ANYBODY GOT ANY BOXES? BEAUTY AND THE BOOK MOVES UPTOWN!

My landlord stopped by for a haircut a couple weeks ago. She had previously told me that the historic house was going to be placed on the market, would I be interested in buying the property. Unfortunately, the price was so out of my price range, I had to decline. I knew the day would finally come when she was going to find a buyer for the house. Indeed it did because as she was about to leave my shop she told me, “I don’t know how to tell you this but I have two gentlemen who are buying my building.” Yes, it’s true, Beauty and the Book and The Pulpwood Queens Book Club home and headquarters is moving again!

I feel like I have come full circle. I just finished my first book ever, The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life to be published by Warner Books. The book begins with my former boss telling me, “I don’t know how to tell you this but we are going to have to let you go.” As your life goes flashing before your eyes and you see images of doom and gloom, I have to remind myself what I told everybody in my book. “When one door closes, another window of opportunity will fly right open”. And, it has? Moreover, this one has a picture window with the most incredible view!

I was at my favorite eatery, The Hamburger Store, with my girls grabbing a bite to eat the other night. We had ended our meal with a slice of their scrumptious three-berry pie with rhubarb topped with Blue Bell ice cream. You have to experience this dessert to believe it! As we paid our check, I noticed Jimmy and Pat Moore leaving too, the owners of East Texas Forest Products. We stopped to chat outside as the Moore’s are just about the nicest folks you will ever meet. They loaned me their brand spanking new double cab cherry red pickup truck and a 27- foot gooseneck trailer for our Pulpwood Queen “KATS” float in the Mardi Gras Parade. (We won the Duke of Hebe Award in the Parade with our rendition of Broadway’s CATS for this year’s theme Classic Tales!) Now they also gave us a barn to decorate our float in and a driver for the parade, hunky Chris McGregor who also just happens to be the son of one of my best friends and Pulpwood Queen Pam McGregor. What more could a Pulpwood Queen want to ride in style in a parade? Besides, nobody ever said, “Yes, ma’am”, anymore sexier than Chris McGregor as he helped me from the crack of dawn get the float ready and tear the float down at the end of the day. Woo, I lost my track of mind there for a second. I took him and his family all out to dinner afterwards to The Hamburger Store. Nothing better to reward yourself and others with than that pie.

Pat and Jimmy Moore did not win Citizens of the Year for nothing my friends. They are one of Jefferson’s finest families, always giving, always with a smile and a big heart. Anyway, Jimmy had heard that I was having to move and told me he thought he had a building that I could use. Would Jay (my husband) and I like to come by and see it?

Now Jimmy has restored the old Texaco filling station right on the old highway that use to run smack dab through the center of town. Absolutely darling with two vintage Texaco trucks parked right out front, every tourist and visitor that visit our historic city stops there for photo opportunities. You can almost picture uniformed Texaco attendants running out to service your car. The place is a snapshot picture back in time. Next door, he tore down the old house and moved in this turn of the century built Gulf storage building. He restored the outside, added a cute front porch, with a perfect view of our fair city. An old rock water garden and fountain that matches the rock Texaco building sits right in the front yard. Jimmy plans to stock it with fish. Now the inside was still like an old unfinished barn of a building. Jay and I took one look and we could see the possibilities. Perfect location and right on Polk Street, which is on the parade route in historic Jefferson. Beautiful views out both the front and back doors. On the front porch, you can see down three main thoroughfares and the building had twice as much space as the house I was in downtown.

After Jay and I talked we met again with Jimmy. Hands were shook and the deal was sealed. Beauty and the Book was moving up the street to 608 Polk Street, Jefferson, Texas, U.S.A!

You all we have been busy. Beauty and the Book is business as usual at 210 West Austin, but on the nights and weekends, we are getting our new little gem of a building ready for the big move. We have currently stripped, sanded the beautiful yet worn heart of pine floors. A little office is off to the side that I am painting in shades or Pulpwood Queen Pinks. The drafting style desk will be leopard and my office will house my Tarzan collection. I told Jimmy that this was it; I did not ever want to have to move again so we are pulling out all the stops on this building. Or should I say Jimmy Moore is as he has hired a contractor to get our building ready in record time.

I think you are going to be really surprised with out new look and home. We plan to have online photos and video of our EXTREME MAKEOVER! I was just up at Music City Texas for the Texas Music Awards and got a big ole bear hug from Head Timber Guy, Richard Bowden who also just happens to be President of Music City. We were talking about the building and I was telling him that I wanted to put a Moon on the bathroom door. Then I got to thinking I would put the Moon and the Stars, in honor of Richard, as that is the name of his house band. Would The Moon and the Stars be willing to come sign my bathroom door? I mean how could you turn down that honor! Richard laughed and said, “How about The Moon and the Stars come play for my RE-RE-Grand Opening! Y’all I hope you are ready. Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Beauty and the Book, home and headquarters for The Pulpwood Queens’, the largest “meeting and discussing’ book club in the world! We are going to have plenty of room and I promise, we’ll leave the porch light on for ya!

