By Thomas Kies
This past Sunday, I was both proud and delighted to attend the book launch for Emily Dunlop Carter. The book, entitled A Spork in the Road, is a collection of essays that are touching, humorous, and thought provoking. Emily has her own blog called www.achicksview.com. She was also once a member of my creative writing class and continues to be a good friend.
Another set of friends, Autumn Ware, her husband, Jack Ware, and Marjorie Peltier, founders EPIC Carteret Books, an imprint of Planck Length Publishing, are publishing the book. Both Autumn and Marjorie are former members of my creative writing classes.
I wrote one of the blurbs promoting her as a writer on the back cover of her book that goes, “Reading Emily’s work is like spending time with a lifelong friend who shows you life through fresh eyes on a warm summer day. Her stories are clever, moving, often laugh-out-loud funny, and always filled with love. She’s a butterfly that lands on the back of your hand—beautiful, graceful, and filled with childlike wonder.”
At her event, Emily read a series of her essays and her husband, John, also known as the Smokin’ Hot Love Biscuit, performed songs. Combined with champagne, scones, and cupcakes, it was a delightful afternoon shared with about fifty people in Beaufort, North Carolina.
The event was actually a pre-launch celebration. Once the book is available, I'll let you know how to order it. Or you can go to Emily's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/emily.d.carter.1.
The point of this particular blog isn’t just to promote Emily’s new book. It’s to say how you never know how things will turn out. Emily, Autumn, and Marjorie were all part of my creative writing class. Most of the members of the Carteret Writers Organization were part of my creative writing class. And that group continues to grow.
At the beginning of my first class, I always tell everyone that I don’t grade. How I measure success is if, once you’ve taken the class, you continue to write.
I love writing. I love when people read what I write. But I also love being able to have an effect and be part of a community of writers. Seeing them succeed is damned gratifying and I can’t be any prouder.
