Entrance to Kathy L. Murphy’s Little Cabin in the Woods, Murphy’s Law and Art Studio!
Dear Readers,
What in the world makes the Pulpwood Queen bound out of bed in the morning! What makes her tick, you might ask? After one semester of graduating from college and trying to figure out exactly that, I think I finally figured it out. It is now my time to do what I want to do, period. All our lives we work and work hard to get ahead, to earn what we think we need to purchase, what we think we need. With a cabin bursting at the seams with all the stuff I have accumulated, what does this all mean?
First, after going through a divorce nearly five years ago, I surround myself with all the things I love. I literally needed something to cling to as I put my life back together again. Gifts from friends, the art of my friends and mine, special mementos purchased on all my many travels. and family keepsakes. I love to decorate with lots of colors and collect many things, found objects, rocks, typewriters, weird gadgets, vintage books, games, and dolls from around the world. Things that make me happy and bring me joy,, like cat statues, unusual light fixtures, globes, and did I mention books!
Kathy L. Murphy’s home, Murphy’s Law!
My two cats and I are very comfortable in my cabin that has floor to ceiling glass windows that give me the perfect view of my East Texas piney woods forest. Do you see the picture? This is where I land, rest, and relax. I love it here at Murphy’s Law located at Holly Lake Ranch. The name comes from an idea of my dear friend, Robert Hicks, who named his log cabin near Leaper’s Fork, Tennessee, “Labor In Vain”, it comes from the Bible. I could not find one scripture that seemed to exemplify my home just the notion that my whole life has been a virtual KAT-catastrophe, thus Murphy’s Law name was born.
Then there is my recent addition, working on my NEW art studio and office which was formerly a carport and shed. Here are some photos that show my work in progress with a few of my artworks!
Everyone asks me, so what do you do now with your art degree. Duh, I am an artist. Everybody just shakes their head but I making it you all and doing what I love. I sold seven paintings, last week and granted that was a strange and extra special day, I get by. I really do not need much. A trustworthy vehicle like my FJ Cruiser, my cats, Rush and Ferrelina for companionship and my work. It is more than enough.
But back to my question on what makes me tick? Right now, this very minute it’s the fact that I will be in two of the most incredible books that are ever to come out. First, to release on the pub date September 18th, “Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy” edited by Nicole Seitz and Jonathan Haupt. Over debuts 70 authors have written their Pat Conroy stoires and to be included as one of them, good golly Miss Molly! Here is a post from The Pat Conroy Literary Center newsletter as follows:
“Writers of the world, if you’ve got a story, I want to hear it. I promise it will follow me to my last breath.”–Pat Conroy
Our May issue of Hey Out There includes a look at all of the Conroy Center’s many public events coming up this month–and a preview of Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, edited by Nicole Seitzand Jonathan Haupt. Forthcoming this September, and featuring the remembrances of nearly 70 writers, Our Prince of Scribes is central to our third annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival this fall. Have a look!
Now if you know me and really know me, Pat Conroy is my all time favorite author. His untimely death due to pancreatic cancer was devasting to me, as well as to the reading world. I increased my endeavor to keep his books in the hands of great readers everywhere and his mission to promote reading with his Pat Conroy Literary Center located in Beaufort, South Carolina.
I do not remember when I first read, “The Lords of Discipline”, but I knew that book, then “The Great Santini” there were others like me. Ones that had a stern and often mean-spirited fathers who terrorized us as children. I was scared to death of my father when I was a child. There I said it. I also adored him. He was so strong, beautiful, and he could literally fix anything. At the same time, if he snapped you would never see it coming. A two time Korean War veteran I believe now he probably suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome because even my mother said he was never the same when he came back from Korea. He was a tough man but as he got older he mellowed. In fact, my daughters adored him and found him funny. Oh, Lord, that is something I would have never dreamed. I even took him with me on certain legs of my book tour. That could be a book in itself but remember one thing. If there is a Waffle House, that is where we would eat. There will be a chapter in my next book on lessons I learned in life from my father, Laurence R. Murphy who by the way was jealous of Pat Conroy. He walked out of Pat Conroy speaking at my annual Girlfriend Weekend as he said he was bored. I could have died. Pat Conroy was the best speaker I had ever heard. But that story and others will be in my next book, “The Pulpwood Queen Goes Back to School”, literally and figuratively!
So to be invited to write a story about my favorite author Pat Conroy, this was to me, the epitome of a successful life. I, was being asked to write a story about my favorite author! I thought when I wrote my own book, “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Guide to Life”, that that would be the pivotal moment of my life. I can only tell you it was not. What was was when Pat Conroy stood in line to get my book signed by me to Pat Conroy. Sweet dreams are made of this to quote the Annie Lennox song. I cannot wait to read all the other stories in the book and October 2018, “Our Prince of Scribes” will be an Official Pulpwood Queen Book Club Selection!
And for all of you book clubs and readers out there, may I suggest reading my book and Pat Conroy’s book at the same time featured below for comparison. I have often told people that my book on how books saved me, is a Kindergarten read compared to Pat’s “My Reading Life” Masters thesis, but we have so many similarities as to how reading was our lifeline. Read and you will understand just why getting featured in Pat’s book is such a big deal to me.
I know, I know, a lot to take in on a Monday morning but this is what makes me TICK, part one. Tomorrow I will be sharing another book that I will be featured in from author, Kacey Kowars that will be released later this year.
So what does this all mean? What makes me TICK all stems from me being a child who surrounded herself in nature and always had her nose in a book. I am headed back outside today to continue working on my studio but in the meantime, won’t you join my reading good books crusade. Click Membership on the top menu bar at www.thepulpwoodqueens.com. It is an annual membership to the largest “meeting and discussing” book club in the world, The Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Clubs “where tiaras are mandatory and reading our good books are the ONLY rules!” Our mission to promote authors, books, literacy, and reading all while creating a real community, my tribe of readers.
It’s MONDAY so start this NEW week out right and check out all our books to on the website. All those authors are invited in plus NEW ones for our annual book club convention which we call Pulpwood Queen Girlfriend Weekend Author Extravaganza. Click Girlfriend Weekend button at top of the page to get your package while they last held January 14 – 19, 2019 at the recently restored retro The Fredonia Hotel and Convention Center in Nacogdoches, Texas. Our Friday Night Author dinner, (authors wait the tables with musical accompaniment by the author, Steve Yarbrough), will be dressed as country, western or folk singers as our theme is How The West Was Won, through reading of course! The main panel will be the author, Nicole Seitz who edited “Our Prince of Scribes” along with Jonathan Haupt and other authors who contributed to that book including me!
As always I have a lot to say and share, part of what makes me TICK! Come back tomorrow to talk about Kacey Kowars great NEW read or you can now hit the SUBSCRIBE button on the left side of the website blog page!
Truly, Tiara Wearing and Pat Conroy sharing.
Kathy L. Murphy
Founder of the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club Reading Nation!
www.thepulpwoodqueens.com
Email: thepulpwoodqueen@gmail.com
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- The Pulpwood Queen Presents now through the end of April, 2022 Virtual Girlfriend Weekend Offer for $99! - March 23, 2021
