What I’m writing: June 2014

These are stories I wrote that were published this month.

Meet Birmingham magazine Account Executive Rebecca Garner

rebeccaBirmingham magazine Account Executive Rebecca Garner lived in New Mexico and Hawaii before making her home in Alabama. This University of New Mexico alumna resides in Odenville with her husband, who is in the Air Force, her 14-year-old stepson and 3-year-old daughter. Wherever life has taken her, though, Rebecca has found success working in sales for magazines, newspapers and commercial printing. Read more “Meet Birmingham magazine Account Executive Rebecca Garner” at al.com.

Life after Book Expo America

readersIt’s been more than a week since I returned from Book Expo America, and I’m starting to feel as though I can answer people’s enthusiastic inquiries about the experience. Part of that period of radio silence has been because I came home with a sinus infection, but it’s also because I just needed time to digest the event.
I went to BEA with few goals in mind. Since this was my first year, I knew I would be overwhelmed. I didn’t really know what I would get from the event, so I set my expectations low. I planned to show up, hoped to get Ann M. Martin’s autograph and wanted to walk away with some free books and insight into the publishing industry. Read more “Life after Book Expo America” at churchstreetshop.com.

Indian Springs School shines as ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ reaches meteoric levels

tfiosIndian Springs School has had many turns in the limelight, and it’s stepping into familiar territory again, thanks to John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars.” The movie adaptation of the Springs graduate’s novel was the No.1 film at the box office during its debut weekend, and author Green’s name has been all over the media as a result.

Green is only one of a number of notable Springs alumni; others include fellow author Daniel Alarcon, director John Badham, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia CEO and president Charles Plosser, Continental Bakery owner Carole Griffin, “Game of Thrones” TV show writer David Hill, Russell Lands chairman and CEO Ben Russell and many more. Read more “Indian Springs School shines as ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ reaches meteoric levels” at al.com.

I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You: To win back a lost love

I am having so much fun here without youRichard Haddon has screwed up royally with his wife, and he’ll do anything to get her back.

Richard, a British contemporary artist, met his near-perfect French wife while enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design. From the moment he spotted Anne-Laure de Bourigeaud, Richard was convinced that she was the woman for him. Shortly after they married, Anne became pregnant, and their relationship served as the inspiration for one of Richard’s greatest paintings, “The Blue Bear.” Read more “I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You” at bookpage.com.

Behind the Lyrics: Lee Bains III’s love of Southern literature is reflected in his songwriting

bainsHe’s been around the Birmingham music scene for a long time, but with the 2012 release of Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires’ debut album, “There’s a Bomb in Gilead,” Bains unleashed his songwriting on listeners’ ears. The former member of the Dexateens and Arkadelphia is back with “Dereconstructed,” the Glory Fires’ second album and debut on the SubPop label.
This time around, Bains and the band have cranked up the volume. “Dereconstructed” is a rocker throughout, portraying the band’s level of comfort on stage and the intimate setting in which they recorded. “It was super loud, so there are guitars in the drum mikes and there are drums in the guitar-amp mikes. Those are all purposeful decisions we made, but they were all geared toward creating a more visceral kind of sound,” Bains says. Read more “Behind the Lyrics” at bhammag.com.

The Highlight of Book Expo? Love of Story.

me and carrieDuring our walk back to day two of BEA following a long, quiet lunch, my friend Trisha asked my impression of the event so far. As managing editor of BookPage (where you can regularly find my book reviews!), she’s a BEA vet. But this was my first year to attend the massive publishing industry event, which is both awesome and overwhelming.
I’m accustomed to magazine conferences, thanks to my full-time job as managing editor of Birmingham magazine. I love those gatherings; I’m a big believer in journalism and its value, and such gatherings often encourage and challenge me. Read more “The Highlight of Book Expo” at churchstreetshop.com.

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