Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Kinda Weird being the Subject of a News Release

Being lazy and very busy, I steal my post today from the: ST. TAMMANY PARISH LIBRARY NEWS RELEASE. Below is quoted from their promotional flyer for my talk next Monday Night (January 14).


"The Slidell branch of the St. Tammany Parish Library is pleased to present Dr. Charles Gramlich and his newly published fiction thriller: Witch of Talera, the third book of the Talera cycle.

Talera is a world in turmoil, a world where warfare is constant, where violent death is a part of life. Ruenn Maclang, an Earthman who now claims Talera as home, has learned to walk the sword's edge as he fights to preserve those he loves and the world in which they live. But the source of Talera's violence is more mysterious than Ruenn suspects, and the puppeteers who guide it are about to take a hand in the game. What can a single swordsman do when he fights not only beasts and men, but the architects of a planet? What can he do when the gods themselves take the field against him?

Dr. Gramlich is a professor of psychology at Xavier University of Louisiana of over 20 years. During that time he has published over 70 stories, over 100 articles and essays and more than 50 poems. He has also written over 60 reference articles for encyclopedia type works, including on authors such as Peter Straub and Candice Proctor, on genres of writing such as “Sword & Sorcery,” and even on rock bands like Mötley Crüe. Witch of Talera is his fourth novel and he is currently working on several long-term projects.

The lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. on Monday January 14th at the Slidell Branch of the St. Tammany Parish Library located at 555 Robert Blvd. in Slidell. The event is free and open to the public, and registration is requested. Books will be available for purchase before and after the program. Please stop by the Slidell Branch or call 985-646-6470 to register. ###"

----------

46 comments:

Erik Donald France said...

Utterly awesome -- kudos & congrats. It's a good news release, too, damned interesting.

virtual nexus said...

Yep, Awesome was the word that sprang to my mind as well!

Stacia said...

I think that's really cool! And yeah, it is a good release.

Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles) said...

Yep..that's pretty awesome. I'm impressed. I've been the subject of a news release too. It began: "Wanted, middle aged white male..."

Charles Gramlich said...

Erik, thanks.

Julie, thankee.

Stacia, glad you liked it.

Stewart, now why can I believe that so easily?

AvDB said...

That's a very nice release. Congratulations. What a way to start the new year!

Cheri said...

Heck yah Charles! =D

Stuff like this makes me smile.

Miladysa said...

Impressive and informative - I had no idea!

Pity there are no free plane tickets ;)

Lisa said...

Wow! I knew you were prolific, Dr. Gramlich, but I didn't realize how prolific. You rock!

Lana Gramlich said...

They left out that you're the sexiest man alive. I'll e-mail them straight away! ;)
(*LOL @ Stewart!*)

Steve Malley said...

Today, a press release.

Tomorrow, live coverage on CNN!

But, you know, hopefully not because you're on top of a water tower, or being slow-chased by the cops or anything...

Michelle's Spell said...

Hey Charles,

Doesn't seem lazy to me! Damn, man, you've published everything everywhere. Too cool. Here's hoping that the first week isn't too awful -- mine is shaping up to be a doozy.

Shauna Roberts said...

The news release doesn't say what your talk is on. Your books? Writing? Publishing? Your interesting self?

Travis Erwin said...

Great stuff. Wish I could be there.

ivan said...

Omigod, Doctor.
What a cv!

And you were smart enough to stay in education instead of going off to some Tahitian island to write.

Only thing I've had in my local paper was an article by me on bluebox garbage.
Definitely worth a Pulitzer.:)

Congratulations, and some kudos from here too.

Travis Cody said...

Cool beans! I'd attend if I was down your way.

Chris Eldin said...

Fantastic!! That is an awesome press release! Kudos to you!

:-)

Donnetta said...

Wow! Way cool! So proud of you. Enjoy the day.
Donnetta

eric1313 said...

Awesome work.

And you're living the life, the dream. I'm sure it seems tedious and even workaday to you, but to be a successful writer, professor and public speaker is quite the dream to me.

And it does make other rejoice in your success. I love it when all the writers I've known have success in their lives.

Danette Haworth said...

Charles,
Wow! Your list of credits is impressive!

Inside our hands, outside our hearts said...

Charles,


Congrats once again. Perhaps I should steal you waay so you can help find my path to glory. Course that is as long as your wife permits me to... (waves hi).

And while I have you, let yo pick my brain? smiles.

Just wonderful CHarles.

Tara

Charles Gramlich said...

Avery, I like working with the library here very much. They pay in advance!!!

Cheri, thanks.

Miladysa, alas, the granting agency turned down my request to bring several hundred of my closest blogleagues over for the experience.

Lisa, thanks, but that's no so prolific over that many years.

Lana, hey compliments like that will get you a lot. Like chicken wings or another trip to Trey Yuen.

Steve Malley, perhaps it's a question of which side of me will show itself to the world first.

Michelle, it's been pretty doozy so far, although registration has not been too bad.

