That's me signing a copy of NEWS!

An Eventful Launch for NEWS!

The launch of my new novel, NEWS!, went swimmingly (almost literally) last night at Hollins University. We had a nice crowd, some of which paddled through heavy rain to get there and I signed quite a few books. 

I was especially delighted to see old friends, some writers, some not, all supremely talented in one way or another. At times, it felt like a reunion of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference, which I founded about 15 years ago.

Linda Kay Simmons and Susan (who doesn't like her whole name used publicly) did yeoman's work setting up the food table and organizing everything. Linda--for the second straight year--brought out a photo/cake with a likeness of the cover of NEWS! (last year, it was me shirtless) that brought quite a laugh.

Sherry Payne and her lovely husband Jim Canody provided the music, including Sherry's "He Just Called It NEWS!," which she wrote for the event. 

A good evening. One I'll remember. Here's some of what it looked like.

Publisher Susannah Smith and trubador Greg Trafidlo examine NEWS!

Rhinda North makes a point. 

Greg Trafidlo with Roanoke Regional Chamber President Joyce Waugh. 

Some of the ladies of this evening.

Some of the gentlemen of the evening.

My former business partner in FRONT magazine gets his book autographed.

I signed books on whatever surface I could find.

That's Roland Lazenby, author of more than 60 books, getting his copy of NEWS! signed.

Signing Nancy Harvey's book.

Readers lined up to get their books signed.

I liked the clusters of people all over the room, chatting eagerly. 

That's my son's mother-in-law, Judy Dickerson, reading her book.

Amanda Cockrell, whose recent book is about Vietnam, awaits her book. 

Successful--and relatively new--writer Leah Weiss and I chat.

Tom Field and me again.

Listening to Jim and Sherry.

Love this shot: looks like Susannah is scolding me for something I might have done to Emily Carter.

My favorite publisher and I.

Jim and Sherry singin' in the rain (it's pouring outside).

Roland Lazenby holds court. 

Introducing Jim and Sherry.

Signing for one of the sweetest people god ever put on earth: Getra Selph.

Linda Kay Simmons with her good friends Jim and Sherry.

Round-table discussion, one of many. 

These friends, Becky Hepler and Rick Teague, go back 40 years.

Leah Weiss with one of the region's real heroes, Mr. Habitat for Humanity, Tom Gerdy.

Linda Kay and Sherry, two talented women who appreciate each other.

Linda Kay set this table. Plenty of goodies for all.

Betsy Ashton and her husband examine NEWS!

Betsy and Linda Kay anchor Lake Writers.

Joe Dashiel, veteran WDBJ7 reporter, interviews the author.

John Ketwig, who wrote the definitive Vietnam memoir, and his lovely wife.

Authors extraordinaire: Leah Weiss and Linda Kay Simmons.

My best bud, Susan, and I (Susan took every photo here, except this one, which I took).

A woman I greatly admire, Trish White-Boyd, Roanoke's vice mayor.

Linda Kay organized so much of this event. And she did it with style and grace, as usual.

Meg Hibbert poses Emily Brady and me (as I put a book on Em's head).

Roland Lazenby and his extraordinary wife, Karen.

Bert Boyd with Trish and their grandson, Ryan.

The stylish Tom Gerdy and me.

Reporter and friend Meg Hibbert with Leah Weiss and me.

An animated publisher, Susannah Smith.

Signing Meg's book.

Roland wants his book signed ... now.

Signing for long-time pals, Becky Hepler and Greg Trafidlo.

The lyrics to Sherry's "We Just Call It News."

Linda Kay and that marvelous book/cake.

The cake of the day.

Blow them out, bub!

Presenting a photo I shot of Jim and Sherry.

 

It's NEWS!-Release Day

I have been eagerly awaiting today--the release date of my new novel, NEWS!, for a year and a few days, since signing a publishing contract with Propertius Press and Susannah Smith. It doubles as my birthday, so the party is on at Hollins. 

Publisher Susannah Smith and me.

This book is a joyful celebration of my career, journalism, which has held me captive for 58 years. In it, I take a fictional look at the creation of a journalist at a time when honest journalism was the rule, not the exception, and when most people got their daily news from mid-sized daily publications. 

Journalists have always topped my list of heroes and in NEWS! that shows without reservation. It is an unapologetically uplifting book, a celebration of journalism as a keystone of our now-fading culture. One of the important reasons it is facing is because journalism has faded.

Today, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we get back to reality. 

 

Writer Megan Gogerty gave me a peach of a role as an Evangelical judge.

TheWelcome  Return of Overnight Sensations

The Overnight Sensations crew got back on state at Hollins University last night and, even though we didn't have a full house, we had a full belly of fun. Wonderful writing, directing and acting throughout and the place was alive with laughter and warmth. 

It is always such a good time that even those of us can't act and who blow the hell out of lines have a good time. 

On the night before the plays, we met and planned what we were doing (the writers went off overnight and wrote the plays), I suggested to Megan Gogerty that she cast me as an evangelical nutjob and she came up with an overblown Southern judge who thought he was a god-like figure. He was also a redneck and an overt misogynist. 

I loved the part and think maybe it's the best I've had (and I've had some damn good ones) in all the years I've worked Overnight Sensations. Even though I blew a line or two.

I thought Lauren Brooke Ellis' direction was inspired and despite a judge who couldn't remember his name, our cast was inspired with Mark Johnson, Mary Jean Levin, Katie Stueckle and the estimable Gwyneth Strope doing the heavy lifting. 

Here's some of what our play "Interregnum? I Hardly Know 'Em!" (no, I have no idea what that means) looked like. My friend Susan took these photos and did a dang good job of it. 

Bringing out the judge in me. 

Mary Jean Levin and Gwyneth Strope. 

Mark Johnson and Katie Stueckle. 

 

Alphonso Caal on my roof.

If There Is a God, She Is Smiling on Me

Mom Ana Patricia and Ana Violeta.

When the mini-Doratio came through my neighborhood yesterday, it left some of my roof tiles spread across the yard. I found them and the mess on the roof this morning. I have put a roof on a house before, but I was 40 years younger than I am now and in much more flexible condition.

I decided to give repairing the roof a try anyway. I went to Lowe's and got some tiles (a really nice guy who works there gave me four tiles that had come out of a package) and a box of roofing nails. I got home and went at it.

I was hammering away when a car stopped in front of my house and a Guatemalan family got out of the car and approached me, speaking Spanish, which I don't speak beyond gracias or hola. He went to the translator on his phone and I got a vague idea why he stopped. He wanted to do the roofing. I told him he was hired. But he shook his head.

I called my daughter-in-law Kara in Texas, who is fluent in Spanish. She got to the heart of it. Alphonso Maaz Caal is a professional roofer, newly arrived from Guatemala with his wife, Ana Patricia and daughter, Ana Violeta. He was offering to fix the roof for me. No charge. Just a friendly neighbor.

They went home and got his work truck and gear and he was on the roof in a jiffy, finishing a fine repair job in 10 to 15 minutes. I gave his daughter, Ana Violeta, who is about 6, a copy of my children's book "Saving Homer" and a stuffed Homer animal. She seemed pleased.

These are truly nice people. Good neighbors. The kind of neighbors I want.