Home from the Isle of Palms

John and I just returned from spending the weekend on the gorgeous Isle of Palms, near Charleston, South Carolina, where I was part of an authors’ luncheon at the Wild Dunes Resort. It was so much fun to chat with readers, meet the four other authors who spoke on a panel with me, and spend time with one of my best friends, Mary Alice Monroe,  who is lucky enough to live on the Isle of Palms and who helps organize this event each year.

I thought I’d share a few of the pictures John took at the event and tell you about the rest of the panel.

Tamar Myers (the blond in the signing picture below), who is hysterically funny, talked about her growing-up years in the Congo where she lived with a tribe of headhunters (seriously. I mean, how could any of us top that??) Ann Ross (in blue) is the author of the fabulously popular and funny and quirky Miss Julia series.

Here we are being interviewed by Mary Alice for the hour long panel presentation. That’s Jeffrey Stepakoff, former screenwriter turned novelist whose first novel, Fireworks over Toccoa, has one of the most luscious covers I’ve ever seen. Lisa Genova has one of those amazing stories unpublished authors dream about: she couldn’t find a publisher for Still Alice, so she self-pubbed it and promoted it herself. Only then did it find an agent and a publisher and the rest is best-sellerdom history. I’m next to Lisa, and Ann and her quirky Miss Julia and Tamar and her headhunters were at the end of the table. 

Afterwards, John and I went out to dinner with Mary Alice and her husband and local author Nina Bruhns,  where the guys talked cars and Mary Alice, Nina and I talked about the writing biz. We could have gone on all night, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

Now it’s back to the real world. I’ll be blogging this week about my new writing schedule and how I hope it will help me meet my insanely tight deadline. That is, if I can find the time! Hope everyone had as enjoyable a weekend as I did.

10 Comments

  1. Gina on January 16, 2011 at 9:45 pm

    Looks like fun! Wish I could have been there. Glad u had a great time.

  2. Denise on January 16, 2011 at 9:53 pm

    Looks like a great time was had by all! Just being in the same room with all of that talent would make me woozy. 🙂 You are looking great, Diane!

  3. Margo on January 17, 2011 at 9:15 am

    So much talent in one room…and the beautiful Isle Of Palms…what a great event!
    I read where Mary Alice Monroe has a new book this summer called THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER…did she talk about her new book with you Diane?…I’m fascinated with the title and am excited to know it will be out this year.
    P.S….great photos by John, as always…(-O:

  4. Brenda on January 17, 2011 at 10:45 am

    Love Monroe and Ross
    Two of my favorites
    Miss Julia is a hoot
    Love the beach areas around Charleston
    Edisto is my favorite
    Isle of palms great
    Ask Alice was so hard for me to read
    My friends would not finish it
    Hope her new one is lighter

  5. Brenda on January 17, 2011 at 10:46 am

    I agree with Margo
    Intriguing title

  6. Diane Chamberlain on January 17, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    Margo, Mary Alice does tons of research for her books and for Butterfly’s Daughter, she raised Monarch butterflies! I can’t wait to read it.

  7. Margo on January 18, 2011 at 9:37 am

    I’m really excited for her new book Diane!…I love the fact that Mary Alice gives informative paragraphs about her main subjects prior to each chapter…I learned so much about the Loggerhead Turtles from 2 of her books and am really looking forward to the BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER…I’m in ‘awe’ that she actually raised Monarch’s!!

  8. JoAnn on January 18, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    Doesn’t Ann Ross looked like aunt Ann? Sounds like you had a great time and it must’ve been fun for the attendees to hear all of your points of view, Jo

  9. Tamar Myers on January 18, 2011 at 7:12 pm

    I was so honored to finally meet Diane. She is one of the most gracious authors I know–so humble and kind. And I can truly say that John is the best listener I have ever had the pleasure of having as a dinner companion, although I must have bored him to tears.

  10. Diane Chamberlain on January 18, 2011 at 8:59 pm

    Tamar, John wasn’t bored for a second! He thinks he lucked out getting to sit next to you.

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