Monday, May 19, 2008
 

A Java Joint Celebration


We are all so proud of S-man for selling his novel! Plus a sequel!

The Scenes and Beans bloggers are going to have a special celebration for our star author this Saturday at 8:00 a.m. at Java Joint. What a great way to start Memorial Day weekend--by witnessing S-Man signing his contract.

The book business seems so slow, doesn't it? We have to wait until next year for Starfire to be published. We'll have another huge party then for sure. The whole town will be invited for that one. In the meantime we look forward to this weekend.

Three cheers for S-Man!


Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 8 comments links to this post
Thursday, May 15, 2008
 

News of a Lifetime

Shnakvorum Rikoyoch (Greetings, Friends). S-Man here with the news I've been waiting on for a long time. My science fiction manuscript, Starfire, has sold to a major publisher. As if that's not enough, my agent managed to get a two-book contract for me. I'll be starting the sequel to Starfire right away.

The timeline as it now stands: Starfire will be published around May next year, with the second book following around January of 2010.

I'm so overwhelmed I can hardly believe this has happened. I've been working hard on writing for a number of years now, as you know. This feels like a dream. If it is, I hope I keep on sleeping.

Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me along the way. I'm going to need more of it. Now I have to come up with a second book ...

-- S-Man


Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 6 comments links to this post
Thursday, May 08, 2008
 

Chasing Eva--Part 3


So there we were, Bev, Eva Longoria, and I, sprawled on the sidewalk.

Red-faced and nearly beside myself with fluster, I managed to shove my hefty body to my feet. I held out my hand to Eva (Bev could manage to get up on her own). "Oh, I'm so sorry! Oh, oh! Are you hurt?"

Eva untangled herself from Bev, assuring me she was fine. Bev said the same. I pulled Eva up, and Bev tottered to her feet, glaring at me with the darkness of a tempest storm. Boy, I did not look forward to being alone with her. We brushed the dirt off our slacks. My elbow smarted something terrible.

Next thing I knew, a blond-haired man was standing beside us, eyes wide. "Amanda!" He was looking at Eva. "What happened? I've been waiting for you in the car."

Amanda?

Amanda looked at the man, then at me. I looked at her, then at Bev. Bev just kept glaring.

Eva (Amanda?) grabbed onto Blondie like a drowning woman just thrown a lifeline. "I'm fine. I guess. I was just . . . getting acquainted with some of the locals."

Finally, I found my voice. "Amanda?" I squeaked. "You mean, you're not Eva Longoria?"

She laughed. "Oh, everybody says that. It's not the first time. But no, I'm Amanda Bellingsworth, a seamstress from Montana, here on vacation." She gave me a look. "Sometimes the mix-ups can be more dangerous than others."

Amanda. A seamstress. Not Eva. I'd chased her, knocked her down. Well, with the help of a fool dog. She was going to think I was totally nuts. She'd think the whole town was nuts. At first I couldn't think of a thing to say. Then once I opened my mouth it wouldn't shut again. I said something about how lovely it was to meet her and I hoped their vacation was wonderful, and really, Kanner Lake wasn't a town full of a bunch of idiots, it just looked like it, and I just knew my friend Bev was going to lay into me the minute we were alone . . . I'd have kept right on blabbing if Bev hadn't clamped her hand over my mouth.

"She IS crazy," Bev declared to Amanda. "It's ALL I can do to keep her in line." Bev pursed her mouth at me and grabbed hold of my arm. "We'll be going now." And with no chance for another word, she stalked away, pulling me with her.

I looked back over my shoulder to give Amanda and her man a tiny little wave. She shook her head at me, and they went their way, and we went ours. Bev didn't let go of my arm until we were in Java Joint. Even then she threatened to chain me to my chair at our table. We drank our coffees in silence.

Four days later and Bev's still mad at me. Probably because Wilbur won't stop teasing her about it. ("Chasing an actress, who'd a thought?") He's always looking to bring Bev down a peg or two. Anyway, would somebody out there tell her to lighten up? And Wilbur to shut up? Although it'll be a miracle if either one of them listens.

-- Angie

Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 0 comments links to this post
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
 

Chasing Eva--Part 2


So there we were, Bev and I, trotting down the sidewalk to catch actress Eva Longoria. I tell you--that Bev protested the whole way. You'd have thought I was pulling her along to feed her to the lions.

"This is ridiculous!" she wheezed. "The things you get me into. And just what do you expect to do when you catch up to her?"

