Catching up

I’ve been away from the blog for a few weeks while attending to an exciting time in my life. For the past two weekends my play, RIP Emma Lou Briggs has been presented onstage at the Performing Arts Center on the Square in Searcy, Arkansas. This was an amazing event for me and the biggest thing that has ever happened to me as a writer.

Each summer the Center hosts a Dessert Theater featuring a smaller work than during the regular Dinner Theater season – a musical revue, magic show or, in this case, a one-act play. When the discussion of a summer show began several months ago, I offered my play for consideration. Rather timidly, I’ll admit. The play had won a first place at the Arkansas Writers Conference, but I had no idea what it would look like on stage.

The theater directors seemed pleased and eager to showcase the work of a local writer, but since it was only one act, it needed a companion piece. I was asked if I would like to read from my books. (My response was something like, “Are you kidding?”) A studio reading was suggested and then an interview/ Q&A time.  And so the program took shape: Presentation of the play RIP, Emma Lou Briggs, followed by a dessert buffet, followed by reading from my novel, The Last to Know. Then four teen actors gave a studio reading of a chapter from the latest novel To Find a Home. The evening ended with an author’s  interview and questions from the audience.

Cool, huh? Such an honor to be spotlighted and have my work heard and appreciated.  I am still pretty gushy about it all – hardly finding words to describe the experience. So I’ll leave it at this for now. Next time, I’ll tell you more about the process of seeing my words on paper become a play.