New Fiction Releases for October

 

John Grisham The Judge's List:The Whistler Book 2 (releases October 19)
Nonstop suspense from the #1 New York Times bestselling author: Investigator Lacy Stoltz follows the trail of a serial killer, and closes in on a shocking suspect—a sitting judge.

Danielle Steel      The Butler (released October 5)

Two different worlds and two very different lives collide in Paris in this captivating novel by Danielle Steel.

Kat Martin       The Last Goodnight (releases October 26)

With the first in a brand new, high-octane romantic thriller series, New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin stirs up a hornet's next of lies, adultery and murder as a betrayed husband and a private detective investigate his estranged wife's disappearance.

Karen Kingsbury     Forgiving Paris (releases October 26)
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of life-changing fiction returns with a wise and worldly novel of forgiveness and hope in the City of Lights.

Lee Child/Andrew Child    Better Off Dead: A Jack Reacher Novel (releases October 26)

Jack Reacher is back in a brand-new page-turning thriller from acclaimed #1 bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child.

Stuart Woods  Foul Play:A Stone Barrington Novel (Releases October 5)In the latest action-packed thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington faces down a persistent rival.

What do four out of these six new releases have in common?

Your Grand Opening!

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine   

Yes, the release date of an author’s book is like a “Grand Opening”. If you notice in retail when a new store opens, they pull out all the plugs and start advertising. They want as many people as possible to come to their opening day. For an author that translates into the more buzz you can create leading up to that opening day (release date) the more turnout (sales of your books) you are going to have.

You must do what you can to capture your readers in unusual ways. One author I know, rented a billboard sign, so that people driving to work every day would see that sign. She had a photo of herself, a title that got your attention in big letters, short description and her website. It brought in several hundred hits a day on her website. She started marketing and promoting her book on her website before it was released. She put press releases out, on all the venues how to purchase a signed copy of her book. Prepared and sent out post on social media, emailed list of people with release day. 

She got 95,000 hits on her website just by doing this.

Look for the unusual to market and promote you and your book. Yes, it did cost that author some money, but to her it was worth it because she spent a lot of time and effort on writing her book.

For authors you want to find free places to list your book, but you will also have to use places to pay for ads. Make them count. Where you buy ad space, will be able to give you good pointers on how to use the promotion to your best advantage. Be wise, plan your advertising out. Be consistent with it. 

Advertising before the book is released is smart. You can start out with small ads and build up as you get to the “Grand Release”. This is part of the nature of selling anything.

Advertising is necessary. It is the best way to be noticed and it must be consistent. That’s how we know about John Grisham, James Patterson, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Home Depot–through advertising. There also must be a variety of things you do along the way to get attention for your books. Don’t be afraid to step out of your box. It’s worth it to build your name as an author and sell a lot of books. To hear someone tell you how much he or she enjoyed your book is wonderful.

You’ve brought joy, pleasure, and happiness to someone else.

Be Unique.

Why Go to Writing Conferences?

By Paul Atreides 

I was speaking on the phone to a member of our writer’s group, and conversation rolled around to the upcoming conference. She happens to be putting the finishing touches on a follow-up to her previous Indie best-seller. She wasn’t planning on attending for a variety of reasons. Then she asked why conferences are important. “What’s the point?” she asked.

Outside of landing an agent or publishing deal, there will be an expansive array of subjects on the craft and business of writing. The experiential effects are accumulative; success stories from faculty and attendees alone can inspire.

“I’ve had a top-notch editor tell me my work is exceptional. She said, ‘you don’t need classes or workshops.’ And I ran a newspaper, too.” Her response took me aback.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’ve heard that about my novels, plays, and published non-fiction work (Thanks, Honey! Thanks, Mom!). My response to anyone heaping such praise: “Stop blowing smoke up my back end.”

Regardless of how many novels you sell, regardless of how many shows up on best seller lists, regardless of how high they rise in the Amazon ranks, there is always something to learn. Our industry changes, it’s in constant flux. If we don’t change with it, we’ll eventually find our work hitting the bottom of the slush pile. And that’s not a pretty place to be.

