Cold Mountain, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Blood Done Wrote My Name, etc.

So, what do all these books have in common?  A couple of things actually!

1.  They were books that became films.
2.  The authors have (or did) live in North Carolina.
3.  The authors of these books were all at the Literary Homecoming at East Carolina University this past
     weekend (and the list of books above does not include all the authors that attended!)

I was at the event Friday night and Saturday.  What fun it was to listen to the authors of these books plus many more!  Some of the writers were subdued, one especially outspoken, one a little eccentric. . .

At lunch, the author of The Big Fish, read letters he would leave under his mother's bedroom door when he was 17.  If she woke up, she would know he had made it home.  The letters became little stories about the relationship between Brenda and her boyfriend, Lee.  As he read us the pages his mom had kept about Brenda and Lee, the audience couldn't stop laughing!!

I took a couple of writing workshops that were taught by James Dodson and Lois Duncan.  They both shared some great tips about writing.

Except for lunch, the event(s) were free.  It was an enjoyable night and day listening to their tales, hearing their insights about films and writing, and learning about their personalities.

Can't wait until next year!

This picture is of Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.  It has nothing to do with the event this past weekend, except that Charles Frazier said that he would meet with people at this inn when they discussed filming Cold Mountain!!