Sweetgrass Basket Maker Wins Fellowship

There's an amazing article in the September 23, 2008 Post & Courier about a local sweetgrass basket maker, Mary Jackson, who won the MacArthur Fellowship. She "got the call" from a man saying she'd won $500,000, no strings attached for being a "genius". For all my readers who love Essie Mae from The Spirit of Sweetgrass, you'll love reading this!

Enjoy.

Nicole

The Unhappy Bookseller

I am terribly saddened today to see the news about The Happy Bookseller in Columbia, SC closing. And I must say, watching independent bookstores closing more and more these days, I'm sickened by it. What can be done?

Growing up on Hilton Head Island, my mother would listen to Radio Reader. We listened to many books that way, thirty minutes at a time. We'd arrive to wherever we were going and sit in the car until Dick Estelle had finished his last sentence. That show was sponsored in part by The Happy Bookseller. That was twenty-five years ago.

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of signing books at the Happy Bookseller for the first time and meeting the Graves who own the store now. We talked about how tough things had gotten in the book business this year with the economy as challenging as it has been. I had no idea the store was actually going to close. Until today. http://www.thestate.com/business/story/514060.html

Last month, Wordsmiths Books in Decatur, GA held an emergency fund-raiser in order to try and stay afloat. It worked...for the short term. Please, won't somebody help protect these mom and pop stores where people actually know your name and know what you like to read? Something's got to happen. I don't have the answers.

I'll admit, my local Barnes and Noble has that small town feel where they do know my name. Many of us go to bookstore chains for price or convenience. But what will happen when the local independent bookstores go away...the ones that support local literacy efforts and local authors, and the people who know your name and what you love to read have left to find more "stable" jobs?

I want your comments on this. Do you have a favorite independent bookstore? If so, which one is it? Why do you love the store? What can independent bookstores do to stay afloat in this world of chains and mass markets books in grocery stores???

New Post on Another Blog

I have a post about "Looking for God in All the Strange Places" today on the Southern Authors Blog, A Good Blog is Hard to Find. Hope you'll hop on over there and give it a read.

Then write me or comment and let me know the strangest place you've ever seen God.

Heart-Pounding Fiction

For a long while I haven't been able to read anything, hoping to hit my stride in writing my next book. I have stacks and stacks of partially-read books on my nightstand and bookshelf. They call to me, asking for me to pick them up, but I've had to say no. At least for a while.

Well, I picked BACK up A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaleid Hosseini, and I'm glad I did. At least, I think I am at this point. I'm not done yet, but last night my heart was actually pounding. I've never had that happen while reading...my heart rate going up, my flipping through faster and faster. I said to my husband, "How does he do this? It's whopper after whopper after whopper!"

I loved The Kite Runner. It was a masterpiece. But this book has me caring so much for Mariam, Laila, and Aziza, I find myself wondering what's happening to them as I wash my face. Is it that Hosseini has created such a realistic world? Is it that he created one of the most despicable characters I've ever read? Or is it that he's not afraid to take his readers on journeys they would never willingly go on. For instance, last night I read about the c-section. I've experienced this with anesthesia. It had never occurred to me that in some parts of the world in certain circumstances there would be NO anesthesia.

Thanks for that, Hosseini.

At this point, I'm not just a reader, but a writer, studying the masterful craft of another. Don't tell me how it ends, please, because this ride is too suspenseful.

Sightings...

There are rumors surfacing that my book, Trouble the Water, has been spotted in Sam's Clubs. Yes, I know, Sam's Clubs--great big wholesale stores. My mother called last night and said my aunt's sister's friend near Garner, NC saw it in a Sam's there. We were skeptical and thought it could be a hoax. Sort of like a UFO sighting. Until I spoke with my mother-in-law this morning who says her friend in Cincinnati, OH saw it and bought Trouble the Water in a Sam's Club there. Ah, proof. She actually bought it there.

This is a bit like finding Waldo. The Sam's Club website has no mention of my book. Readers, would you do me a favor? If you are in a Sam's Club and happen to spot my book, Trouble the Water, please comment and let me know!