Honing your craft is about more than learning proper punctuation, or when to use upper case or italics from the AP Style Guide (a new edition is out, by the way). It’s about more than being able to join the Grammar Police on Facebook (we know that can be fun, but still…).

Agents and acquisition editors who attend conferences as faculty, and are there to accept pitches, know you’re serious about your craft. That’s why you’re there. To soak up every scintilla of information. To head home with your head spinning, drunk on new knowledge and eager to put it to work, your publishing track record notwithstanding.

Perfecting craft, though there is no such thing, is the ability to build a new world, or even describe the one we live in with just the right words to captivate readers. Finding the right turn of phrase that makes a character pop and remain in readers’ minds makes you, as an author, remain there as well. That helps sell the next book. And the next.

These are all the things faculty at a conference is there to teach you. No matter how long you’ve been at this writing game. The most surprising thing I ever witnessed at a conference, though it shouldn’t be, was faculty slipping into a workshop. I mean, these are the experts. These are the folks who control the whole shebang. They decide which queries get the rejection letter and who receives the multi-book deal. What in the world are they doing in someone else’s workshop?

Believe it or not, they’re honing their craft. Just like that member should. And there is no better place to do that than a writing conference. Unless, of course, you convince Stephen King, John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, or the like to mentor you one on one.(And, if that happens, give me a call, would you? I’d like that inside track.)

___________________________________________________________ 

Paul Atreides is a theatre critic and columnist for EatMoreArt!Vegas.com, and contributor to Desert Companion, a NevadaNPR/PBS publication.  He is the author of the series World of Deadheads, a paranormal humor series. Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.atreides.391

and https://www.facebook.com/WorldofDeadheads/?reg=bookmarks

https://twitter.com/atreides_paul?lang=en Gallery of Stars http://authors.southernwritersmagazine.com/paul-atreides.html

A Late Bloomer

By Nick Nixon

I was a late bloomer in becoming an author. I spent 35 years building and managing Nixon & Associates, a graphic design firm. I had a staff of eight talented people and we served local, national and even a few international clients. Most of the writing I did in those 35 years was advertising copy. When I retired in 2010, I started writing humor articles for various publications, usually accompanied by one of my cartoons. 

I eventually joined a local writer’s group and I even contributed to their annual anthology, like most of the other members. Whatever I wrote always contained a good bit of humor. I was fortunate enough to have one of my articles included in an issue of Chicken Soup for the Soul. This led to local radio and TV interviews. After telling my host about my writing, cartooning, illustration work, doing voice overs for commercials, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn, washing the cars, and feeding the dog and cat, she asked if there was anything else I wanted to do that I had not yet done. All of a sudden, without thinking or taking a deep breath, I blurted it out, “Every writer would like to write a book someday.” I had never thought about writing a book, let alone saying it out loud before.      

Honestly, I don’t know what was said after that. I think I was in shock after my “every writer wants to write a book someday” comment. I mentioned this remark at the next writers meeting and how surprised I was to actually have said it. “Well, have you?” Jeri, one of my fellow members asked. I was ready for that. I told her and the rest of the group I was thinking about writing a parody of The Maltese Falcon and calling it The Maltese Chicken. That got a laugh from everyone but Jeri. She greeted me at the door at our next monthly meeting with two books in her hands. Both were about how to write a detective novel. I read both of them and that did it. 

One night, as I was trying to go to sleep, my brain would not shut down and I got the idea for The Frame. Three months later I had written 86,000 words and considered my first novel complete. After some beta readers and two editors had gone through it, and I learned what it meant to tighten it up, I really did have a finished manuscript with a total of a little over 83,000 words. 

I immediately followed it up with Murder on the 13th Green, a sequel to The Frame, which was just released. I also changed the cover of The Frame to something more exciting and made a few improvements inside as well. It has just been re-released. They are both available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon as e-books and paperbacks. I am now working on The Main Street Murders. All three are part of the Peter English, PI Mystery series, and set in Memphis, TN during the post WWII 1940’s. I have been asked where I got my inspiration for these books. The answer: many Saturday afternoons in a darkened neighborhood movie theatre, as a kid, watching old, black and white film noir crime movies from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s. I still love to watch them on TV. Even though I was born in the 1940s and grew up in Memphis in the 1950s and ‘60s, I have to do a lot of research for the ‘40s, which I enjoy almost as much as I do writing these books. Go ahead; read the books and fact check me. I dare you.

