Meet the Author

Alert the Media!

/ Marcia / 86 Comments

Fair Warning: I have returned from my very first blogging break, and am rarin’ to go, as we say down here. I was busy every minute of the three weeks I was away, though didn’t get nearly as much writing done as I’d hoped. I think I’ll be factoring in the occasional week off from the blog now and then, if just for the purpose of finishing my WIP.

I did get a lot done around the house and garden, all of which were long overdue things that I’m delighted to cross off the To Do List. It’s nice to finally be planting some new things out back, instead of digging up, and cutting down, and hauling off stuff that was killed during the hurricane. (Yeah, I know that was a couple of years ago, but we are MUCH slower these days, it seems.)

I will be gradually returning to normal around here with all my old standby features, and perhaps some new ones. And with that in mind, I’m offering guests a chance to share something a bit different here on The Write Stuff. Even if you aren’t promoting a new release or promotion, you can still visit the blog now and then to introduce yourself to new readers. How?  Like this: 

10 Things You May Not Know About Me

  1. I’m pretty tall. Almost 5’11” in my younger days, and still about 5’10”.
  2. I’m a Florida native. (There’s me and some guy up in the Panhandle, I’ve been told, though that could be just a rumor.)
  3. I have a decided Southern drawl. (See #2.)
  4. My favorite movie in all the world is The Wizard of Oz.
  5. My favorite book of all time is Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
  6. I’m an ardent gardener and birder, and I love learning Latin names.
  7. Crossword Puzzles are one of my favorite pastimes, and I can work most Jumbles in less than two minutes, usually getting the answer before I unscramble any of the words.
  8. My middle name is Christine.
  9. I was a painter long before I decided to write.
  10. I have canoed hundreds of miles (literally!) on Florida rivers, and hiked nearly as many miles through our wild areas.

SEE? Hiking in Ocala National Forest.
(And yes. That’s me, a mere FORTY years ago!)

Now, wouldn’t you enjoy sharing a bit about yourself, maybe even an old picture or two, as a different type of guest post? If so, let me know, and I’ll get you set up. (We’ll still be doing the more traditional #GuestDayTuesday posts, too, of course.) Hope this sounds like fun to some of you. 

And with that, I’ll let you get back to what you were doing before I so rudely popped up to interrupt you. And oh, yeah … it’s good to be back! 😀

My Schedule of Local Events March thru May

/ Marcia / 16 Comments

Believe it or not, I have had electricians, painters, and contractors to deal with this week, just when I thought I was nearly done with Irma, once and for all. Eeep. Therefore, I’m not really back to normal with my blogging and writing routine. However, I do have a lot of fun events scheduled every month through October.

For those of you in this area who might like to attend, here is a list of the ones open to the public, covering the next three months. Hope to see some of you at one or two of them! 🙂

MARCH 

SAT, 3/10 – DeBary Hall – Catered Luncheon and Tea 

Time: 11:00  
Cost – $25
Reservations Required by 2/28 (You may choose your lunch selection when you call)Includes luncheon with custom-blended teas, a reading, Q & A session, and a signed copy of one of my books, your choice.
Call (386) 668-3840 for directions or additional information.

APRIL

SAT, 4/7 – “Meet the Author” EcoTour River Cruise 

Time: 1:30
Cost – $30
Reservations required to hold a spot.
The Naiad departs from Highbanks Marina in DeBary. Your ticket includes full 2-hour tour, plus a short stop midway for a reading and brief Question & Answer session, and a signing back at the dock.
Call (386) 626-9004 for directions and addition information. (Please leave message if they are out on a tour. 

SAT, 4/28 – Enterprise Heritage Museum – Joint Wildlife Slide Presentation 

Time: 11:00
Cost – $10 (Includes Lunch)
Reservations Required
Joint Wildlife Presentation with Doug Little and Marcia Meara, in conjunction with Doug’s month-long wildlife photography museum exhibit.
Call (386) 259-5900 for directions and additional information.

MAY  

SAT, 5/12 – DeBary Hall – Central Florida’s Fabulous Wildlife #2
 Wading Birds of the St. Johns River Basin 

Time: 1:00
Cost: FREE
No Reservations Required
A slide presentation featuring the wading birds of central Florida, with plenty of tips on identification, and information on nesting, feeding habits, and more. All you have to do is show up, ready for a fun and informative presentation. Plenty of time for Q&A.
Call (386) 668-3840 for directions or additional information.

