It was a lovely day in Aurora. A breeze kept it from being unbearably warm. We had a nice crowd in the morning and another one after lunch. But then the rain came! It was fun while it lasted.
Sarah surprised us with a visit.
It was a wonderful day, we sold a few books and made some new friends and connections!
Don’t forget to join us in Washington at the Turnage Theater, Tuesday, September 26th, 7 pm. I’ll be talking about writing, my books and the community of writers who helped me get there.
https://books2read.com/u/4jaeBk
I wrote Chrome Pink when I was in a bit of dark place in my life, we’d just lost our home to fire. This book is about survival, hope and the love of friends, family and that one person who understands and accepts you…this is romance and life. We all know that person who makes bad choices but we don’t always know why. Learning the reasons someone deals with their pain in an unhealthy manner is often the beginning of understanding ourselves. Rae once made the mistake of trusting the wrong person and it nearly cost her life. Now, determined to be strong, she first has to trust herself before she can rely on others and allow herself to be vulnerable. She has a tough exterior but a soft heart. Chrome Pink is Free through all ebook retailers. Get your copy today.
https://books2read.com/u/brYpjA
Dana is glamourous and a bit dramatic, she loves the theater and being in the middle of things. She is the woman you call if you want something done. She juggles her own business with several part-time jobs, plus volunteers. She is based on several women I know who keep our small town moving. When Dana realizes her two missing pageant contestants are being forced into soliciting, she is determined to save them. Dana learns to accept herself, her family’s past and realizes she is more than enough. Any man would be lucky to have her and Jake agrees.
https://books2read.com/u/bzWOrq
Estranged after losing his leg in Afghanistan, Tar must make a few changes and sacrifices to win his family back. When their son Toby goes missing from a neighbor’s party, it threatens to tear them apart once again. Is their love strong enough to survive the loss of their son? Will they lose everything this time around? Jenna and Tar’s story came about after my son’s tour of Afghanistan. He and his wife helped me with this story and it was so nice to have that collaboration.
https://books2read.com/u/b68OqE
My attempt at a true romance complete with weddings, babies and the holidays but… I really like to kill people and blow things up! This is not your typical holiday romance, not unless you consider Die Hard a holiday romance.
https://books2read.com/u/3yEKXB
I finally gave into my dark side and really had fun with this. With the help of my youngest son and his wife, firefighters and first responders, I was able to flesh out this story and really heat things up. Tracy and Billy are on opposites sides of the arson, she’s a reporter and he’s a firefighter, what could go wrong? But a few things manage to go right…I do believe in happy endings even if I have to blow things up and kill people to make it happen.
Welcome Back Michelle Garren-Flye, author, poet and owner of The Next Chapter Books and Art Store.
Bio: Michelle Garren-Flye is the owner of The Next Chapter Books & Art, editor of The Next Chapter Literary Magazine, a multi-published author of romance, children’s books and poetry. In 2021 she was named the Heart of the Pamlico Poet Laureate. Her recent poetry projects include Learning Curve (December 2023), Hypercreativity: Poems, and 100 Warm Days of Haiku, all part of her Poetry Diaries series. Michelle’s other works include UnSong, Far and wee, and HourGlass, an adult comic book based on her poetry.
Sherri: Welcome back to Creekside Café, Michelle. Michelle is the owner of The Next Chapter Books & Art store in New Bern, North Carolina where I have my books for sale. She is also the Heart of the Pamlico Poet Laureate, where, as the Chairperson of the Pamlico Writers’ Group I was able to see her growth and her competition.
It’s good to have you back. You have accomplished so much since we last spoke, your poetry project and literary magazine, what else have you been up to?
Michelle: Hi Sherri, and thank you so much for having me here. I love any chance to talk about poetry and my store. I’ve mainly been working on poetry projects, expanding the reach of the bookstore and the literary magazine. As far as poetry goes, I’ve now published five books, four of which are illustrated, and a graphic novel based on my poetry. I’m having fun learning and experimenting with different forms of poetry, too. My next project, which should be out later this month, is called Learning Curve, and it’s 50 illustrated villanelles, which was a totally new form for me when I started.
