Michelle Richmond

Miami Serenade

I’ll be doing a couple of events in Miami this weekend. On Friday, Sept. 10, at 7:00 p.m., I’ll be reading at the CAS Gallery (1210 Stanford Drive) at the University of Miami to kick off the Goran Reading Series, which celebrates Lester Goran’s 50-year teaching tenure at the University of Miami. On Saturday, Sept. 11, I’ll be conducting a community workshop in flash fiction at Books & Books in Coral Gables. Both events are free and open to the public, but the Books & Books event is filling up fast, so reservations are recommended (see below). If you’re a long-lost friend, or a reader down Miami way, please stop by and say hello.

From Books & Books:
“Join bestselling author Michelle Richmond for a workshop in which she’ll share her secrets and tricks in crafting vital, mesmerizing flash fiction. With in-depth exploration of samples, writing exercises, and an open discussion not only of fundamentals of fiction but of the broader writing world. Free and open to the public, but space is limited, so please reserve early. RSVP to jalison@miami.edu.”

21

The Year of Fog has just gone into its 21st paperback printing. I’m celebrating with biscuits and eggs for dinner. Because who doesn’t love biscuits for dinner? Back home in Alabama, my favorite nights were always the ones when my mother declared that we were having “breakfast for supper.” It usually involved bacon and grits. Alas, I have no bacon and grits. So I’m improvising.

Time and the Novel

Sarah Stone, author of the novel The True Sources of the Nile as well as two books on the craft of writing, has a terrific new post up on RedRoom, “Navigating Time in Fiction”.

“What does it mean for a work to traverse different kinds of time? What in each writer’s life, biology, or brain structure leads us to our particular time fingerprint?” Read the essay in its entirety here.

Check out Sarah’s highly informative book, Deepening Fiction: A Practical Guide for Intermediate and Advanced Writers.

Fog in Brentwood

I’m delighted to announce that The Year of Fog is the 2010 pick for Brentwood CityRead in Brentwood, California– part of the Contra Costa County Library One City One Book program. Other cities are reading Highest Duty (Sully Sullenberger), Cutting for Stone (Abraham Verghese), and The Street of a Thousand Blossoms (Gail Tsukiyama).

About the program: “Brentwoodians” are invited to read The Year of Fog. Check out your copy of the book from Brentwood Library using the honor system – a library card is not required. When you are finished with the book, pass it on to a friend or return it to the Brentwood Library. Books can be picked up for free at the following locations:
* Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, 8440 #C Brentwood Blvd.
* Brentwood Press, 248 Oak Street
* Los Medanos College/Brentwood Center, 101 A Sand Creek Road
* Peet’s Coffee & Tea, 5411 Lone Tree Way
* Starbucks, 2530 Sand Creek Road, 8610 Brentwood Blvd, 3150 Balfour Road and 14804 Highway 4 (Discovery Bay)
* Summerset 1 Library, 1675 Crispin Drive
* Willy’s Bagles & Blends, 1155 Second Street, Suite D, and 390 West Country Club Drive.

On the inside cover of each book is a reading log to initial your name after you finish reading your copy. Complete the flipside of the bookmark in each book and return it to the library.

The Brentwood Library will host a free author program: California on My Mind on Saturday, October 30th at 2:00pm at the Brentwood Senior Center, 193 Griffith Lane, Brentwood. Join me there to discuss the novel.