Last Chance to Register! #TeaWithTheAuthor at #DeBaryHall

/ Marcia / 25 Comments

Hope those of you who live in area will consider joining me for this always-fun event! If you want to come, you must reserve your seat as soon as possible, no later than Monday morning, 12/4.

Here’s the scoop!

Recap: The $25 charge includes catered lunch, my custom-blended teas (named for characters in my books), a reading and Q&A session, and a signed copy (your choice) of one of my books.

Reservations should be made as soon as possible (no later than Monday morning), so we know how many lunches to order. Call Tracy at 386-668-3840 or email at tmestre@volusia.org and reserve your place today!

Can’t wait to see you then!

Join Me on a #MeetTheAuthor #EcoTour on the Fabulous St. Johns River

/ Marcia / 29 Comments

Cruising the St. Johns Aboard the Naiad

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Start your new year off right! Spend two hours on the fabulous St. Johns River, surrounded by scenic beauty, fantastic birds and wildlife, and a bit of Florida history.  Join me on Saturday, January 14, for a fun afternoon tour, with a  brief pause midway for a reading from my latest book. When we return to the marina, I’ll be available to sign books for anyone interested.

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Me, with My Son & DiL’s Dog, Happy.
(Sorry. You’ll Have to Settle for Just Me on the Tour.)

This is the tour that inspired my Riverbend series, and while we’ve had to say a sad goodbye to Captain Jeanne Bell (who will live forever in our hearts), Doug Little will share his extensive knowledge of the river’s wildlife and history with you. Doug is a first-rate photographer, and thus, was the inspiration for Gunnar Wolfe in Swamp Ghosts, a fact he will be sure to share with you.  😀

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Barred Owls Are Often Seen on the Tour, Up Close and Personal

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Breathtakingly Beautiful Purple Gallinules Nest on Portions of the St. Johns

The tour leaves Highbanks Marina, in DeBary Florida, at 1:30PM, but be there earlier. Perhaps 1:00 to 1:15. You don’t want to get left behind.

For reservations, call 386-626-9004.

I hope you folks who are in the area will come along for a great afternoon. It’s a terrific, peaceful way to unwind, accompanied by lots of moments of high interest and/or excitement when something really cool is spotted. Large alligators, baby alligators, birds of all kinds, manatees, deer, and even black bears have been seen while cruising on the Naiad, so mark you calendars now!

Here are a few of the things you might spot!

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BIG Alligator

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Not So Big Alligators

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Florida Black Bear

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Southern Bald Eagle

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Raccoon

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Great Egret
(Though probably not in breeding plumage this time of year.)