The search goes on...

The Hermit Crab

My daughter went through a phase a while back--actually, it continues to this day--in which she finds some creature in the wild of our yard and begs to keep it in captivity. Somehow I always end up taking care of the critter and eventually caring about it. We've gone through worms (both the inch- and earth- varieties), beetles, fish, and as of this morning we had two garden snails coexisting in the deceased fish's bowl, and the last one of two hermit crabs. I've grown quite fond of each of them and actually coo over the snails when they stick their little eyes straight up. Adorable!

Anyhoo, today we lost our remaining hermit crab. I mean, physically LOST him. He was supposed to be safely exercising in the kiddie pool, but alas, is now off wandering in the garage or possibly the great wide yard. He probably saw his chance and ran for the hills. The thought of him being out there, somewhere, alone (he is a hermit, after all) has made me come utterly unglued. And the mere concept of me being so upset over a lost hermit crab has got me to thinking. Why?

Then I remembered the other crab.

When I was a kid, we would visit my grandparents' house at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina in the summertime. My cousin Russell and I--and usually another cousin or two for good measure--would stay for a while, working puzzles, goofing off. It was the most fun. Russell and I spent our endless days down on the boat dock, nets in hand, scooping up minnows. Occasionally we'd find some hermit crabs. We found one one time, and my grandmother was gracious enough to bring it in her house. She put it in a little terrarium and cared for it for days.

It's not like I really cared about that hermit crab, I don't think I did. I had a hard time relating to crustaceans (still do as a matter of fact, though I love to eat them). But I'll never forget the morning I woke up to find the hermit crab had died. I'll never forget it because of of the horrible way I treated my grandmother. I blamed her for letting my hermit crab die, as if she had any control over it. As if she held the powers to life and death. I cried and I hollered. The memory to this day mortifies me. To my knowledge, it was the first and last time I ever acted that way with her.

Today, my grandmother is 90. She no longer lives in the house with the dock where so many of my childhood memories remain, instead, she lives in a nursing home. I saw her a few months ago and she didn't remember me. Maybe it's because I'd been away so long. Or maybe it was my hair being short. I'm sure that was it. I pray she also doesn't remember the way I treated her the day that hermit crab died.

What is it that's disturbing me so much about my children's lost crab--this nameless, tiny creature of God? My kids don't seem too upset about him wandering off in the world on his own. So why then do I feel as if I've lost something precious that I can never get back again?

A Game of Memory

I just triumphed at a game of Memory with my five-year-old. Actually, two out of three games. Remember the one where you lay down cards, then turn them over one by one, trying to find a pair? The one with the most cards wins. Now, bragging about a win in a game with my five-year-old might sound like I'm desperate for a win. And I am, except the competitor is my husband and the game is Scrabble. But that's a whole different story.

In today's game of Memory, of course I could have let my daughter win. I could have. In fact, I'm guilty of doing that in the past when she was younger. But here's the thing. When we first sat down, she had the cards all laid out for us. As in, she put them precisely where she knew they were. This was not acceptable, so I reshuffled. When the game was underway, my daughter saw that I had two pairs already, specifically, the Blue Morpho Butterfly (this being a Diego game). This did not sit well with her at all. She wanted to find the blue morpho butterfly. She began to tear up, then erupted in an all-out fit. I told her (sweetly but sternly) to pull herself together, and she did somewhat. We ended the game in a tie, five to five. No winners, no losers.

Next game, we started out okay, but when it looked like I was getting more pairs than she had, she got consumed with it. Again. I told her that if she could just keep it together and not focus on how many I had, she could beat me. She lost her cool again. So I won, seven to three.

Game three. The heat is on. I'm wanting her to win. I am. Really I am. I get a pair, she gets a pair, then me, then me again. She's keeping her cool. She's doing great. Then wouldn't you know it, her little brother walks in after coming home from the barber shop and says, "Mommy's going to win" as he's looking at my hidden stash of pairs. Now, mind you, my daughter has just found a pair and she gets to go again. She has another turn. I know she knows where the blue morpho butterfly is because I just turned it over in the last move, but suddenly, she loses her focus. She gets concerned with how many pairs I have. Boom. Just like that. I win again.

