I haven’t written much lately, but I prefer to do so when I actually have something to say.
Last week I was invited to speak about “Teeth in a Pickle Jar” to a group of women at the American Women’s Club (AWC) in Bern, Switzerland. There are AWCs all over the world; wherever there are American women, there’s bound to be an AWC or some form thereof. To date I was invited to speak to AWCs in Switzerland and Italy.

Of course, the bulk of my speaking engagements are in the U.S. (and most specifically in my home state of Florida), but I am happy when I get requests from other states and countries as well.

Okay, back to Bern. It was a sunny, clear and warm (for Switzerland) afternoon, so I thought surely people would rather enjoy the outdoors (and the spectacular scenery) than sit indoors and listen to an author. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a lively group of women showed up to hear my talk (and ask lots of questions afterwards).

After the talk refreshments were served, and I tried a Swiss version of that American specialty the brownie. It was from a mix purchased from a local supermarket, and it was very good.

In April I will speak about “Teeth in a Pickle Jar” at three venues in and near my hometown of Bradenton FL. On the 11th at the South Manatee Library in Bradenton; on the 19th at the Temple Terrace Junior Women’s Club near Tampa, and on the 24th at the monthly meeting of Tampa Bay Newcomers. And, believe it or not, I am already getting requests to speak this fall and even in January 2008!

I just recently received an email from a reader who attended one of my talks this past February in Pennsylvania. “Your book, just like your talk, was so funny and touching, “she wrote. “I started reading the book laughing and crying through it on a rainy Sunday morning and just couldn’t put it down until I found out what happened at the end. I finished it by dinnertime! Needless to say, I loved it!”

This is just the kind of reader feedback that an author wants to hear.

January has been a great month for me and “Teeth in a Pickle Jar.” It was great for me because I spent it in my home in Bradenton FL: Unless you are an avid skier or a masochist (I am neither), what could be better than spending the coldest month of the winter in warm weather? Okay, okay, you don’t have to answer that.

While in Bradenton I gave Creative Writing courses to a very nice and talented group of beginning writers. It was my first teaching experience. I am still waiting to get my apples!

I also gave a total of six talks about Teeth. The venues were in Venice, Sarasota, Tampa Bay area and central Florida. In Bradenton I was invited to speak at a meeting of Lions Club. What a wonderful group of people they are, and doing so much good for the community. I was honored to be their guest. Another memorable book talk was at the Lake Hamilton Women’s Club in Lake Hamilton FL. On the way back to Bradenton, on I-4 heading west toward Tampa, dark clouds started to gather. I wondered how a bright and sunny sky could so quickly morph into a mass of blackness. It was raining hard by the time I got to Bradenton, but it wasn’t until that night that a devastating tornado had swept central Florida. I was really anxious to hear that the wonderful group of people I had just spoken to was safe and sound, and that the town was not destroyed. It wasn’t until several days later that I had the good news: they were all fine, and the worst damage was 50 miles away. (more…)