grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Sunday Letter: 01.27.19

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Sunday Letter

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Tomorrow is the official three-year anniversary of the launch of my first book. I say first book like I have a second book. LOL. This is the power of positive thinking and possibly how fake news starts.

No seriously, I WILL have a second book come hell or high water. If you stick around, you’ll be the first to hear about it. (And be sure to subscribe to my quarterly-ish newsletter.)

As I said last week, I’ve been obsessed with editing said second book. In fact, the entire month of January has disappeared within the words of my manuscript. Words I’ve dissected, deleted, added, moved, debated, stared at until they don’t look like words at all.

The truth is I’ve found little time to blog lately. And I need to find better balance. I sure could use a Time-Turner, like the one Hermione Granger had. If anyone could loan me one for a month or so, I’d be ever so grateful. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, that’s just ?.Continue Reading

Gracie Lee goes to The Enchanted Forest

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The Enchanted Forest in Memphis - Gracie Lee remembers

Our family has always had lots of Christmas traditions. Mother-daughter traditions. Boon Chapel traditions. Gracie-Abby sister traditions. Visiting The Enchanted Forest at Goldsmith’s in Memphis was one of our favorites. Each year when we went, Momma dressed us in red velvet with white tights and black patent shoes, not because The Enchanted Forest was a dress-up place, but because Santa Claus waited at the end of our forest visit. Having a chance to talk with Santa, to tell him our greatest Christmas wishes, and to take a picture with him was reason enough to have clean hair and look fancy.

Something interesting about Goldsmith’s? During the non-Christmas part of the year, the forest area was nothing more than the basement of the department store. But at Christmas, just beyond the double doors past the men’s department, the Enchanted Forest became as magical as Alice’s Wonderland or Narnia, all those pixie-dust-sprinkled places.

Santa had that sort of power.Continue Reading

Book Club Questions for The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee

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The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee - Book Club Questions

Are You in a Book Club?

Since The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee released in January 2016, my book has been chosen for discussion by lots of book clubs around the country. This has been sooooo exciting for me and most surprising. When I can (and when I’m invited), I attend the book club meetings. So far, I’ve attended about sixteen in Texas and Arkansas, plus I have more scheduled this year.

Whether I attend or not, I’m usually contacted by the host and asked if I have an official list of book club questions. FINALLY, I have created a list of discussion questions for use in your book club meetings. Consider these simply as a jumping off point.

If you are a member of a book club, I hope you’ll recommend The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee!

I’ll attend if I can.

Plus, there’a always Skype!

Want to Start a Book Club?

Book Club

If you’ve been thinking of starting a book club, do it! Book clubs fuel discussion, friendship, and expand your world well beyond the stories you read. Don’t know where to start? THIS ARTICLE from Lit Lovers includes great book club organizational tips.

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THANKS FOR READING!