“THE” book and another “new” book

To give you an update on the “Go Set A Watchman” event at Page and Palette and tell you about a few other fun things, I’ll start with the most important part, what I wore . . .

My dress looks all wonky in the photo, but it’s blue seersucker. What to wear to read the long-lost (lost? really?) words of Harper Lee? I ditched the idea of dressing as Scout in my overalls (my Mother really did email me to say she would have a hissy fit if I showed up in overalls) and instead went with the cool seersucker and pearls. Always go with the pearls.

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In the photograph above, I’m with my darling reader and frequent commenter Nancy, who was in Fairhope visiting from Clanton. She read about the event on Fairhope Supply Co. and came to say “hello.” What an absolute treat to get to meet my readers face to face! After only five minutes into our conversation, I knew Nancy and I had a lot in common and truly hope to see her again soon!

Here’s the back story on the reading, which turned out to be standing room only at our favorite bookstore, Page and Palette. I was honored to be asked to read alongside authors Ron Meszaros, Watt Key, cartoonist J.D. Crowe, and story teller, Connie Cazort.

Go Set a Watchman is definitely an entirely different book from “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I would go as far to say it seems like a rough draft that Harper Lee’s editor had her re-do. According to two people here in South Alabama who personally know Harper Lee, they claim there’s no way on God’s green earth “Nelle” would ever have released this book.

And have you heard? Bloom County has returned!

But from a writer’s point of view, Go Set A Watchman is fascinating. You can really see the writing process she went through from the time she first submitted GSAW until two years later when she completed To Kill A Mockingbird.  Here’s an article that highlights passages which appear in both books.

And here’s an article about all the well-intentioned folks who named their precious babies after the noble Atticus, only to now realize his original persona was questionable to say the least. Deary-me!

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And just when you thought the literary world was calming down, there’s been another mysterious discovery involving a dearly departed author’s lost work being “found.”

Now THIS is newsworthy (to those of us who taught Kindergarten) . . . Dr. Seuss’ estate has discovered this missing book, “What Pet Should I Get?”  If Page and Palette does a reading of this, I’m all over it!

What pet should I get? 

Nothing fierce like an eagle.

Something that pees on the floor?

I know! A Beagle!

Okay, that was just my guess as to what it says.

Lois Lane is a typical Southern Belle. Her stunning beauty blinds you to her faults.