Belle's Book Tour

Belle’s Book Tour

William Morrow/HarperCollins gave Belle Cantrell in spite of her disreputable conduct.  I tagged along.

Sept 15, 2005 – Winston-Salem, NC
Belle sashayed over to Winston-Salem, North Carolina where I spoke about her at the Southeastern Book Sellers Association or SEBA.

Sept. 27, 2005—Beverly Hills, CA
Belle debuted in style at Barnes and Noble’s – store at the Grove in Beverly Hills, where over one hundred people showed up for a celebration of Louisiana.  I donated half my royalties to victims of Katrina.

October 2, 2005—Memphis, TN
Belle’s tour began in earnest when I flew to Memphis.  

October 3, 2005—Memphis
Bright and early the next morning I was dressed and smiling for “The Morning Show” on FOX 13 at 7:15 AM.  Belle was of course ready, gazing beguilingly from the cover of her book. From there we went over to WREG CBS Channel 3 where I was “Live at Nine.”  That evening the wonderful bookstore, Davis Kidd hosted a “Bad Girls’ Night Out” with champagne and chocolates for Miss Belle.  

October 5, 2005—Blytheville, AK
I met Mary Gay Shipley and read at That Bookstore in Blytheville, one of the great independents in the nation.  If you-all have the good fortune to be in Blytheville drop in on Mary Gay and bask in her cultural oasis.

October 6-9 2005—Nashville, TN
The Southern Festival of Books greeted Belle with enthusiasm.  Too bad it was pouring down rain most of the weekend.  But the wonderful people at the Festival gave me the auditorium for my speech.  I met the delightful people at Joseph-Beth Booksellers as well as some fascinating writers, such as Juno-award winning singer-writer Connie Kaldor & and her husband, music producer Paul Campagne, from Montreal, who were there with her children’s book and music. Belle and I joined Ray Brassfield at WKCT-AM, “Drive Time,” and I was able to visit the beautiful capitol building.  It was a real thrill to walk around the Assembly Room where women finally got the right to vote.

October 10, 2005—Birmingham, AL
I began at “Good Day Alabama.” WBRC-TV (FOX) and spent the rest of the day with the delightful ladies of the Birmingham Junior League.  My special thanks goes to Juliet “Juju” Beale who accompanied me to all three bookclub meetings and who was too much a lady to act as bored as she must have been when I was asked the same question for the third time.

October 11, 2005—Atlanta, GA
My very social cousin, Joel Lowenstein and her husband, Irwin, were kind enough to give me and bad girl Belle a book signing party before I went to the Chapter 11 for my official book signing there.

October 12, 2005 I flew back to LA, the first leg of my book tour over.