Beyond Grief

I'm saddened to hear a dear friend passed away yesterday, amazing poet, Irene Nuite Lofton. I've lost several friends in the last few years and her chapbook, "Beyond Grief", has helped me tremendously. Here's my favorite poem in that one about hope. I don't think she would mind my sharing it in full.

THE PROMISE TREE

Today I saw a tulip tree
Against February skies.
And every swelling velvet bud
Flings truth at winter's lies.

Lies which say there is no end
To winter's bitter cold.
That hope is lost and never found
As earth is growing old.

But tulip buds tell only truth,
and every bud proclaims
That life must surely follow death,
And spring will come again.

~Irene Nuite Lofton

You will be missed, Irene. Heaven rejoices.

Mother's Day Book Recommendation

Brenda Seward of Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts offers three book recommendations for Mother's Day. I'm pleased that mine is one of them! Here's her lovely review:

Saving Cicadas, by Nicole Seitz

"Saving Cicadas is the story of a single mother in crisis and how her current turmoil and the decision she must take affects her daughters (an eight year old and a seventeen-year-old special needs child) and her grandparents. In a quandary about how to resolve the problem before her, Priscilla decides she needs to take a road trip to her childhood home in the hope that the journey will give her insight and provide a solution to her problem. In this beautifully written novel, the journey that Priscilla and her family take is both literal and metaphoric. Each character in this story has their own special and individual journey to make, each helping the other to achieve their own separate peace. This is a wonderful novel, chronicling all the pain and joy of motherhood."

--Review by Brenda Seward, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts
http://www.simplepleasuresbooksandgifts.com/

Cyberwalk Arts Contest Winner

I'm fairly sure I was the oldest alum entry, but I'm pleased nonetheless for winning 2nd place in the Cyberwalk Arts Contest - Alumni category, part of the 29th Annual SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival. SCAD provided a cool tool, allowing me to create art online using a cyber-piece of concrete and cyber-chalks. Lots of fun. This is the first year for the online version.

As my mother pointed out, "You never win anything!" Now, I can humbly disagree :)

Books I've Sold and Other Elusive Numbers

Hop on over to A Good Blog is Hard to Find and you'll find my latest post about the numbers game of book signing events!

Long Live the Pulpwood Queens!

Well, its been a week or so since I left Texas, so I've had enough time to look at all the photos on Facebook and read the blog posts, and still, the feeling remains: It was the best party I've ever attended.

Below is what I commented on the Dallas Morning News ,Texas Pages article, Jamie Ford Leads Chorus of Praise for Pulpwood Queens.

Yes, I was there at the Pulpwood Queens Girlfriends Weekend, and let me confirm all the reports. Someone there said (and I think it was Pat Conroy) that Kathy L. Patrick has the ability to single-handedly save the publishing industry. And I tend to agree. Here's why.

Kathy has some sort of mystical ability to pull people together from all walks of life. Writers and readers mingled together in harmony and hilarity, all in the name of literacy, dressed as Barbies or something from the Wizard of Oz. We were children again and childish in our pure love of books. We danced and laughed in praise of the stories the Good Lord gives to us all to cherish, and learn from and inspire one another.

I've published four books in as many years, and I'm honored my latest, Saving Cicadas, finally got me to Texas, but I've been to too many book events to count--this one, well, it tops them all. And yes, I know the Good Witch Glendas all dressed in white might have helped just a little bit with their mean mojitos, but I imagine any witness might vouch for me when I say the little town of Jefferson, Texas became annointed that weekend. It was a magical place where deep friendships were made, batteries were recharged, and the Spirit of the Book was never bigger or brighter than I've seen it in all my years. And it left us with the feeling that yes, there is hope afterall for the lovely paper product that fills us with so much joy and awe as we flip through its pages. Because there are people out there who love books just as much as we authors do. They're called the Pulpwood Queens.

Jamie Ford

Author table at Lamache's Italian

Ad Hudler is Oz, I always knew it.

Susan Cushman, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Deanne Gist

Jamie Ford, Pat Conroy, Nicole Seitz, Melissa Conroy

On Fiction and Telling Tall Tales

Here's the question: Is is ever okay to tell a lie? Is fiction lying? How about if it breaks from reality, imagines the supernatural, or even takes liberties with the Truth?