Tiara wearing and Book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Hairdresser to the Authors
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs

All our LIFE is a STAGE!

I grew up with a mother who wanted to be a movie star. She went to Hollywood at 19 to be discovered. My father followed her out there and proposed. My mother was not discovered as Schwab’s Drugstore or any other place in Hollywood. They eventually moved back home, this was in the 1950’s when Marilyn Monroe reigned. All my life I heard, the stories and therefore the stars in my mother’s eyes were burning bright in my little sisters and me. We loved Hollywood, the Oscars, and lived for the movies. I remember at a very young age seeing my very first musical and it was magical.

When I got in high school, we had a new drama teacher, Mr. Peacock. I swear that was his name. He was semi-famous as he was Broadway star Sandy Duncan’s first dance partner. If you have ever seen the film “Waiting for Guffman”, directed and starring Christopher Guest, he was that character. Played by Christopher Guest, he was this Broadway director who now has moved to small town Blaine, Missouri. This film could have been my hometown of Eureka, Kansas, or my new home town of Jefferson, Texas. You have to see that film, as it was the first thing I did when I got off the plane in NYC on my first day as a book publisher’s representative in the city for sales conference. I saw it in a little theater over by The Plaza Hotel and I have never laughed so hard and so loud in my life. I love and adore Christopher Guest and all of hilarious mockumentaries.

Now I cannot actually say the same thing about Mr. Peacock. He was more than a bit over the top and as my dad would say, a bit light in the loafers. It was more of a love/hate relationship. He flunked me one six weeks for Speech class, (which is a whole another story), but at the same time, I could not wait to sign up for The Thespians Club and try out for one of the plays.

I never had the gumption to try out for the big parts in the plays or musicals. I always was cast as the dancer, the sexy nurse, the dancer; you get the picture, the bit parts. I loved it and threw my whole self in productions of “Little Abner”, “Bye Bye Birdie” and various plays. After I married and had my two girls, I read in the paper that there was going to be try-outs for the musical “Meet me in St. Louis”. There were many children’s’ roles in production so I thought as a family project we would all go and try-out. My daughter’s Laine, Madeleine, and I were all cast. I was thrilled, how fun was this going to be. I was more than a bit concerned as to play, if you remember the movie starring Judy Garland, Judy’s older sister who was 19. The young man who was to play my love interest was in high school. Now I was in my 40’s at the time and considered this quite a stretch. I also felt more than a tad uncomfortable batting my eyes and flirting with this young man at play practice.

After the first practice, the next morning I drove to the bank; where his mother worked, and made her give me verbal permission that it was okay for me to play this role with her 16- year-old son. I had read enough stories about older women hitting on high school boys. They went to prison. We had a good laugh about it.

Laine had one of the lead children’s roles in that musical and went on that year to win Best Child Actor in our local WYNOY Awards given out by the Opera House Theater Players. WYNOT is TONY spelled backwards, how clever. She was bitten by the theater bug. Madeleine had a walk on role with one line and we all really just had a blastie blast doing this musical. We were hooked. What fun, what joy!

We went on to all being in another Opera House Player Production “I Remember Mama”. Then I was cast, with two of my other best friends and fellow Pulpwood Queens, Beverly Bradley and Carol Lancaster Lucky, in the hysterical play “Laundry and Bourbon”. Then we all went on to all play in the Excelsior Players “A Christmas Carol”. Some of my happiest days were going to the practices with the girls.

As I got busy running my Beauty and the Book and my Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs and all the other things that I do, I stepped reluctantly off the stage. Actually, I was probably yanked, as I continued to encourage my girls to get involved with their drama departments at their school. Madeleine did her first U.I.L. play this year and got a starring role as the villain in a melodrama, Bertrand Oleander. She was a hoot, looking a like a cross between Charlie Chaplin and Snidely Whiplash, in her too big black suit, her twirly black mustache, cape, cane, and top hat. I laughed my fool head off. She won All-Star Cast at their very first U.I.L school competition, “Egad, What a Cad”.

Lainie just got back last night from her U.I.L competition and won Best Actress of all the schools for their high school play, “Gammer Gurton’s Needle”, and now they going to district U.I.L. this Saturday. An amazing feat because she too played a leading role as a boy, Diccon, in that production with all the cast talking in a cockney accent.

Why I decided to write about our theater experiences is because I have seen before my very eyes what happens when you get involved in the arts. The greatest thing a parent can do is teach your children how to fly and then give them wings to go there own way in the world. My girls have gained a confidence that I am not sure they would have had if it had not been for the theater experience. Now as I watch my little birds fly off in the world, I can enjoy the drama that unfolds.


