Thursday's Talk About the Book

Two things to talk about today.

1.  I have an AUTHOR'S INTERVIEW at Christianbook.com! Check it out by clicking below:

Eva Marie Everson's Author Interview 

2. If you live in the Cedar Key, Florida area or just want to take the most awesome couple of days off, come see me at KONA JOE's in Cedar Key, next Saturday from 1 - 4. I'll be signing  books at one of the coolest places ever! And you'll just LOVE Edie and Kona Joe himself! 

Click here for more information about KONA JOE's:  Kona Joe's Island Cafe

Owner Edie Zapir at Kona Joe's!

Monday Musings on All Things Southern

I thought that, starting today and for a few future Mondays, we'd start a Southern dictionary.

While working on Waiting for Sunrise, the second in the Cedar Key novels, I had a character use the word "ever" for "every."

Examples:

I went the the library ever week of the world.

I took a samplin' of ever one.

These words that come so easily to those of us reared in the South are strange to everyone else. Foreign, like Greek. Or Hebrew. Or Russian.

So, I'm just letting them come to mind as they come to mind.

Here's one: Hankerin'.

Definition: a craving.

Example:  I've got a hankerin' for some shrimp and grits.


Mmmmm.... now that's good eats! And it reminds me, I'll be in Cedar Key, Florida on August 27 signing my latest book Chasing Sunsets at Kona Joe's (Located at 24th & 6th). If you live there or just want to get away for a wonderful weekend, come on down!

Thursday's Talk About the Book

THE VESSEL PROJECT

Another blogger gives her (mighty fine) opinion of Chasing Sunsets. 

Just click on the "The Vessel Project" to be rerouted. 

Be sure to leave a comment! Bloggers like that (true me...)

Until tomorrow:

Eva Marie

Thursday's Talk About the Book

I had a meeting today with the print and media publicists at Baker/Revell for Chasing Sunsets.


Okay, first I have to tell you this. They loved the book. The print publicist, Karen, went on and on and on about it. And, of course, I let her. I mean...after all...

I shared with them that I'm getting ready to return to Cedar Key to do some videotaping of the area, some of the locations and the people you'll read about in the book. Can't wait. Cedar Key just really is one of my favorite places and I want to bring it to all of you as well.

I found this neat video on YouTube... so I'm kinda stealing it here. It'll do for now, right?

Meanwhile, I have Book Two to write. If I'm going to finish in a timely manner, I have to write 1005 words a day between now and due date... and so far today, not a word has been tapped out of this computer.

I'm on it!

Thursday's Talk About the Book

This gives me an opportunity to chat a little about my upcoming book, Chasing Sunsets. 


How about the story behind the story?

2004 brought to Florida what will forever be known as the Summer of Hurricanes (not to mention tropical storms). First Charley tore us to pieces. He was then followed by Frances, who was then followed by Ivan and Jeanne. There were others that built to Hurricane Force but either died out too soon or just never made it to land. But these four--Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne--were the four that devastated Florida.

I know. I was there.

Afterward, I was looking for a place to go for a writer's retreat. Everything on the east side of the state (where we'd gone previously) was still in a state of disrepair. So, I started looking to the west. One afternoon, while having my hair trimmed, I mentioned this dilemma to my hairdresser. She suggested Cedar Key, a tiny island off the west coast of Florida and somewhat near the panhandle.

I called a good friend of mine, Janice Elsheimer, said the word "Road Trip" and away we went.

We found Cedar Key to be a delightful little town. It is, in fact, an island...part of a group of keys...but to me it was more than that. It was the island time forgot. Not only did my cell service cease (for which I was grateful!) but everything about the location screamed of another era, another lifestyle.

And it called to me.

Janice and I returned again (and again and again). The next time I brought a stack of magazines to sit and thumb through. I remember it clearly. I was sitting on the bed in our condo, Janice was sitting on the sofa. We were both flipping the pages of various magazines when I stopped, tore one out and said, "Wanna know the story behind this ad?"

Janice said she did. And so I began to weave a tale, as I saw it, of four sisters and the childhood friend who impacted their lives in ways they wouldn't know until they were all adults. A few weeks later, I came home, worked on a proposal, and sent it to my editor extraordinaire, Vicki Crumpton. She liked what she saw, took it to committee, and they liked what they saw.

Three novels were "born."

Well... they were gestating...

Book One, Chasing Sunsets, will be released in May 2011. I not only look forward to holding my "baby" in my hands, I look forward the taking my readers away to a tropical paradise (at least to me it is...), to a place so distinct, so calming, so ... Cedar Key.

Wednesday's Recipe of the Week

Hey, y'all!


This is from my dear friend, writer extraordinare, Karen O'Connor. Last week she shot a note that read, "How about some fried okra, spoon bread and hush puppies to go with the catfish stew? My southern-fried husband will be right over."  Karen


Fried okra... now that brings back memories! My mother frying okra meant it was going to be a banner night at the supper table...but when she fried yellow crook-neck squash... watch out! I stood next to her as she inched the flat fried vegetable from the sizzling grease. Just as soon as one cooled, I was eating it! Mother used to say, "Keep this up and there won't be enough for supper."


You mean, someone else may want some??? I hadn't thought of that.


Which brings me to the next point. Whenever something is fried in the South, it's not just about plopping it in the grease. And, just so you all from the North are not confused, good fried vegetables (like okra and squash) are best when corn meal is a part of the recipe. (That doesn't mean you just substitute corn meal for flour, however. There are rules here and they must be obeyed.)


Hush puppies. YUM... Not too long ago my friend Robi Lipscomb and I stole away to Cedar Key, Florida (where my next three novels are set). We heard about a restaurant called Robinson's. They advertised "all you can eat fried shrimp" for a reasonable price, so we drove down 24 to check it out.


Well, it was worth it! The best jumbo fried shrimp I have ever eaten...and I've eaten a lot of fried shrimp. But, to me, what really stole the show was the hush puppies. Not sure of their recipe but they were perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Robi and I let the "all you can eat shrimp" slide and asked for seconds on the hush puppies.


Anyone out there have a good recipe for hush puppies (the kind that make you want to slap your mama) you want to share? This group of hungry readers is listening!