Here's my two cents:

My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles once told us kids a flat-out lie. They said there was a swamp monster living in the lake beside my grandparent's house. It was a big estate, 65 acres, and we spent a lot of time on our own, playing outside. We'd go there in the summertimes and swim in innertubes and fish in that lake, but only when a grown-up was with us. Never once did I venture into that lake by myself. They even went so far as to show me a picture of the swamp monster, so I could believe it, know it to be true, see it's face in my mind's eye if I ever thought about going down there alone. Which I did not.

When I got older and more mature, more able to take care of myself and make good decisions, I found out that swamp monster was a lie. I thank God for the people in my life who once stretched the truth and used their imaginations, sometimes giving me nightmares. Because they saved our lives. None of us grandchildren ever ventured into that lake alone. Not one of us drowned because some grown-ups in our lives loved us enough to get truly creative. They knew what could happen, and it was worse than a swamp monster.

The nightmares? Oh, they went away. But the love for my family who protected me and kept me from falling into that black lake? Now that will last forever.

*UPDATE*
Since writing this, my aunt says she doesn't remember this creature, but she does remember a certain TROLL that lived under the little bridge that crossed over to the island in the center of the lake. The same bridge we fished on. The same troll that apparently gave the three billy goats gruff a lot of trouble. My cousin doesn't remember a thing, but I specifically remember the above creature in my nightmares. My daughter saw him on my screen and said, "That's scary" and I said, "I know. But it's not real." I guess I'm a little wary of giving her the same dreams...

(image of Creature of the Black Lagoon from screenrant.com)

The 12 Days of Christmas ~ for Writers

by Nicole Seitz

Here's hoping you get all of this in the New Year!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my Muse gave to me:

12 New Fans on Facebook

11 Agents Calling

10 Hot Proposals

9 Met Deadlines

8 Easy Edits

7 Happy Endings

6 Good Twists

5 G-R-E-A-T  R-E-V-I-E-W-S !

4 Goodness Sake, 3 Bestsellers 2 Write Next Year

#1 on the New York Times list!

 
-------------------------
Nicole Seitz is the author of four novels. Her latest, SAVING CICADAS, released this month.
 
"be ready to hold onto your seat." - Star News
"marvelously memorable" - Publishers Weekly
"Resounding kudos" - Charleston Magazine
"powerful and thought-provoking" - Charisma Magazine

You're invited! Charleston Fundraiser/Launch party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(You can RSVP on my fan page or comment here!)
Contact: Marjory Wentworth, marjwpub@bellsouth.net 843-971-6930, 843-693-5191

Celebrate the Launch of Saving Cicadas, the new novel by Nicole Seitz

Charleston, SC - - On Wednesday December 9 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM, a book launch/fund raiser will be held at the chapel on-site at the Florence Crittenton Home in downtown Charleston. Saving Cicadas, the latest from Lowcountry native Nicole Seitz, follows the revelatory and haunting journey of a struggling single mother from South Carolina who discovers she's expecting another child. Unafraid to confront issues with no simple answers, Seitz has constructed a story of ultimate redemption in Saving Cicadas, told through the voice of a young child. A moving narrative about family, loss and longing, and the transforming power of truth, Saving Cicadas is an eloquent reminder that life is a miracle—and even the smallest soul is always a gift.

WHAT: Fund Raiser/Book Launch for Saving Cicadas

WHO: Novelist Nicole Seitz
WHEN: Wednesday December 9 5:00 – 8:00 PM, Brief Reading at 7:00 PM
WHERE: Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina (chapel on-site)

19 Saint Margaret Street, Charleston, SC
Free and Open to the public. Novels by Nicole Seitz will be available from Blue Bicycle Books. Wine and Hors d’oeuvres

Praise for Saving Cicadas:

This beguiling, inspirational family-first tale from Lowcountry native Seitz follows the revelatory and haunting journey of a single mother from South Carolina who discovers she's pregnant and needs to clear her head to plan her next step…... Seitz has a gift for creating wonderful characters, especially the young girls, … this tale's spooky sweet dénouement includes a magical twist….marvelously memorable

---Publishers Weekly

"Nicole Seitz is a bold and imaginative storyteller, and Saving Cicadas is no exception. With the voice of an angel and an eye trained on the unseen in our midst, this story of one single mother’s struggle to survive will leave you awe-struck…”

— Beth Webb Hart, author of Grace at Low Tide, Adelaide Piper, and The Wedding Machine

"What a deeply moving novel! I literally could not put it down...I think the issues covered in the book …are so relevant to our society. The choices...seen from a child's perspective, was illuminating. "

— Valerie Jones, Fireside Books & Gifts, Forest City, NC


For more information about Nicole Seitz, please visit www.nicoleseitz.com or www.thomasnelson.com.

