Carol Sheldon

My New Book

Hi Everyone,

I’m so excited to tell you about my new historical novel, Driven to Rage. First, let me apologize for not keeping up with my blog. My computer crashed twice—I finally got a new one. I also had some trouble loading photos on my blog, so postponed sending text. I know—excuses, excuses. The biggest reason is I’ve been driven by writing my book. I have to get it in print very soon, and on the market. Here’s why:

When I was in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in fall of 2011, selling, and giving readings, radio interviews, etc. for Mother Lode, I was asked if I’d write a book about the 1913 miners’ strike, Big Annie (real person,) and the Italian Hall Tragedy. I surprised myself by saying yes. Jumping to the chase, writing that book is what’s been taking all my time. This year is the 100th year anniversary of the events mentioned. Memorials have been going on since last fall. I must get back to the Upper Peninsula, where I’m most likely to garner interest. Of course, I hope people everywhere will enjoy a good historical novel, as they have my first book.

The story follows a family through this tumultuous period in history, members of whom take opposing sides on the Labor vs. Management issue. Unions were not even considered by the management of industrial firms.

Also, against the background of the mining community, there’s murder, love, brother against brother, betrayal and all the stuff that makes you want to turn the page. Sheriff Earl Foster and a couple other characters you may remember from Mother Lode join us in this new story. And if you haven’t read Mother Lode—no problem; you can still order it. But it’s not necessary to enjoy  Driven to Rage.

This post is a heads-up. The book should be available by next month. I promise, I will be writing more, so stay tuned, please. And sign up for my blog.

Best,

Carol

Hi All,

PLEASE FORGIVE PUBLICATION OF THE PICTURE OF MY NEW BOOK COVER–IT WASN’T READY, DIDN’T EVEN HAVE MY NAME ON IT, NOR TEXT OF NEW BLOG. COMING SOON,THOUGH!

My last blog was written in Dec. Then, to make it worse this blog never got posted! It was drafted ON DECEMBER 9, 2012. So here ’tis.

First I have to tell you about my play, “On with the Wind”, a comedy about some senior citizens trying to watch an old  video of “Gone with the Wind.” It played with several other one-acts on Dominican University Campus. What fun. And the greatest, dedicated, and fun-loving cast I’ve ever worked with. Thank you, guys,

In the meantime, I have also been trying to finish and publish a children’s story called “You Mean the World to Me,”about saving the planet. I am working with an illustrator in the Phillipines! It’s going very slowly.

For those of you who loved “Mother Lode”, good news on the way. I am working hard on the sequel–again, and hope to have it out by June. I’ll try to make another trip to the UP to promote it. That was such fun last time. The book will include the strike of 1913 and the Italian Hall disaster, but a couple of mysteries and love interests too.

In the meantime, remember books make great gifts, mine or someone elses.

Talk to you soon. And write to me. I love to hear from you.

Hi Everyone,

Here’s a photo regarding the BAIPA award for Best Fiction that I talked about in my last email.

I had a second reading/q&a at Book Passage this month, this time in San Francisco. Yea! The first BP reading was in Marin. There was a really sweet, attentive audience, and about half of them bought MOTHER LODE. (That’s a very good average.) My friend, Teresa Leyung Ryan interviewed me again.

Teresa and fans at my reading in SF.

She is a writer herself, as well as being a writer’s coach, and definitely my cheerleader.  The evening was a joyful one.

I suddenly find myself on overload–not really a bad place to be, but my head is turned in so many directions! My play On With The Wind was chosen for the Marin Fall Fringe Festival. I am revising it, and will be directing this comedy. As some of you know I’m writing a sequel to MOTHER LODE, and also downsizing a children’s book from 40 pages to picture book size! That’s turned out to be huge, as it involves so much of what writers call ‘killing your children.’ BTW, if you’re looking for an illustrator try guru.com. You can list your proposal and the quotes will pour in. Quite exciting.Then there are a couple of contests I need to get going on before the deadline.

This is all in addition to refurbishing my condo and making multiple trips to show it from  Sausalito to Novato. Well, never a dull moment.

I’d love to hear from you on this blog.

Best,

Carol

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 19^th 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 http://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.