Long time no post

Just added some more dates to the calendar on this blog. After a quiet spell, trying to finish the novel, all of a sudden lots of speaking engagements have come my way! I'm especially delighted to be giving a talk at the Huddersfield Literature Festival in March. The poetry writing workshop should be fun at Lawrence Batley Theatres Festive Fayre event in a couple of weeks, too.

Writers' groups

Last Friday, I gave a talk at the beautiful library in Cleckheaton on setting up a writers' group. It was well attended and we finished up by launching three new groups. One will meet on Friday afternoons, one Monday evenings and one at Birstal library on Wednesdays evenings. Please contact the libraries, if you are interested. And please contact me, if you'd like me to do a talk at your local library. In this economic climate libraries, like other services are fighting for their existence. We need to use them or lose them!

Amazon.co,uk expansion

Amazon.co.uk can now post my books to the following EU countries at no extra charge!
Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal

Christian.com

Michael, from christian.com has invited me to join this social networking site. I'd love to know if any of you are new visitors here because of this link. Does social networking really work?

Smashwords

Anna-Kaisa's done a brilliant job on reformatting A Life Less Lost and it's now been launched as an ebook on Smashwords! Thirteen people have so far downloaded sample pages so let's hope a few purchases will soon follow. My next project, with David's help will be to release it as an audio-book on the Podiobook website... Any thoughts about that idea would be gratefully received.

An experiment

Six blurry weeks on and I'm looking forward to a possibly quieter August. Between reader's groups, house groups and writer's groups, visitors and social events, time has lost its elasticity. My new hobby ~ edible gardening ~ is helping me relax. The homegrown cougettes we had for tea last night were yummy.

My novel is out with readers and the feedback dribbling in is positive. Kate and Christina are meeting with me on Monday for the detail. Two new novel ideas are beginning to take shape.

I've come to the end of my speaking engagements, for the moment. The talk in Wilshaw was well received and I sold as many copies of Reflections of Holme as A Life Lest Lost. Holmfirth Parish Church are doing sterling work selling books to tourists and my future daughter-in-law is creating an e-book version, out soon hopefully.

The big experiment was to offer free 'Writing From Life' workshops at two small local bookshops. This was intended to bring people into the shops and spark interest in my book. Seven people turned up for the event in Orchard Bookshop, Denby Dale and all seemed to enjoy it. Only one came to Huddersfield Christian Bookshop, though. I'll need to do more of these in order to discover if it was not enough advertisement, the time/day or the venue. Only one book was sold because most of the people already had a copy! I'm sending out enquiries now for future events. All suggestions welcome.

Reflections of Holme

We've done it! The Holmfirth Writers' Group celebrated the launch of their collaborative venture, Reflections of Holme, on Monday. It's a gorgeous book, thanks to Andy Leader's photos and the writing is wonderfully diverse and very evocative of the Holme Valley. I'll try to figure out how to attach a photo and other links...

Busy week!

The last week of April was a bit of a marathon. At the Holmfirth Writers' meeting on Monday night, we tidied up some business to do with our upcoming anthology ~ Reflections From Holme, which is very exciting. Afterwards we had a brilliant workshop led by Mary. She brought her puppets and challenged us to write Victorian moral fables in rhyme!

On Tuesday, I led a house group meeting on the fruits of the Spirit and how we might apply them to combating climate change and building our church for the future, another kind of challenge.

Wednesday night I was invited by Holmfirth Library to take part in a Local Author Bonanza. Amazing the variety of talent in our valley, from Roman toilets to memoir, it was a very interesting evening.

On Thursday night I gave a talk to the Mothers' Union at Holmfirth Parish Church. One woman told me my book had saved her life!! She just happened to be reading the section about MRIs when her doctor wanted her to have one. He didn't believe her when she told him she had a metal stent in her heart but knowing how important it was she insisted and was proved right.

Last night's badminton helped me run off all the tension of the week ready to see what May has in store.

Word of Google?

I had two comments regarding my last post. One which appeared to be in a far eastern script and one that suggested my books had sold by 'word of Google'. What a brilliant turn of phrase. Apparently, my post had turned up in his box under the guise of Christian bookshop. I'm way out of my depth with all this social networking. However, if it encourages folk to buy one of my books, bring it on. I feel like I'm hanging on to a kite's tail in a gale, blindfolded.