Nicole Seitz grew up on Hilton Head Island, a small town off the coast of South Carolina, where she was surrounded by palmetto trees, marsh grass, sandy beaches and unique Southern characters. As an author, artist and speaker, Nicole's work is deeply influenced by her faith and the mystique and charm of the Lowcountry. In 1989 she went to the U.S.S.R as a student ambassador through People to People Organization, and the trip opened her eyes to the struggles, beauty, and universal qualities of other cultures--things she likes to explore in her work.

The Spirit of Sweetgrass (March 2007), Nicole's debut novel, was selected as the May 2007 FaithPoint Book-of-the-Month for Books-a-Million. Her second novel, Trouble the Water (March 2008), received a starred review and was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Library Journal. It was also seen in Southern Living, Sandlapper Magazine, and was an editor's pick in the May 2008 issue of Charleston Magazine. The book went into a second printing within two weeks of it's release date. Her third novel, A Hundred Years of Happiness (March 2009), was featured in the January 2009 edition of Charleston Magazine and the July/Aug edition of The VVA Veteran, was a Summer Reading Pick on CBN.com, and was nominated by independent booksellers for the 2009 SIBA Book Award.

Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina has a 112-year history of assisting low-income, at-risk pregnant and parenting young women by providing them a safe haven, education, counseling, medical care, and social support, so that they may grow into independent, successful young adults. Our ongoing vision is to provide hope, safety, and opportunity so that every young woman we serve gains a sense of self-worth and the capacity to achieve the fullest potential possible. Our mission is to foster the development of healthy babies and strong, competent parents. We provide an innovative approach to age-appropriate, comprehensive care for pregnant teenagers who are considered “at risk” due to poverty, lack of education, and other barriers to positive growth. We provide these discouraged young women with the tools they need in order to become proactive in their own care and the care of their babies. After completing the program, clients have the skills to become responsible parents and members of the community. For further information, please contact David Hoey, 722-7526, extension 15.

Saving Cicadas for Book Clubs

Bookmovement.com, a website that reaches over 20,000 book clubs, is featuring Saving Cicadas for the week of November 15 in its Book Giveaway Newsletter. If you have a book club, visit the website and enter to win copies for your group by December 15! Saving Cicadas has book club discussion questions in the back of the book.

Speaking of winning free copies of Saving Cicadas, here are a couple other places you can enter to win as an individual:

• My website! Go to the Contact page and enter to win a signed copy by December 1.
• Goodreads.com! Visit the Saving Cicadas page and enter to win a copy by January 1.

Saving Cicadas releases today! Get the word out!

Saving Cicadas releases from the warehouse today!! This means the books are being loaded up on trucks at this moment and will soon be traveling happily to your local bookstore. It also means that if you pre-ordered online, say from amazon or christianbook, you'll have it, most likely, by this weekend.

The official publication date is December 1st, but for those of you in the know, it starts showing up a little sooner. Keep your eyes open for Saving Cicadas, a book that could be life-altering.

This is my fourth novel from Thomas Nelson, and I'm very excited about it. I can't wait to hear the discussions...it's certainly a conversation starter and would be great for Book Clubs! If you're one of the first ones to read and review Saving Cicadas, let me know here (leave a comment) and you just might win something.

Other ways to win...visit my website and enter the contest or enter to win on Goodreads.

God bless and happy reading!

Mama Rock's Rules

I spent the day signing books at the table one over from Rose Rock, comedian Chris Rock's mother. Or rather, I should say, he's her son. She is quite a force to be reckoned with in her own right. I spoke to people about my books and artwork at the first annual Columbia Literature Festival today and had a ball meeting with readers and folks who walked by, but true joy came from listening to Mama Rock.

Teen aged boys would approach her in awe and ask, "Are you Chris Rock's mother?" She'd say, "Guilty." Or sometimes they'd just say, "Is he really your son?" to which she'd reply, "Who? I've got several sons." The boys would stand there riveted and ask sincere questions about Chris, the show, what it was like growing up in her home, and she was always honest--beautifully, brutally, honest. At one point, I was in near tears listening to her stories and her advice--seriously good advice--she gives young people about what is real in Hollywood and what is not, or why it's important to dream and dream as big as you possibly can.

Yes, I was in good company today at Dent Middle School in Columbia. As a mother of two, I was listening for bits of wisdom to raise my own children to have good heads on their shoulders, and I'm happy to say, I gleaned several nuggets of wisdom, simply by sitting next to Rose Rock.
If you're a parent or a kid just trying to make sense of the world, you might want to take a look at Mama Rock's Rules.