All my life I have been an avid reader. I happen to think playwrights and theater is just another aspect of the reading experience. To read a play or musical and see it come to life before your eyes is a treat for all. When I was a child these, big musical productions would come to the high school. From kindergarten to junior high students would be bused to the high school to join their students to watch “Peter and the Wolf” , “Hans Brinker and the Golden Skates”, and “Toby Tyler”. We each paid 10 cents to see those shows. I will never forget the costumes, the music, and those storybook characters all brought to life.

April 24th, I have one the premier actors of Broadway stage, television, and film coming to my Beauty and the Book, the delightful and vivacious Rue McClanahan to talk about her new book “My First Five Husbands…and The Ones That Got Away”. Rue has asked me to put on a skit just for her, my fellow Pulpwood Queens, and those in attendance. Carol Lancaster Lucky, Pam McGregor, Timber Guy Nelson Collier, and I will be doing just that for all that attend. We call our skit “The Pulpwood Gals” where three middle age sisters come to live with their Meemaw (played by Nelson) in a doublewide trailer on Caddo Lake. It is kind of our East Texas version of “The Golden Girls” as a tribute to Rue McClanahan who starred in that television show as the infamous Blanche.

Tickets are $30.00 and include refreshments and the book for you to have signed personally by Rue. Come support the arts and I can guarantee you will get some good laughs and meet one of most outstanding American actress to walk the stage in theater and grace our film and television screens today! Call 903-665-7520, email me at Kathy@beautyandthebook.com, or stop by Beauty and the Book to get your tickets.

All our life is a stage and I encourage all of you to support your local arts and theater programs. There is nothing more thrilling than to have the lights go down, the audiences grow quiet, and the velvet curtain lift to unveil a story about to unfold.

Tiara wearing, Book and Theater Sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs

SINGING MY HEART OUT!

“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. “Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
Quote from the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

In my life, I have seen many people who have obsessions. I remember when I was a kid, crazed girls screaming over The Beatles, which I found silly. Teenagers, my daughters age, are going absolutely ballistic these days over the musical group, My Chemical Romance. I have seen grown men dress in women’s lingerie attending day after day the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show when I was first starting work as a hairdresser. Year after year I have viewed at each new release of a Star Wars movie teens, and adults dressing as Luke Skywalker to Darth Vader. I guess we all have secret fan clubs for something or someone. My not-so-secret obsession has always been about authors and their books. My all-time favorite? To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee of course.

I do not know when I first read the book. I saw the film first and instantly found myself in the character of Scout. I related so well to the youngest Finch, I became an instant fan of the film. Every spring my mother, sisters, and I would watch the movie piled on our green nubbly divan as the story unfolded on our old black and white Curtis Mathis television. I still get chills when Dill, Jem and Scout all dare each other to go up on to Boo Radley’s porch. We did not have any next door neighbors like the Radley’s. Still, as we moved a lot, we had someone or something that scared the bejesus out of us in our neighborhood. My sisters and honed in on those eccentric characters like flies to honey.

I read this book usually once a year in the spring and it’s that time. As I reread the pages, I am amazed at what new revelations unfold for me at each reading. I highly recommend everybody do the same in this country. The book to me, no matter how many literary analysis’s are done, is just the story that Harper Lee fictionalized of her experiences growing up in Monroeville, Alabama. Do I think she was trying to teach us of social injustice and all the other many tangents that some academia who has studied her work for their doctoral thesis explain in minute detail? Maybe subconsciously, I just happen to think she just told us one of the greatest stories ever told period.

I have collected snippets of information on Harper Lee, the book, and film for years. Not to study and critique her underlying subliminal messages, but as kind of like the scrapbook that my mother kept when she was a teenager of her favorite Hollywood stars. I collect these newspaper clipping and stories just because I loved her written words. Because of course, I did finally discover the book, probably at the Eureka Carnegie Library of my youth back in Kansas when an astute teacher recommended I go there after they overheard me blathering on about the film. When I became an adult and found you could buy books. Lo and behold not just check them out at the library, that was one of the first books I purchased for my ever growing library. My treasures, I think I have about 6 copies of To Kill a Mockingbird, each a different printing, different cover, and some commemerating an anniversary edition. I have those books stacked on my bedside table to keep them close and for easy reach for reading. So when I heard that not one but two movies were coming out on Truman Capote and Harper Lee, I could hardly wait in anticipation of their story unfolding on film.

Capote debuted first and won Philip Seymour Hoffman an Oscar. Then came the film Infamous which if an actor has ever come as close to portraying a character better than Toby Jones as Truman Capote, I’m not sure who it would be. He was Truman Capote. And I thought Phillip Seymour Hoffman had him nailed. Sandra Bullock, before I watched the film, I thought was sorely miscast but I was wrong. She was incredible and it changed my opinion of her as an actress. Her quietness and accent delighted me. Both films were great and that is something I don’t say very often. Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird sets the standard to me for great film. Capote and Infamous in turn follow suit. That must be a first or am I biased as concerning the subject matter. I probably am.

