Pat McCoy, Karen Moody, Dr. Marla Kendall and Jacqueline Morris
This past Thursday Evening, I had the privilege of visiting the jazzy sisters of the Godyva Chocolate Sensation Book Club in Riverdale, Georgia. Dr. Marla Kendall invited me to her book club after reading my first novel, “The Cat on Salter’s Point.” She enjoyed the book so much, she convinced the lovely ladies in the Godyva Chocolate Sensation Book Club to read the book as well.
I met Dr. Kendall at the Marietta Artist Market this past summer in August. She and her husband stopped by my booth one scorching, hot Saturday afternoon, after being drawn in by the colorful sunflower sign displaying the covers of both books.
I discovered during our conversation, her husband and I work for the same federal agency. We even passed each other in the hallway on occasion, often speaking briefly as we went about our work duties. After listening to my spiel on both books for ten minutes, Dr. Kendall decided to purchase one. She settled on “The Cat on Salter’s Point,” promising to read it within the next couple months. She, then asked, if I would be interested in coming to her book club and of course, I told her I was. I gave her my phone number and she promised to contact me after she finished reading the book.
As promised, I received a telephone call from her last month. A few days before Thanksgiving and she excitedly told me with lotsa of laughter in her voice how much she enjoyed reading the book. Again, she invited me to her book club and on Thursday evening I had a wonderful time talking with her and her friends about “The Cat on Salter’s Point.”
I shared with them my inspiration for the book as well as my professional background and inside knowledge on some of the characters in the books. We had an insightful and moving conversation about the topic of mental illness. Our discussion first focused on the humorous side of mental health then we talked about the dark side. The recent mass shootings came up and we took note of the disturbing correlation mental illness often plays in these horrific situations.
Two of the ladies shared their own personal experiences with mental illness. One had a family member suffering from paranoid schizophrenia while another had a friend who committed suicide. We talked about the opioid drug epidemic and the impact opioids have on the rising suicide rate in America. It was quite a conversation, and I was delighted to know my novel inspired these ladies to openly share their experiences and feelings on the sensitive topic of mental health.
By the end of the evening, these jazzy sisters in the Godyva Chocolate Sensation Book Club decided to purchase my second novel “Three Sheets in the Wind.” My second novel is the sequel to “The Cat on Salter’s Point.” These lovely ladies have invited me back to their book club in June to discuss their take on “Three Sheets In The Wind.” I am looking forward to meeting with them and I can’t wait to hear their reviews!
“The Cat on Salter’s Point” and “Three Sheets In The Wind” not only gives the reader an in-depth look on the commonality of mental illness in our everyday lives, but the novels are hilarious, dark and quirky; promising to keep you on the edge of your seat! You can purchase both books on Amazon; available in paperback, and on Kindle. To order a copy, click on the link below.
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06XBDKBYC
Note: If you participate in a book club and live in the Atlanta metro area, consider adding “The Cat on Salter’s Point” and “Three Sheets In The Wind” on the club’s reading list for 2019. If you wish to schedule a question and answer session with me in the near future after reading both books, don’t hesitate to email me at adixonthomas@gmail.com. In the meantime, Have Yourself A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
I bet that was a powerful moment. Continue to reach out …