Here's the good news. My daughter didn't cry in the third game. We did a post-mortem and discussed what went wrong. She realized she lost her focus when she became concerned with my cards. She knew it. She smiled. She understood. So I told her about an old high school English teacher of mine who used to say to me, "Focus, Nee-kol, Focus!" I told her that when I began writing years later, I could hear that English teacher's voice in my head, "Focus, Nee-kol," as I trudged on through to the finish line of my novels. I did it in that deep voice of his too. "So I say to you, Olivia, remember these words, Focus, Olivia, Focus! And when you keep your focus, you can do anything you set your mind to." That was a little something extra from Mommy.

All in all, looking back, I think my daughter might have been the big winner today. Because she learned the most important lesson of all. And I really think she got it. At five years old.

I tell you this today because we all lose our focus. Often we lose it by looking to see how many pairs the other guy has. Big mistake. Just do your best. Focus on playing your best game, and you might just find out that not only did you reach the finish line, but you won the whole kit and caboodle.

Gee, next time I better watch out, or my daughter might just cream me at Memory. Having young children, mine's not anything close to what it used to be.

A Post is a Post

Whoo hoo! I've posted something! Well, not actually here on this blog...but on another blog, and that counts, too. Right? Anyway, if you'd like to hear about the sweet angel I met this morning, hop on over to A GOOD BLOG IS HARD TO FIND and enjoy.

Oh, What a Lovely Name!

Well, it's been a while, but I've finally found a title for my blog, Occasional Murmurings. It took me this long because, frankly, I didn't know what kind of blogger I was going to be. It's like having a pet--sometimes you need a little time to see what name fits the pet's personality.

I have learned a lot about myself since beginning this blog. The first is, I would never describe myself as a "blogger." I have the utmost respect and admiration for people who blog daily, or weekly, for that matter. For me, it's fairly sporadic. I will list some news about my books or artwork and often some rantings about something or another--when the mood hits me and I have time. But mostly, I am an "occasional" poster. I know this about myself now.

And I'm okay with it.

Now, much to my agent's-publisher's-publicist's chagrin, I've learned that this is about the most I can do with my blog...if I am to meet deadlines-promote my books-and write more.

A happy medium, I'd say.

So, if you'd like to occasionally stop by to see what's going on in the Charleston literary scene or with my writing life, do stop by. No pressure. No need to check me daily lest I disappoint. If you're the casual blog-reader (as I would also describe myself), you might find my occasional murmurings just your style.

Interview on Faithwebbin.net

If you enjoy reading behind the scenes, you might like to read this Faithwebbin.net interview about my new book, Trouble the Water.

Good Southern Interview

I enjoyed my interview on the "My Friend Amy" blog. Take a look at my thoughts on creativity, healing and macaroni and cheese! Thanks, Amy.

CFBA Blog Tour

For the next couple of days, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is graciously posting reviews of my new book, Trouble the Water. There will also be some interviews. Thank you, CFBA, for helping get the word out about authors who write with the heart and soul.

The Best Review Yet

Not all are great. Some aren't even good. Next to Library Journal's, I have to say this is the best review, by far, of my new novel, Trouble the Water. It seems this reader really "got it." Thanks, Deena.

Enjoy the review on "A Peek at my Bookshelf."

Think you can't make a difference?

Do you ever think a single person can't make a difference? Think again. Our friend, Melissa Ruge, does behavioral therapy with autistic kids, specifically a boy named Ryan. Ryan's Bill was just passed so that insurance companies have to cover kids with autism. Before the bill? No coverage whatsoever.

Check out this segment on CNN airing today.

Melissa is the lovely pregnant lady teaching Ryan. I dare you to watch this and not be inspired by the power of one.

The Seven-Pound Book

If you'd like to read about the new seven-pound book I'm getting ready to write, hop on over to A Good Blog is Hard to Find.

