Today is my last day to host as guest author at Breathless Bubbles and Books this week. To say I am excited about the pairings of my Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club selections with Breathless Wines is a supreme understatement. Running the largest “meeting and discussing” book club in the world it is a challenge that leads me to a story about wine that is so important to book club meetings as follows.
At the beginning of my book, “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life”, I write about losing my dream job. You see I was a Book Publisher’s Representative. I loved that job and what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I called on independent bookstores in four states, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana besides college bookstores, museum gift shops, and specialty shops. I got paid to talk about all the new books coming out from all the publishers I represented. This was a job meant for me. Then the big box stores came into my territory. Independents starting closing in droves and as I was the last one hired, I was the first one downsized. Yes, I lost that dream job.
I did what any southern girl would do, threw a hissy fit and took to my bed. I wallered in my misery. I ate a whole box of Russell Stover chocolates and read stacks and stacks of books. Finally out of chocolates, I got up sat at the end of my bed and said, “Enough.” I called my sister and she suggested I open back up my hair salon. I became a hairdresser to put myself through college. It was a means to an end, not the career I wanted. “I do not think so Karen, I would miss books too much,” I whined. Karen told me, “Well, do the book thing too, open a hair salon/ bookstore.” Bells and whistles starting going off in my head. The hair business could create the cash flow to keep a bookstore profitable. I bounded out of bed.
I opened Beauty and the Book, the first ever Hair Salon/Book Store in the country January 18, 2000. The new millennium and Oxford American Magazine covered my Grand Opening for a feature titled, “Hairdresser to the Authors”, written by my dear friend, author, and artist, Carol Dawson. Authors started beating down my door to get their complimentary makeovers, those were the days!
Shortly after, the local book club invited me to what I thought was to join their book club. I was thrilled! Thrilled! Being on the road I missed talking books with friends, here we go. It was not to happen my dear readers. Evidently, I was only invited as a guest. You see as far as their members could see, a book club consisted of eight women as that is all that would fit around their tables. I was informed that in a whisper as I was led out into the gallery of the southern home. “We would love for you to be in our book club Kathy, but you see unless someone dies or moves away, only eight will fit around our table.” I left after no one would make eye contact with me, horrified that I had tried to invite myself to a book club that did not want me. As I drove home, I asked myself, “Who made up the rule?” I mean only eight, on that drive home my book club was born. I would start my own and have only two rules, READ THE BOOK and WEAR THE CROWN!
Fast forward to my wine story…
My first meeting of the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club happened that March 2000. I announced our name and explained that who better deserved to wear the TIARA or CROWN than a real reader. We would be the “beauty within” queens and our membership was open to everybody! One woman, Elizabeth Liz Stokes raised her hand and stated, “I do not believe I would feel comfortable wearing a Tiara, especially out in public.” I told Elizabeth, “Here, have some more wine,” as I filled her wineglass to the rim.
Everybody laughed and laughed hard because that is what we do at our book club meetings. We have a glass of wine and share the stories, not just of our books but of our lives. These women, thousands and thousands of women have become my dearest friends. They hold me up when I am about to fall and lift me higher than I ever dreamed. We may not take ourselves all that serious but we are serious about our books and now our wine. I am in the 18th year of running this book club and I believe that it is no coincidence that we have now partnered with Breathless Wines. This is a marriage made in heaven.
You can read all about it in my book and you can join our book club at www.thepulpwoodqueens.com. As women and men, our lives all work and no play. Breathless Bubbles and Books is your Official TIME OUT! Won’t you join me at www.thepulpwoodqueens.com for membership! There is nothing more important than sharing our good books, connecting with the stories, all while having a great glass of wine.
So I will end my week with the Official drink recipe of The Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club. This recipe was shared by Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson as we kicked off their Good Morning America “READ THIS” Book Club that we helped launch. We serve it at all special occasions and would be perfect with your favorite BREATHLESS WINE as follows:
PULPWOOD QUEENS LEMON BANG PUNCH
(For when life hands you a lemon and you want something more satisfying than plain ole lemonade).
Ingredients:
1 bottle of Lemonade
1 bottle of Ginger Ale
1 bottle of Champagne (may i suggest Breathless Bubbles)
Lemon slices and Voila!
This punch serves many thirsty Queens, Timber Guys and during the holidays I add 1 bottle of Cranberry Juice and, of course, more Breathless Bubbles!
This recipe has become a part and standard for our growing book club celebrations! Enjoy!
Truly, Tiara Wearing and Breathless and Books Sharing,
Kathy L. Murphy
Founder of The Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Clubs Reading Nation
Author of “The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life”
P.S. Here is another recipe that the folks at Good Morning America told me was in their TOP FIVE MOST LOVED RECIPES EVER: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126035&page=1
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