Remember: Call 386-626-9004 for Reservations!
Hope to see you there!

~~~

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Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel
Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2
That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3 (Coming Spring, 2017)

 

#MeetTheAuthor St. Johns River #EcoTour @marciameara

/ Marcia / 33 Comments

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Join me on Thursday, December 8, at 1:30pm, for a two-hour ecotour on the beautiful St. Johns River, with a brief break mid-point for a reading and some Q&A. See the REAL Florida from the comfort of the Naiad, while enjoying nature in all its glory. Birds, alligators, manatees, bears, deer, and more can be spotted during these tours. Some pretty amazing wildlife (and that’s not counting ME! 😀 ) And there will be time for a book signing afterward, too.

The ecotour departs from Highbanks Marina, in DeBary, and is the best bang for your buck in all of central Florida. Call Doug at (386) 626-9004 to make your reservations today! You’ll be glad you did!

Hope to see you there!

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Meeting Local Readers – #StJohnsRiverEcoTours – Conundrum Book Club

/ Marcia / 15 Comments

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The Conundrum Book Club
(All Photos by Alicia Keenon Photography)

Taking a brief break from publishing Harbinger to share a couple of pics with you guys. This is the last group of folks I joined for an ecotour on the St. Johns River, and they were just so much fun! Don’t know when I’ve laughed harder, or had readers with more thoughtful questions and sweeter compliments. Such engaging folks!

I don’t want to start rumors, but I was told they call themselves wine drinkers with  a reading problem. I can only add to that by saying they arrived for the tour with coolers full of wine and yummy snacks. I suppose that might have been one of the reasons they were so much fun.  😉 All I know for sure is that I can’t wait to meet with them again! 😀

Hope you are each looking for ways to meet your readers, too. Even without coolers of wine, it’s a great way to have fun while building a local readership. Try it. You’ll like it!

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Me, with some of the women . . .

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. . . and some of the men!

#StJohnsRiverEcoTour #MeetTheAuthor Friday, 5/27/16

/ Marcia / 6 Comments

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(Barred Owl)

I’m up for one last eco-tour this Friday, until after the weather cools down a bit. Want to join us on the beautiful St. Johns River, for some wildlife viewing, bird watching, local history, and a brief reading from yours truly?  I’ll be doing more in the fall, I’m sure, but this will be my last one for this summer, I think.

These tours are the best two hours you can spend in central Florida, you know . . . even without MOI! 😀 The river is always beautiful and lush, and the wildlife can be amazing. Even this time of year, when many animals are hiding in the shade, you always see something wonderful. Plenty of birds, for sure. If you live in the area, join us Friday for a great time.  Call for reservations ( 386-626-9004), as the boat is almost full. Bring your cameras!

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Help Us Spot One of These!

#InspirationBoardSunday #SundayBlogShare #StJohnsRiverEcoTour

/ Marcia / 2 Comments

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All Aboard the Naiad

I added a new photo to my Inspiration Board today. Nope, not a picture of anyone who inspires a particular character of mine, nor a scene that might lead to another story. Probably.  🙂 

Instead, I added a photo of the wonderful group who joined me aboard the Naiad for a fantastic eco-tour of the St. John’s River, yesterday. This particular group was almost completely comprised of book lovers I’ve met at various events over the last six months, most of whom have read some, if not all, of my books. I asked myself today,  what could be more inspiring than these lovely people, who are already invested in my stories and characters ? Who else am I writing for if not these wonderful folks,  and others just like them?

So, voila! Here they are. Eighteen terrific folks–friends, now–who got to experience a St. Johns River Eco-Tour with Captain Jeanne Bell and Doug Little, and see some central Florida birds and wildlife. They were very attentive when I read the prologue from Harbinger, and I think at least some of them will be eagerly awaiting the latest book in the Wake-Robin Ridge series. Fingers crossed. I am blessed to call each of them a friend, now! And I am INSPIRED!

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Captain Jeanne Bell
St. Johns  River Eco Tours

 

 

#StJohnsRiverEcoTour Tomorrow!

/ Marcia / 2 Comments

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Off on a Meet the Author Eco-Tour, with a group of local readers tomorrow, aboard the Naiad. This is one of the most fun things I’ve been lucky enough to take part in. Captain Jeanne Bell and hubby, wildlife photographer Doug Little have been so supportive of me and my books, and these tours are just the best!

We might see these:

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Swallow-tailed Kite

Or these:

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Barred Owl

And certainly, these:

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Baby Gators

But if we see one of THESE:

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Florida Black Bear

…you’ll hear me hollerin’ all the way to wherever you are! (Still haven’t seen one in the wild, after all my many years of birding, hiking, and canoeing in Florida.)

Have a great Saturn’s Day, everyone, and I’ll check in with you when I return to civilization again! 🙂

 

Self-Publishing Workshop at #DeBaryHall

/ Marcia / 14 Comments

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DeBary Hall Historic Site, 198 Sunrise Blvd, DeBary, FL

Two weeks from today, I’ll be giving a self-publishing workshop for beginners. I stress the “beginner” category, because I am not an expert in self-publishing, by any means. All I know is what worked for me. But at every Meet the Author talk I give, I’m asked detailed questions on how to go about publishing a book on Kindle and through Createspace, so it seemed like a good idea to set up an event where we can focus on the process.  I’ve published four novels and a book of poetry, so I do have a lot of tips to share, and plenty of suggestions for what authors should NOT do.  😀

If you are a new writer, or at least new to self-publishing, and you are in the area, please consider joining us for a three-hour discussion, with handouts,  at DeBary Hall, from 1:00 to 4:00, on Saturday, April 23. Reservations are required, so call Kayce Looper  at (386)668-3840 to reserve a seat. Hope to see you there!