What more could a Queen want?

Every day is a present. Today, I am in the midst of second day of filming with the Fine Living Cable Network from California for a feature on me for a NEW program called “Windshield America.” That feature will air on the show January 2007 and I was thrilled to learn that I am the first woman to be featured on the show. What a present!
I bounded out of bed yesterday, as filming was to begin that morning, just as if it was Christmas morning. Nothing gets my adrenaline going faster than knowing we are going to be on national television to help further our mission on promoting literacy.
The afternoon before our author of the month had arrived, Kathleen Hughes of “Dear Mrs. Lindbergh.” She had attended our second Pulpwood Queens of Marshall, Texas meeting with me at a local coffee shop, Joe Buck’s.
All the women who joined got to hear first-hand how Kathleen’s book came into fruition and get their books autographed. We had a great meeting hosted by Head Queen, Phyllis Bailey.
Now we were going to be filming me doing Pulpwood Queen Book Club members’ hair, our “Splinter” Pulpwood Queen Book Club Chapter members as if they were going to their up-and-coming prom, and our visiting author.
You have never seen such BIG HAIR as we did that day! We deemed author, Kathleen Hughes “the highest hair and the closest to God!” She said she hadn’t had that big of hair since high school. Interviews were conducted and filmed then on to filming out book club meeting that night.
We were well represented that evening with Pulpwood Queens coming from Texarkana, Hooks, New Boston, Marshall, Linden, Henderson, Texas and even had a book club member come from Shreveport, Louisiana.
Dressed in all our Pulpwood Queen finery we filled our plates with all the “signature” dishes the Queens brought to the meeting. As we settled in out on the front porch, the film crew captured our meeting. Kathleen Hughes gave us her book talk and I silently giggled as the camera man climbed into the bushes and swung up on the porch railing to film the Roarin’ Red River Chapter!
He reminded me of Tarzan as obviously he would “swing through a jungle” so to speak to get the good camera angle.
Everyone seem so animated, they were really having a great time. Then I remembered, aha, the crew insisted I spike the punch! When one book club member tripped over one our mysterious lawn gnomes in our yard and went to hug me at the end of the meeting, I blurted out as I laughed into the camera, “Well, looks like I put a little too much punch in the punch!”
After the last of the paper plates and cups were tossed into the wastepaper basket and everyone was gone including the camera crew, I thought about my life. I have been truly blessed. Good friends, great books, amazing authors, film crews from California, what more could a Queen want?
Today we are getting ready to film again. The crew is temporarily filming around town as they can’t believe how cool this town really is. I love living in “Mayberry on the Bayou.” When they get back I’m doing the host’s hair, Heather Templeton, as many styles as I can do on her hair in thirty minutes which should be a hoot with my “Put on Hair” pieces from Raquel Welch.
Then they will be interviewing my daughter, Madeleine who is twelve and writing her first book, “Memoir of The Pulpwood Queens’ Youngest Daughter.” After that they want to talk to Madeleine and her best friend, Kaitlyn Whatley on why books are so important to them.
So here they come, I will be back on film in few minutes. Well I always did say I would do just about anything to promote literacy. So running as usual, until I get back with you next week. Pick up Kathleen Hughes’ book, “Dear Mrs. Lindbergh.” I can assure you that you will be in for a good read.
Tiara wearing, book sharing, and even cable show sharing, Kathy L. Patrick www.beautyandthebook.com
For more on Kathleen Hughes go to www.kathleenhughes.com For more on the Fine Living Cable Network go to www.fineliving.com or www.dansextonmedia.com