The Pulpwood Queen Declares NEVER, EVER, NEVER GIVE UP!

The Pulpwood Queens Speaks Out On Rejection!

I could be the poster child for rejection! I was the last kid picked during my elementary days for the softball team at school. I always came in dead last in the mile run we had to do for this President’s fitness plan in the sixth grade. I never made Homecoming candidate, let alone Homecoming Queen. I was not selected as cheerleader for cheerleading tryouts during my senior year. I did not even place in the Miss Eureka, Kansas pageant back in my hometown. But something in me, (I like to think GOD), told me that I had a talent for something and I should try everything at least once. I might fail but I think everybody should get big ole brownie points for at least trying.

So when I decided, I mean really decided to become a writer, I selected children’s books. I wrote seven in all and never even made it to getting an agent. I was a Children’s Bookstore Manager/Buyer at the time and strongly felt that I could write a better book for children than some of those that were being shopped to me from my book publisher’s reps.

I was wrong.

But I kept writing, I’ve written since I was a little girl. First, emulating Laura Ingalls Wilder as I too, in fact, had grown up on the prairie, the Flint Hills of southeast Kansas. I received my first Smith Corona typewriter that fifth grade Christmas and I taught myself to type with the typing book that came with it. I spent countless hours typing away about my life in the little house on Elm Street. But my dog wouldn’t die and I did not have to traverse swollen rivers to move. We literally carried boxes across the street and down the alley when we moved to our new home on Main Street.

I had discovered the downtown Eureka Public Library by then and Nancy Drew. I could write like Nancy Drew, if I only had red hair and a convertible AND a really cool dad who never lost his cool no matter how Nancy put herself in danger. Did I miss her really hot and attentive boyfriend too! I discovered boys around that time, secretively. The typewriter went into the case and I only drug it out for typing essays or later on term papers. Years passed……

In 2000 I opened the first hair salon/bookstore in the country, Beauty and the Book. All of a sudden, the press was contacting me. A combination hair salon, bookstore, this was newsworthy!
Then Oprah’s Oxygen network, then Good Morning America…. Then I got the call that would change everything. A southern publisher called me and ASKED ME if I would be interested in writing the story of Beauty and the Book, perhaps the story of my first year. Would I ever?

I always thought I would write as an adult the next “To Kill a Mockingbird”. I have been (secretively), working on that novel for years. A non-fiction memoir, well I never!

Then I got a call from my now literary agent asking if she could represent me? Me, the last kid picked in kickball, never the lead for the school play, but always cast as one of “dancers”!
I have to laugh now looking at the popularity of "Dancing with the Stars", but I digress!

After years of working on this book that would become “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life” that was published NOT by a small southern publisher but a BIG NEW YORK publishing house, Grand Central Publishing. I debuted as a writer. I was an author, a published one. Hold please, I always faint on this statement…..

For those reading this, that was after I wrote, I think, about 30 revisions and six years. Don’t let me mislead you, the ONLY way a writer can do something that is really worthwhile is to work you little tail off. Yes, good fortune did fall in my lap but only after years and years of hard labor, blood, sweat, and tears. Did I mention also six years from start to publication?

Now in these dire publishing times, I can not sit, (on my throne as the Pulpwood Queen or), on my laurels though meager they may be. I am back hard at work writing my second book, “The Pulpwood Queens’ Guide to Reading and Writing for a Higher Purpose”!

The life lesson in this writer’s life story?

Never, ever, never give up. Keep working on your craft. Take every writing course you can and write. Write every day.

I still cannot believe I published a book. I put authors so far up on pedestals that they are to me in the same realm as the Gods and Goddesses of my junior high Greek mythology days in Mrs. Perrier’s literature class. What have I learned? I have learned that life is not just about a dream. Dreams are wonderful but dreams cannot come true unless you roll up your sleeves and go to work. Work makes life worth living and then makes your accomplishments have worth.