Sherri: Because you have so many projects going on I’m going to ask this question in three parts. What are your plans for the store, your writing and the magazine?
Michelle: Well, the store is of course my main focus. I want the store to be a sort of hub for the literary arts community in Eastern North Carolina. I also welcome other arts like visual and musical. The literary magazine is sort of a way for me to reach out and show people visiting our area what a wonderful area this is artistically. That’s why I want to include all types of art in it from photography and paintings to poetry, essays and short stories. As for my writing, I plan to continue writing poetry and experimenting with different forms. So far I’ve learned a lot about haiku (in 100 Warm Days of Haiku), sonnets (in Far & wee) and villanelles (in Learning Curve). I want to continue challenging myself.
Sherri: You are a seasoned author with several published books and one of the hardest things about being a self-published author is marketing, what are your top three things for getting the word out about your books?
Michelle: The best thing you can do is be available for people to meet. So my store, mainly, for me. I’m really excited about the Authors’ Sunday Book Festival at the New Bern Farmers’ Market on November 20, too. I’m seldom able to participate in festivals like this one because they’re always on Saturdays and I’m at the store. Other than that, I’d say social media, particularly Instagram. But you’ve got to be willing to push these boundaries, too. Record a short reading or otherwise talk to potential readers online. I think TikTok is going to become really important, and I haven’t quite gotten brave enough to try that one. And third, update your blog regularly. Which you are definitely better at than I am!
Sherri: Of all the endeavors you’ve attempted, what was the hardest or most difficult to accomplish? What is the one you are most passionate about?
Michelle: This is a tough one. I think it’s my bookstore for both of those. I want it to be a successful business that will support itself and me, and that’s a tough ask of a bookstore. But I am passionate about preserving it. That bookstore has become a part of me, and as uncertain as this world is, I’m going to do my best to make sure it continues.
Sherri: As a mother, business owner, author and your work with the community, how do you juggle everything? What is your one self-care must have that helps you keep your sanity? (I know, you’re a writer, sanity is not guaranteed.)
Michelle: Sanity most definitely is NOT guaranteed. The one thing I decided about a year and a half ago was that as important as the store is for me, I would put my children first. Their schedules, their needs, their well-being has to come first. So I keep what I call “mom hours”. I keep fairly regular hours (10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to allow for picking my daughter up from school during the week, 10-3 on Saturdays), but it’s not always the hours people want me to be open. I hear a lot of “You’re never open”, but I can’t help that. Until the store reaches a certain point, it will not pay me to hire anyone else, and if I’m worrying about my kids, I can’t put my whole heart into running the store. So, to take care of myself and them, I have to keep my priorities straight. I also take a lot of warm baths.
Sherri: Other than your children, what has been your proudest moment? You’ve accomplished so much in a short amount of time. Choosing one thing might be difficult.
Michelle: Wow, that is hard. I am proud of being the Heart of the Pamlico Poet Laureate, of course. I am proud of all my books and my store. Every literary magazine I put out seems to be better than the last. I think, though, that what I am most proud of is that I continue to learn what I don’t know. In poetry, publishing, bookselling, running a business, even being a mom, there’s so much I don’t know yet, but I’m still capable and willing to learn.
Sherri: What would you tell a young or not so young writer who is thinking about giving up?
Michelle: Don’t bother. If you’re a real writer, you’re not going to be able to give up writing. It may never pay your bills, and you’ll probably always have to have a “real” job, but writing isn’t something a writer can give up.
Sherri: Thank you Michelle for being with us again. It is always a pleasure visiting with you. If y’all enjoyed our interview, you can find Michelle at The Next Chapter Books & Art at 320 South Front Street in New Bern. She is also one of the featured authors at the Book Festival Sunday, November 20th, at the New Bern Farmers Market 421 South Front Street, New Bern, NC.