I will continue returning to my reading of To Kill a Mockingbird just as I do every year, much like the birds returning back north in the spring. Yes, I’m singing, singing it’s praises to high heaven. Won’t you join me in reading To Kill a Mockingbird? To me it would be a sin if you didn’t.

Tiara wearing and Book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs

SPRING HAS SPRUNG AND IT'S COMING UP BOOKS!

I can hardly sleep when there is a change of seasons. A thrill runs through my body when I see those birds headed back north, first sight of that unexpected color flash of a daffodil bloom, and the mailings of spring advance galley books stacked in my mailbox. Spring for me means NEW BOOKS and I can hardly get the mailers opened fast enough to find the treasures inside to read. The following are books just recently released that give more than the promise of spring for great NEW READS!

Author, teacher, Rickey Pittman has been coming to Beauty and the Book and my author events for years. He was recently here for our annual Girlfriend Weekend and I previewed an advance galley at the literary festival. What a talent and what a story! If you love southern confederate civil war history, Rickey is the man to talk too. His latest book will be a children’s book Jim Limber Davis, a Black Orphan in the Confederate White House.

Check out this link to the recent news story in the Monroe, Louisiana Newspaper: http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070305/NEWS01/703050313

One author in particular always seems to me, as if she has written her books specifically for my book club. Cassandra King, a three time Pulpwood Queen Book Club Selection Author has a new book, The Queen of Broken Hearts which is certain to also become a Pulpwood Queen favorite. I know that if you read just one of Cassandra’s books you will too become a big fan and she is as sweet and intelligent as all of her women characters. We bow to the feet of an author QUEEN! I give her latest book our highest mark, 5 diamonds in our Pulpwood Queen Tiara! Check out her website at: http://www.cassandrakingconroy.com/

When I got an email from Cathryn Michon to help bring books to libraries in Louisiana following the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, I made a plea to my Pulpwood Queen authors to help. And help they did by sending books on to those libraries, authors were very generous to help those in need. Now I just got another email, would I donate books to the Camel Book Mobile? Yes, I would and so should you. Author, Masha Hamilton has written a book called The Camel Book Mobile. Here is some of the copy from her website, http://www.mashahamilton.com/

This is the mantra of Fiona Sweeney, the heroine of Masha Hamilton’s inspiring new novel The Camel Bookmobile, a tale about an American librarian who leaves Brooklyn to work for a relief organization in Africa that sends books on the backs of camels to forgotten villages. Fiona’s intentions are entirely pure but, when the bookmobile causes a feud among the nomadic tribe it aims to help, she realizes her good deeds may come with a high price.
Now this book is made for the Pulpwood Queens as we are on a mission to promote literacy. This woman is not only talking the talk, but walking the walk. Do check out that website and won’t you help on her mission, see below.

Book donations for the Camel Library can be mailed to:

Garissa Provincial LibraryFor Camel LibraryLibrarian in Charge, Rashid M. FarahP.O. Box 245Garissa, Kenya

Won’t you spring into action by not only reading good books but promoting literacy too. The authors whose books I read and who grace my doors and book festivals inspire me. They inspire me to get up out of my comfortable winged back recliner where I love to read and write and do some good works too. Let’s clean out the closets and give to those in need. Do we really need to have all this stuff and yes, all these books. My goal this spring is to try to uncomplicate my life a bit and give, give, give. I have so much and so do all of you. Let’s take action this year and do good works.

Tiara wearing and book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
http://www.beautyandthebook.com/, and check out all the NEW Author and Artists links! We’re revamping the website to make it easier for you to navigate and to bring you the best in reading today!

Those Queens Can Shimmy submitted by Amy Wallen

Loralva got all the way to the Pulpwood Queen Book Festival (http://www.beautyandthebook.com/) and found out that due to one of them glitches that God only knows the true meaning of, MoonPies couldn’t be found for sale. But she made the best of it. How can you not, she figured, when all the ladies are wearing tiaras and her all time favorite of fabrics—leopard skin. She donned her rhinestone-encrusted western vest, grabbed her embroidered bowling bag purse and whooped and hollered all night long at the Hair Ball. She chose her fuschia Carol Channing wig for the occasion and partyed with the likes of Tippy Hedren, Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball and all sorts of other dead Hollywood types. Those Pulpwood Queens sure know how to boot scoot.
The Pulpwood Queen Mum, Kathy Patrick, both proprietress of Beauty and the Book Hair Salon and Bookstore and founder of the Pulpwood Queen weekend was not only Loralva’s favorite tiara-wearing, book-loving queen, but someone to admire considering she traveled everywhere with the back of her car loaded down with a chair in the shape of a giant velour high-heeled leopard skin slide and a bottle of red fingernail polish the size of an armadillo. Plus, that lady knows a good read almost better than Loralva knows a good man. Not to mention she’s probably read just as many books.
When Loralva got back to Devine, she climbed up on top of her mobile home, stood right next to her TV antennae, and announced to the entire trailer park that every reader within shouting distance should join the Pulpwood Queen book club.