When my agent told me that my first book should be called, “The Pulpwood Queens Guide to Life”, I spit my coffee I was drinking all across my computer. Who me? I still have to pinch myself to believe that I wrote a real published book. I did and you can too but you will have to write and work for it.

One of my favorite stories is about Mr. Milton who invented the ant farms of my youth. He lived to be really old and became really successful. When asked about how he had accomplished so much success in his life he told the interviewer. “Success in life comes from perseverance. You never, ever, never give up and you will eventually succeed”. I paraphrased that story so may not be the exact words but you get my drift. Never, ever, never give up. You may not become a published author but the story you write or stories you write could be a library of your life to your friends and family. I just happen to believe that everybody has a story and now it is up to you to work on writing it the best you can to share with others.

I give thanks this Thanksgiving for God giving me the gumption to never give up. I have a whole bunch of other things to be thankful for too like all my relationships with the others. And isn’t that what writing is all about, a relationship with the reader. Think about that this Thanksgiving and also I give thanks to laptops. Because I can’t for the life of me understand now a single cursive word I have written and I thank God for Santa bringing me that typewriter that particular Christmas.

Love, the little “writer” that could,
Kathy L. Patrick
Author of “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life”, Grand Central Publishing
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Books Clubs
www.beautyandthebook.com
www.pulpwoodqueen.com
P.S. Please comment and also check out the biggest author event I have coming up for our 10th Anniversary, it’s called Girlfriend Weekend Author Extravaganza on my www.beautyandthebook.com website or email me at kathy@beautyandthebook.com and I will send you the last working program, January 13 – 17, 2010!
P.P.S. The never, ever, never give up I know is incorrect English but as I the Pulpwood Queen, I live to break the rules, so that line stays.

The Pulpwood Queen's Reading and Writing Life for Me!

Oh, The Reading and Writing Life for Me!

I am not your typical writing author. Though I write everyday, I would much rather promote other author’s books. I toot my own horn loudly, but am I comfortable doing it, no way. It’s a lot more fun to toot someone else’s horn, kind of like it’s a lot more fun to clean somebody else’s house, but I digress, as usual.

For those that don’t know, I own a hair salon/book store, Beauty and the Book, the ONLY one in the country, perhaps the world, here in the piney woods of East Texas. We are not on the grand scale of the author sending literary map but I get my fair share of authors here as I offer FREE COMPLIMENTARY hair services besides hosting their book events. Now what other bookstore offers that kind of benefit, I ask you? I have a captive audience for selling books because as I cut, color, and style women and men’s hair, I talk those books, BIG TIME!

“Okay, Larry, just a trim as usual?”

“That’s right Kathy, maybe a little shorter over the ears. It grows like crazy there.”

“Great, will do” as I cape him up and start clipping, “so heard you took a little trip to Vegas? Get in any reading?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Kay was reading “South of Broad” by Pat Conroy. She couldn’t put the book down and read it on the way out loud. I got lost in the story too.”

Okay, now I have successfully transferred all thoughts of hair beauty to the beauty of books. I am in the door, pitching our next great read, “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett, our selection for October for the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Clubs that I founded nearly ten years ago.

Now nothing pleases me more than giving a great hair cut or style. I am one hairdresser that takes great pride in my work. Shoot, I want these people to not only be happy but to come back to my shop again and again. What a novel thought! I also know that when they do, I will also be talking up books.

Years ago, I did the same thing with my hair salon, Town & Country Headquarters in my hometown of Eureka, Kansas but I was not a book store too. I talked books to everyone who came in and loaned half of everything I recommended. I learned an important lesson. Never loan a book that you ever want to see again. Half the people never returned the books. So when I opened my hair salon/book store, I now SELL the books I recommend and therefore, my library stays intact. There is nothing worse than to lose forever your first edition copy of any book, signed by one of your favorite authors to a friend. But my friends, life is about relationships and the lesson in this story is that no matter how much you love a book, the friendship is more important period. I solved that problem by just selling them the book and if I loan it, I say my own private goodbye to that book. You can imagine my delight when a friend actually returns a book. I have always perceived books too as my best friends so we are reunited at last! Serendipity!

