Home > Pulpwood Queen Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 03
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
WARNING: Waterproof Mascara Must Be Worn to Hear Pulpwood Queen Speak!
Several years ago, I was attending a Writer’s League of Texas, writer’s retreat. There I met many authors including Donna Walker- Nixon, a professor at Tarleton State University. We kept in touch writing emails back and forth on our book events. Earlier this September, Donna invited me to be the Saturday morning speaker at the Langdon Review of The Arts in Texas in Granbury, Texas. In honor of the Pulpwood Queens and our signature look, they held a Pink Jazz Brunch at which I would be the featured speaker.
Now I had never been to Granbury, Texas before, but I heard of Granbury through my friend, Ronnie Claire Edwards, author of “The Knife Thrower’s Apprentice�. Ronnie Claire came and spent about a week with me as I took her around to all my book clubs. She may not be known as an author but she is most well-known for portraying Cora Beth Godsey on “The Walton’s� and the mother of Jean Smart on “Designing Women�. Recently she has been writing plays and performing in them in Los Angeles. Ronnie asked me if it would be okay for her friends from the Granbury Theater come and join us for lunch in Jefferson while she was here. The more the merrier, I always say and it was a delight to meet them. They told me all about Granbury’s theater program of plays and musicals, sounded to me like a town that I needed to check out. Because of their description of the town, I was excited about visiting Granbury and being featured at the weekend.
Prior to the event, Marilyn Robitaille, contacted me to tell me of the wonderful Bed & Breakfast they had booked me rooms. After checking out the website for the Arbor House, I could tell I was being put up in high style. Arbor House at www.granbury-bed-and-breakfast.com was voted one of the top five bed and breakfasts in North America for a weekend getaway.
It took me a bit longer than expected to get to Granbury but when I did I was not disappointed. The Arbor House was just fantastic with my spacious Victorian room, view of the lake and gigantic Jacuzzi bathtub that overlooked the gardens.. I barely had time to freshen up and head on over to the theater where there was going to be a screening for the Sundance award winning documentary, “TV Junkie�. The director, Michael Cain spoke and then Gary Cogill (see below) warned us this was not going to be an easy film to watch. I was sitting by a professor at Tarleton State and another professor who was the head of the journalism department at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall. The film was the story of a man who had videoed himself from the age of fourteen until a few years before this filming. Over 3,000 hours of video captured every aspect of this man’s life who became a t.v. reporter on “Inside Edition� and also became addicted to drugs. Sad to watch but I felt an important film to show anyone who might be lured by the escapism of drugs.
I thoroughly enjoyed the recap by Gary and Michael Cain and as the everybody stood to leave I spotted Donna. Donna and I hugged and she introduced me to Marilyn and we were to all gather at the bed & breakfast for some wine.Though quite late, the film was so powerful that I looked forward to the gathering of authors and film people. I met Ellen Gormley and her husband. She was the editor of the film and we ended up talking until about one in the morning. They were fascinated with the story of the Pulpwood Queens. The book Ellen’s mother wrote, in turn, fascinated me. We exchanged cards and she decided to come and film the up-and-coming Girlfriend Weekend, January 19 – 21, 2007. (See website, www.beautyandthebook.com for more information on that event). Could we perhaps be the feature of their next documentary?
In addition, Ellen promised to send me her mother’s book which I am reading at the present, “The Tysen House�.
The next morning I fairly flew to be ready by 9:00 a.m. to leave for the brunch with Marilyn. Skipping what looked like a too die for breakfast, I drank mass quantities of their delicious coffee and prepared for my presentation. The event was held outside. I was introduced to the many volunteers and the jazz combo that were setting up to play. One tent was for the attendees to sit and hear me speak, another nearby to house the incredibly delicious looking brunch spread. They were even serving champagne. I thought. La ti da, I have arrived. I again skipped the brunch as too nervous to eat before speaking. Michael Cain, the director had stayed over to hear me speak and we briefly talked before I went to the microphone. I was sitting next to a man who had owned an independent bookstore in Austin, Texas and we found much to talk about concerning books and the business. More people were introduced and I do not know if it was my new vintage tiara but so many people came by to introduce themselves, I was keep to busy to be nervous. Everybody really did treat me like a Queen. As Marilyn introduced me, I began my presentation on why I am on a mission to promote literacy and the wonderful world of The Pulpwood Queens.