Shauna, that's partly because the nice folks are giving me pretty much a free hand. My title will probably be "Suspense as an element in all fiction," but I plan to talk about Quick versus slow suspense, about characters, and about the intersection of horror and fantasy.

Charles Gramlich said...

Once again I've broken my comments on comments into two pieces, so if you don't see your name here, check my previous post.

Travis Erwin, then we could talk football playoffs.

Ivan, not sure if I was smart to stay in academia, or just an oxen who prefers to plow the field he knows rather than break out of the paddock.

Travis, I thought wolves got around, man.

Church lady, thank you.

Donnetta, I'll enjoy it most when it's behind me. I'm not too nervous, but I still like when presentations are done.

Eric1313, you know, I actually try not to take my career for granted. I still enjoy the teaching very much, though sometimes I wish there weren't so much committee work.

Danette, I've been at it a long time.

Tara, I'm afraid my brain is pretty well picked over by now.

Shauna Roberts said...

That sounds like a really interesting talk. I hope you'll post excerpts on your blog.

Miladysa said...

rofl!

SzélsőFa said...

that's some good news!
Congrats!

Bernita said...

Sweet news release!
I like the way they establish you're no fly-by-nighter.

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

That is so cool! And we should call you Dr. from now on! Great release!

And I am eagerly awaiting my copy of the first Talera book!

Charles Gramlich said...

Shauna, I will.

Miladysa, ;)

Szelsofa, thanks.

Bernita, It was definetely a nice release.

Ello, oh no, don't call me doctor. I wouldn't have even told them to put that on there but they didn't check with me on it first, and they knew I taught at Xavier.

SQT said...

I have been really remiss in reading this series. I just went and ordered the first book off of Amazon.

Congrats btw.

Nezha said...

Hey Charles,
What a wonderful way to start the new year!! many congratulations and i hope the talk goes splendidly:)

Chandra Rooney said...

Congratulations!

Thank you for stopping by my blog and entering the contest. I'll you know if you win. (So far it's good odds.)

Tyhitia Green said...

Charles,
This is so weird. I've seen you on other people's blogs all the time and decided t stop by today. A friend of mine attended Xavier and graduated in'97.

I'm in another state but I majored in Psychology---I love. I'm looking for schools so that I can obtain my Master's of Pychology. I also write mostly horror and fantasy. Does your knowledge of psychology assist you with your works? I feel it does with me! :*)

Tyhitia Green said...

Great release, by the way! :*) Excellent!

Charles Gramlich said...

SQT, thankee and thankee. Hope you enjoy.

Nezha, thank you. I'll be really getting prepared this weekend, although I've given the basic program before.

C.Rooney, thanks for stopping by. Congrats again on your story.

Demon hunter, that is a little weird. Good luck with finding an MA program. There are quite a few good ones out there. Knowing some psychology has been really helpful to me in writing horror. I'd say most of my horror stuff has been pretty strongly influenced by my training. This is not quite so true for fantasy, which I loved long before I got into psychology.

virtual nexus said...

Charles, I've just been dipping into Problogger and come across an interesting little post called
Find your blogging DNA -
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/09/29/finding-your-blogging-dna/

Basically, are you a muser or a reporter?
Not a lot you won't know already, but wondered if it might be a springboard to other ideas.

RK Sterling said...

Dang, Charles. I knew you were good, but I had no idea. :)

Congratulations.

LoveRundle said...

Good luck with your lecture. I've decided I need to practice reading outloud because I get so nervous. It's a gift to be able to speak in crowds. Good luck with it.

steve on the slow train said...

Charles,

If I could, I'd drive over to Champaign and get on the City of New Orleans to hear you. Sadly, I've got to work to get other people to their destinations. I'm sure your audience will enjoy and be informed by your talk. BTW, do you know Gary Donaldson in the History Dept. there? I'm using his book "Truman Defeats Dewey" as a help for a brief reference to the 1948 election in my Dickens Challenge novel.

Sidney said...

Wow, if I were in town I'd bee there.

Tyhitia Green said...

Charles,
I have always loved psychology, horror, and fantasy. I definitely think that it assists with my writing.

I've considered a few programs, but I would like to get published first before I enter into any intense program.

writtenwyrdd said...

That's so cool, Charles!

Charles Gramlich said...

Julie, I'll have to check that out. I suspect I'm a little of both at times but am not sure which I am primarily.

Kate, thanks. Yeah, I'm damn near perfect as far as "I" can tell. and Lana seems to support that assertion. ;)

Christina, practice definetely helps. Once I started public speaking the anxiety went way down quickly.

Steve, yes, I know Gary Donaldson pretty well. The history and psychology departments were in the same office area for years. He lives not far from me.

Sid, next time I come through Texas I'll try and look you up.

Demon hunter, grad programs certainly take up a lot of time, although sometimes in grad school I did write around the edges.

Writtenwyrd, thankee.

Anonymous said...

I've said it before, so I won't say it again.

Ah, what the hell, I will: Impressive!

Rachel V. Olivier said...

Whahooo! That's awesome! If I were anywhere near Slidell, I'd attend!

Barrie said...

Wow! That's incredible! I wish I could go.