Bein' on the Block

Or, 8 Steps to Selling Yourself at SIBA

I was "sold" at auction along with a whole troupe of authors last weekend at the SIBA Trade Show in Greenville, SC. It was all good fun, and for a good cause. But behind the scenes, hilarious. Stop on over to my post on A Good Blog is Hard to Find and enjoy a taste of Bein' on the Block!

(Pictured: Karen White, me, Mary Alice Monroe, John Thompson. It may be you next time).

My wish on this anniversary

On this day, September 11th, everyone can remember where they were eight years ago when the tragedies of 9-11 unfolded. I was working for a corporation as a web designer, sitting in my cubicle, when a co-worker one cube over sent me an email with a photo of the first plane going in to the twin tower.

I thought it was a joke, like one of those doctored photos you see flying around cyberspace. And I disregarded it. After that, everything's fuzzy. I think he came over and said something about the photo and I realized it wasn't fake, and panic began to set in. All of us entered a new state of being, one we'd never experienced before. I remember thinking we should all go home because no one could get any work done for trying to keep up with the news.

I did leave early. I was closing on my new home that day. My stepfather had built my house, and I remember meeting him at the closing attorney's office to sign the papers. We sat there, the two of us, in shock in the waiting room. I remember feeling that the transaction meant little since the world was ending.

Yes, it actually felt that way, didn't it?

It's been several years now, and I still remember how it felt to watch the second plane come in. To watch the horror, the terror.

There are no words.

But I also remember watching President Bush and New York Mayor Giuliani as they pulled the nation together afterward. We were searching for guidance, ready for heroes. We tried to put one foot in front of the other in the days and weeks to follow. I'll never forget what came next. We were all united in our sense of country and patriotism. We were all united. For the first time in my life, I felt that sense as people hung flags outside their homes, said God Bless America to one another freely.

It's been eight years since the tragedies of 9-11. I do not miss that feeling of the world ending. But I do miss what came after, that feeling that all of us are in this thing together, that we live in America, we are Americans, and we cherish our freedom and will fight for it.

My wish on this anniversary of 9-11 is that every American, no matter what side you might be on of whatever issue it is, is to take a break, shake the hand of your neighbor, remember that first and foremost, we are all Americans.

May God bless all of our men and women who are serving our nation in the armed forces, overseas and at home. Though our country is going through many changes, one thing stays the same:

We are blessed to live in America. Our heroes are never hard to find.

What Happens in Book Club...

Yesterday was a special day. It was my mother-in-law's birthday, and last night I was invited to speak with her neighborhood book club about A Hundred Years of Happiness. I must say, I was impressed with the discussions. I was comfortable with the people, the friendships, the adorable cat, Max, who sat propped in a chair in our circle. He thought he was no different than anyone else in our group, just a little furrier and a tad bit quieter.

There were two women there who could only stay a short while. One was visiting the other from Texas and had brought a copy of A Hundred Years of Happiness with her for the trip. She had no idea I was coming to the book club in the neighborhood last night until she saw her hostess had a copy of the same book. They came by for a while to meet me, and it was a thrill to know that people in Texas are reading my books and waiting for the next one to come out. It was more of an honor for me to meet her that the other way around. Pam, it was a pleasure. I hope you have a wonderful time in South Carolina and a safe trip back home.

I always feel honored when a book club chooses one of my books to discuss. (For those of you who don't realize, there are always book club questions on my website. You can print out and have at it.) I'm always amazed that people take the time to read the books I've written, how they inevitably touch someone in the group, how details of lives are shared, deepest intimacies about relationships, experiences in life.

I love every book club that I visit with, but last night was personal. I shared myself with this group of ladies and my mother-in-law. She got to hear my inner workings, and I'm sure she learned a thing or two. Not to mention, the book we were discussing was inspired my my stepfather's service in Vietnam forty years ago, so you can imagine the revelations going on. I'd like to tell you what all was said in that house last night, but I can't.

You see, as I got into the car at the end of the evening to take my mother-in-law home, I said, "Well, I guess you might have learned a few things in there. How about let's keep all that to ourselves?" And her reply was, very serious, "What happens in Book Club, stays in Book Club."

Well said, Judy.

What a blessing to have a group of friends who will read with you, share with you, and keep your secrets. And what a blessing to have a mother-in-law you adore.

