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Showing posts with label new website. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new website. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
A New Place to Find One Writer's Journal
Join the fun at One Writer's Journal on my new website. Click directly to my latest posts here.
Same journal. Same writer. Different place. Hope to see you there.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
A WOW Experience at the SC Book Festival
Hi, everybody.
I'm late posting this week because I was late getting back from the South Carolina Book Festival, and believe me, it was a festival. And they celebrated writers and books. Of course I've been a lifelong book lover, so it was the perfect place for me. Everybody associated with the festival was extra friendly and helpful. A special thanks to Mary who managed to make every writer feel like the only writer there. It was such fun.
My daughter, Tarasa, went with me as my guest and we both enjoyed as many of the presentations as we could attend. Sometimes we had to choose between two or three panels of authors that we would have enjoyed hearing. We only made one bad decision. If we'd been closer to the door we'd have bailed on that presentation. It just wasn't our thing. I kept having to pinch myself to keep from dozing off and Tarasa read her Festival program.
The headliner was Harlan Coben who writes bestselling thrillers. He was presenting at the same time I was on Sunday afternoon. I was on a panel about the importance of place across genres, and to be honest, I didn't think anybody would come listen to us. But they did. Not as many as went to see Harlan Coben, but enough that we had a good session. Tarasa went to Harlan Coben's presentation. She can hear me any time. She said it was great and that Mr. Coben was very personable and nice to everyone who wanted to talk to him. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. Writers are just people. Some of us are friendly. Some of us are surly. Some of us like talking to people. Some of us don't. I love talking to people myself. Especially people who like to read just as much as I do. Maybe instead of the weather we should all talk about books.
So the Festival was definitely a WOW experience for me. My daughter and I had been talking about that sort of experience before we went to Columbia. She works at a hospital and they had had a meeting on how to make a visit to their hospital a WOW experience. Now, I'm not sure I could have a WOW experience at a hospital. Not a place many of us want to go. But a Book Festival is a different matter. Just going in a place with that many books and authors is a WOW time right away. And then to have everybody be so nice and friendly, well, it just got better and better.
My newly re-designed website is up and running. We're still tweaking a few things here and there and fixing typos, etc. Susie, my webmaster, did a great job and I really appreciate her help. I was overwhelmed thinking about the time I'd have to put in to learn how to do some of that stuff. So if you've seen it, let me know what you think either here or by contacting me from the website. www.annhgabhart.com
One last thing before I wear out your reading patience. I heard on the radio this morning that somebody has done a study and find that people who count their blessings at least once a week live longer and happier lives. That was one of the great things about the festival at Columbia. I'd been sort of down with my writing. No real reason. Just a worried "parent" over a "child" she wasn't sure was doing well. I still don't know about that, but talking with other writers and booksellers seemed to get me back on focus and counting my blessings. Then when I got home there were a few e-mails from readers who had enjoyed my book. Definitely a blessing.
So today I plan to live longer by counting my blessings. A great family. A loving and praying church family. Beautiful grandchildren. A new book out on the store shelves. Readers who are also friends. A blog to chat on. A new website. I could go on and on, but I'll save some for next time. May you have such an abundance of blessings that it would take you a week to count even half of them.
Ann
I'm late posting this week because I was late getting back from the South Carolina Book Festival, and believe me, it was a festival. And they celebrated writers and books. Of course I've been a lifelong book lover, so it was the perfect place for me. Everybody associated with the festival was extra friendly and helpful. A special thanks to Mary who managed to make every writer feel like the only writer there. It was such fun.
My daughter, Tarasa, went with me as my guest and we both enjoyed as many of the presentations as we could attend. Sometimes we had to choose between two or three panels of authors that we would have enjoyed hearing. We only made one bad decision. If we'd been closer to the door we'd have bailed on that presentation. It just wasn't our thing. I kept having to pinch myself to keep from dozing off and Tarasa read her Festival program.
The headliner was Harlan Coben who writes bestselling thrillers. He was presenting at the same time I was on Sunday afternoon. I was on a panel about the importance of place across genres, and to be honest, I didn't think anybody would come listen to us. But they did. Not as many as went to see Harlan Coben, but enough that we had a good session. Tarasa went to Harlan Coben's presentation. She can hear me any time. She said it was great and that Mr. Coben was very personable and nice to everyone who wanted to talk to him. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. Writers are just people. Some of us are friendly. Some of us are surly. Some of us like talking to people. Some of us don't. I love talking to people myself. Especially people who like to read just as much as I do. Maybe instead of the weather we should all talk about books.
So the Festival was definitely a WOW experience for me. My daughter and I had been talking about that sort of experience before we went to Columbia. She works at a hospital and they had had a meeting on how to make a visit to their hospital a WOW experience. Now, I'm not sure I could have a WOW experience at a hospital. Not a place many of us want to go. But a Book Festival is a different matter. Just going in a place with that many books and authors is a WOW time right away. And then to have everybody be so nice and friendly, well, it just got better and better.
My newly re-designed website is up and running. We're still tweaking a few things here and there and fixing typos, etc. Susie, my webmaster, did a great job and I really appreciate her help. I was overwhelmed thinking about the time I'd have to put in to learn how to do some of that stuff. So if you've seen it, let me know what you think either here or by contacting me from the website. www.annhgabhart.com
One last thing before I wear out your reading patience. I heard on the radio this morning that somebody has done a study and find that people who count their blessings at least once a week live longer and happier lives. That was one of the great things about the festival at Columbia. I'd been sort of down with my writing. No real reason. Just a worried "parent" over a "child" she wasn't sure was doing well. I still don't know about that, but talking with other writers and booksellers seemed to get me back on focus and counting my blessings. Then when I got home there were a few e-mails from readers who had enjoyed my book. Definitely a blessing.