Will Clarke Appearing at Beauty and the Book!

Will Clarke Appearing at Beauty and the Book!
Jefferson, Texas -March 13th, 6:30 p.m.
Calling all L.S.U. fans!
The Pulpwood Queens of East Texas are having a TOGA PARTY to celebrate our special guest author, Will Clarke’s new book “The Worthy”! The event will be at Beauty and the Book a.k.a. Theta Eta Pie, the only Hair Salon/Bookstore now sorority in the country!
When I read Will's book, I thought it screamed the movie "Animal House" meets "Carrie"! The main character is killed in hazing incident as a pledge at his fraternity house. He comes back as a ghost for revenge!

Since Jefferson, Texas has been voted the most haunted small town in Texas I thought the “ghost” character in “The Worthy” would fit in nicely. Will’s first book, “Lord Vishnu’s Love Handles” sold the film rights to the creators of the Academy Award winning film “Sideways’. His new book has sold the film rights too and will be filming in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the L.S.U. campus. Will now lives in Dallas with his wife and two\nboys but he is a Shreveport, Louisiana native. For more information on Will Clarke, please go to www.booktourvirgin.blogs.com or www.willclarke.com . Since Jefferson, Texas has been voted the most haunted small town in Texas I thought the “ghost” character in “The Worthy” would fit in nicely.

Will has sold the film rights for his first book, “Lord Vishnu’s Love Handles” to the creators of the Academy Award winning film “Sideways’. The rights to his new book has also been sold and is currently being filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the L.S.U. campus. Will now lives in Dallas with his wife and two boys but he is a Shreveport, Louisiana native.
For more information on Will Clarke, please go to www.booktourvirgin.blogs.com or www.willclarke.com.

Also our Pulpwood Queen Book Club Selection Author of the Month, Margaret Sartor will be calling in to talk to us about her book, "Miss American Pie". Margaret teaches at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and is nationally exhibited and published photographer.Photographer Tammy Cromer Campbell will be in attendance to capture our "toga" moments! Remember this is Spring Break month and we will have an in turn "worthy" prize for the BEST TOGA attire in attendance and\nit does not include a paddle! Reminds me of the song, "It makes me want to shout, Yeah ee yeah!" Toga on over Pulpwood Queens and bring a "worthy" Louisiana dish for our buffet dinner. Those not members are welcome but there is a $10.00 per person\ncharge for the event and dinner.

Please call to reserve your ticket for this event, 903-665-7520.