I also believe in the power of the story. Coming from a family of storytellers, I get real excited when I read those first words in a book and I make a connection with the story. I can honestly tell you that I love all the books that I have made OFFICIAL Pulpwood Queen Book Club selections and listed all books that I have selected from inception to publication of my book in my first book, “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life”, Grand Central Publishing. I call my book “the little book that could”. Because I think I can, I think I can, until I know I can make reading known that this pastime is quite simply the best entertainment in the world.

This week has been a big week for me as a lover of the printed word. In one day, I hosted the First Lady of Houston, author, Andrea White who brought a whole busload of bookloving women to my shop as part of her East Texas Conversations Tour as her husband, Mayor Bill White is running for U.S. Senate. It was and always is an honor to host a public reception for anyone running for public office. Bookstores should not only be a place to promote the literary word but should be a meeting place for the community on all things that promote the spoken word and public policy too! As Andrea handed out FREE her latest book to all attended I was overwhelmed by her generosity and kind spirit.

The next thing that happened was I was invited to speak at the Alabama Book Festival on my book and promoting literacy. I am always amazed how people hear of me far and wide, usually by word of mouth from friend. I happen to believe that I have some fine friends in Alabama and if you are reading this and responsible, I would like to thank you in person. I have many, many dear friends in Alabama and wrote all about this today at www.pulpwoodqueen.com. I hope we will check out my web blog and read it too.

Next, I was contacted by a film entertainment production company in California about the possibility of a reality show based upon me and my Beauty and the Book. Now I have been on television a lot, it’s thrilling, scary, and fleeting. I have had more than my fifteen minutes of Andy Warhol fame. But I still get excited about the possibilities because as I see it, here is yet another big way to help promote authors, books, and reading! I hope it works out but if it doesn’t, I still have my good works to do regardless of promoting authors, books, and reading.

And last, one of my dear author friends emailed to inform me my favorite author in the country would be attending my annual Girlfriend Weekend and with an author entourage! I can now die one happy woman but I don’t plan on doing it any time soon. I have a lot of literacy promoting work to do!

You see, after six years of writing my book to publication, I learned the most valuable lesson of my life. Put God first in your life and everything becomes really, really clear on how your life’s path should go. I have veered off the path more times than I cared to mention but it was not until I finished my book and read it as if for the first time, I realized that my life is not about me. What a revelation! It’s about what God has given me as my gifts and talents and what I should do with them. I do believe my gift is to promote reading. It’s my life mission. It’s about service above self. My service to all of you is to promote authors, books, and reading. I am your resource, I am your encourager, I give my life to God and the power of the printed word.

At the same time I am writing another book but this one is not for me, this book is for you. I call it “The Pulwpood Queens Guide to Reading and Writing for a Higher Purpose”. Because all my life I have been a reader but it wasn’t until I wrote my own story that I really got it. Life is about the story, the relationships with others. It is not about what kind of car you drive, where you live, how much you own. Life is about friendships and sharing our stories.

You see everybody has a story. Everybody has a story to tell, if not for you, for your family and friends. And if you don’t write your story, or record it, or tell it, a library of you has been lost to all your family and friends. Everybody is important, it’s just some of us have a way of telling a story that transforms lives. I think of Pat Conroy immediately when I think of the power of a great storyteller, or Rick Bragg, or Barbara Kingsolver, or Michael Morris, or you. Won’t you join me on the reading and writing life? I know because of all my author friend’s, I found out I was not alone. I have found that with my book club members, though I am a flawed queen, I have found the greatest relationships of my life. These women and men are so important to me and lift me places I never dreamed I could go.