Gulp. I'm always up for a challenge.

New Book Launch!

It's finally here! I'm pleased to announce the launch of my next novel, TROUBLE THE WATER. The official launch date is Tuesday, March 11, but sources tell me the book has been spotted just about everywhere. In fact, Barnes and Noble in Mount Pleasant Towne Center has a front window display!

It took a couple years to bring this book to life. The first nine to twelve months were spent writing the manuscript, and the next year was for editing, packaging and getting it ready to be published. As an author (or my mother) when you finally see your book on the bookshelf, you're reminded of the love, sweat and tears that went into it. Seeing your heart in trade paperback is a full-circle, wonderful moment. In other words, it's about time!

Like The Spirit of Sweetgrass, my second novel, TROUBLE THE WATER, was a labor of love. Though fiction, it was inspired (very loosely) by a beloved aunt of mine. Be sure to look for mention of the book in an upcoming issue of Southern Living Magazine!

From Southern Living Magazine
Literary Lowcountry
Hilton Head native Nicole Seitz sets her new novel in a Gullah community of the Sea Islands, where a wise elder helps two sisters come to terms with their troubled past. Inspired by the life and death of her aunt, Trouble the Water (Thomas Nelson, $14.99) is Nicole's second book, following The Spirit of Sweetgrass.

Trouble the Water Book Tour
(Events still being added):* Multiple events in this city
Beaufort, SC
Charleston, SC *
Charlotte, NC
Columbia, SC
Conway, SC *
Decatur, GA
Greenwood, SC *
Hilton Head, SC *
Marietta, GA
Mount Pleasant, SC *
Pawleys Island, SC
Savannah, GA

I hope to see my readers at these events! Check my website for specific dates, times and locations. As always, please let me know what you thik about Trouble the Water. I thank you, reader, for helping me to keep writing my heart.

God bless,
Nicole

Good News and Reviews

Well, my next book is barely out of the warehouse and things are getting ready to kick into gear. I'm excited to be heading to Columbia tomorrow for the SC Book Festival and speaking on a "Faith in Fiction" panel with authors Beth Webb Hart and Ann Gabhart. Then, off to Hilton Head Island (my hometown) to speak to the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls (NAPSG). I guess I need to start eating my Wheeties.

The book has been garnering positive reviews!

ChristianBookPreviews.com calls Trouble the Water "a well-written, emotionally-involved novel that all women will want to read."

Library Journal gave it a *starred review* and says Trouble the Water "...joins the ranks of strong fiction that highlights the complicated relationships between women. Highly recommended."

Fresh Fiction calls Trouble the Water "A touching, inspirational and realistic look at dealing with death. The true value of love between siblings and the importance of the belief in God is strongly portrayed. This story is well-written and keeps the interest of the reader."

And Publisher's Weekly calls Trouble the Water "compelling."

I am looking forward to sharing my heart with my readers, old and new, with this book. My motto, as always: If just one person reads it and is moved by it, well, my job will be done. I suspect though that God has even bigger plans for the book and for all of us who follow our hearts to honor Him.

Trouble the Water ... The Movie!

My second novel, TROUBLE THE WATER, will be released next month. That's really good news. The even better news is that it's already been made into a movie! No, not really. I wish. Apparently, I do have a way with picking titles though. A documentary about a woman in New Orleans who videotapes Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath becomes the unlikely heroine in Trouble the Water - the Movie. Her story sounds familiar--a troubled woman (in her case, once a drug dealer) who finds that she is able to help others and discovers who she truly is in the process. This documentary just won the grand-jury prize for best U.S. drama at the Sundance Film Festival last month. It sounds terrific, and I hope I get a chance to view it. However, it's not based on my book. Oh, well.

Trouble the Water - the Movie, has something in common with my upcoming novel, TROUBLE THE WATER - the Book, aside from sharing the same great title. Both are about healing and God's grace and unlikely angels in the most dire circumstances. There's a whole lot packed into that name, Trouble the Water, taken from the lyrics of an African-American spiritual, "Wade in the Water."