INTERNATIONAL BOOK CLUB AUTHOR EXTRAVAGANZA

INTERNATIONAL BOOK CLUB AUTHOR EXTRAVAGANZA
July 13 – 15th, 2007As a fundraiser for The Friends of the Municipal AuditoriumWorking to preserve and revitalize Shreveport’s Historic Municipal AuditoriumElvis Presley AvenueShreveport, Louisiana 71165www.stageofthestars.com
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Here is the basic information about the first ever-International Book Club Author Extravagaganza to be held in Shreveport, Louisiana, July 13 – 15, 2007 that I am putting together as a fundraiser for The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium. This event will be three days of author panels, sessions, and workshops, and entertainment. Our hope is that this event will be the largest book club gathering in the world and feature some of the best book club authors in the world! Our goal is also to besides promoting literacy; help restore this magnificent historical building back to its full glory!The Municipal Auditorium built in the 1920’s was an Art Deco structure and cultural arts center of the community. Many Broadway plays were performed on its stage and it was also the home of The Louisiana Hayride, which gave the auspicious beginnings to such musical legends such as, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, and Dolly Parton. The Municipal gives wonderful historic tours and has fabulous museum that is open to the public. Check www.stageofthestars.com for more information.Friday, we will feature children’s authors, Saturday, authors of all genres, and Sunday, and inspirational authors. We will also be having writing workshops and special sessions to showcase authors that I have read their books and hand picked for this event. Authors invited to attend are by invitation only as we want the best authors to be represented for what we see as the largest book club gathering in the world!The main auditorium floor will have the author and publisher tables and Barnes and Noble providing books for sale.We plan to have workshop sessions that will have authors giving demonstrations and writing workshops, and more. Full schedule is in the works and will be posted as soon as possible upon confirmation of authors attending.We will have two nights of entertainment. Friday is to be announced. Saturday night we will have a Dance for Literacy where attendees can come dressed as their favorite author or book character. The opening act will be “The Pink Collar Tour” which is a group of southern women authors who will be telling stories including River Jordan, Kit Frasier, Denise Hildreth, Susan Reinholdt, and me! Sunday we will feature four time Dove nominee and Nashville musical artist and celebrity, Jonathan Pierce!Other authors confirmed at this time are Carolyn Jourdan, Doug Marlette, Michael Morris, Louise Schaeffer, Adrienne Baribeau, Tommy L. Cook, Cassandra King, Will Clarke, Ronlyn Domingue, David Marion Wilkerson, J. Brooks Dann, Jason Headley, Rickey Pittman and many, many more authors in the works.Starbucks has signed on as one of the vendors. We will be selling vendor tables and independent author tables too that will circle the hallway galleys of two floors that lead to the main auditorium book festival floor. We plan to highlight some of the best vendors in the area with items for sale that will also allow the perfect shopping experience for booklovers and all the festivals attendees. Please contact Mandy Perdue, Executive Director of The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium if you are interested in being a vendor, (see contact information below). As you enter the Municipal Auditorium, we will have the Box Office for tickets and be featuring The Pulpwood Queens Book Club, The Shreveport Times and so far the not-for-profits The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium, Music City Texas, Shreve/Memorial Library with more to be announced.The NEW Hilton Hotel on the Boardwalk is going to be the OFFICIAL hotel for this event as they are providing free shuttle service to and from the event facility at certain times throughout the book festival.The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium is now offering an EARLY BIRD SPECIAL of $150 to all the book festival events, special sessions, workshops, and entertainment until May 1, 2007. Please contact Mandy Perdue at The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium (see contact information and form below) to purchase your V.I.P Packet! Individual tickets are also available for pre-purchase, (see below) for General Admission Only, Author Workshops, Author Panels, Author Sessions, and Entertainment. After May 1, 2007, the V.I.P. Packages will available for $250.00.The following sponsorship packages are available to purchase to help support this fundraiser and literacy event with all monies going to The Friends of the Municipal Auditorium:STAGE OF THE STARS SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES:SUPER STAR SPONSORSHIP V.I.P. PACKAGE $5,000 and up:Top Official Sponsor for all events and includes:Top Billing on all print and media events, book bags and t-shirts ( Largest logo and ad, also will be featured on website, www.beautyandthebook.com)8 V.I.P. passes to ALL author and book events and corporate table for both Friday and Saturday night entertainment events.Will receive 8 official t-shirts and book bags.PRODUCER SPONSORSHIP V.I.P. PACKAGE $2,500 and up:Official Sponsor for all events and includes:Billing on all print and media events, book bags and t-shirts (Medium logo and ad, also will be featured on website, www.beautyandthebook.com)4 V.I.P passes to ALL author and book events and to both Friday and Saturday night entertainment events.Will receive 4 official t-shirts and book bags.DIRECTOR SPONSORSHIP V.I.P PACKAGE $1,000 and up: Billing on all print and media events, book bags and t-shirts (Small logo and ad, also will be featured on website, www.beautyandthebook.com)2 V.I.P. passes to ALL author and book events and to both Friday and Saturday night entertainment events.Will receive 2 official t-shirts and book bags.HEADLINER SPONSORSHIP V.I.P PACKAGE $250 (for Authors, Speakers, or Musical Artists):Listing of name on t-shirts, website and program.1 V.I.P. pass to ALL author and book events including Friday and Saturday night entertainment eventsSpace at author tables on event floor for book signingWill receive one official t-shirt and book bagSTAGE HAND SPONSORSHIP V.I.P. PACKAGE $250 (for attendees to the event):1 V.I. P pass to all author and book events including Friday and Saturday night entertainment events.Will receive one official t-shirt and book bag.General Admission Tickets at the Door: $10.00 per person for adults$ 5.00 per person for studentsFree for children under 12Special Sessions and Author Workshops to be announced: Advance Tickets: $20.00 per person for adults$10.00 per person for students$5.00 higher at the door and tickets will be limited so purchase yours today

James Patteron PageTurner 2006 Award Winners!

Dear Pulpwood Queens and Beauty and the Booklovers!

It's OFFICIAL! The James Patterson PageTurner 2006 Awards were announced today and I was one of them! Now there is no stopping me on my literacy promoting adventures! Onward and upward literacy promoting soldiers!

Read below the press release that I have copied and pasted to this letter!

Tiara wearing, Book, and Award sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of The Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michelle Aielli Heather Rizzo
James Patterson Publicity Manager Executive Director of Publicity, Little, Brown & Co.
212-364-1223 212-364-1495

WORD SPREAD WIDER, THE STAKES GREW HIGHER.
THIS YEAR’S WINNERS WILL ASTOUND YOU

JAMES PATTERSON ANNOUNCES THE
2006 $500,000 PAGETURNER AWARD WINNERS

New York, NY, March 2, 2007: James Patterson announced today — NEA’s national Read Across America day — the 39 winners of the 2006 James Patterson PageTurner Awards, who will receive cash prizes totaling $500,000. Among the winners are libraries, schools, bookstores, and innovative individuals and organizations that go to extraordinary lengths to spread the joy of books and reading across the country.

