From the Author
Hotel Nacional veranda, Havana
Along the Oregon coast
Santa Fe Book Club
It’s been a while—we’ve all endured a pandemic in the meantime— since I posted news from my writing world here on the website.
Listen for the Mourning Dove has enjoyed a nice following and a couple of national book awards since its publication, and garnered attention from a very fine literary agency in New York. When the companion piece to LFTMD, Remember the Mourning Dove, is complete, I’ll hope it garners its own attention. And when will that be? Well…try as I’d like, I can’t rush it, manipulate it to conform to my timeline, or chain the muse to my computer! Needing to focus on my writing sans the chaos of this topsy-turvy world we’ve all been and still are experiencing with COVID, along with some rather huge changes in my personal life has challenged my focus greatly! I will say that I’ve written a good bit of the new book and have mapped-out where I’m going with it. So when the “elusive moment of completion” arrives, the new book will blessedly make its way to you. In the meantime, take a listen and experience a new take on LFTMD with the soon-to-be-released audiobook version (see below)! Thank you for your continued interest in my work. It’s more important than you know. And speaking of support, here’s a shout-out: When LFTMD came out in print, David Fisher, great guy and 22+-time NYTimes best-selling author, generously offered his support to a newbie novelist like me when I needed it most. Thank you, David. I’ll be forever grateful to you.
AUDIO BOOK UPDATE February, 2023: The audio version of Listen for the Mourning Dove has been produced and is in the hopper to be released soon! We’re excited about it ! It’s been a project on my wish list since I wrote the book. It’ll be going live on Amazon so use the “buy the book” link on this website which will take you to the Amazon page where you will hear a sample and can purchase the audio version in Audible.com in just a short while! Hearing the dove calls and bits of music from the book as it’s read by its award-winning narrator is terrific! It’s a whole new experience with the story, beautifully performed by this former film and stage actor, Sean Pratt, who has narrated over 1,000 books! FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL AT: pearcesantafe@gmail.com. Thank you.
Events of the Last 5 Years
I returned me to the wild Oregon Coast after many years, and took a long-hoped-for trip to Cuba. For this New Mexico desert/mountain dweller, the waters of both brought relief! If you read Listen for the Mourning Dove, you’ll discover that one of the novel’s characters, Renata, had spent time in Pre-Revolution Havana at the Hotel Nacional—so it was a thrill for me to visit the hotel my first night in Havana to bring my novel to life for that moment in time. Sitting on the wide, back veranda looking down the long lawn atop the Malecon to the sea was perfect. I promised myself to always remember the way the Caribbean’s breeze felt across my face that night… and to also remember the sound of the mighty Pacific waves crashing onto the rocks at Yachats, Oregon. I sigh with pleasure remembering both.
Earlier on, one of a number of great book clubs discussing LFTMD: A steady flow of interest in my work continues including, pictured here, this great book club in Santa Fe that invited me to attend their discussion of the print version of Listen for the Mourning Dove. Special thanks to Jayne Cotten who chose my book for the club when it came her turn. The book club members shared their astute observations of the book in a lively, interesting discussion. I loved meeting this smart bunch of women… and learning from them.
New Award Announced
Hello! I'm happy to report that Listen for the Mourning Dove has been honored again on the national stage. Congratulations to the authors, listed below, who are honored in this category of 2017 Best New Fiction. My new work, a sequel in progress, continues to hold a firm grip on me and, while I don't know exactly when it will be finished, I'm excited that it indeed will be finished! I'll keep you posted as I continue along. Meanwhile, hope you're all enjoying autumn wherever you are and I send good wishes to you for an enjoyable and blessed Thanksgiving!
