One of the lovely perks of social media and blogging is getting to know lots and lots of writers that I would never meet in person. And one of the joys of meeting other writers is sharing the joy of publication, whether it be a book or a magazine article, a poem or a short story. Most of the time, I blah-blah-blah about my own publications because–well, let’s face it, y’all, the name of the blog is Cathy C. Hall. But today, today is different.

Today is all about you and your lovely publications. Because geez, Louise, y’all. YOU have been busy writing good stuff!

And when I say you, I mean Becky Lewellen Povich, whose memoir, From Pigtails to Chin Hairs, is like a chat at the kitchen table over coffee. Her book is a collection of vignettes, a story told through snapshots of another time and the people and places along the journey of her life. You can’t read this book and not see and hear Becky on every page…or rather, the Becky that she’d become.

Or the you that’s Beth Cato whose The Clockwork Dagger kept me up reading til 1:30 in the morning! It’s a steampunk fantasy  adventure that’s fun and daring and textured and true, and if you haven’t hopped on to one of her blog tours to win this book, you’re missing something special. I’ve loved Beth’s short stories forever–and I’ve been drooling over her recipes (at Bready or Not) forever, too–but this novel might top them all.

And you, too, Julie Hedlund, whose just released picture book, My Love For You Is The Sun, is like a bedtime lullaby.  Her rhyming text, combined with the clay art  illustrations of Susan Eaddy, will rock little ones to sleep, night after night after night. Julie is the founder of 12 x 12, a writing challenge that’s a must for anyone serious about picture books. And you can see in My Love For You Is The Sun a culmination of all that she’s learned–and so generously shared with the kidlit writing community.

And last, but certainly not least, you, Krysten Lindsay Hager whose True Colors just landed in my Kindle reader, thanks to those lovely Lit Ladies and their giveaway! I’ve been laughing at Krysten’s take on…well, just about everything for years and now she has a book?  The tagline alone is brilliant: “Landry never imagined acceptance could leave her feeling so rejected.” How’s that for a great hook?

I love when writer friends succeed on that road to publication, don’t you? And if you’re ever in Georgia–and by you, I mean Becky, Beth, Julie, and Krysten–come say hello.  And I’d really love it if you signed your books!