FROM THE DESK OF CHRISTY TILLERY FRENCH

Greetings, sweet readers, and welcome to my second newsletter. It's the three H's here - hot, hazy, and humid - and it looks like most of the country is experiencing the same thing. So be sure to stay hydrated and cool and remember our furry friends. If you can't bring your pets inside, please be sure they have plenty of shade and water. You might consider a kid's plastic swimming pool. You can get them cheap at places like Wal-Mart or KMart. Our dogs absolutely love splashing around in theirs.

CURRENT NEWS:

The Bodyguard and the Show Dog has been nominated for the Cata Network 2006 Single Titles Reviewers' Choice Award. The winner will be announced Friday, August 18th. Wish me luck!

I've been interviewed by Kjersti Flaa, a Norwegian journalist who writes for the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet (www.dagbladet.no). She's writing a feature article for a magazine called Magasinet about beauty scams and women's constant search for the right products. Kjersti contacted me after she read my article on "The History of Makeup". I'm happy to say she's asked for a photo and plans to quote me in the article.

My publisher, Behler Publications, advised that they've been contacted by a producer re; the TV/movie rights to The Bodyguard and the Show Dog. For now, I'll keep the name of the producer and production company to myself - don’t want to jinx things. But please keep your fingers crossed.

On Thursday, August 10th, I spoke before the High Country Writers Group at the Watauga Library in Boone, NC. This is a great group of writers and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them. They treated my husband and me to an overnight stay at the Gideon Ridge Inn in Blowing Rock Wednesday night, which was absolutely beautiful. We had a relaxing time and were so thankful for the chance to get away after our beautiful dog, Bradley, unexpectedly died.

SAD NEWS:

Our Weimaraner, Bradley, died Friday, August 4th, and this has literally thrown me into a well of despair. Even though he wasn't with us for any great length of time (he was less than 10 months old), we loved that dog like a child. He had three surgeries within six days which resulted from swallowing a rock that lodged in his small intestines, and died during the third surgery. I miss my Brad so much and wonder at times if I'll ever get through this grief. If you have a pet, please give them a hug for me and say, "This is for Bradley." Thank you. And please, love your pets and enjoy all the good things they can bring into your life.

WRITING TIP:

I'll make this short. When to use who vs. whom. Substitute he for who and him for whom. Example: To whom did you wish to speak - did you wish to speak to him. Who's at the door - he's at the door.


AUTHOR OUCH:

From the moment I picked your book up until I put it down I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it. - "The Book of Insults", Groucho Marx


AUTHOR QUOTE:

"The only time you can’t afford to fail is the last time you try." - Charles Kettering


That's it for now. I hope everyone has a healthy, happy Summer's end.

God bless,

~Christy~