I never realized that my personality influenced my writing until I had an agent take a look at an early version of The Talking Drum. The agent read it through several times and gave me an in-depth critique. One remark she made stands out from the others. She said that every time my characters came close to having a conflict I would have them retreat and resolve matters quietly. She…
We hope you have enjoyed yesterday’s interview with Leah Garriott. RETWEET or SHARE for a chance to win PROMISED. #giveaway #author #DebBallGiveaway @DebutanteBall #ClassOf2020 #guest #author Interview with Leah Garriott, author of Promised News from the Class of 2020 Debs: Lisa Braxton was thrilled to attend Deb Kathleen West’s author talk at Belmont Books in Belmont, Massachusetts during the East Coast portion of Kathleen’s book tour. Be sure to…
I am so happy to welcome Leah Garriott to the Deb ball this week! Although she earned degrees in math and statistics, Leah Garriott lives for a good love story. She’s resided in Hawaii and Italy, walked the countryside of England, and owns every mainstream movie version of Pride and Prejudice. She’s currently living her own happily ever after in Utah with her husband and three kids. We’ll be giving…
When I found out that fellow Debutante Kathleen West was making a stop in the Boston area during her book tour, I knew I had to make plans to attend. Kathleen and I have been in touch since we became Debs in late summer of last year, but we’d never met. We Debs are in different parts of the country and our interactions have pretty much been through video conferencing,…
It’s finally time! Kathleen West is the first of this year’s Debs to step out onto the ballroom floor! Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes hits shelves Tuesday, February 4th. The book is a wry and cleverly observed debut novel about the privileged bubble that is Liston Heights High—the micro-managing parents, the overworked teachers, and the students caught in the middle—and the fallout for each of them when the bubble finally…
Promoting your book is a must, but it can be very time-consuming. It is important to have in your toolkit, easy methods to bring attention to yourself and your work, in addition to the more labor-intensive efforts. Here are some of the simple, quick to orchestrate ways that I have promoted The Talking Drum and helped build my personal brand. Signature line—On the signature of my email account, I include…
In the publishing world, comp titles (comparative titles) are very important. The comps help editors make acquisition decisions to figure out who the audience will be for your book and how well your book will sell;. Editors also examine the sales records for those books. Comp titles can also put a literary agent or reader in the right mindset when trying to pitch a book. The overarching theme of my…
For years I dreamed of writing a book and getting it published. Now that I’m only months away from publication, I’ve been dreaming about my wish list for my debut year. Some items on the list are pure fantasy. Some others might actually happen. Getting The Talking Drum reviewed in the New York Times Sunday books section—No elaboration needed Winning The Boston Authors Club Julia Ward Howe Prize—The prize, named…
I am pleased to introduce Jocelyn Cullity to the Debutante Ball this week! Jocelyn Cullity’s English family lived in India for five generations. A sequel to the award-winning Amah & the Silk-Winged Pigeons, her second novel about the takeover of India by Britain is an exquisitely told tale of 19th-century India—a deep rendering of the moment that India as a country was colonized; a brilliant illustration of Hazrat Mahal’s fearless…
In 2020 I’m looking forward to reading The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family, by Bettye Kearse, MD. I met Dr. Kearse, a retired pediatrician, a couple of years ago after we both had essays featured in the anthology, Black Lives Have Always Mattered, published by 2Leaf Press. She and I gave readings together at Porter Square Books and were featured panelists on Boston Neighborhood Network….
