WLT and The Texas Book Festival

Thanks to everyone who stopped at our booth this weekend during the Texas Book Festival! For all those new faces, it was a pleasure getting to meet you, and for all of our members and friends who came by, it was great seeing you again!

This weekend was a huge success, especially for our author members who signed books at the booth and for our two staff members, Cyndi Hughes and Bethany Hegedus, both of whom participated in some panels! The Bookish Brunch also was a hit! Authors H.W. Brands, S.C. Gwynne, Bethany Hegedus, James McGrath Morris, and René Saldaña, Jr. were wonderfully entertaining and the food provided by Frances Townsend, Ted Gilman, and Kerbey Lane Cafe was delicious. Many thanks to BookPeople for selling books at the event as well.

As promised, here are the best of the writing prompts that we featured at our booth this weekend.

• She passed over a crumpled page that said, “That’s the beginning of the end of my career as a writer.” – Tom Dalton
• He stood quietly, as if waiting, and I pondered whether to tell him his fly was down. – Jeanna
• She passed over a crumpled page that said, “Do not fold, spindle or mutilate.” She laughed.  – Caitlin Kinkade
• He stood quietly, as if waiting, and I was suddenly aware of my sweaty palms; there was an awkward and tense silence that hung in the air like a blade above a guillotine. – Amellia
• The craft landed in front of me and Larry, the eerie blue glow of its underside illuminated his face where I saw trepidation and excitement at what awaited us.
• He stood quietly, as if waiting, and I watched as he began to sweat bullets. He realized I knew who he was and what he’d done.
• I was aware all along of the menace looming behind me, waiting for me, yet I continued onward out of the cave and toward the daylight, determined and sweat soaked. – Caitlin Conran
• He stood quietly, as if waiting, and I said, “Last year your mother lost her underwear while we were crossing the Fort Sam Quadrangle, and if you think I’m taking her to another Veteran’s Day parade, you’re crazy.” – Kathy Waller
• I was aware all along of how unaware I was. – Kari Rosenfeld
• I was aware all along of the passing absurdity of writing prompts. – Ken Jones

–Ashley

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Listen to KUT’s Interview with James McGrath Morris

We aren’t the only people who love James McGrath Morris — KUT, a public radio station operated by the University of Texas at Austin, does too! KUT’s Jennifer Stayton interviewed Morris about his new book on Joseph Pulitzer. Check the interview out here!

The NEW BLOG and an Author Interview with James Morris McGrath

We’re finally getting the ball rolling with our new and improved blog! As you’ll notice, it’s no longer “A Brief Word,” but has now assumed the name of “Scribe.” Monday through Friday we will be featuring a different type of blog post, from author interviews to writing prompts to featured industry news and more! Check back each day to find out something new and/or interesting that’s going on at WLT or the publishing world.

Mondays will always be getting your week started with an often entertaining and always informative author interview. Our premier author is James McGrath Morris, who is one of the Texas Book Festival authors, a WLT’s class presenter at the “Words in Progress” Seminar, and a featured author at WLT’s Bookish Brunch (whew, busy author!)

So, without further ado, here’s the interview with James:

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
When I was 18, but it took me 32 years before I felt I had become one. I earned money as a reporter and editor, but never felt like I was truly a writer until a publishing house was willing to gamble a sufficiently large enough sum of money on my idea. That didn’t happen until my 50th birthday.

What is your writing routine and where do you write?
I write better in the morning. I am an early morning person, a habit that dates back to