Website:
Instagram:
@michellegflye
@thenextchapterbooksandartnb
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michellegarrenflye/
https://www.facebook.com/TheNextChapterBooksNB
Amazon Author:
New Bern Farmers Market Authors’ Event
1*Hope Andersen https://www.amazon.com/How-Remodel-Life-Hope-Andersen/dp/1734707577
2*Mike Barton xflier@yahoo.com Fantasy
3* Nathan Black Poetry https://www.facebook.com/wherethebreezechapbook
4*Phil Bowie Mystery www.philbowie.com
5* Rosemary Klim Bricker Non-fiction https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Rosemary+Ann+Bricker&i=specialty-aps&srs=17143709011&crid=2AQVZ3NJX7LU5&sprefix=rosemary+ann+bricker%2Cspecialty-aps%2C78&ref=nb_sb_noss
6*Chris Brown Self Help
7 *Paloma Capanna Eclectic http://www.DowntonBeaufort.com
8*Heather Cobham www.heathercobham.com
9*Karen Dodd Eclectic kedodd2@gmail.com
10 *Bill Furney https://www.billfurney.com/
11 *Michelle Garren Flye Poetry https://michellegflye.com/ & https://shelleygee.com/
12*Beth Garver Cozy Mystery/Fantasy The Java Tavern Series
13* Diane Gray Non-Fiction finding her birth familyfhpspeaker@yahoo.com https://books2read.com/u/b5jKLl
14* Sherri Hollister Cozy Mystery https://sherrilhollister.com/
15* Nicole Kerr NF Self Help www.nicolekerr.com
16*Deirdre Kiernan PB Deirdrek45@gmail.com 252- 229, 0918.
17*Jo Anna Kloster MG https://www.emptycagespress.com
18*Veronica Krug Fantasy https://krugbooks.com/
19* Eileen Lettick Children’s eileenlettick@gmail.com https://m.facebook.com/eileenlettick/; https//www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-lettick-347174aO
20* Julie Lombard Eclectic https://www.you-niqueproductions.com
21*Leslie Tall Manning Eclectic http://www.leslietallmanning.com
22*Nina Makhatadze Eclectic https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nina+makhatadze&crid=1NOXDC1RNGYP0&sprefix=%2Caps%2C216&ref=nb_sb_ss_recent_1_0_recen
23*Barbara McCreary MG Historical https://www.facebook.com/ebbandflowshackleford
24 *Murinda MacDonald nonfiction
25 * Sue McIntyre: email: suemcintyre10@gmail.com
26 *Cheryl Meola non-fiction https://manesourcecounseling.com/
27*Margaret Pollock MG https://margaretpollockwrites.com
28*Timothy Reinhardt Fantasy https://timreinhardt.com/
29* Robert Reinschild/DeForest Shields Fiction https:// deforestshields.com
30* Natalie Singletary ? Eclectic www.obconwriting.com
31*Blaine Staat Sci-Fi, Dystopian https://www.staatsbakery.com/blaine-s-books
32*Cyrus Spears (a.k.a. Sirius) Fantasy www.uncrownednovel.com
33*Sarah Maury Swan Children’s YA & MG https://sarahmauryswanlovesbooks.com
34 *Sev Tok Spiritual https://planetsev.com/
35* Stanley Trice Eclectic https://stanleybtrice.com
Children’s Books
Hope Andersen
Deirdre Kiernan PB
Jo Anna Dressler Kloster MG
Eileen Lettick MG & YA
Barbara McCreary MG Historical
Margaret Pollock MG
Sarah Maury Swan MG & YA
Eclectic
Paloma Capanna
Karen Dodd
Michelle Garren Flye
Julie Lombard
Nina Makhatadze
Leslie Tall Manning
Sue McIntyre
Natalie Singletary
Stanley Trice
Fiction
Fantasy
Mike Barton
Veronica Krug
Timothy Reinhardt
Cyrus Spears a.k.a. Sirius
Blaine Staat Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Fiction
William Charles Furney
Heather Cobham
Robert Reinschild/DeForest Shields
Mystery/Suspense
Phil Bowie
Beth Garver
Sherri Lupton Hollister
Non-Fiction
Memoir, etc.
