AfricanKelli

« Home

Remember when I asked for book marketing ideas? Well, you guys are the most efficient, productive and happiest team I’ve ever worked with. THANK YOU! I got some great ideas (e.g. Facebook page, youtube videos, book club marketing, and “send to Oprah!”) that got me thinking. As promised, the five randomly selected winners for signed copies are:

1. Debbie

2. Traciefree

3. Holly

4. Piccola

and 5. Teresa.

{I’ll be emailing you for your addresses. Thank you again!}

It’s been one of those week’s I’ll never forget. The first 108 copies of my book arrived at my home. I have a contract for 50 copies to be sold at my favorite indie bookstore. I dropped them off Monday. I was contacted by a local reporter for a feature on Monday night and was interviewed. I heard the books started selling at Changing Hands and Amazon on Tuesday. Today the paper’s photographer came to take a headshot to go with the article. Tonight I’ve been invited to a political fundraiser where my book is being raffled as a door prize. I’ve placed an order for another 25 books because there are to be more than 100 people at the signing. Woah.

It’s pinch-me exciting!I keep walking around my office with this goofy grin smiling at everyone and everything.

I’ve spent so much time thinking about what this would look and feel like — to see my book on the shelves. And now that it is here, I’ve honestly never been happier. I read many years ago that you should develop some habit that regularly reminds you of your dream. Keeping this in mind, for at least 8 years, every time I visit a bookstore I go to the fiction section and leave space in the “Ds” where my novel would be placed. Today, that book is actually there.

EEEEEEEE!

I’ve been doing a lot of pacing at night after work reading my novel aloud, trying to find the right section to share at the book signing in a couple weeks.  Of course I’ve already got my outfit selected, including a string of Ghanaian wedding beads I’ve never worn (other than the day I bought them, four years ago.) You can take the girl out of Africa, but you can’t take Africa out of the girl.

And so, life as an author moves forward at a very hectic and happy pace.

Thank you again for coming along on the journey,

Kelli

I recently visited the Cézanne exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum with some friends. I’m not sure what it was about this show in particular that made me want to attend; I’ve never taken an art course, much less studied the great European artists. And yet I knew I’d be better off for having taken the time with such great works of creativity.

I wasn’t disappointed.

The collection pairs 16 pieces of Cézanne’s art with a handful of American artists to show the influence of his genius. I know so little about art; again, I cannot explain why I like what I do. There are simply some artists — like Frida and Georgia O’Keeffe — who make my heart beat a bit faster when I’m near their work. Cézanne’s art is glorious. He was truly touched with such a talent.

If you live in Phoenix and haven’t been, consider this my five banana review of the collection.

Get there.

Now.

It’s only $10 and you’ll kick yourself if you don’t get a chance to spend a couple hours with one of the best artists ever, before the show moves along September 26th.

One of the American artists I was introduced to through this juxtaposition of art was Marsden Hartley. Consistently I found myself in front of his paintings dreaming of the scenery, creating the story behind the view and wishing more than anything he was standing next to me and could explain every stroke. I’m looking forward to reading more about Hartley and looking for his work elsewhere. His landscapes are truly breathtaking.

Afterward, we had brunch and discussed which were are our favorites and why. It was such a lovely afternoon with friends and a much needed dose of creative inspiration.

~k

P.S. Apologize to my friend Sarah who’d invited me months ago when I couldn’t attend. Let’s go again!

I run around Tempe Town Lake a couple times a week with an early morning gaggle of friends. We muddle through a 4.2 mile loop that includes bridges, dirt paths, canals, horses, the occasional rooster and even the odd coyote. (And once a man I thought was a moose. Long story.) It is in the center of Tempe — my little city of a million or so.

Last week, one of the rubber sections of the dam broke, sending much of the water into a dry lake bed beyond and leaving me unexpectedly emotional. I’ve swam in the lake for sport — including the 1/2 Ironman — and fallen in love with the charm of this monumentally-out-of-place body of water. Surrounded by desert, the lake and its well-worn running paths, have become friends. More than once, when I wanted no one else to see me upset, I laced up my sneaks for a teary jog. The magic of the exercise and the time with urban nature always worked its serendipitous ways.

When the dam popped, it was big news city-wide. Our group happened to be running the next morning, which we did with a handful of reporters gathered at the parking lot where we meet. We’ve watched the water recede considerably in the last few days and ogled the odd pieces of furniture and metal jutting from from the drying soil. The fish were captured by game and fish and donated to the local herpetological society for alligator food. The entire thing has been, well, a bust.

But it did give me good reason to grab Matty and head to the lake for a long walk after work with my camera. I think we safely captured both the charm of the park and the sadness of its temporary dry spell.

