This is a photo of a flyer for an upcoming appearance of mine. While it doesn’t exactly pertain to this week or this week’s topic, it does reflect one of the main things I’ve been working on this week.
I set up appearances in three libraries in western Nebraska, with a possible fourth that will let me know next week. I’m attempting to broaden my reach and my readership, and this is a great way to do so. Nebraska has four regional directors. One of them has been a huge supporter of my writing, and because of her support, two of the remaining three gave me a little help, too. When town library directors know that their regional directors are behind an author, they are more likely to host her — especially when I’m largely unknown outside of the area in which I live. The more I can get appearances at libraries far from where I live, the more my readership will grow, which, in turn, should lead to more appearances at places even farther away — at least, that’s what I’m hoping. Visit my appearances page anytime to see where I’ll be appearing: My Readings and Appearances
I’ve been practicing and polishing the comedy set that I’m going to be delivering next weekend at a women’s wellness retreat. Because I’ll be there for the entire weekend myself, beginning on Friday, I will most likely skip next week’s “Tomes and Topics,” but when I return, I should have news about the next novel I’ll be completing. I’ll share parts of it over the coming months with paying subscribers:
See my name below — where it says “Entertainment.”
I like to write poetry, but I don’t do it that often. I recently read of a Haiku challenge that another writer did in which he wrote one haiku every day, so by the end of the year, he had 365 poems. Since haikus are very short, it’s very easy to write three lines each day. Even if some of the haikus are horrible, by the end of the year, there should be at least a few that are good, and some of the horrible ones could then be turned into longer and better poems. Thus, I began my own haiku-a-day challenge and have five short poems so far. Hopefully, I will maintain the challenge over the course of the year. Here is the very first one I wrote:
Sadness reaches out -- No escaping its clutches. Hug it back and grieve.
I received my first review on Goodreads for “Her Ride or Die.” The woman who wrote this review only picked it up from me on December 31st!
Kathy Raabe 24 reviews January 3, 2024 This book had twists and turns which were unexpected and fun, if a drug and murder story can be fun. It can, when the heroine spins a story that fools seasoned whodunnit readers. I enjoyed this book a lot and rate it as 5 of 5. As a fellow Nebraska author, I can call Tammy my friend and teacher. I learn from her each time we visit. I look forward to her next book, coming out later this year.
I finished my first read of the year and made progress on the book I’m reading for my next column. The book I just finished is “Weyward” by Emilia Hart. It’s about three women who are related through time and who have witch-like powers that allow them to commune with and use crows, insects, bees, and the like against abusive men. The chapters alternate between them — Altha, the Weyward woman from the more distant past; Violet, one who has recently passed away and the great-aunt to Kate, the one living in modern times and learning of her powers. They all live in the same small cottage for various reasons, and that, as well as Altha’s journal, are what connects them. I enjoyed it.
I’m also reading Martin Flavin’s 1944 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “Journey in the Dark.” It’s very good. He had a gift for storytelling. Too bad he only wrote five novels, this being the fifth one.
Until next time (most likely in two weeks).
Tammy Marshall