Afterwards, so many of the academia came by to introduce themselves that I was overwhelmed. Professor after professor told me that they really had not known what to expect at this pink jazz brunch but they were not disappointed. In fact, several of them told me I was even better than the speaker they had last year.
“Who was your speaker last year?� I inquired.
“Oh, we had Kinky Friedman.�
I about died. Thank God no one told me before hand that I was following the man who was running for Governor on the independent ticket in Texas. I would have croaked, he is a hard act to follow.
The last couple to introduce themselves was Dominque and Charles Inges, professors of poetry at the Tarleton State University. Dominque told me that I needed to put a clause in my speaking engagement contacts. When I inquired why, suddenly concerned I had said something wrong she replied, “Because Kathy I laughed so hard at some of your stories that I think it should be mandatory that all women who come to hear you speak wear waterproof mascara�. We all laughed and I silently went, woo, boy was I relieved. I thought that maybe she thought my story about reading to the nursing home was a bit too racy.
I had told everyone there that we all have something to give to promote literacy. In fact, several of my Pulpwood Queens had made it a point to go and read to the local nursing home. I told them that they might want to be careful though on their book club selection. I had chosen to read, “Lunch at the Picadilly�, about a young man who’s only living relative was his aunt who lived in an assisted living home. He made it a priority to visit her and would often have adventures with her and her girlfriends at the home. I found them hilarious and thought the nursing homes patients would too. Evidently not, because one of the patients, Ruth, who also just happened to be my former next-door neighbor, created quite a scene. Now I had these women and men all circled around us in their wheelchairs and I was reading enjoying every minute of it when Ruth yells out, “Enough of this crap, I have to live this shit,� as she turned and wheeled herself out of the cafeteria room. I looked up shocked by what I had just heard. Then I looked at all the men and women in the wheelchairs and their little shoulders were going up and down, laughing their little hearts out. I remember Pulpwood Queen Kay and I just lost it. I was thinking that Dominque was thinking that story was scandalous but waterproof mascara I could handle.
I said my goodbyes to everyone and if any authors are reading this, please let them know you are interested in speaking. This is a fabulous event, chock full of people who not only turn out for the weeks events featuring authors, but who really appreciate you and listen to really what you have to say. I have to tell you this was one of the most well received speaking engagements I have ever done. I highly recommend that booklovers go and that authors attend too. Really a fabulous venue, well thought out and well received.
I started to leave Granbury then I thought, oh no, I’m not leaving without looking up the girls from the Granbury Theatre. I headed to the downtown square and there was a festival going on, some kind of classic car show. The town was packed and I quickly scrambled for a suddenly vacant parking spot close to the Granbury Opera House. As I entered, I spoke to a polite young man who told me that the city now owned the theater. He was not sure who the owners were before but I was more than welcome to look around. To support the theater, I bough my daughter’s t-shirts who are really into theater then headed around the square. Shop after shop of delightful coffee houses, cafes, boutiques. I bought a crystal chandelier in one and some stuffed ravens for my shop in another. Everybody was so warm and friendly. I even noticed that many of the shops carried my sister’s wind chimes that she does wholesale from her Cricket Alley store in Jefferson. I grabbed a latte’ and headed back to the car.
As I left Granbury, I was thinking, I sure hope Donna and Marilyn invite me back when my book comes out. Only next time, I am coming for the whole week. The Langdon Review Weekend and Granbury, Texas are what give small towns a good name. Treat yourself to both and I assure you, you will not be more welcomed or have a more pleasurable literary week.
Tiara wearing and book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
The Pulpwood Queen of East Texas!
