ANOTHER OPENING, ANOTHER SHOW!

Posted on April 14, 2012 by

Last night the Marin Fringe Festival of One-acts and Solos opened on Dominican University Campus. A nice crowd appreciated our efforts. To those of you who know me only as a writer, acting has been a life-long love of mine as well. This project was a fresh relief from writing/researching the mining industry in the 19th century. I wrote and performed 3 monologues, entitled “Three Old Ladies Talk About Sex”. One was a British lady answering questions for a sexology club. The second was a southern woman remembering her one night of love, and the third a French woman bemoaning the fact that we don’t have Viagra for the mind. But I haven’t been on stage for several years, and as memory fades, it becomes harder and harder to learn lines. I practiced them every day for weeks. There were times when I thought I’d never be ready, and it used to be so easy to learn lines. But gratefully, all went well last night and I had many favorable comments. Seven friends were in the audience, and I expect more in the coming performances. Hope to see you there, too, if you’re in the Bay Area!

PROGRAM ONE

DIRTY QUESTIONS

Written & Directed by George Dykstra

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

Written by David Hirzel, Directed by Jim Colgan

MONOLOGUES: OLD LADIES TALK ABOUT SEX

By Carol Sheldon / Coached by Pamela Rand

RECIPE FOR LIFE

Written & Directed By Melinda E. Lopez

NOAH, THE PLAY By Charley Lerrigo & Randall

Van Nostrand, Directed by Charley Lerrigo

ALL GONE – A COMEDY SKETCH

Written & Directed by Pamela Rand

THE GATEKEEPER

By Patricia L. Morin, Directed by Suzan Lorraine

Awards presented by a Bay Area Theatre Critics Jury for Best Works, Actors, Actresses & Directors on Sunday, April 29, after Program II.

Meadowlands Assembly Hall, Dominican University of California

50 Acacia Avenue at Grand Avenue, San Rafael

For directions visit www.fringeofmarin.com

(click: “directions”-”contact”-”campus map”)

Reservations and Information: 415-673-3131

Awarded the Bay Area Theatre Critics Award for

One Act Festivals at Dominican University of California since 1991

The Fringe of Marin is a member of Theatre Bay Area

Friday, April 13 @ 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 15 @ 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 21 @ 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 22 @ 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 28 @ 7:30 p.m.

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READING A GREAT SUCCESS!

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

I’m still high from yesterday’s event at Book Passage. Lots of people turned out. Many already had read the book, but came to support me. Others were new. It was exhilarating to see so many attentive faces. I was introduced by one of the managers of the store, with more bio on me than I knew existed! I read part of Chapter 3, then Writing Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan interviewed me, followed by questions from the audience. Then this loyal audience lined up at the cash register to purchase books, which I then signed for them. All very exhilarating. I’d always thought book signing would be the most tedious part of giving book signings, but I loved it!

We finished off with a party at my house with those I knew, which my friend Maggie Blackford and Barbara Bruin helped to prepare—champagne, chili and lots of goodies. I thank all who supported me in their various ways, including Stuart who took pictures and a video of the interview.

Yesterday was surely a highlight in my writing career.

Posted in book readings, Copper, copper mining, Historical Fiction, marketing, mystery, travel, Upper Peninsula of Michign, writing | Tagged | 3 Comments

My Events and Publishing University

Posted on March 16, 2012 by

This Sunday, March 18th, I’ll be reading and discussing MOTHER LODE at Book Passage in Corte Madera at noon. Book Passage is the most prestigious book store around, and I feel very honored to have been invited to present there. The reading is at noon. I have invited Teresa LeYung Ryan, the great writers’ coach and cheer leader to share the podium with me, doing an interview format. Then I will read, followed by questions from the audience. I’m looking forward to it, and hope that if you’re in the Bay Area, you’ll come join us. This is my fourth reading in Marin, and may be the last–at least for awhile.

And in April I’m participating in the Marin One-Act and Solo Festival to be held in Meadowlands Hall on the Dominican University Campus. Wow, writing these pieces was fun, fast and easy. Memorizing at this point in life is another matter. But it’s coming. I hope you’ll attend the festival. There are two totally separate programs. I’m in Program I. I’ll write more about the dates later.