The radio interview on Saturday was great fun. I love the sense of community TwoValleysRadio and their sister station ELFM create.

Two events coming up in April. I'll be one of the guest authors in an Authors Bonanza held in Holmfirth Library on the 28th and will be speaking to the Mothers' Union on the 29th.

Exciting news

Createspace sold thirteen books last week in the USA! Is this the beginning of 'word of mouth' sales???

I'll be taking part in an internet 'Two Valleys Radio' programme on Saturday. My friends and I from Holmfirth Writers will be promoting our collaborative book 'Reflections on Holme' to be launched in June.

Work is progressing at a pace on the novel, hence my absence from these pages. Watch this space...

We're back!

Home again in England and lots to catch up with. Must just give a plug to 'Holy Grounds' Christian bookshop and coffee house in Grapevine, Texas. It's a brilliant shop with a gloriously inviting aroma of fresh brewed coffee when you open the door so well worth a visit. Best of all, when I asked if they were interested in selling my book, they instantly bought six copies!

Book tour USA

Arrived in Maryland to news of impending snow storm. We were bemused by school closure announcements, etc when there wasn't a cloud in the sky but right on time 28 inches of snow and a 30 hour power failure trapped us in my cousin's house for a couple of days. We had to cancel one event and hastily rearranged another. I met some wonderful people and sold 32 books. Most of all I enjoyed visiting with some of my family. Sadly, the snow kept us from seeing everyone.

We missed a day of skiing due to airport closure but still had a wonderful week in Winterpark, where I spent family holidays as a child.

In Arizona at the moment, soaking up glorious sunshine and helping my nephew make origami frogs. The talk I gave yesterday was well received and again I met some wonderful people and heard some heartbreaking stories.

Radio interview

On Thursday, I was interviewed by Peter Spofford of East Leeds Community Radio for a programme on Belief. You can listen on the internet at www.elfm.co.uk .

Upcoming events

Howard & I will be setting off on Monday for our epic journey. We fly to London, where we'll stay with family. I'll be speaking on the theme of 'Loss' to a group at Slough Baptist Church on Tuesday, then off to the States on Wed. First stop, Maryland to visit family and give talks on Thurs, Fri and Saturday!
We'll be ready for a week skiing at Winter Park, where I spent holidays as a child. From there we travel to Arizona, staying with my Dad and Lynda. They've arranged for me to speak to the Rio Verde Readers' Groups.
On to Texas to visit friends and speak at their local community centre. Last stop, Michigan where we'll be able to see lots more family and friends. A highlight will be my aunt & uncle's 60th wedding anniversary celebration!

My website is live

Ascensor have done me proud and created a lovely website to promote my book(s), talks and workshops (thanks Donna). Now I just need the time and a helpful techie to spread the word that it's there. Pop over and have a look, then let me know what you think.
http://www.kbwalkerwrites.co.uk

Ice Blue Sky

Sitting, with my laptop on my knee, I'm looking out at an ice blue sky. Snow, clean and curvy, smothers every surface. Our unusual white Christmas has continued for an unprecidented three weeks! Gorgeous to look at but problematical to travel in, even if only walking through the knee deep drifts or on the black ice spread across the cleared bits.

Our trip to the States will soon be upon us ~ will the weather cooperate with our intricate travel plans? With at least eight flights involved and committments in five different states, there's lots of potential for things to go wrong... But also lots of opportunities for meeting new people and spreading the word about A Life Less Lost.

A selection of reviews

[KB Walker] manages skilfully to get past all the surface religiosity to show what a relationship with God can look like in practical terms in a real and messy life. This is both a "good read" and a convincing testimony which cannot fail to provide consideration of how your faith works, everyday - and in crisis. Mary Jefferson, review sent to Magnet magazine

The anguish of a Mother finding that her son has cancer in his leg is graphically described in A Life Less Lost. KB Walker has expressed this by telling the story of her life, interspersed with the diagnosis and the many months of hospital visits thereafter. James is a teenager; he has to handle a lot of this trauma for himself, watched over by supportive family and friends who can do nothing to lessen the impact of what is happening to him. These chapters are hard to read, but you feel compelled to continue, empathising with all the people involved. Incredibly by the end of the book James has become a Doctor, but what an amazing and heart-rending journey! Not your average 'holiday' read, but I am so glad I took it with me. Reviewed by Mary Bartholomew for thegoodbookstall.org.uk