So today I plan to live longer by counting my blessings. A great family. A loving and praying church family. Beautiful grandchildren. A new book out on the store shelves. Readers who are also friends. A blog to chat on. A new website. I could go on and on, but I'll save some for next time. May you have such an abundance of blessings that it would take you a week to count even half of them.
Ann
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Book Readings and Signings
My booksigning/reading went well on Friday night. Thanks be to the Lord for family and friends who are ready to support a writer in need. There is absolutely nothing sadder than an author at a booksigning when nobody shows up to get a book signed. Actually I haven't done many booksignings like that. I did have one signing back years ago when my first books were out. My aunts and mother came. I can't remember whether they bought any books. The rest of the time I just chatted with any customer who got within shouting distance. Most of them had no idea why I was sitting there behind a stack of books. The large posters you see at many booksignings are there for a reason. "See me. I wrote this book! Honest!"
I didn't have to do that kind of shouting Friday night. Everybody was very gracious and kind and they even bought most of my books. So it was fun. I love talking to people and I like having book discussions. A reporter from the Anderson News was there. I've been trying to talk up a human interest article about how I used what I remembered about Lawrenceburg in the sixties for Hollyhill in my books and how I zeroed in on the importance of a community newspaper by having Jocie's dad be the editor, but I don't think that idea went over with the reporter. (I'll bet Jocie would have written it up the way I wanted.) So we'll just have to wait and see what he writes. I'm hoping I didn't say anything too stupid. It's amazing the stupid things a person can say when a reporter is listening. It may not sound all that bad at the time you're saying it, but after it's written down and and printed in the newspaper for everybody to read, the words spin around and sound way different. Any of you ever had that experience?
Next weekend I'm off to South Carolina to the Book Festival in Columbia. My daughter, Tarasa, is going along and we're making it a several day trip to celebrate our birthdays. We both hit one of those years that have zeroes last year so we have to do something to celebrate that kind of milestone. The book festival promises to be interesting. I'm on two panels. One about Faith in Fiction and the other about the importance of place across genres. I'm trying to think wise thoughts, but maybe I'll just listen to everybody else's wisdom. I'm looking forward to sitting in on some of the other panel sessions and hearing what those authors have to say. If you're in the area, come check the festival out. My panels are at 10 a.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Then I'll be signing my books for about an hour directly following the panels.
Also watch for my new and improved website in the near future. And let me know what you think.
Next week, I won't be posting until Tuesday since I'll be on the way home from S.C. on Monday. Hope all of you have a good week and that you notice all those ordinary everyday blessings that make life so good. We can even do some counting. I can count my booksigning and my friends and family being there. That's not an everyday kind of blessing, but it's definitely a blessing. For the everyday type, I'd say the smiles of my Christian brothers and sisters at church this morning. My pastor's good sermon. Visiting my mom and sister. Walking with my dog, Dub, and my neighbor dogs, Roxie and Baby. They love to walk with me. Talking to my daughter on the phone. Finishing my page edits way before schedule. Watching basketball. And so many more. Tell me some of yours. And that will be a blessing too.
I didn't have to do that kind of shouting Friday night. Everybody was very gracious and kind and they even bought most of my books. So it was fun. I love talking to people and I like having book discussions. A reporter from the Anderson News was there. I've been trying to talk up a human interest article about how I used what I remembered about Lawrenceburg in the sixties for Hollyhill in my books and how I zeroed in on the importance of a community newspaper by having Jocie's dad be the editor, but I don't think that idea went over with the reporter. (I'll bet Jocie would have written it up the way I wanted.) So we'll just have to wait and see what he writes. I'm hoping I didn't say anything too stupid. It's amazing the stupid things a person can say when a reporter is listening. It may not sound all that bad at the time you're saying it, but after it's written down and and printed in the newspaper for everybody to read, the words spin around and sound way different. Any of you ever had that experience?
Next weekend I'm off to South Carolina to the Book Festival in Columbia. My daughter, Tarasa, is going along and we're making it a several day trip to celebrate our birthdays. We both hit one of those years that have zeroes last year so we have to do something to celebrate that kind of milestone. The book festival promises to be interesting. I'm on two panels. One about Faith in Fiction and the other about the importance of place across genres. I'm trying to think wise thoughts, but maybe I'll just listen to everybody else's wisdom. I'm looking forward to sitting in on some of the other panel sessions and hearing what those authors have to say. If you're in the area, come check the festival out. My panels are at 10 a.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Then I'll be signing my books for about an hour directly following the panels.
Also watch for my new and improved website in the near future. And let me know what you think.
Next week, I won't be posting until Tuesday since I'll be on the way home from S.C. on Monday. Hope all of you have a good week and that you notice all those ordinary everyday blessings that make life so good. We can even do some counting. I can count my booksigning and my friends and family being there. That's not an everyday kind of blessing, but it's definitely a blessing. For the everyday type, I'd say the smiles of my Christian brothers and sisters at church this morning. My pastor's good sermon. Visiting my mom and sister. Walking with my dog, Dub, and my neighbor dogs, Roxie and Baby. They love to walk with me. Talking to my daughter on the phone. Finishing my page edits way before schedule. Watching basketball. And so many more. Tell me some of yours. And that will be a blessing too.
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