Saw "Gastronomy" front and center last night at the Union Square Barnes & Noble!

Dear Michelle:

You may not know me or my work, but I am the national bestselling, award winning novelist of six critically acclaimed novels who has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.

On Jan 9th, 2010 my debut novel, SUGAR will celebrate its 10th anniversary and in order to commemorate this milestone I am campaigning to sell 10,000 copies between now and that date.

“Bernice L. McFadden's first novel begins with the brief, poetic description of a crime so startling that the reader is helplessly drawn in, as if a bright red door stood ajar on a bleak and forbidding house. Pearl Taylor's daughter, Jude, has been found murdered and mutilated near a field at the edge of town. "The murder had white man written all over it," writes McFadden. "But no one would say it above a whisper. It was 1940. It was Bigelow, Arkansas. It was a black child. Need any more be said?" In the years that follow, Pearl catches sight of Jude in so many strangers that when Sugar Lacey comes to town and sets up her unwholesome "business" in the house next door, she doesn't know whether to believe what she sees in Sugar's face: a striking similarity to Jude, dead 15 years. In her sedate but supple prose--rising at times to a light, unforced lyricism in the description of landscape or character--the author perfectly renders the closed and protective society of a small Southern town, the superstitions, gossip, and prying.”


I’m asking that you purchase a copy of SUGAR for yourself, a friend or family member. And yes, KINDLE purchases count.

If you could help spread the word by blogging, twittering and Face-booking my campaign, it would mean the world to me.


Peace & Light,

Bernice L. McFadden
www.amazon.com
www.B&N.com

Thanx for the welcome and request. I've read some of your posts and am looking forward to reading some of your work.

Michelle -- I just saw that you left a comment for Tamra Davis -- she's a good friend! Let's hook you guys up.

Hi Michelle
I've just put down your book after two days solid reading. Superb reading, warm, funny and inspiring. You had me with a Room with a View - my favourite movie and story of all time. I too have to watch this movie alone. Your life sounds fun even if it meant writing from a wardrobe. Looking forward to reading more of your works!!

Cate

Nice to meet you, too, Michelle! I'm glad you like my blog -- yours is terrific!!

Hello Michelle;

Promotions for me hasn't begun on any big scale yet. My mother has a saying, "When you can't find a horse, ride a cow." I have a smart mom. The way I use this bit of good advise is, by knowing the market here, the fact that there are only 12,000 people on my island, and the island is long, so the residents are scattered, I promote whenever I can.

It means that I will rarely sell more than three books at a time, but I get my work out there. I self-publish, self-bind my books, and I take advantage of my small town by going to people I know, (who will support my work on that fact alone) even talking to people in line at the bank, always having a few books with me, and signing and selling on the spot. I've done this for a year, and sold close to 100 books, earning over $1,000.00.

There is an event I am preparing for next month, and as it will be a cultural fair, and the only one I'll attend in an entire year, I'm placing much emphasis in hopes that I will sell at least 50 books then. But in the meantime, I take my mom's advise, and work with what I've got. It doesn't cost me anything, as I would be using the gas to drive and pay bills, banking and so forth, in any event.

I also own and operate a at-home library and internet cafe. Although business is slow, I do get customers you come in for other reasons, purchasing my books, which are always on display. Again, I work with what I can afford. You can check out my business on my MYSPACE page.

Look forward to chatting again. Please forgive the long e-mail. I'm rather anti-social, but can't stop once I start writing!

Sherelle

That's Ernie's cousin Benny, my brother and his girlfriend's dog.

Thank you for such an amazing note and offer. Unfortunately I don't think we are coming back to NYC until Sept 12. The weekend before school starts. I can ask mike if he thinks we may come back sooner. Oh man this sounds like so much fun and I can't wait to read your book. I see it's already available on amazon. I will order one now. Congratulations on having it out and completed!