Rosemary Klim Bricker
Cheryl Meola
Murinda MacDonald
Adoption
Diane Gray
Self Help
Hope Andersen
Chris Brown
Nicole Kerr
Spiritual
Sev Tok
Poetry
Nathan Black
Bio:
Nathan Black from Greenville, North Carolina, ECU graduate in English, has worked for various magazines and publications. Writes works of poetry, screenplays, novels, and short stories. Focuses on self-discovery, self-love, religion in the modern world, inspiration, conquering adversities, hatred of pop music, love of pop culture, spiritual awakenings, and love of Sunday mornings. Lives with his wife, Christina and their two cats, Zoey and Yeti.
Sherri: Nathan, it’s good to have you at my virtual café. I read that you are a slam poet. I have had the opportunity to experience slam poetry and it is fantastic. Tell us how you got into it and what slam poetry is.
Nathan: Slam poetry like poetry itself is hard to describe with any solid definitions. Like good art, you know it when you see it, or in this case, hear it. With any art form there are movements amongst the community of Slam poets that give some distinctions to it. The use of cadence, its qualities as a speech more than verse, more akin to free verse, possibly even divorced from what most would consider a poem all together and instead can sound like a rant or prose poetry. There is a very common connection to social justice issues and soci-economic woes. I suppose because I am entrenched in these subjects that is what led me to poetry to begin with. The call of poetry was magnetic for me and so I sought out what it meant for me and what I could gain from it. I went to ECU for English with a concentration in creative writing and so while I was there, I found the spoken word group, Word of Mouth (WOM). It was through them that I got into the challenge and love of writing slam poetry. Even though I will write in this style, I do write prose and more traditional poems as well, but I have found the performance aspect of slam poetry the most engaging and the shot of life that poetry needs in our modern day. Much like rap, I find the most commonality between rhyming verse of hip-hop and slam poetry above all other styles.
Sherri: You are a poet, an author and a screenwriter, that’s a lot of hats and takes different talents. What is the biggest challenge when switching genres and what does each offer the other? What have you learned from one genre that you use in the others?
Nathan: That is a big question. Each of these styles offers different things. Different ways of expression but it boils down to what you are trying to express and how do you feel that message will be best expressed? Sometimes the dialogue of conversation can bring it about in a screenplay. Sometimes the full development of story and mood through a novel is the most grand way. But sometimes a few lines of well placed verse are all you need. And sometimes you write hundreds of pages just to get to that one sentence that sums it all up. There are many ways to get that and as a writer I have tried to search as many as I could without forgetting what it was, I was trying to say to begin with.
Sherri: You have a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, what do you believe has been the best thing you learned in college and what have you had to un-learn as a published author and poet that you were taught in school?
Nathan: ECU and Pitt Community College gave me everything in a way. Yes, I did the work but these school gave me the ground to take off from. It gave me the experience to express myself openingly. The teachers guided without restricting me, but at the same time they pointed out what needed to be improved and what I could do better in, and I really think we all need someone like that. Creative writing isn’t a concrete direction but a lifetime of development and a continuous revision that never ends. There are no right or wrong answers, only the product that either yields something or brings something that could be redone. There are no mistakes. I love that. I can think of no other school of learning that can give this kind of confidence, but that is my experience and my mindset. For someone else this might be completely different. But my years at university gave me everything, from confidence to perspective, to insight on the craft, to clarity of purpose, to enhanced empathy. It didn’t help me learn how to navigate the literary world or how to publish a hundred percent, but it did give suggestions and that has been useful. I don’t think there was anything I needed to unlearn from this period because it really only gave me a chance to learn myself and I wouldn’t want to undo that.
Sherri: Are you traditionally published, small press or independently published? What do you feel are the pros and cons in each?
Nathan: I am self-published, although I have been published in magazines and small presses. There are benefits to both. One: having traditional publishing means you don’t have to worry about the hard parts which I believe are advertising and promoting. Two: the writing part is the blissful work that comes with the job. The marketing, finance, and promoting part can make you feel like a hack and a second-rate Barnum and Bailey, but when it pays off it really feels like a win. I can’t fault self-publishing for that, but it is nice when someone does the heavy lifting for you. Because I have been playing music in bands around Greenville for more than ten years, a college town, I’ve grown accustomed to being in front of crowds and putting myself out there so it’s not such a struggle for me but promoting always seems like such a feat when you first get started. I love it all the same.
