A Lightning-Bolt Moment

       This weekend I watched the movie Belle. If you have not seen it, run out immediately and get it from Redbox or wherever you get your rentals. 

        Two of the co-stars are Tom Wilkinson (one of my favorites---he was hilarious in The Full Monty) and Miranda Richardson (she was brilliant in The Crying Game). The singular star is Gugu Mbatha-Raw, another Brit, who plays Belle.


       In the movie, there is a lightning-bolt moment when Belle's fiancee says something...something that is so dismissive of Belle's past, Belle cannot compromise or ignore any longer. An undercurrent to the primary storyline is a court case that has quite an insidious premise.

        This movie is snatched from the pages of real-life history, which makes it even more compelling. If you love romance, you'll love this film. If you adore period pieces, you'll go ga-ga. If you are a history buff and are looking for a new not-well-known avenue to travel down, you'll find it here.

        This morning I also drew from a pile of names for the copy of Verna Simms' novel Water Under the Bridge. The competition was so stiff, with my thousands hundreds dozens three followers, it took an age to write down all the names, fold them in half, and stir them up. However, my numb and nimble little fingers finally finished, and the winner is...

                   Shay.

       Shay, if you send me your address, I will send you a copy of the book.

       Have you--my three followers--had a lightning-bolt moment? A moment when you immediately knew--in an electrical moment--that you'd have to quit your job or divorce or fall in love or surrender or take a risk? 

        Share, please.        

A Well-Told Tale

       Okay, I admit it. I judge books by their covers. And sometimes by their subjects. And sometimes by the subject and the author's appearance.

         Of course, when I do that, I sometimes miss out on reading a real gem...

       I first met Verna Simms at a book signing. A story of hers and a story of mine--along with over a dozen other St. Louis writers--was in the same anthology. Verna was being pushed in a wheelchair by Kim, another writing friend.

       Verna was in her nineties. And she had written a novel. She even had a copy of it, and was eager for someone to offer to look at it.

       Because Verna knew what every writer knows. If you can get someone to hold your book in their hands, they're more likely to buy it.

       I did look at the back blurb. And I was turned off. There was a religious component to the novel, making me think it was one long sermon. Even though Kim said simply, "It's a good book," and I trusted Kim's opinion, I also knew they were friends. What else would someone say with their friend-author inches away? So I read the blurb, and handed the book back to Verna. 

       A book easy to resist, I figured. A preachy novel penned by a little old lady. A snoozefest, I figured.

       However, I was drawn to Verna's story as an author. I barely have enough drive as a writer to submit occasional pieces, and I'm four decades younger than Verna. What kind of woman has the kind of determination to write a novel and get it published? I was curious, so I set up an afternoon to interview her.

        And as I drove the hour or so to Verna's house, I was still smug in my resistance to not buy her book. 

       Soon, however, my resolve dissolved. Verna was so full of spunk and confidence, I eagerly dug into my purse and pulled out cash to buy her novel. Still, I was sure it was going to be a dud.

       Little did I know that Water Under the Bridge would make me want to stay up late at night. I read it during commercials as I watched television in the evenings. I read it every night before--too soon--I got too tired to keep my eyes open. I even took it into the bathroom with me. (Like George Constanza, I now had a book that was red-flagged.)

        On Tuesday I finished Verna Simms' novel. When I got to the last page, there was a character I had truly learned to hate (I really wished this character had gotten killed during the story) but I had learned something else way before I read the final words.

        And that is this: Verna Simms is a true story teller.  
   
        At the end of September I will be giving away a copy of Verna's book. It's a tale of survival and determination. It's the story of a spunky feminist in a little girl's body. It's a real pageturner and it's spectacular.

       Leave a comment, and you'll be entered into the drawing. On September 29 I'll root into the (literal) hat and pick a name.

       

The World According to Verna

        I had the privilege of interviewing Verna Simms on Saturday. Verna is 93; last year, she published her first novel, Water Under the Bridge. Is she content with just one book? Absolutely not. Verna says her next book will be her memoir.

         How did the inequality that women faced affect Verna? Watch this short (a minute or so long) video clip to find out...

          Is Verna plagued by writer's block? Click on the video below to find out.

           Who is Verna's mentor, when it comes to authors? Watch the next video clip...

       
What came first for Verna, the plot or the characters? Find out when you view the next clip.

         I wondered what inspired Verna to write this book. Most women her age would be sitting in a rocking chair and knitting. In the video below, Verna explains what drove her to write her novel.

              What does Verna tell her internal critic? Find it out by watching the clip.

          What do Amazon customers say about Verna's novel? Here is one review: 

Water Under the Bridge, by Verna Simms, has a host of compelling characters. Readers will love some of them, and a few they will hate. The story is set in the 1930s when women had neither a voice nor choice. Main character, feisty preteen, Amelia Hall takes readers on her family's unforgettable journey. The characters come to life on the page. They will stay with me long after closing the book, which I did today. What an adrenaline rush and climactic ending. Rousing applause for this book!

       I confess, I went to Verna's house with a resolve to not buy a book. My bookcase is bursting at the seams, I have a stack of books to read, and so on and so on. I left that afternoon with a book in my hand and a few bucks poorer--Verna was that compelling and that gifted of a salesperson. 

      Be persistent and don't give up. Be productive. And be a book-buyer--purchase Verna's book.