The Pulpwood Queens Ride in the Mardi Gras UpRiver Grand Parade in Jefferson!

Dear Readers,
We recently drove our Texas Cadillac (silver Suburban) provided by my publisher, Grand Central Publishing in the Mardi Gras UpRiver Grand Parade with it's theme being "Music, Music, Music!" Earlier that morning we got back in town just in time from book tour to attend the Mystic Krewe of Fleur de Lis's Gospel Breakfast at Bull Durham Playhouse featuring Betty Lewis (move over Aretha) and the twin Christian singing duo, Mirror Image, (Jennifer and Kimberly Standing). The morning had us eating a southern feast including Spinach Madeleine, my favorite and ended with homemade pralines and bread pudding! Laissez les bontemps roulez my book loving friends.
I could hardly keep in my seat from the gospel sounds of Betty and the incredible harmony of Mirror Image. We were all pumped, primed, and ready to spread the joy of literacy riding in the parade. Pulpwood Queen Jean Wright and I decorated our car with hot pink boas, a stuffed tiger, my book posters and then picked up Pulpwood Queen Joyce Smith who rode in the passenger seats with a stuffed leopard. We ran back to Bull Durham Playhouse, where we attended the Gospel Brunch and picked up Jennifer and Kimberly of Mirror Image to ride on top our car! We donned them with Pulpwood Queen-esqued cowboy hats and tiaras and passed up beads and kazoos to pass out!
As the parade turned the big corner on to Austin Street, the adrenaline rushed as I have never seen so many people in my life. Two feet in the road until past the curb and up against the windows of stores, Mardi Gras families of revelers hollared, "Queens, queens, throw me some beads!" Two blocks into the parade the girls ran out of beads and we had cases. After the kazoos ran out and they were begging for something to throw. The Pulpwood Queens and I grabbed the cases of t-shirts emblazoned with my book cover and threw hot pink t-shirts! I am telling you the kids, the crowds went WILD! Now if that isn't promoting my book and literacy, you all just don't know what having fun reading is.
Afterwards we had a book signing at my shop, Beauty and the Book. We had written on the back window of the car saying "Follow me to Beauty and the Book, 608 North Polk for a booksigning with Kat with a giant sign of my book beside it! I think it worked as I sold over a case of books to women who did exactly that, they followed me to the shop. We also started two more chapters of the Pulpwood Queens. One in Corsicana and one in Longview, Texas! The Pulpwood Queens may be on a mission to promote literacy but we are also firm believers in having a good time while we are at it! I think the Mardi Gras Parade gets that message across to more people than anything we do. I may live in a small town in East Texas but boy to we have BIG TIME FUN!
Tiara wearing and Book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens and author of "The Pulpwood Queens' Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life", published by Grand Central Publishing.