From Nicaragua to Atlanta

Hello:

We're all probably painfully aware that purchasing power isn't what it used to be, but I want to remind you that through my Seed Campaign, you can make every dollar mean more!

Last month through the Seed Campaign, we raised money for a mission helping orphans in Nicaragua; this month Seed Campaign funds will go to a cause closer to home--one that truly embraces the meaning and power of "home."

Books for Orphans

I'm happy to report that in January, we raised $234 for Abrazando Cristo, the mission based in Lake Charles, LA, that has devoted itself to helping educate children at the San Cristobal (Nicaragua) Orphanage.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to meet the woman who suggested that I give to Abrazando Cristo through the Seed Campaign. Her name is Laurie Cormier and she has traveled frequently to Nicaragua to work with the children.

Laurie tells me that the money we raised will go to buying books for the orphans. How appropriate is that? "You just can't imagine the wonder and joy on these kids' faces when they see books," she tells me. "They have such respect for them; they don't have many at all."

Let's hope that this money can buy lots and lots of wonder and joy!

There's No Place Like Home

This month, money we can raise through the Seed Campaign will go to a clever, innovative cause in Atlanta called The Ruby Slipper Project.

The project grants interior design makeovers to families dealing with trauma, including teens aging out of foster care, evacuees from Hurricane Katrina and others going through transitions. Such as a high-school senior battling cancer, who just got a brighter, cooler bedroom where she can recover, thanks to the project.

The project believes that when someone is dealing with sickness and other problems they need the haven and security of home to keep going.

Click here to find out more about The Ruby Slipper Project's wonderful work.

A "Lavender Queen" Tour of the Texas Hill Country

I want to announce a special event I'm working on: I'm putting together a tour of many of the beautiful and meaningful locations mentioned in my book.

I'm planning to offer this 2-day tour just before the Blanco Lavender Festival, which is the weekend of June 13-15. We could visit Rose-Hill Manor, the Welfare Cafe, the Blanco Bowling Club, Krause Springs and--I hope!--our old stone barn where the story takes place.

Let me know if you have any interest in this excursion. I'll keep you posted on what's being planned and what the cost will be. Should be a blast!

Keep It Coming

Hope you'll continue to support the Seed Campaign by buying your Amazon products (and any more of my books you may need!) via my website.

Remember to click on "Buy the Book" on the home page of my website and after you get to The Lavender Queen book page on Amazon, you can do other shopping from there.

Thanks so much for all your help and enthusiasm--

Jeannie

The Big Texas To-Do and Other Fun

I'm all bleary-eyed this morning after 12 days on the road, promoting The Unlikely Lavender Queen. An author's work is never done...that's my new motto. I'm exhausted but very happy.

My trip started in Skaneateles, New York, a suburb of Syracuse. I was told to pronounce it "Skinny Atlas," like a very thin volume of maps. It is a gorgeous spot on one of the Finger Lakes and I got there just in time to see the fall colors--something I've sorely missed for the past 17 years living in Texas and Mexico.

I was the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. Baldwin is a cancer survivor and most famously, the mother of Alec and the rest of the Baldwin brothers. After hearing the mom speak, you can tell where the sons get their sense of humor. The event--which was put on by a friend Laura Ponticello--raised $2,235 for breast cancer research. I was thrilled to be part of the effort.

There is more good financial news. (Isn't it nice to get good financial news for a change?) Through my Seed Campaign (buy a book via my website and the commission from Amazon goes to support a worthy cause), I raised $1,023 for the John Dau Sudan Foundation. John Dau is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan and the subject of the movie God Grew Tired of Us. I was thrilled to present checks to his representatives. The second photo above (the one without any crowns involved) is of me with the movie poster and some of the supporters I got to meet up in the Syracuse area (John goes to Syracuse University).

While up in the chilly north, I got to speak at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. The Newhouse School is a very famous journalism school and I loved meeting the students. Most of them wondered what kind of opportunities they might have when they graduate. I hated that at a time like this, I could think of only one word of advice: Blog.

After New York, I was back in Texas for a couple of radio interviews and two great events--one was a woman's event at a new work-life balance center called Soma Vida, on Austin's east side.

Then this past weekend came the Big Daddy--the Texas Book Festival. What an amazing event. How fabulous to be included and to meet so many other authors that I've admired, such as Alexandra Fuller (Let's Not Go To the Dogs Tonight), Sarah Bird (How Perfect Is That), Terry Thompson Anderson (The Hill Country). I also got to see my old friend Marion Winik (Glen Rock Book of the Dead) and I served on a panel on memoirs with three great writers, Stephanie Klein (Moose), Robert Leleux (The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy) and Stephanie Elizondo Greist (Mexican Enough).

One of my favorite new author-friends is Kathy Patrick, who started a salon/bookstore in East Texas called Beauty and the Book. She also started the Pulpwood Queens Book Club and now there are 200 chapters across the country. She's the author of The Pulpwood Queen's Tiara-Wearing Book-Sharing Guide to Life.

That's a picture of me with Kathy at the very top of the blog. Next time I meet I've got to get my tiara on! And that next time will be in January when I take part in her Book Club Convention/Girlfriend Weekend. Should be a hoot. Find out more about the book-and-fun-lovers weekend here.

More news: My Seed Campaign effort in November will benefit Literacy Texas, a non-profit advocacy group that aims to get everybody in Texas reading. Buy a book via my website this month and the commission from Amazon will go to create more readers. And one thing writers like is more readers!!

I have more fun events coming up in December--all in the Austin area. More details on my website.

Dec. 5th: Book Signing at Beekman Books in Fredericksburg
Dec. 6th: Lake Austin Spa
Dec. 7th: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin

Also: links to some recent publicity.

Dana Roc website
Daryn Kagan website
Growing Concerns on KUT radio Austin