Fragments From Floyd

I seem to be getting lots of Google visits from this post from August 2002. I'm happy to say that our garden has not been the least bit bothered by tomato hornworms this summer, but unfortunately, the deer had to destroy the village to save it. And once again, the image has not a thing to do with this mornings ruminations, which are very much as per recent usual, book focused.

This morning I've been writing a blurb for the October 13 Sierra Club meeting when I'll be one of the Earth Friendly Friday presenters--offering not just the usual book readings, but giving the photomemoir program I have only done twice before, first for the Appalachian Studies Association annual meeting in March 2004 and then again for the Friends of the Library in Floyd some months later.

Seems I ought to be able to come up with a one-size-fits-all descriptor, but every audience is a little bit different. So I'm getting good experience fine-tuning program descriptions and book descriptions to suit the occasion, using just the prescribed number of words. This morning's limit was 400. I ended up with 399. I've gotten better at distilling the giant pot of words down into a single vial of essential oils, but you know, there are times I'd be happy to go the other way. I find I get uneasy with too many sound-bite occasions. The mere signing of the book last week in Blacksburg made me feel like a book, er, lady of the night. The most satisfying and rare events are those where I don't feel rushed, don't feel the need to boil off everything but what will shoehorn into a 10 or 20 minute slot.

And I've been thinking the past few days of how much I owe to other folks for the chances I have had and will have to promote the book. The networking has been gratifying, and I hope some day to be able to return the favor. Tonight, thanks go to Becky Mushko for getting my name in the hat to read at the Edible Vibes coffeehouse (near the library) in Rocky Mount the night before the Franklin Bookfest. Credit for next Saturday's appearance for the Roanoke Valley Bookfest goes to Colleen Redman, who will also be on the panel of "local voices" there. And most recently, many thanks to Linda Childress for literally putting Slow Road Home in the face of the Channel 7 folks during her appearance there last week, resulting in my little spots coming up on the morning news on Monday. Another benefactor has offered to carry my books to the first Decatur Book Festival and display them on his press's book table. Thanks awfully for that kindness.

So. Enough of this. I tilled the would-be garden under a few days ago, to get the shame of this year's failure out of my face. And now, after another cup of coffee, I need to go sow mustard, kale and collard green seeds, patch the fence, resume doing the guy thing around the perimeter every time the urge arises, and hope for garden produce in what remains of this year's blighted growing season. I'm outta here.