Mama’s Fat Pants: The Gift of Written Expression

October 9, 2012

I grew up with a mother (Suzanne Newton) who was a writer.  Because of this, in the Newton family, expressing ourselves in writing came as naturally as speaking.  Sometimes my written expression was positive: I opened a poetry business in my bedroom offering to write poems for any occasion (my mother was my only customer).  […]

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April 18, 2012

  27 Views of Asheville is now available in stores–the perfect Mother’s Day gift for the Asheville-loving mothers in your life!  Join us for the book launch at Malaprop’s in Asheville May 12th at 3 p.m., or at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville June 16th at 3 p.m. http://malaprops.com/event/27-views-asheville

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Vote AGAINST Amendment One

March 16, 2012

Writers are not supposed to be political, for fear of alienating readers who might buy our books, but as May 8th approaches I feel the need to say a few words about why I am voting AGAINST North Carolina’s Amendment One and why I think you should vote against it, too. Amendment One, crafted by our […]

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Under The Mercy Trees Wins 2011 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award

December 19, 2011

On December 6, 2011 I was honored to accept the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for Under The Mercy Trees.  The Western North Carolina Historical Society has given the award for literary excellence every year since 1955.  The list of past winners inscribed on the award’s trophy includes such North Carolina greats as Wilma Dykeman, John […]

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Under The Mercy Trees is a “Great Group Reads” Pick

September 21, 2011

The Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) has chosen Under The Mercy Trees as a 2011 Great Group Reads selection.  Founded in 1917, WNBA promotes literacy, a love of reading, and women’s roles in the community of the book.  WNBA selects Great Group Reads titles based on their appeal to reading groups for whom they are bound to […]

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Celebrate Summer Giveaway

May 23, 2011

To celebrate summer beach reading season, I’m giving away a beach tote containing a beach towel, sun screen, and autographed copies of Under The Mercy Trees and When We Were Strangers, a terrific historical novel by my fellow HarperCollins author Pamela Schoenewaldt.  Here’s how to enter: Contact me through my website by June 20, 2011 […]

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Owenby Family Tree

April 22, 2011

For those of you who like a family tree to keep characters straight in family drama novels, I’ve posted one for Under The Mercy Trees on my “Writings” page.  Special thanks to my artistic 6th grader and her colored pencils! 🙂

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Under The Mercy Trees Is A Spring SIBA Okra Pick!

February 9, 2011

The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) has selected Under The Mercy Trees as a spring 2011 “Okra Pick” (great southern books “right off the vine”).  Here’s what the novel is about: Martin Owenby has lost his way in life. Thirty years ago, he left his hometown of Solace Fork in Western North Carolina to come to […]

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Reading Group Discussion Questions for Under The Mercy Trees

January 3, 2011

Book Clubs–use these questions to jump start your discussion of Under The Mercy Trees, and contact me if you’re interested in having me talk to your group via Skype: 1. Of the four narrators–Martin, Liza, Bertie and Ivy–who was your favorite? Why? 2. The scene in which Martin remembers his childhood Baptism ends with: “In […]

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What’s In A Title? Everything.

July 12, 2010

I’ve posted this before on the Flatiron Writers’ blog, but now I have musical accompaniment so I’m posting it again. When I was pregnant, my husband and I negotiated about what to name our child.  He was flexible about boys’ names, but would not budge on the girl’s name.  He wanted a little red-haired daughter […]

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