Remind me never to wish to come back to the next life as a city fish.

~K

P.S. Update to this story — apparently it’s spurred contests over which type of swimmer tastes better. Oy.

My friends Juliann and Kent hosted a small Mad Men Season 4 party tonight. We came together for a light meal, heavy drinks and a great episode of television. I had a bit of fun dressing up for the event and channeling my best Betty Draper. (As a 5′10″ brunette, there isn’t much we share. A twitter friend said rather than January Jones, perhaps I’m July Jones. Indeed!)

The prep also included making Nigella Lawson’s gin and tonic jello mold. While the mold came together beautifully, transporting it to the party in 100-plus degree heat was fatal. Next time, I’ll make this for New Year’s. The few spoonfulls we ate before having to throw the runny mess away were delightful.

Here is to hoping the relationships in this show get better. Betty is becoming my least favorite character on TV. Don is still as gorgeous and charming, but lacks the bravado of season’s past. It seems Peggy is the only one who time has been kind to; she’s developed quite the backbone and her sass is admirable.

Without a doubt, I wish I’d lived in this era. No doubt I’d have been bored, but to experience it for a day would have been delightful.

-k

I’ve been reading more lately; Matt’s been out of town visiting his family in Africa. I’m long since out of the habit of watching television. Also, I’ve needed an entertaining distraction from the realities of too much NPR. (The polar bears are drowning. The gulf is slick. Obama won’t be re-elected. Iran hates us. We hate Iran. North Korea hates us. North Korea is starving to death. We hate North Korea. Mexico is now officially being run by the cartels. ) You get the very sad point.

So, to the library/bookshelf/bookstore I go! Regularly. I need a break from Michele Norris* or I’m afraid I may start suggesting feeding the polar bears to starving North Koreans and shipping our cocaine habits feeding the Mexican cartels to Iran.  (See? Books are a much better idea.)

The Lonely Polygamist: This is my favorite book of the summer so far. Four out of five bananas. For those who read The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, you’ll see some similar themes. Both books include strong young male characters who are a fair mix of hilarious, precious and pathetic. Both books are set in the desert Southwest and both include LDS families. Brady Udall is fast becoming my favorite author. I love the voice of his characters, the way he is so carefully entwines important issues into otherwise bizarre and funny stories — so you feel like you learned something — and his wit. He is a very clever writer.

The Long Goodbye: This book is my first adventure with author Raymond Chandler. His word choice and settings are delightfully antiquated today. This story details a private investigator’s search for a killer, of sorts. It is twisted and well thought. It was a bit long in places and didn’t keep me so interested I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Three out of five bananas.

The Double Bind: This is the third Chris Bohjalian book I’ve read — after Midwives and The Law of Similars. I loved both of those stories. They were well written, kept me dying for quiet time to read more and again, taught me about subjects I knew nothing about without feeling like I’d received a lecture. The Double Bind is also a good read, but the ending was a sucker punch. It hurt.

Honestly, it made me a little angry too.

I wanted to start over from the beginning;  I was so confused and torn.  I do recommend the novel because I’ve never before read something and had such a strong reaction to the conclusion. Plus, for Great Gatsby lovers, this book is a treat. Three out of five bananas.

Blood of Flowers: I may have blogged about this read already — it was a quick in-between-book-club-assignments-read. I appreciated the setting — Iran, centuries ago. The main character becomes an apprentice and learns to weave rugs. The story is interesting and it certainly has great villains. I enjoyed this as light, fun reading. Three of five bananas.

The Elegant Hedgehog: Did I already write about this? I fear I did. It is still considered a summer read because the tattered copy is on my nightstand. This book is far too smart for my tastes. It is a quirky story, but the characters don’t bloom until page 200 of a 300 page novel. It was a book club selection and I am not interested in reading more from this author. 1.5 bananas.

People of the Book: This is the latest selection for my book club and I have to say — one of the most intellectually stimulating books I’ve ever read. It is fascinating. The story discusses the adventures of a woman chasing down clues to an ancient haggadah that has reappeared after the war in Sarajevo. The story flows between centuries, faiths, languages, cultures and politics. I can only imagine how much time it took the author to research. It was in ways like reading an exceptionally smart version of The DiVinci Code. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, March.

I’ve just started In the Woods and it looks like it has potential. Plus, it’s set in Ireland, one of my most favorite places.

What are you reading and enjoying this summer?

-K

* Tell me you NPR listeners don’t crave the day that someone will finally say to that smug Michele Norris — “JUST SAY MICHELLE ALREADY. KNOCK OF THE MEEEEESHELL.” Or is it just me?