People who know me and have read The Frame tell me they think Peter English is my alter ego, I tell them that is not true. I am much better looking. 

I have learned that writing a novel is only the beginning. A good editor, especially one who challenges a writer, will make him or her a better writer and consequently turn out a better book. I have learned to read other writers’ books and listen to their advice. And if you are not a John Grisham, you have to do all the marketing and PR….not the publisher. I am still learning, and learning, and learning.

______________________________________________________________________

Nick Nixon, author of The Frame and Murder on the 13th Green, grew up in Memphis, TN and went to public school and college here. He is a retired advertising executive, who lives just outside Memphis with his wife, whom he refers to as his real estate typhoon. He is the father of five and grandfather of fourteen…with number fifteen in the oven. He plays golf very badly but sings pretty well with his church choir and in the shower. He is currently working on his third novel in the Peter English, PI Mystery series and he has a western also in the works. Nick has written six children’s books which he is currently illustrating, and he has illustrated two children’s books for another author. He is helping a fellow Christian write a book that will be published in about fifty languages and circulated worldwide, and he has just begun the process of narrating the Peter English novels for audio books. When asked what he does with his spare time, Nick says he still takes out the trash, mows the lawn, washes the cars, feeds the dog and cat, and still has time for family and friends. Social Media:  Website:  nicknixonauthor.com  blog:  nickwits.blogspot.com  Facebook:  nicknixon,author  Twitter:  Nick Nixon (@nick_wits)

Get Your Novel Published!

By Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of Plum Tea Crazy

Forty-two books ago, when I was writing Death by Darjeeling, my very first Tea Shop Mystery, I scored my first three-book contract based on three sample chapters and a twenty-two-page outline. But I was knock-on-wood lucky. Because what worked for me several years ago no longer works today. The world of publishing has changed big time.

Publishers are large, consolidated businesses that aren’t making the profits they once were. Even though their book releases are top-notch, they’re being undercut by self-published authors as well as hundreds of newly minted small presses. So there’s been a considerable amount of belt-tightening in the industry.

I received an e-mail from a fellow author a few weeks ago. She’s written five mysteries for her publisher, but now they’re not going to renew her contract.  Why? Well, she’s making money for them – just not enough money. An agent I talked to recently said he’d just pitched a serial killer thriller to a well-known editor. The editor told him “this is exactly what I'm looking for” – but then he didn’t buy it.

So . . . do editors really know what they’re looking for? Not always. Do they know it when they see it? Sometimes. The radical shift that’s taken place in publishing today is that editors are younger and under a tremendous amount of pressure. Along with editing duties, they’re in charge of acquisitions. They’re tasked with finding the brightest new authors with the brightest new material.

As you would expect, this new breed of editor is constantly on the hunt for the next big thing. They’re looking for breakout books that are different and don’t re-tell the same old story. Books like The Woman in the Window, Little Fires Everywhere, or A Gentleman in Moscow. Books that really stand out in their categories.

So, what can aspiring authors do to increase their chances of success? What can you do if you've got a story to tell and a yearning to be published? Take a look at the various categories. The mystery, thriller, and romance categories seem to be holding strong. Vampire and zombie books aren’t selling like they used to. But editors are still looking for good Young Adult books and what they call New Romance. And if you’ve written a domestic thriller, chances are an editor will want to take a peek.

Today’s tougher market means that aspiring authors have to write and submit a finished manuscript. Authors also need to fully comprehend the internal architecture of a novel. I’m talking plot, pacing, turning points, character development, dialogue, and building suspense.

If you’re an aspiring author, you have to implicitly believe in yourself and not get discouraged by rejections. Know this: John Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was turned down by 30 agents and 15 publishers. Mary Higgins Clark, who helped me get started, was rejected 40 times before making her first sale. One editor told her: “Your story is light, slight, and trite.”

