
Do you have any superstitions, lucky charms, or rituals around your writing? My only superstition is talking about the story instead of writing it. Ritual is I want to be completely alone while writing.
Comment on the writing life. . . It’s the only thing I was ever meant to be. Well, maybe except for a gypsy trading potions in the night from a wagon with lots of bells tied to the side.
Hardest part of the creation to publication experience? For a new writer, getting an agent and finding the right publisher. Otherwise, the continued self-discipline to write another story. To isolate oneself at the keyboard.
Why do you write? To say what it is to be human, why we were here, and why that mattered.
When do you write? When I feel myself getting crazy. I mean that. When I’ve been away from the words too long I get all snappety-snap-snap.
When did you know you were a writer? Sixth grade. I look back now and realize I was weird at five and destined to be a writer but 6th grade is when I got called out by my teacher and identified as such.
What would make you a scintillating dinner guest? A rich, red Bordeaux.
Who is your favorite new author? That weird kid in the sixth grade somewhere who is writing words in a spiral notebook and dreaming of being a writer someday in spite of the fact that mean people say there is no future in it.
What is your drink of choice? AM = Strong Coffee. PM – Beer made by Monks or Wine made by Monks.
What is your favorite food? I’ve thought about this in relation to that one last great meal deal. Doggone if I don’t think I’d order a grilled hamburger and a huge order of steak fries. With a monk beer of course.
Lady Banks Bookshelf