Well, she had a point. What do you say to one of your most favorite actresses?

Anything. It didn't matter what. I was just dying to meet her.

It didn't take long to catch up. Good thing I've lost so much weight. I just pulled Bev along. Eva paused to read a poster outside a shop window. It was then or never, so I called out to her.

"Yoo hoo! Hello there!"

She turned around, looking very flustered. Staring at us as if wondering if she was supposed to know us. I skidded to a halt and thrust out my hand. My tongue got all tied up. "Hi! Hello! I'm Angie. This is Bev. I'm dying to meet you. Angie's not, but she came along--wait, I didn't mean that. Of course she wants to meet you too."

Eva's eyes bounced from me to Bev and back. Slowly, she took my hand and shook it once. Then let go in a hurry.

"So how do you like Kanner Lake?" I gushed. ""We just love you here. I watch you all the time." A strange expression flitted across her face.

"You do?"

"Yes, yes, I just think you're so beautiful, and the way you stand up to that rat Albert on the show--"

Out of nowhere, a red blur bounded down the street. I knew at once it was Thelma Grady's Irish setter, Josie, loose again. Thelma lives just two blocks from downtown, and that crazy, overly friendly dog wriggles under the fence every chance she gets. Josie spied me and headed straight for the three of us at full speed.

"Aahhh!" Eva howled.

I stepped in front of her, protector of actresses that I am. Bev was left to fend for herself. Josie plowed into me with a vengeance, licking and barking happily. Well, my goodness, that dog knocked me clear off my feet! I fell into Bev, and Bev fell into Eva, and before you know it the three of us were sprawled on the sidewalk like Dominoes. Josie's tail went a mile a minute as she pranced right across Eva, then that idiot dog took off to find another victim of her excitement.

Oh, my! Eva Longoria, on the sidewalk--because of me! I thought I'd die of humiliation. Turned out, that would have been nice, given what happened next.

-- Angie

Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 1 comments links to this post
Monday, April 07, 2008
 

Chasing Eva--Part 1



Angie here. Oh, my goodness, I have to tell you what happened. Embarrassed myself nearly to death, and now Bev's hardly speaking to me!

Bev and I were over at Simple Pleasures, looking at those beautiful oil wick candles Sarah has, when this woman walked in. As I lifted a jar to my nose, inhaling the deep berry fragrance, the woman sidled past me toward the back. I set the candle down and noticed her ogling a bracelet out of the corner of my eye. Dark hair, brown eyes, high cheekbones. She wasn't the usual sort of T (that's what we call tourists at Java Joint), but she looked vaguely familiar.

I whispered to Bev, "You see her before?"

Bev glanced at the woman, then shrugged. "Looks like that TV actress on Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria."

She said it so calmly, as if such a thing happens every day. Well, I just happen to LOVE Eva Longoria. And Bev was right--it was her!

I grabbed Bev's elbow and pulled her toward Eva. "Oh, my, oh! We HAVE to go say hi." I was so excited, I could hardly breathe.

Something beside us crashed to the floor. I swiveled to see a picture frame and all its glass shattered. Sarah hurried from behind the counter and lifted the frame. Bev apologized, saying her arm had hit the frame as I pulled her along. She gave me 'the look' as Sarah went into the back to fetch a broom.

"I'm sorry. I'll pay for it," I whispered real fast. I was barely thinking. I was just dying to talk to Eva.

Bev glowered at me. "You certainly will. In more ways than one."

Sarah came back, a whiskbroom and a dustpan in hand. She began sweeping the pieces up and Bev brought the trashcan over. I had to help, or else I'd look completely uncaring. So I set to work furiously, and the next thing I knew, the bell over the door tinkled. I looked around. Eva was getting away! I pulled a twenty out of my wallet.

"Here." I thrust it at Sarah. "This ought to cover itSarah pushed it back to me. "The frame's only $15.99."

But I couldn't wait around to hear the rest of what she said. "That's Eva Longoria!" I cried. "I've watched her for years on TV, and I'll just die if I don't meet her!" I grabbed Bev's arm, and before she knew what hit her, we were scooting toward the door. "Keep the change, Sarah, we'll see you later!" I shoved open the door.

Of course about that time Bev dug in her heels. "I will NOT pursue an actress down the street like some mindless groupie; I don't care WHO she is."

Eva turned the corner out of sight. Oh, no! What if she got into a car and drove away?

