Dear Readers!
Today's Author Guest Blog is from Carla Stewart! Now a two time Pulpwood Queen Book Club Selection Author, enjoy her message to all of you on our annual Pulpwood Queen Book Club Hosted Convention that we call, GIRLFRIEND WEEKEND!
For more information on our weekend go to http://www.beautyandthebook.com/ and click on GIRLFRIEND WEEKEND ont the left side photo menu bar!
Tiara wearing and Carla Stewart sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs
Carla Stewart / Author of Broken Wings
A month or so ago, I ventured into the mall. I hate shopping more than anything. Hate it—but I was going to a conference and needed a couple of nice tops to wear with my normal black slacks. How I ventured into the evening wear at Dillard’s is anybody’s guess, but there I was, and it looked like one of those promos when they’d brought all the merchandise from the area stores for a big clearance. Racks and racks of party wear. Not at all what I’d come for.
Then I saw it—a prom dress! Layers of pale chiffon, a crinkly taffeta skirt that twirled around, a couple of inches of a nylon net petticoat peeking from the bottom. I looked around to see if anyone was looking, then feeling safe, I snatched it from the rack and ran into the dressing room. I felt silly even trying it on, but I knew exactly where I’d wear it – Girlfriend Weekend! Prom night!
The clearance price was unbelievable, and within minutes, I handed it to the sales associate and babbled away about the Pulpwood Queens and how it’s so much fun to spend a weekend with other authors and hundreds of readers, about this year’s Circus theme and that I’d be wearing my purchase to prom night. I handed her my debit card and a couple of bookmarks and told her about Broken Wings, my newest book that I’ll be sharing about at Girlfriend Weekend in January.
It’s apropos that the story is about a unique friendship between two women since that’s what girlfriend weekend is all about—making memories with old and new friends. And it’s sort of ironic that a special dress plays a role in the my latest book, Broken Wings.
This novel is a contemporary story, but as an author, I have a special affinity for nostalgia and managed to sneak a bit of the past into this tale of an unlikely friendship that forms between two women. Putting the story together was a fun challenge and actually had its roots in a short story I’d written several years ago about three children who were orphaned on Black Sunday (during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s). I knew the oldest of those kids had a story to tell. She became the main character, Mitzi. While I was trying to find her story, I read about a Tulsa jazz hall from the 1940s that was going to be renovated. I knew at once that she’d been a jazz singer who was now in the sunset of her life, so the story would have the past and present interwoven. I chose a young professional woman in need of a friend and let Mitzi be that friend. It turned out they needed each other in this tale of providence and grace. Sort of like we need each other in real life.
I can’t wait to see you all in Jefferson in January. We’ll be “clowning” around at the author dinner in honor of the Circus theme, then on to the main attractions—meeting all of you and having the time of our lives—prom dresses and all!
~~ Carla