You see what I mean about this being a tough business? Persistence is key. If you know deep in your soul that your book has great promise, then you have to believe in yourself and make it happen. Because sooner or later you will bust down that door! And please, please, don’t pay attention to the old maxim of “writing about what you know.” If authors followed that advice we’d never have fantastic novels about outer space, time travel, and dinosaurs. Writing is all about creating imagery – so stretch your imagination and let your words soar!

_____________________________________________________________ 

Laura Childs is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. Book Riot recently named the Tea Shop Mysteries to their list of “25 of the All Time Best Cozy Mystery Series.” In her previous life Laura was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs. Visit Laura at www.laurachilds.com or on Facebook at Laura Childs Author. Laura Child’s new novel, Plum Tea Crazy, was released March 6, 2018

Creating the Buzz for Your Book

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

You don’t hear much from John Grisham these days. He has scaled back from his hard charging book and movie promotion days and rightfully so. Once a writer reaches the stratosphere he is in one can cruise if you so desire. In an interview in recent years Grisham was seated in his home with the interviewer and TV production crew. During the interview there was the constant ringing of a phone in the distant background. It was notable enough that Grisham felt it should be addressed. He explained that was the phone of his assistant. He went on to say he had let his assistant go years ago so he just lets the phone ring. I would say that is scaling it back.

That was why I was surprised to see on Grisham’s mailing list this week a promotion he had done for a fellow writer’s upcoming book. Grisham began by reminiscing about it being 27 years since the release of The Firm. He explained how he had been told by the folks at Doubleday of the great buzz around the book but he had no idea what to expect. As we know the book found an audience and was a big seller. He then went on to say every few years another debut author comes along and has that same buzz as he experienced with The Firm. Grisham said he gets excited for these writers and buys their book. But as we all know not all reach the best seller list.

Grisham went on to share the name of the book, the author, its genre and release date. He assured us that if we read the first chapter we will not be able to put it down. As short and to the point as it was it was powerful. Remembering this is a debut, aka unknown, author, the title means little or I should say less than the genre and the release date is of no consequence because there is no anticipation. But this is at the recommendation of a known author, a writer that knows a good book. His recommendation alone carries a lot of weight. If he can get us to buy the book and read the entire first chapter that in itself is a feat. It is said the average book is bought and only the first 10 pages are read so the entire first chapter is a push. And to make it easy you can order the book here. Not actually here but in his text was the word here in red. By clicking on it you could place the order. Deal closed. Excellent! 

Grisham was helping create a buzz for this debut author and their book. Why? Could be for money? Could it be a part of his contract with his publisher is to promote others contracted with the same publisher? Could it be that Grisham genuinely liked the book and was sending the elevator back down? It could be one or all of these that motivate the endorsement. No matter, the end effect is the buzz, the selling of books and the success of the debut author. It is the business of selling books. Any of us should be so fortunate to have such an endorsement. By the way Grisham did get in a plug for the 27^th anniversary of his book The Firm.

       

Writing and the Jury Pool

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine 

As a citizen of the United States, one of the guaranteed rights under The United States Constitution is a trial by a jury of your peers. I've served as a juror on two different trials. These trials were settled before jury deliberations, and we were thanked by the judge for our service and dismissed. Both of these were criminal trials. 

Two months ago, I received another jury pool notice. Much has improved in the process, but there is always room for improvement. Thankfully, you can register and pick your week online. In my past experience, a prospective juror had to appear in person just to pick their week. 

So online, I picked the most convenient week in order to be minimally invasive to my life. Of course, I had much work that had to be pre-done in order to serve as a prospective juror. There were emails, texts, and a letter in the mail to assure I would appear for my assigned week. 

Last Monday, with about 300 other citizens, I appeared for my week of jury service. The Jury Coordinator gave instructions and called roll, yes like in elementary school. Two judges addressed us to impress on us the seriousness of being a juror. One judge walked us through some historical legal systems to determine guilt of a crime. He advised some cultures would throw a rock in a vat of boiling oil. The accused had to stick their arm in said vat and retrieve the rock. If they were scalded then they were pronounced guilty. Another example was that the accused arms and legs were tightly bound and tossed into a lake. If they drowned, they were pronounced guilty. The judges then reminded us of combative trial which has been popularized by the tv series, Game of Thrones. There were numerous reminders of the importance of the American jury pool system for our jury system to work. The judges left, and the jury coordinator left us to await orders from the various courts. 