As we embark on this fall season, let’s join together to become a nation of readers, a nation of readers who promote reading and relationships and leave the hate and cruelty of this world behind. I have a story and so do you. I do believe that when we come together as one, there is nothing that can stop us in making this world a better place. I have a dream too, and so do you. Let’s make dreams come true because as in the fairy tales of my youth, I always loved the happy ending!

Tiara wearing and Book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Author of “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life”, Grand Central Publishing
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs
www.beautyandthebook.com
www.pulpwoodqueen.com
www.readinggroupguides.com
www.southernauthors.blogspot.com
P.S. I also invite all of you to attend my biggest event ever, the 10th Anniversary of my annual Pulpwood Queen hosted book club convention which we call our Girlfriend Weekend Author Extravaganza, January 13 – 17, 2010. With over 50 of the best in authors, speakers, actors, and musicians featured, we are offered an author workshop, two full days of author panels, two nights of the best entertainment including Friday night our Happy 50th Birthday Barbie Party with a Barbie Fashion Show featuring all our authors, Saturday night our infamous GREAT BIG BALL OF HAIR celebrating the 70th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz themed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, and a Sunday Wine Down Party all in historic Jefferson, Texas. Email me at kathy@beautyandthebook.com and all send you all the details!

P.P.S. Photo of First Lady of Houston and Author, Andrea White and her entourage at Beauty and the Book in Jefferson, Texas!

The Pulpwood Queen Declares Joy to the World!

As I pondered what I would write about this first posting of the new year, what first came to my mind was my losing one of my best friends in the whole wide world on all of days, New Year's Day, 90- year old author, bookseller, historian, and genealogist Fred McKenzie.

I thought Fred would make the Guinness Book of World Records for living to be the oldest man alive. He never walked, he ran. He rode his bicycle fast, his little red truck even faster, and Lord knows what all he did when he flew his plane. Each minute of his life was filled with pure joy and abandonment in the moment. He was my inspiration and my hero. There was nothing we could not discuss and we shared pretty much the same philosophy of most of life's important issues. If ever there was someone who loved talking more than I do, and talking about books as much as me, it was Fred.

As the funeral approached, I got to thinking about how Fred died, fast and well-loved. Fred was not the type of guy who would have ever wanted to spend a day laid up in bed. He once told me, "When you stop, you drop," and he was right. I was not ready to let Fred go and I reluctantly and with great apprehension went to the funeral. I think everybody in town was crowded into the First United Methodist Church where Fred and I attended Sunday School. He arriving on his trusty bike, me in my Inferno Red Pacific. We often arrived at the same time and as we parked, I would smile with unfettered abandon. Fred was such a joy!

Then when one of the ministers spoke at the funeral, I changed my whole outlook on Fred's death. He told us that none of us thought we would ever be here for this occasion. In fact, we probably all thought Fred would live forever. He told us that none of us wanted to be there. I nodded in agreement. He also said that Fred had gone to heaven and we were quite selfishly the ones who did not want Fred to go.

It was true. All I could think about with Fred dying was me, me, me, when I should of been thinking about him, him, him. I could not imagine my life without my book buddy but Fred had gone on to his heavenly home. I suddenly was filled with pure joy. Joy for a life lived well, a life lived for the power of the written word.

The weekend after the funeral was my annual Pulpwood Queen hosted author, book, music, and theatrical convention which we call our Girlfriend Weekend Author Extravaganza. Fred was to have received the Doug Marlette Award, an award giving in memory of our dear author friend, Doug Marlette, to an individual devoted to a lifetime of promoting literacy. I had rushed to Fred's house the night before he was to go to surgery after hearing about it at church. I told Fred and his family that I hated coming to their house so late before the scheduled surgery date but I had to see Fred. I had to tell him how much I loved him and how I wanted him to have a speedy recovery because he was being honored at our Girlfriend Weekend. He just kidded and joked with me, "Oh Kathy, I'll be there. You know this surgery is going to be a breeze. I wouldn't miss your big ta do for the world." I was reassured but hugged and hugged him anyway. My last memory was him ever chipper in his red Christmas sweater, I had given him, hurrying to fill out his Christmas cards to get mailed before he went to the hospital. I found out later he rode his bike earlier that day to the post office to send off a batch.