From the Washington Center for the Book in Seattle, who started the breakthrough — and now widespread — “One Book” program, to the nonprofit organization 826 National, which works tirelessly to encourage creativity in children of all ages by providing enthralling reading and writing experiences, this year’s winners come from 34 cities in 23 states, and their amazing efforts reach as far as troops stationed in the Middle East and underprivileged children in Botswana, Africa.

Mr. Patterson is also honoring an elementary school principal who got his students geared up about reading by skydiving out of a plane; a New Orleans literary festival that continues to bring excitement and fun to a community still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Katrina; a California “Bookseller of the Year,” dedicated to her cause since 1977, who hosts more than 600 author events a year; a Queens librarian who let kids in her community dye her hair purple to prove that reading actually can be fun; an African American Read-In program that brings in local heroes such as a pro football Hall of Famer turned Supreme Court justice to get the community excited about reading; and a national organization whose mission is to provide as many underprivileged children with their “first book” ever. And the overwhelming list goes on.

James Patterson says, “I love being able to help those who spread the word that reading a book is still one of the great joys in our lives.” This year’s winners truly embody the spirit and energy of the PageTurner Awards — to spread the excitement of books and reading as far and wide as humanly possible. And for that, we salute them all!

The 2006 James Patterson PageTurner Award winners are:


$100,000 PageTurner of the Year Award:

Washington Center for the Book Seattle, WA
In 1996, well-known librarian and radio host Nancy Pearl (one of last year’s PageTurner merit winners and the model for a librarian action figure to boot!) helped create a fun, innovative concept: what if one entire city could come together to read, learn about, and enjoy the same book? And so, two years later, “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book” was formed — literally bringing the whole city together through the power of one book. Run by the Washington Center for the Book and retitled “Seattle Reads,” this program soon caught on nationwide, and now over 450 different locations across the country, ranging from Los Angeles to the nation’s capital, host their own “One Book” events.


$50,000 PageTurner Champion Awards:

University of Minnesota’s African American Read-In Minneapolis, MN
Now in its 18th year, the African American Read-In at the University of Minnesota is an annual celebration aimed at incorporating black literature into the community during Black History Month each February. With literary workshops, school-oriented programs, and noted speakers — like local hero Alan Page, a pro football Hall of Famer and current Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court—the Read-Ins affect at least 12,000 community members each year in Minnesota alone, with the ultimate goal of helping participants to develop a lifelong love of reading together as a family and as a community.

826 National San Francisco, CA
Based in San Francisco but with offices in New York, L.A., Seattle, Ann Arbor, and Chicago, this nonprofit organization, cofounded by author Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius), is focused on improving children’s reading and writing skills while encouraging creativity. The organization is so popular that even famous funnymen like Jon Stewart, Ben Stiller, and Will Ferrell have joined in, lending their names and time to help raise money at 826 fund-raisers across the country.

All Hallows High School Bronx, NY
All Hallows High School is located in the poorest congressional district in the United States. Due to a dedicated staff, a required “Drop Everything and Read” (D.E.A.R) program, numerous reading and writing–based curriculums, as well as a strong schoolwide mentoring program, All Hallows High has increased SAT verbal scores by 16% and AP English scores by 40% since its inception. In 1998 the entire graduating class was accepted into four-year colleges, and the school has since maintained a near-perfect college acceptance rate. With national outlets like the Wall Street Journal highlighting their phenomenal progress and visits from the likes of native New Yorker film director Spike Lee, All Hallows High is garnering attention each year for its ability to educate and nurture students to become the best they can be.

First Book Washington, DC
First Book was founded in 1992 with the sole mission to get a first book into the hands of every child that comes from an underprivileged family. In their first year they gave out over 12,000 books; now they work with over 1,300 communities nationally, with outreach and book distributions close to 40 million. Countless celebrities, like Reba McEntire, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon, and even former Secretary of State Colin Powell have helped to support First Book — named one of ten “Gold Star” charities by Forbes magazine in 2003 — with their worthy cause over the years.




$10,000 PageTurner Par Excellence Awards:

The Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library Nashville, TN
Actress/Singer/Songwriter Dolly Parton started this program in 1996 as a way to help children in her hometown realize a love of reading from the earliest age possible. The idea has grown into an initiative that gives out over 2.5 million books annually. Currently, over 600 cities in 40 states have implemented the Imagination Library. In 2000, Dolly received an Association of American Publishers (AAP) honor, and just last year she donated the proceeds of her cookbook sales to benefit the library.