Born in 1984 in Augusta, Georgia, Nathan Black was born in a military hospital at Dwight David Eisenhower Medical Center before he and his parents moved to Indiana where his parents joined a Christian learning academy. They moved to Greenville 1987 where Nathan would be raised. Here he went to JH Rose High School, Pitt Community College, and eventually ECU where he got his degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. In that time he wrote articles for Mixer, G-Vegas Magazine (WhereUParty), REBEL, and ENC Community Magazine. While at ECU he joined Word of Mouth (WOM) as one of their slam poets and competed around the state winning contests with the group against UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, NC State, and other schools. He has written three books of poetry, Where The Breeze (2016), The Frozen Garden (2017), and The Things We Have Lost (2022). Apart from this, he has written a stage play, Weathermen, a small book of short stories, Portals (2018), and a novel, Sparrow’s Fall (2019). In this time he has made it a centerpiece of his life and has involved himself in other writing circles and poetry groups across the state. Nathan continues to write and perform to this day. His new novel The Knight of Red and White is set to be released in early winter 2022.
https://www.facebook.com/nathan.black.100
https://www.facebook.com/wherethebreezechapbook
Sherri: If you enjoyed this interview with Nathan Black, come visit us at the New Bern Farmers Market, Sunday, November 20th, 2022, 1 to 4 pm. Nathan is one of the 35 featured authors at this event.
Today I’m with Christina Howerin, the host of the upcoming Valentine’s Popup Vendor Event at the newly opened, The Venue, Main Street, Aurora. Hello, what are you hoping to accomplish with this first vendor event?
Christina: Hello, thank you so much for being a vendor and this interview! I recently joined the Aurora Leadership Counsel, and was trying to find a fun way to help local vendors and attract people to come see some of the talent we have here in Aurora.
Sherri: You have several jobs and a couple of independent businesses; how do you juggle everything plus serve on several community organizations?
Christina: Juggle is the magic word… lol I work 40 hours weekly for Pamlico County DSS in the food stamp dept., I have a vendor booth at The Backyard Bee’s in New Bern, I recently changed beauty companies. I am now with VIC Beauty from California and I am also with Park Lane Jewelry.
Sherri: What is the name of your business?
Christina: I was thinking of nicknaming myself Backwoods Barbie.
Sherri: I love it.
Christina: After getting the coffee mug, it just fit.
Sherri: The Venue is the Chamber’s new venture. Are you part of the Chamber of Commerce? Who is handling The Venue rental?
Christina: I have not yet added the Chamber of Commerce to my “Juggle list” yet. I will hopefully be doing that soon. Denise Bonner (252) 670-3711 is a member and she handles the Venue.
Sherri: The town of Aurora has had a bit of a revival lately. It is so good to see the community coming together to make changes. You’re a part of that change.
Christina: Thank you! It’s so nice to see people coming together. I invite everyone to come out to any of the Aurora Leadership Council meetings. Aurora events and happenings can be found on www.auroralife.us. Make sure to sign up for the “Community Life” newsletter also!
Sherri: I’ve invited my fellow writers from the Pamlico Writers’ Group to bring their books to the Popup Event. Who else is going to be at The Venue?
Christina: I started the vendor adventure with my former beauty company about a year ago. I have made some awesome and talented friends. There will be MT’s Cupcakes, Ms. Mary Jenkins, & Funnels of Love, we also have Scentsy, East Coast Customs, 2 Creative Sista’s, handmade wood crafts, purses, towels, jewelry, Colorstreet, Tulaxii, a wide array
Sherri: You were talking of doing other events; what else do you have in mind?
Christina: I plan on trying to have a popup once a month. Next month is set for March 12th. Vendors can sell their items and/ or have a yard sale table. Space is limited, so first to pay gets a spot. If interested, please contact me (252) 375-0915 to be added to my Facebook group of vendors.
