We’re going to do something different at my book release party at Tsunami Books in Eugene this Saturday. A reading set to music. Here, my cousin Don Fisher on trumpet and friend Patty Wilgus on piano are putting on the finishing touches during our final practice together for this event.

In my book, A Place of Her Own, the Civil War played heavily in Martha’s life during her years in Lane County. So for this Lane County event, I wanted to bring a touch of that Civil War era into my presentation. Using the two great songs from opposing sides of the conflict, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” for the North, and “Dixie” for the South, Don and Patty will surround my spoken lines with song, sometimes cheerful, sometimes sad, as we dramatize a thread of story from the book.

Don and I share Martha’s lineage. She’s a great-great-grandmother to us both.

The atmosphere at Tsunami Books provides a colorful setting for the event, with a stage and well-used piano, and plenty of space to hold the sound of a trumpet. Before and after the reading, Don and Patty will offer easy-listening background music.

To add to the festivities, we’ll serve wine from the River’s Edge Winery in Elkton near the family farm. This winery touts a special pinot noir made from grapes grown in the northern Umpqua Valley. We’ll have samples of that specialty as well as a nice pinot gris, and for sweet-loving taste buds, a Gewurztraminer. Or if you’d rather, we’ll have lemonade, with or without a bit of bubbly. And cheese and crackers.

The fun starts at 5 pm Saturday, June 21, and runs until 7. You can find Tsunami Books at 2585 Willamette Street in South Eugene, just a few blocks north of the corner of 29th and Willamette coming in from the 30th Street exit.

If you live anywhere close to Eugene, I hope you can come. 🙂

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I spoke to the Roseburg Rotary Club last night about my book A Place of Her Own. Here I am with Susan Morgan, president of the group, in the middle, and Laura Lusa, my accountant who invited me to speak, on the left.

My son-in-law Robin Loznak snapped the photo with my camera. He attended as a guest of Dr. Frack, a veterinarian at Douglas County Low-cost Veterinary Services where Robin works.

I enjoyed the evening with this receptive group of Rotarians. They met at Kowloon’s Restaurant for dinner, the meeting, and plenty of camaraderie.

Thank you, Laura, for the invite. 🙂

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PNWA in Seattle just put out this YouTube video for their upcoming conference July 17 to 20 at Seatac Hilton Hotel. I’ll be there as a presenter, joining a panel of PNWA Success Stories on Thursday, the 17th, at 9:30 am, and giving a workshop on the Power of Perseverance Saturday, the 19th, at 4 o’clock. I attended this conference in 2012 and found my agent there, Rita Rosenkranz, who turned my dream of being a published author into the reality of my new book, A Place of Her Own.

It’s a great conference, wonderful positive atmosphere, and fun!

For more about PNWA (Pacific Northwest Writers Association), you can check out their website.

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Eugene’s Mid-Valley chapter of Willamette Writers had a great turnout last night for the Author Celebration and Reading showcasing eight members reading from their published work. I was happy to be one of the eight. It was a wonderful program with excellent reading from a variety of genres, and will no doubt become a regular June feature. Here we are afterward, gathered with our books onstage at Tsunami Books on Willamette Street, where the group meets regularly.

From left to right: Anthony St. Clair, A. Linda Ash, Bill Cameron, Randi E. Golub, me, JS Bird, Mary E. Lowd, and Terry and Tiffany Jacobs.

We read, sold and signed books, had refreshments, and shared a most enjoyable evening.

I was also happy to see the display at Tsunami Books, just as you come in the front door. Scott Landfield, proprietor, has a poster behind the books telling about my upcoming Signing Party and Reading at Tsunami on Saturday, June 21, from 5 to 7 pm. Nice display.

We plan something a little different for the reading at that event. With the help of my cousin Don Fisher on trumpet and my friend Patty Wilgus on piano, we’ll have a reading set to music. The Civil War plays heavily in Martha’s story, especially in Lane County, so I want to bring that into the presentation. Don and Patty will also provide background music while folks mingle and I sign books. And we’ll have wine with cheese and crackers. More on that later.

But before this June 21st event in Lane County, I’ll have several Douglas County events, including the launch party at While Away Books in Roseburg this Saturday, the 7th; the Reedsport market Friday the 13th; and signing and reading at Books Gallery in Sutherlin Saturday the 14th. Details on the Events page.

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