Happy Wednesday, everyone!
Well, I hope this doesn’t sound awkward, me announcing myself like this. But here goes:
Our next ABC Event, (Author Book Club,) will be featuring me … er, I mean, Laura Bowers, author of young adult novels JUST FLIRT and BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT. It will be held on October 27, 2012 at the Damascus Library in Damascus, Maryland from 2:00 to 4:00! Please RSVP for this free event, (yes, free!) to mddewvscbwi@gmail.com.
[Quick Tidbit: My oldest son took this picture, so he could get photo credit and boy, did I make him work for it! We did this last February and despite the FREEZING weather, I made him take … oh, around 200 pictures so I’d have plenty to pick from. He’s since sworn off any need for photo credits. :)]
Anyway, back to the ABC Event!
I’m not going to lie. I seriously considered backing out of this last August because our family has been going through some very stressful times this year and my writing has reflected that. But it’s not in my nature to quit things, so when asked what my topic will be about, I figured … why not talk about my struggles in case anyone else is struggling, too? And with that, here’s my official presentation description:
The Beauty of Reinvention
Slumps. Roadblocks. Wrong directions. We’ve all had them, we’ve all hit them, we’ve all taken them. Join Laura Bowers as she (quite frankly—the woman has no shame) discusses her career slumps, roadblocks, wrong directions, and how constant career reinvention, improved work habits, and a renewed love for writing can put a writer back on track again!
Laura Bowers lives in Maryland with her husband, two teen boys, and one spoiled dog. She enjoys writing, reading, running, watching her kids play sports, and obsessing over her next Disney World trip. Some of her past job titles include waitress, salesperson, telemarketer, secretary, real estate agent, and during her broke college days, a roving character at holiday parades. (The time she had to wear a painful candy cane costume makes quite an interesting story!)
At the age of thirty, Laura decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Many rejected books later, she was inspired to write her first novel, BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT, by a rusted “for rent” sign posted in front of a charming old house. She later used fond memories from family camping trips for her next young adult novel, JUST FLIRT, and now, she can honestly say that writing is a thousand times more rewarding than being a candy cane.
Copies of JUST FLIRT and BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT will be available for purchase, and snacks will be provided!
Hope to see you there!
As the Eraser Burns 
I don’t see it on the library site. But I would like to attend. Is there a fee?
Yikes, I forgot to mention this is a FREE event! Can’t beat free. 😉 Hope to see you there!
Hello,
Yes the ABC event is free. Please email mddewvscbwi@gmail to RSVP, so we’ll know how many to expect!
Laura, thanks for posting this while I’m on the road in NC for school visits. Great picture, by the way. Your son has a future as a photographer! I want to add to your post that we need RSVPs, so we’ll know how many people to expect. Please RSVP to mddewvscbwi@gmail.com. Thanks so much!
My email address is changing to:
2alkarel@gmail.com
Thank you, Karel
Edie,
I attended your session in Charleston, West Virginia several years ago at a book festival. You were great in telling about the mutiple rewrites and struggles you had with, Beauty Shop for Rent which I bought and read the same weekend.
Don’t take this wrong, but your trials give me hope. It is comforting to know how life gets in the way of other writers and yet you come out on the other side more enthused to write and tell a good story. You have my utmost admiration for sharing that personal problems can sideline us from writing for longer time periods than we can imagine.
I don’t know the particulars but if anything like my life, I will forge ahead knowing you did.
A colleague in West Virginia,
Melanie
I read As the Eraser Burns as soon as I see the e-mail!
Thanks, Melanie! And absolutely, hearing about another writer’s trials is so reassuring! I remember feeling so relieved at a past conference when Phyllis Reynolds Naylor spoke of her struggles. It made me want to hug her! On the flip side, I’ve also heard writers talk about how they ALWAYS stick to writing schedules, make all the right moves, la, la, la, and it made me want to throw my pen at them. So I guess having the occasional struggle is a positive thing. People won’t throw pens at you! 😉
Thanks again, Melanie, and best of luck with your writing! 🙂
Oops, this is for Laura not Edie
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