Plus Pure Romance representative, handcrafted items and jewelry designer, Bridgett Bonner
and more…
Don’t miss this holiday event at The Venue. Find great gift ideas or something for yourself.
I’m so excited to be included in this event.
The Leeward Files Giveaway— Don’t forget to use the hashtag The Leeward Files #theleewardfiles in order to be added to the drawing. The drawing is Sunday, October 25th. You have to use the # in order to be a part of the drawing.
If you follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sjlhollisterwriter , Twitterhttps://twitter.com/Jeanelia1964 or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/suspenseshewrites/, you simply have to post a picture, meme or GIF with the hashtag #theleewardfiles to be included in the drawing.
Social media has no responsibility in this giveaway it is solely an author contest.
The Leeward Files Trilogy is a compilation of the first three books in the Leeward Files series: Chrome Pink, White Gold and Titanium Blue.
Leeward is the fictional small town in eastern North Carolina. The town appears idyllic but dark secrets lurk just beneath the surface. It is experiencing a bit of new growth as community development grants filter in and the town begins to rebuild. A new art gallery opens in the old, abandoned shopping mall, down town is flourishing with little shops, cafes and museums but everything is built on a house of cards and they will all come crashing down once the truth is revealed.
Chrome Pink is a suspense thriller with a little romance and women’s fiction. Rae Lynne Grimes, a rape survivor is accused of killing her dates and must prove her innocence but the only way to do that is put herself in the path of a killer. She has to learn to trust herself and believe she is worth loving. Logan Birdsong is the first man who has gotten past her defenses, but can she trust a man who works for her worst enemy?
Dana Windley, the diva in White Gold, is a vivacious woman who with a little more coffee and a few more sequins could probably take over the world. While organizing a local beauty pageant two of her contestants go missing. When she discovers them being forced to turn tricks at a local mall, Dana is determined to rescue them. With he help of North Carolina SBI agent Jake Monroe and her friends, Dana uncovers a sex trafficking ring. Clues lead them back to the cold case that brought Jake to town, and even more secrets. A multi-cultural romantic suspense.
Jenna and Tar Roberts are estranged and on the verge of divorce in Titanium Blue. This second chance romance suspense thriller brings former Marine, Tobias Anthony Roberts aka Tar back to his family. His leg wasn’t the only thing he lost due to the war in Afghanistan but losing his family was his own fault. Now, back in Leeward as a Police officer, Tar is determined to get his family back, but his second chance is threatened when their son, Toby goes missing. Is Tar once again to blame for ripping his family apart? Will they ever have their fairy tale life?
If you haven’t read the first three books of the Leeward Files series, you have missed how family isn’t always about blood, it’s the ones who are there to love and support you. For Rae Lynne, Dana and Jenna, these three best friends since middle school are closer than family.
The community of Leeward is much like the one I grew up in with less murders. Each year a beautiful young woman does events to promote breast cancer awareness as well as bring attention to other forms of cancer in the community. She celebrates the survivors and recently, she became a cancer survivor.
Each year we put on a fossil festival to bring more commerce and tourists to our community. Fundraisers such as the fossil festival beauty pageant are held to help pay for different attractions, games and rides. With our main source of revenue coming from the phosphate plant, our leading attraction the fossil museum, everything centers around fossil especially sharks’ teeth.
Another event is our annual 5K run to honor our veterans and our veteran’s breakfast.
Our community comes together to raise money for our school, our churches, people in need and things we believe in like finding a cure for cancer or supporting our veterans. This is small town America but like any other place on earth there is a dark side, drugs, alcohol abuse, sex trafficking, prejudice, bullying, rape and murder, and unfortunately a thousand other crimes and immoral behaviors. I use a lot of these bad things to and escalate them to make my stories more interesting but too often they are closer to the truth than we want to believe. But I prefer to focus on the good and show how the blue-collar worker can be the hero in the story, and how average people can have their happy ever after endings.
If you like suspense thrillers with a little romance, strong female characters, blue-collar heroes and heroines set in a small town, then come visit Leeward, who knows, you might like it.
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