Last week I attended a publishers’ workshop. Lots of wisdom shared about marketing, social media–oh, I have to get better at that. I did learn that you could consolidate all your social media on Hootsuite–for free, and send posts to several sites without leaving your dashboard, and the tedium of signing in to each site. Whew! I think that will help.

Take care,

Carol

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READING OF MOTHER LODE COMING UP!

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

Hi again,

Some news–I will be talking about and reading from MOTHER LODE at Book Passage in Corte Madera on March 18th. at 12:00 noon. This is a very prestigious place to read and I feel honored to be a feature author there–quite amazed, in fact.  The thing is, I need your support. There’s nothing more humiliating for an author than addressing an audience of 2 or 3 for 45 minutes, which happens, believe me. So please, if you even think you might go, put it on your calendar now. I need your help. And I promise, you will enjoy it, whether you’ve heard me read before or not. (Someone said at Sunday’s California Writers’ Club meeting Sunday, “If we go to enough of your readings, will we get to hear your whole book?”) Fun. Actually, I don’t have any more readings scheduled at this time. so this would be a very good time for you to come. N’est pas? It’s free!

Looking ahead, I will be performing 3 monologues I wrote in April at the Marin Festival of One Acts and Solos. This will take place on Dominican University Campus in Meadowlands Hall. Although I’ve always loved to act, I haven’t been on stage for seven or eight years, and as I suspected memorizing these monologues is much harder now than it would have been in my youth. So I started early, and still have six more weeks to rehearse. The set is called “Three Old Ladies Share Their Views on Sex.” One is French, one British and one Southern American. I’m looking forward to it–the writing part was easy. More to come on this event.

On books in general, for readers and writers alike: PLACE is a strong element in any novel, or should be. It can be so strong that it becomes a character in your book, inseparable from the rest of the book. Cara Black is a wonderful example of this, with her books on Paris. And James Lee Burke with his Louisiana swamps and bars in and around New Orleans. I hope I have done the same framing my work in the mining community of Michigan. If you’re a writer and can imagine your story in other settings, then you haven’t hit pay-dirt of the community you’re writing about. ‘Nuf said for now on that subject.

Blessings,

Carol

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OOPS, CORRECTION!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by

I recently discovered that the manner in which I’d set up to order my book through CreateSpace, had an extra ‘p’ in it, and therefor would not take you to the right place. I have corrected that and made it an easy link to click on, so I hope that those of you who’d like to order MOTHER LODE that way will be able to do so with ease.

I am looking forward to my reading from my book Thursday evening with other authors at Why There Are Words, at 3333 Caledonia, in Sausalito. If you live in the Bay Area would love to see you there at 7:00.

Coming up next: More on these later.

A reading at Book Passage March 18,                                                                                   Marin Fringe Festival–performing 3 monologues I wrote, various dates in April.

Blessings,

Carol

 

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IT’S ALREADY FEBRUARY!

Posted on February 4, 2012 by

Hi Everyone,

I guess I’ve been delinquent in keeping up my blog–not a good way to start out the new year. Well, here’s the news from my end.

I will have a reading from MOTHER LODE this Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7:00, along with some other authors at 333 Caledonia in Sausalito. This is sponsored by Peg Purcell, and the prestigious series she sponsors called Why There Are Words. I’m quite excited about this. There’s always a full house, and Peg brings in some excellent authors. I’m honored to have been chosen. If you’re in the Bay Area, please try to come.

I have two people who are looking for a film maker for MOTHER LODE. They feel the material is so graphic and has to be a film! If any of you reading this know of someone who might be interested in this project, please let me know.

If you’re a writer, please leave a comment, and let’s get acquainted.

Blessings,

Carol                                                                                                               ”Believe, define and create what you desire.”

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Posted on January 2, 2012 by
Sunset, Oceanside, CA

As I say good-bye to 2011, I give thanks for the rewards of my creative endeavors. MOTHER LODE, my first novel was published. A play of mine was produced, and I read my poetry on a Bay Area Radio station. I am very grateful for the response to all my creative endeavors.

As I look forward to 2012, I hope to have another year of artistic creations. I will share with you that I have begun a new novel, (Don’t hold your breath.) I’m sure those of you who enjoyed MOTHER LODE will appreciate another story with Sheriff Earl Foster. I will tell you more as I move along inside the year of 1913.

In the meantime, I wish you all a year full of adventures, happy surprises, good health, happiness and prosperity. Be kind to yourselves, and read.

Love,

Carol

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