A Recipe for Writing

I know it's been a while...I've been buried in a book. But I'm still here. In fact, there's a new blog post from me today inspired by Julia Child's wisdom. It's about writing, cooking, loving...you'll see. Hop on over and take a look!

Piccolo Spoleto event

I'm honored to be a part of this year's Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, SC. I'm kicking off the Southern Literary Festival tomorrow morning at the Charleston Library Society on King Street at 10:00 am. Other writers in the series are Cassandra King Conroy, Brett Lott, Ron Daise, Anne Rivers Siddons, and Janna McMahan.

Writing the Southern Family: A Legacy of Secrets, Silence and Spirituality
Join novelist Nicole Seitz in a look at the Southern family - what keeps it together, what tears it apart. She examines the families in her novels: what aspects of these families are "Southern" and what parts are universal? Learn why people love reading about Southern families and why there's just so much to write about. Nicole Seitz is the author of three novels, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. A native of the Lowcountry, Seitz weaves family, faith, and forgiveness into her novels. Trouble the Water, was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Library Journal. Her next novel, Saving Cicadas, will release this December from Thomas Nelson.

Charleston Library Society164 King Street, Downtown Charleston
SCHEDULE
5/28 10AM

Great Book for Memorial Day

Well, if you've been waiting for the right occasion to get my latest novel, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Memorial Day would be a great time to read it and remember the ones who have served our country and fought valiantly for our freedoms.

Publishers Weekly wrote:
"Seitz (The Spirit of Sweetgrass) focuses on two families irrevocably changed by the Vietnam War in her latest Lowcountry saga. All Lisa Le knows of her father is that he was an American soldier who died in Vietnam, before Lisa's Vietnamese mother and uncle moved to America, and that her mother continues to mourn him in their Georgetown, S.C., home. John Porter, of Charleston, is a veteran haunted by his past. His daughter, happily married Katherine, hopes to help by taking him to a veterans' event, but instead sets in motion a chain of events that will bring the two families crashing together. Seitz deftly shifts perspective among Lisa, Katherine, John and a koi fish in Vietnam who was once an American soldier named Ernest, giving her familiar themes—posttraumatic stress disorder, adjusting to civilian life, survivor's guilt, smalltown Southern living, aging, the quest to belong—sensitive and original treatment. For anyone touched by war, this tale of life after wartime should resonate strongly."

Men and women alike will be able to relate to this one. Hope you enjoy.

Nicole

Jen's Jewels - Great Interview

Columnist Jennifer Vido recently asked me some probing questions about my latest release, A Hundred Years of Happiness. She also said of the book: "Beautifully written with an unforeseen ending, this book will leave its imprint on your heart and soul. Without a doubt, it is a must-read novel for May."

I hope you'll hop over to Fresh Fiction and take a look!

Heroes Among Us

There are heroes among us--award-winning heroes, who have fought in wars and done amazing things on behalf of our country. Today, we are one fewer.

It was with sadness that I read this morning about a great man who has passed on, Medal of Honor recipient Russell Dunham. LA Times reports "Russell Dunham, a World War II Army veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration for valor, after he assaulted three German machine gun emplacements, killed nine German soldiers and took two prisoners, died of congestive heart failure Monday at his home in Godfrey, Ill. He was 89."

I was at the opening of the Medal of Honor Museum aboard the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, SC in 2007 with about 100 Medal of Honor recipients. I can't explain the awe I felt at being around such greatness. It was palpable--the honor, the respect. What an amazing night. So amazing, in fact, that it became a major scene in my latest book, A Hundred Years of Happiness.

Many heroes are not so decorated though. Many are just as humble, but no one really knows about their heroic acts. Perhaps it's your grand uncle who fought in World War II. Perhaps it's your grandfather who was in Korea or your stepfather who was in Vietnam, like mine. These men and women sacrificed for our country. The least we can do is ask them about their experiences, tell them "thank you" for their service, and vow to learn the lessons that come along with the wisdom of everyday heroes. For when these heroes go, so goes their wisdom.

They are, indeed, all around us if we look.

Please support our troops and remember to thank the veteran in your life.

Large Print Version of 100 Years Released

Friends, readers,

My latest novel, A Hundred Years of Happiness, releases this week in Large Print Hardcover from Center Point. The book explores faith, family and love that can survive even the atrocities of war. If you know someone who has a hard time reading small print, be sure to find a large print copy!

Hope you enjoy,

Nicole

PS. The cover was painted and designed by Your Truly.