Hi, friends! I am so excited to share my first Friends & Fiction Column for Parade.com about the unexpected joy of snow days, my amazing mom and even a bit about how those days led me to write UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY! Writing newspaper columns was what gave me the bug for writing and eventually led me right here, so, suffice it to say, I am thrilled for this opportunity to go back to my roots.
A Sneak Peek…
Tomorrow, the Rowan County School System will be closed due to weather. In my teenage years, those words on the school system’s automated phone line were music. Magic.
In the kitchen at my parent’s house, friends gathered around. I would call that number on the landline with the twisty cord, wait a few minutes and then hit redial. Then another friend would take my place. When the message changed from “will operate on a normal school schedule” to “will be closed,” it was like Halley’s Comet—rare and wonderful, beautiful and ethereal, and the person who got to hear it first was the true champion.
When one of us announced the good news, Mom, who was usually cooking something for the throngs of always-starving teenagers in her midst, would motion for the phone. She had to hear the message herself before she’d confirm that we could, in fact, have a snow day party.
Head to Parade for the rest of the essay!
Kristin Hannah on Friends & Fiction Tonight!
On tonight’s episode of Friends & Fiction, we are so happy to welcome back our good friend, mega-bestselling author Kristin Hannah. She will join us to talk about her brand new instant #1 New York Times bestselling novel THE FOUR WINDS, as well as the #1 Netflix adaptation of her book FIREFLY LANE. We’ve sure come a long way since we had Kristin on the show as our first-ever guest back in April. And now she’s got lots to talk to us about as two of her books sit atop the bestseller list. Tune in on Wed Feb 24th at 7pm ET via Facebook Live on the F&F Group page, on our YouTube Channel, and on the Parade Magazine page.
Only a Few More Weeks Until UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY!
I can’t believe that UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY will be in readers’ hands in fewer than two months! Wow! I’ll be announcing the dates for my combination live and virtual tour next week, so stay tuned. I’d love to see you at an event. And, of course, it’s never too early to preorder!
Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!
Enjoyed your essay in PARADE.