Family Literacy Foundation San Diego, CA
Since winning a 2005 James Patterson PageTurner award, the Family Literacy Foundation has increased its outreach by almost 100,000 people. Through its main reading-related programs, United Through Reading, Building Bridges with Books, and Youth Reading Role Models, the foundation has clocked over 204,000 volunteer hours working to reinforce and foster relationships between children and their parents, family members, and friends through reading. Even First Lady Laura Bush has become involved, serving as the honorary chair of the United Through Reading program, which allows deployed U.S. soldiers to read books to their children via video, enabling troops to stay connected with their loved ones back home.

Books for Boys at the Children's Village Dobbs Ferry, NY
Another 2005 James Patterson PageTurner winner, Books for Boys at the Children’s Village is a unique and innovative program that utilizes a staff of teachers, librarians, and volunteers to read and share books with at-risk youth ages 6–21. Their projects include a visiting author series, internship programs that allow college students to work with the boys over the summer, and various mentoring programs. Even CSI: New York actor-author Hill Harper stopped by recently to read and talk to the boys!

Pam Shelton, Botswana Book Project Botswana, Africa
Pam Shelton is a United States citizen who quit her job after 25 years as a Vermont librarian to move to the African country of Botswana. Pam set out to create much-needed libraries in schools throughout Botswana. Her mission was to get books shipped into the country so that children of all ages could learn to read — something they can’t do if they do not have the resources — and it proved to be no small feat. With the help of Books for Africa, she has brought and distributed more than 300,000 books in Botswana in just under 10 years.

Behind the Book New York, NY
The nonprofit organization Behind the Book works with low-income youth in New York City public schools, grades K–12. Its motto is “Creating opportunities for tomorrow through creative reading experiences today.” The organization reinforces the excitement and importance of reading while emphasizing literacy skills and offering unwavering support to children working to further their education. Behind the Book was honored last year as a James Patterson PageTurner winner, and since then the organization has almost doubled its outreach.

Purvis J. Behan P.S. 11 Brooklyn, NY
P.S. 11 is a New York City public school located in Brooklyn. A Title 1 school (set to ensure the academic achievement of the underprivileged) with close to 500 pre-K to fifth-grade students, the school lacks the necessary funds and donations to keep its library and classrooms stocked with books. Despite this, the school has continuously dedicated its time and energy to promote reading and literacy not only to the students, but to their parents and community as well. It holds an annual Book Bash for all students (which has raised thousands of dollars to improve the school’s library) as well as an annual Pajama Party (hugely popular with the students, who come to the gym-turned-huge-slumber-party dressed in their pajamas) and Read-a-thons aimed to teach kids that reading is an important, lifelong, and, most of all, fun part of their futures.


$5,000 PageTurner Award winners:
Listed in alphabetical order

2nd Chance Books, Austin Public Library Austin, TX
Books for Soldiers Winston-Salem, NC
Debra McKee, Laundry Basket Library Mansfield, OH
Decatur Book Festival Decatur, GA
Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage Corte Madera, CA
Emma Rodgers, Black Images Book Bazaar Dallas, TX
Harlem RBI’s REAL Kids Summer Literacy Program New York, NY
Huckleberry Hill School, Fit and Lit Program Lynnfield, MA
Jill Lamar, Barnes & Noble New York, NY
John and Sharon Bushell Homer, AK
Kathy Patrick, Beauty and the Book Jefferson, TX
Kendra Cullin, Borders, Inc. Ann Arbor, MI
Literacy, Inc. New York, NY
Main Street Automotive Magnet School, Comic Book Program Dayton, OH
Mary Yockey, Anderson’s Bookshop Naperville, IL
Morningside Elementary, Reading Restaurant Library Program Brownsville, TX
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children Baltimore, MD
Paul Ingram, Prairie Lights Iowa City, IA
Peggy Faul, Badges with Books Ferguson, MO
The Poisoned Pen Phoenix, AZ
Principal Scott Owens, W. G. Rhea Elementary School Paris, TN
Roosevelt Brown, Reading Literacy Learning, Inc. San Diego, CA
R. J. Julia Bookshop Madison, CT
San Miguel Academy of Newburgh Newburgh, NY
Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Columbia, SC
Susan Scatena, Queens Library Queens, NY
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival New Orleans, LA
University of Southern California Literacy Programs Los Angeles, CA

For more information on the 2006 winners, please visit:

www.pattersonpageturner.org

Trailer for Cathryn Michon's Movie "Cook Off"

Dear Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys,

Author, Actress, and Comedian, Cathryn Michon’s new independent movie “Cook Off” is now debuting at the HBO Aspen Film Festival. She was just here Girlfriend Weekend and showed us a brief trailer of the film. Here is the link to another film clip and see if you recognize Bruce Cameron, author of “How to Remodel a Man”, her significant other in the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9WnJClr0y4

Cathryn has told me to feel free to pass this on and do comment on You Tube. What a hoot and to think she was just here in person!

Tiara wearing, Book and Film sharing,

Kathy L. Patrick

Founder of the Pulpwood Queens