The piped in music of the jury room was playing, "Walking in Memphis," just as the coordinator reappeared and had us file out into three different lines heading to various courtrooms. Two groups of 40 went to criminal court a block away at 201 Poplar (also the jail.)

Of course, I was in the group that trekked 2 ½ blocks to Circuit Court in 92 degree humid Memphis weather. The song "Walking in Memphis" will now always remind me of this day. I took in the elegance of the building. It occurred to me how many people have conducted serious business in this historic courthouse. Movies have also been filmed in this courthouse. Yes, I was in the courthouse seen in the John Grisham book made into a movie, The Client. The movie filmed Judge Harry Roosevelt (played by Ossie Davis) at Memphis County Courthouse at 140 Adams Avenue, where I was reporting as a juror. In the book and movie, no one went through security screenings. After being screened we perspective jurors climbed the worn rounded marble stairs directed by a sheriff's deputy to line up outside the courtroom. We were placed in line by a computer generated numbering system and then ushered into the courtroom. 

I was seated as the 12th person in the jury box. Lucky me? The judge swore us in and briefly explained the case. The plaintiff attorney was supposed to ask us questions to exclude us as jurors. Instead, he actually began giving his opening statement. The judge admonished the attorney limiting him to only asking questions. The Defendant’s attorney began his questioning,. stressing the TN law. 

This legal process is voir dire. The purpose allows the attorneys to question prospective jurors about their backgrounds, affiliations, and attorney-perceived potential biases before being chosen as a jury member. After this process is completed, each attorney has three jurors they can choose to strike. I was the first name called and was directed to exit the courtroom and report back to the jury room. That was Monday. 

After reading many books with courtroom scenes, very few gave realistic views from a jurors view of what happens just to get seated in a jury. Authors who write books with courtroom scenes should serve as jurors or at least go through the process when called to serve for the real life experience. It will help you be able to write a more believable courtroom scene that is authentic. Readers will notice. 

Tuesday morning finds me once again in the jury room at 10:30 because they only had one case left for the week that needed jurors. At this point their were about 65 of us left. We were called to Criminal Court. We were waiting outside the courthouse while the Judge cleared his daily docket. We were escorted into the courtroom. After six hours of various legal procedures all I have to say is...Sequestered.

Have you served on a sequestered jury? Did you write about your experience?

Do We Need––Vulgarity, Sex and Violence

By T. M. Brown

According to recent statistics, novels replete with explicit sex, violence, and vulgarity continue to thrive as the flavor of the month in book sales. However, should authors kowtow to earthy content to increase book numbers?

Good writers engage their audience by communicating through the actions and attitudes of the characters without using sex, violence, or vulgarity. Thus, allowing the story to unfold without explicitly necessitating every sordid detail.

I believe an author’s responsibility is not only to entertain but also engage readers, so they sense they are witnessing the story as it unfolds.

What images race through your mind that depicts anger and rage? Do you picture contorted faces and threatening gestures, or do you need to be explicitly told? Consider this scene from my book Sanctuary: 

Hank gritted his teeth as the veins on his neck swelled, and his eyes glared through me. “Well, I think you’re putting your nose into places you’ve no business being.” He uncrossed his arms and pointed at my chest. “I’m warning you. Stay away from me and my wife!”You feel and sense his anger and his rage.

“Hank, I’m sorry if I’ve said or done anything to upset you. Have you spoken to your father?”

“This is between you and me. Stay out of our lives.” Hank’s effort to be more composed fell apart.

… Hank pressed his finger into my sternum. “This is all I’m going to say to you about Jessie or John...” He thumped his finger against my chest adding emphasis to each word. “I’m truly sorry about what happened to Jessie, but John got what he deserved. And you can quote me on that. Now back off! I’m warning you.”

Pete stepped out from the shadows, unceremoniously interrupting Hank’s exchange with me.

“Mister P, is everything okay?” Pete asked as he glared at Hank. “Hank, who’re you warning about what?”