"Bev Trexel," I whirled on my friend, "if you don't go with me, I'll never let you hear the last of it. Do it for me, if not for yourself!"

Well. Bev's lots of things, but most of all, she's a good friend to me.

"The things you get me into." She shook her head, then huffed mightily. All the same, she set out with me to catch Eva. She never would have done it, though, if she'd known what trauma was coming.

-- Angie


Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, March 06, 2008
 

An Agent Enters the Picture


Shnakvorum Rikoyoch (Greetings, friends).

After being quiet on this blog for a long time, I have amazing news. Last month I signed a contract with a literary agent for my novel Starfire. That agent is now sending the manuscript around to major publishers.

The above three sentences sound so factual. So easy. But how hard it has been getting to that point! I have written this novel, then rewritten and rewritten some more. First rewrites were of my own doing. Then when I finally decided it was ready to send to agents, I found a number of them interested, but I needed to do more rewriting at their request. I didn't know I could ever grow tired of my own novel, but after looking at its pages so many times, that's exactly what happened.

The day I signed with the agent was a major day of celebration around here. I showed up to Java Joint the next morning--with no laptop. That's right. I came just to enjoy the coffee and my friends. I figured I deserved some time off of writing. But half an hour after arriving, I didn't know what to do with myself. I found myself gazing at my table longingly, wishing for my computer. I must be a real author. Either that or I'm crazy.

(Wilbur says he knows the answer to that question.)

I will keep you posted about what happens. Unfortunately now it's another waiting game while editors look over the manuscript. My agent says I have a good chance of selling it, but I'm not getting excited about anything until I see my name on the dotted line of a publishing contract.

All right, maybe I'm a little excited ...

--S-Man

Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 5 comments links to this post
Monday, January 28, 2008
 

Bearly Here


Hello, Wilbur Hucks here. I haven't posted for a blue moon, seems like. We're all kinda quiet this year. I gotta tell ya, life is different in Kanner Lake from when we started this blog. So much has happened here. I never did see a little town like this one make the national news so much in such a short time. Oh, things have calmed down again--for now. But after three different whopping events, we can't quite get the hang of settling down for good. Sort of like an itchy feelin' in your drawers. Keeps you wiggling around, not quite able to scratch the thing. Here at Java Joint we can't help but wonder what's coming next.

Anyway, I'm supposed to be the storyteller of this here group, so I'd better pull out one. Now of course, all my stories are true, even though folks'll look ya straight in the face and tell ya they ain't. I figure it's their loss if they don't want to believe what I tell 'em.

So here's the story when I took on a bear--bare-handed. Well, more like footed.

Since we were youngsters, old Wally Keller had been telling me he wanted to sneak up on a black bear and give him a boot in the pa-toot. Don't ask me where he got such a fool notion in his head. I told him from the start he was a downright idgit, but he kept on. Then he started calling me chicken 'cause I didn't want nothing to do with it. Nobody calls me chicken. Even at the age of eight. I told Wally if he and I ever got the chance, I'd be the one to give it to the bear. Fifty-some years went by. Wally and I grew up. Wally and me went off to war and came back. (Thank the Lord.) Wally got married; I got married. We both had kids. Had us some good times with our families and some bad. In all the ruckus of life in general, we forgot about that childhood promise.

Then one day when Wally and I were hiking, lo and behold out of the blue we came up on a big black bear napping in the sun with his head resting on his paws. Wally pointed at the huge critter and then aimed his finger at me. I was about to shake my head no when Wally mouthed "You're chicken." Well, he's right about that. But then I got to thinking, doggone, we'd waited over half a lifetime for that moment, and could this war veteran just walk away? Right then and there my decision was made.

I snuck up on that bear so quiet it would have made Daniel Boone proud. Got my feet set for running, hands up and fingers spread for balance. Holding my breath. Up came one foot while I made good and sure I was stable on the other. Then I let my boot fly. Tell you what. That bear let out a howl the likes you never heard and took off like he'd been shot out of a cannon. Likely didn't stop until he crossed the state line.

Wally and I fell on the ground laughing until we near split our guts. I came back from that hike with the proof I'm no chicken, though I suppose you could call me a durn fool. But I had me a good story to tell.

Wanta hear it in person? (It's a whole lot better with hand and food gestures.) Come visit us at Java Joint. Only--stay off the stool near the counter. It's mine.


Posted by ~ Bailey Truitt @ 7:00 AM 3 comments links to this post