My book, TROUBLE THE WATER, was a labor of love. It was inspired by my aunt. Though she passed away years ago, we co-authored this book in a way. Seeing it in print will be a dream come true for me, and I hope, to her as well...chapter 10 was adapted from her very own writings. Here's the * starred review * from Library Journal for TROUBLE THE WATER - The Book!

"The South Carolina Low Country is the lush setting for this poignant novel about two middle-aged sisters' journey to self-discovery. Strong female protagonists are forced to deal with suicide, wife abuse, cancer, and grief in a realistic way that will ring true for anyone who has ever suffered great loss. Seitz's writing style recalls that of Southern authors like Kaye Gibbons, Anne Rivers Siddons, and Sue Monk Kidd, and this new novel, which the publisher compares to Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees, surely joins the ranks of strong fiction that highlights the complicated relationships between women. Highly recommended."

-- Library Journal

Through the writing of TROUBLE THE WATER, I experienced much healing in my own life. I pray this effect is shared by my readers. And who knows? Maybe there will be another movie called "Trouble the Water" someday, only this time based on my book. It could happen. It could.

Gee, I just can picture it now :) Wonder who will play that cute Officer Simmons...

My Friend, Red

My friend, Red Evans, author of On Ice, passed away last Sunday morning on January 13, 2008.

This bio was approved by his family:

"Thank you to everyone who wrote kind words to Red and his family during his illness.The crowning of his long and productive life in radio, television, and public relations was becoming a published author. With a shout of "Ah Scooby Do," his lead in as the DJ “Rockin’ Redhead,” he entered the Pearly Gates conjuring up thoughts for his first heavenly novel."

I honestly don't know what I can say to sum up a man who did so much in his life and meant so much to so many people. I met Red in my writers' group three and a half years ago when I'd just started writing The Spirit of Sweetgrass. I was writing my debut while he was writing his debut into the publishing world. My book came out in March 2007, and Red was at my book launch. His book came out in September 2007, and I was at his book launch. We cheered eachother on and shared in the joy of accomplishment.

Words can't describe what Red had grown to mean to me. He was honest in his critiques, he was always encouraging. He made you feel you might be on to something...to just keep going...the best was yet to come. He taught me to never give up.

I visited Red regularly in the hospital in December when his long and hard-fought battle with cancer was beginning to get the upper hand. I learned so much about him, about myself, about faith and life and death in those last weeks. One day in hospice, I asked Red if there was anything he'd ever wanted to do and had not done in his life.

He told me that at age sixteen he'd felt the call to ministry. He said he'd prayed and cried and prayed some more about it. Then a few years later, Red began his career in broadcasting as a radio DJ. He later became a TV news director and anchor man. He worked in Washington. He owned an antique business. He became an author. He had no regrets, but he thought he hadn't answered that call. I disagree.

I attended Red's funeral on Wednesday. Everyone there loved him. Everyone had been touched in a profound way by him. His son called him "the best dad in the world". His bride of fifty years had spent every day by his side, loving him. There were friends of Red's there from decades ago and friends who'd just come to know him. Last year, he found that the Internet could put him in touch with people he might ever meet in person. Those people now call him a friend.

If Red were here today, I would tell him he did have a ministry...a ministry of friendship. The call he felt from God so many years ago...he was faithful to it after all. He may never have stood behind a pulpit and preached the gospel, but Red Evans had a ministry alright...of encouragement, of truth-telling, of touching people's souls.

Red will always be special to me. I will always see those blue eyes cutting right to the core of me. I will always hear his jokes. He found humor in this world...even in it's bleakest moments. I am better for having known Red Evans. Today, Heaven is a better place. Much funnier, I imagine.

Here's to you, my friend. Save me a good spot, won't you?

Shortest interview ever!

Dee, over at Christian Fiction Blog, asked me an interesting question the other day:

What did you do for your spiritual life in '07 that also improved your writing?

Stop by her blog and see my answer!

By the way, for you writers out there, what did you do?