Hank surveyed Pete and the four remaining shadows just out of the light. His finger fell to his side, but his distended veins on his neck swelled even more. “Pete, this has nothing to do with you or any of you guys!”

…Pete extended his finger just shy of Hank’s chest. “How in the blue blazes do you know it don't involve us? If you think you can flex your muscles and intimidate one of my friends, you just made it my business.” His stern warning and unflinching stare froze Hank.

Granted a few expletives could’ve been heard, but did the scene work anyway?

John Grisham achieved his decades-long success capitalizing on his uncanny knack of drawing his audience’s attention upon his colorful characters and settings. Doing so, he exited scenes involving sex, violence or vulgarity using innuendo. In fact, Grisham’s Theodore Boone YA mysteries found a broad new audience without much of an adjustment in his storytelling to do so. Neither should we to reach a wider audience to sell more books.

____________________________________________________________________ 

T. M. Brown is a Southern boy at heart, although he’s lived and traveled in many states far removed from his beloved boyhood roots in Georgia and Florida. He returned to his Southern roots several years ago while his two sons were still in school and regularly traveled throughout the South before returning to college shortly after his youngest son graduated. In the last fifteen years he has preached, taught and coached in Alabama, Georgia and Florida until his wife and he moved outside of Atlanta and retired to write, travel, and spoil grandchildren. His first book is Sanctuary. His social media links include: Website http://www.coachbrown.org and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TMBrownauthor/

Poking a Toe into Twitter

By Elizabeth Sumner Wafler

A week after holding my first baby, In Robin's Nest in my arms--delivered not by stork, but by UPS--I realized that if others were going to know that the book actually existed, I would have to engage in DIY marketing.

A month later I had invested in a WordPress domain and begun tacking away at my own website. I opened a facebook fan page. And then someone asked me if I was on twitter, in a way that sounded as though if I wasn't on twitter, I must be on crack. "Twitter is the real way to build followers," said she. I twitter searched a celebrated author. She had 100K followers. I had four.

 I spent the next six months toiling over pithy, yet 140 character tweets, in which I alternated between tooting my own (book) horn in clever ways, i.e., photographing my dog "holding" my book, and fretting over whether one person out of the 320 million twitter users might read my tweets. I dreaded even pulling up Twitter.

And then I read that for every four tweets, only one should be self-promoting. You must engage, the experts said. Writing is a lovely, yet lonely occupation, and the thought of engaging with others in the trenches was appealing. I began to spend less time composing, and more time reading, and in the process, I discovered hashtag games.

Unlike reindeer games, in which the Rudolphs may be excluded, anyone can play. There are hashtag games (sponsored by cool writers) for each day of the week, i.e., #lovelines on Mondays and #onelinewed on Wednesdays, in which you can share a favorite line from your work in progress, and even for each day of the month, i.e., #authorconfession where the sponsor posts a monthly calendar of questions.

Now this, I could do.

Answering questions like "What is your weirdest writing habit?" is fun, quick and easy. And considering queries like "What is your MC's greatest fear?" has made me think more critically about my characters, their desires and motivations--all the "whys." I am honing my craft.

I now have 1,200+ followers, a million fewer than John Grisham, a couple more than your teenager. But I actually know a number of my followers. I've developed connections with them: writers with whom I share common struggles, small victories, and great triumphs, a band of cheerleaders who share my belief that a rising tide lifts all the boats.

Don't be afraid to traverse the waters of Twitter. Poke a toe in, then plunge in--up to your waist. Like a June pool, the water warms up quickly. It can change your perspective and maybe even your career.

______________________________________________ 

On the heels of a twenty-year teaching career, Elizabeth Sumner Wafler’s passion for a story told with heart led her to write her own fiction. Her first novel, In Robin’s Nest, is one of love, loss and reunion; secrecy and truth; and ultimately redemption. The author is currently seeking representation for her second manuscript, A Faculty Daughter, the coming-of-age story of a girl reared on the campus of a boys' prep school. Wafler lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with her husband and Cairn terrier, Mirabelle. She can often be found at a local farmer’s market in search of the perfect tomato or bouquet of flowers, or at one of the area’s beautiful vineyards enjoying a glass of Virginia wine.