God Bless Fred McKenzie! Can you imagine hand written Christmas cards and this wasn't just a note, but letters with photos too!

As the time approached for me to present the Doug Marlette Award during Girlfriend Weekend to Fred McKenzie's daughter, Dr. Carol Harrell, his granddaughter, Paula Phy, and great-granddaughter Stephanie Phy, I thought how am I going to keep my act together. But Fred was right, he was there with me, big time. Not that I did not cry, I did, tears of joy for knowing one of the most amazing men I have ever met.

And Fred did leave me, yes, indeed. But he left me with this year a true gift, that it is now time for me to stop talking and start listening. I really have been listening this year. Listening to the authors speak at Girlfriend Weekend. What a joy! As author, Jane Porter poured out her heart and soul to us, I listened. As author, Mary Corrigan spoke of her father, I listened. I listened so much I have never felt such tremendous joy and happiness. So for all of you out there that are big talkers like me, remember this year to be big listeners too. When I heard Jennifer Hudson sing the Star Spangled Banner during the Super Bowl last night I was moved so much, that my voice caught and tears flowed.

Yes, life is filled with deep sadness and sorrow but life is also filled with other great joys. Fred would be happy to know he has inspired me to do great things, great works. Won't you join me? For me, all the answers are found right between the pages of good books. I don't know about all of you but it is really hard to talk when you are reading. So if you see me silent, don't think anything is wrong. Everything is finally falling into place in my life and everything couldn't be more right.

We are starting the Fred McKenzie Bicycle Brigade for Literacy in all of Jefferson's many parades this Mardi Gras. Fred always rode his two-seater bike in the parade and you can read all about my adventures with Fred in my book, "The Pulpwood Queens' Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life", Chapter 13, I Live for Adventure. Fred was also the author of two books, Avinger, Texas, U.S.A" and "Hickory Hill" which covered pretty much all the families and genealogy of everybody in this area. His used book store is still open, Fred McKenzie's Books on the Bayou for now so stop by for a visit. The Pulpwood Queens and I are also going to start a Fred McKenzie Storytelling Festival here in Jefferson in the next coming year as nobody loved telling a good story better than Fred.

For more on Fred McKenzie check out this feature in the Longview News Journal:

Business owner, pilot, author, McKenzie dies

Business owner, pilot, author, McKenzie dies. By Jamaal E. O'Neal ... McKenzie owned Fred McKenzie's Books on the Bayou in Jefferson from 2000 until his ...
www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/01/09/01092009_McKenzie_Obit_.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc...7 - 49k - Cached - Similar pages

And now as we begin this new year, let's be inspired by Fred to do good works. I know that he is smiling down on all of us as nothing would please him more than promoting literacy and the power of the written word.

Kathy L. Patrick owns and operates Beauty and the Book, the ONLY Hair Salon/Book Store in the country, is the founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs, the largest "meeting and discussing" book club in the world, and the author of "The Pulpwood Queens' Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life", Grand Central Publishing. Her book was awarded the Top Ten Books in Texas for 2008. She is the founder of Girlfriend Weekend, Books Alive, and the up-and-coming Fred McKenzie's Storytelling Festival all held in her hometown of historic Jefferson, Texas. She is hard at work on writing her next book, "The Pulpwood Queens' Guide to Reading for a Higher Purpose" and currently teaching a lifewriting class to the homeless at Newgate Mission in Longview, Texas.

For photos and her daily literary blogs, go to www.pulpwoodqueen.com. For more on her book club, festivals, and her shop, go to www.beautyandthebook.com. Now that she is listening please comment on this blog or email kathy@beautyandthebook.com as she would love to hear your inspiring comments too!