A perfect day in the mountains

I love living in Boone, NC

Spending a day downtown is one of my favorite things to do.

Toss in a book festival and boy howdy - what could be better?!

Saturday was the High Country Festival of the Book which you been  seeing me post about here and at Facebook.  Actually, there were some events on Friday, and a dinner on Friday evening, but I was unable to attend those.

And sadly, there were many writers here on Saturday that I didn't get pictures of.  There were wonderful things happening, and because there were so many people I wanted to spend time with, I just didn't get everywhere, but come along and enjoy my day with me - - -

I got into town early, wanting to make sure I missed running into the annual Blood, Sweat & Gears 100 mile bicycle race, which passes directly in front of our road.  I've been caught in it before and will now miss it at all costs.  I admire those bikers, but I do not want to be among them on these curvy mountain roads.

I parked behind the Jones House, which always makes me smile.  It's an important part of the Boone community and I was happy that some of the festival activities would be happening here.

Then walked down King St., admiring the flowers (I love this time of year in the mountains), and enjoying being right where I was.

I am not able to walk by our bronze of Doc Watson without taking a picture.  He was a much loved local figure, and will be missed by many for a long, long time.

And treated myself to breakfast at my favorite Boone restaurant, Melanie's Food Fantasy. 

and got to have a chat with the one and only Melanie.

Melanie rocks.

Then wandered back to The Jones House and Marcia had been busy setting up the book store.  Appalachian State's University Bookstore always does an excellent job of handling the festival book sales.

Our first two speakers of the day were two authors I have long admired.

I was over the moon to find out both of them would be participating in our festival.

Robert Inman

And

Patti Callahan Henry

Just so happens, both have new books out - Yay!!!!

Did I even attempt to resist buying both?

Pfft!

No way!

And both were gracious enough to sign their books and have their picture made with this gal who thinks authors are rock stars.

Then I wandered over to our library where even more festival activities were taking place.

More books, more authors, music on the lawn, food tents, children's activities - all on a perfect mountain day.

Outside - 

And, inside - - 

(here's my friend, Paul Benson - Hi, Paula!)

And, I have to tell you.  I was so happy to see Jane Edwards, one of the authors of Jelly Bean Finds Her Special Place. 

AND, she brought along some of her Jelly Bean toys.  These are the sweetest, the softest, the most lovable little lambs on God's green earth.  I tried just as hard to resist buying one of these as I did buying books - which means, not one whit.

this is the real Jelly Bean.  Do read her story!

Then I wandered back to The Jones House in time to hear Lynn Cullen talk about her new book, Mrs. Poe

I had received an advance copy of Mrs. Poe and loved it.  Now I'm ready to read it again because Lynn's talk was so fascinating.  One thing I'm sad about is that I walked out of the house and forgot to take my copy of Mrs. Poe with me to have signed.  But, maybe, just maybe, I'll cross paths with this lovely woman again on down the road.  

Next up.  The Mystery Panel which I was asked to moderate.  I was tickled pink (and scared to death!).  Panel members included two authors I call friends, who write books I have recommended and given as gifts to many friends and family members over the years.  Vicki Lane and Mike Orenduff, along with Sean Keefer, whose work I now know and won't hesitate in recommending.  Millie West had planned on joining our panel, but things didn't work out.  Millie broke her leg, quite badly.  She was able to participate in the festival, but as a speaker rather than a panelist.  And darned if I didn't miss her talk while I was buying fluffy stuffed Jelly Bean lambs at the library!

Life I said earlier, unfortunately,I missed several of our authors - several of whom I had very much looked forward to meeting.  

Our mystery panel moved out to the front porch (thank you, Suzanne! The best festival chair festival ever), and we had a wonderful time just talking books.  I got over being scared (but not over being a bit nervous, I'm afraid), and a good time was had by all.  

My thanks to the panelists for making it so easy, and my thanks to the readers and writers who joined us.  It was a perfect day.

(photo by Paula Benson)

And here's a picture of the treasures that came home with me

some very cool swag from my friend, Georgia author, Elaine Drennon Little (whose Book I *did* remember to take, but then forgot to ask her to sign.  aargh).

Thanks, Elaine!!

AND - my very own baby Jelly Bean, along with two books I cannot wait to read!!!!  squeeee!

Note:  Vicki Lane has done a blog about the festival.  Check it out!  http://vickilanemysteries.blogspot.com/2014/06/high-country-festival-of-book.html

A few words of thanks . . .

I've been having a really tough time with my writing.

I thought writing the second Whimsey would be a snap.

oh ho ho, have I ever been dealt a reality check.

Easy?  Pffft.

No.

far from it.

And then I had a little conversation with a friend who said she had moved to a different project because she was having a difficult time writing the sequel to her first novel.  I replied that I was having the same issues and for the very first time admitted I was worried I wouldn't be able to maintain the same level of magic I had for Whimsey #1 (as it's come to be called here at home).

And it's actually the first time I've admitted it to myself.

Because, honestly, I didn't even realize I was fighting with those feelings.

An honest chat with a trusted friend is priceless, isn't it?

Once admitted, and shared, another friend popped in to tell me that what I was feeling was normal to probably everyone writing their second novel. 

I cannot begin to explain how liberating all this has been. 

I feel like the walls around my writing have been knocked to the ground.  And yesterday was the first truly decent day of writing I've had since starting Whimsey #2.

HUGE thanks (along with a lot of hugs!) to my friends Dee Phelps (whose first novel will be released in September) and Beth Anderson (a deliciously grand writer of long standing).  You gave me what I needed when I didn't even know I needed it. 

And then - wow - then this lovely review pops up at amazon from  Elaine Drennon Little (who, I hear, has her own book out.  Just released - "A Southern Place.") - - -  

"Whimsey--Harper Collins /Webster's Dictionary defines it as " a sudden passing fancy." In Whimsey, a novel by Kaye Wilkinson Barley, it refers to a mystical island off the coast of the Carolinas, serving as a nirvana-like home for artists and artisans of the visual, spiritual, and creative arts. My first question, as I began to devour this lovely piece of southern Americana, was of course "does such a place exist?" I wanted to go there, to mingle among the natives, absorb their culture, and then hopefully become one with this magical pseudo-family of the gifted and talented.

I've read about many artists colonies; I've even applied and been rejected from a few, but this one seemed altogether different from the rest. On the positive side, the residents all spoke my language--a sweet, dipthonged drawl served best with sweet tea, shrimp salad sandwiches and desserts that made me drool as I read. They also welcomed stronger drink--from mimosas and mint juleps to wine, bourbon, and punch bowls full of happy liquids that invite all to share the laughter.

On the downside, there were fairies, pixies, spirits of "the other kind" and regular, normal people (who could converse with fairies and shed an effervescent glittery substance wherever they went!) There were also a few family ghosts who favored verandas and porches and told a decent story, when prompted to do so.

Aside from Dickens's A Christmas Carol and a few isolated Stephen King books, I don't naturally cotton to speaking with the dead or with non-human entities, yet I couldn't seem to put this book down. Barley makes these mystical creatures as easy to converse with as my cat on a cold night. The only thing I DIDN'T like was that I can't visit this place--the author was simply too greedy to share the isle of Whimsey's whereabouts, email, or dot com address.

She does, however, share several authentically scrumptious-looking recipes for southern and low country food.

Don't let the ghosts and pixies scare you away. If you're in need of a short vacation for talented, mystical artists like yourself, whisk yourself away to the magic of Whimsey. If we can't really GO there, at least we can pretend... "
 
Thank You, Elaine!

Friends.  I cannot imagine my life without my friends. 

And now I have a whole new group of people who I feel as though I need to include in this group.  And those are people like Elaine who I've never met and don't know other than through this lovely review she wrote after somehow hearing about WHIMSEY: A NOVEL.  And taking a chance on it, and surprisingly enough, enjoying it enough to take the time to review it. 

The reviews for Whimsey have knocked me off my feet.  I never expected to read such lovely words from people I don't know.  I thought Whimsey would get bought and read by friends and family and I hoped they would enjoy it enough to help spread the word.  What I've gotten is magic in the purest sense.  I'm humbled and grateful and totally gobsmacked. 

and all I have to give back are simple words -

Thank you.

but they come from so deep . . . oh, my - so deep.