Dropped Candy Edition 4, Book Birthday Party, Mini Book Tour, and Jersey Snapshots

Do you recall how, in the inaugural edition of the Dropped Candy newsletter, I wrote: “in August, I’ll send infrequent --then dramatically and perhaps intimidatingly frequent-- emails to keep you in the loop”? 

Well, that period begins now! Welcome to your Inbox Influx featuring more Confessions of a Candy Snatcher (CoaCS) news than maybe you can handle. 

Book Birthday Party 🥳

Many years back, when the novel manuscript was in its infancy (as opposed to now, when the manuscript has reached voting age 🗳), I daydreamed about how I might celebrate its launch. I didn't come up with particularly clever ideas, other than planning a dance party. Is that on-theme for the topic of Halloween, being delightfully naughty, or learning about yourself as a young person? Nope! But I sure do love a dance party.  

Enter the covid-times era of virtual EVERYTHING, including dancing together-apart. I 👏🏾am 👏🏾here 👏🏾for ​​👏🏾it 👏🏾!! I hope you are, too. 

On Tuesday, August 15th, at 8 PM EST, please join me / you are cordially invited / no RSVPs needed.

What: CoaCS Book Birthday Party on Zoom - virtual reading, followed by a dance party feat. DJ Univer-AL

Who: YOU. Friends, family, art-partners, friends-of-friends, readers young and older

Date: Tuesday, August 15

Time: 8-9 PM EST

Location: Zoom (click the "Launch Meeting" image/link below to access Zoom. If you want to test to see if the link works, go right ahead. However, I won't open the room until Tuesday at 8 PM.)

Meeting ID: 829 235 4903

Secret Passcode: c@ndyc0rn

Schedule (subject to change)

8:00 - Arrive to inviting beats by DJ Univers-AL

8:10 - Intros & zoom how-to’s

8:15 - Halloween-themed game  

8:20 - Virtual book reading (excerpt) 

8:35 - Q&A

8:45 - Dance Party! 💃🏾

9:00 - Fin. Maybe . . . 😉

Never attended a virtual dance party? Here’s how (description courtesy of DJ Univers-AL):

This party is an opportunity to dress up and have fun! Wear costumes and outfits that make you feel good, and bust out your fancy lights and festive computer backgrounds. Turning your video on is encouraged to help build community, but if you're feeling shy, you're welcome to dance off-camera or turn off your camera.

Tl:dr 

Mini Book Tour

Can’t make Tuesday’s event or wondering how you can catch me in-person? Don’t worry; we got you.

More dates will be added as we move into the fall. Stay tuned.

Jersey Snapshots

One of the New Jersey locales that North River (where Jonas and his buddies run amok in CoaCS) is based on is the borough of Red Bank. It’s located along the Navesink River on what was originally and remains Lenni Lenape land. There’s a cute downtown that my family frequented in the 80s and 90s, which includes clothing boutiques, restaurants, music store(s), pizza joints, the famous Count Basie Theater (now Count Basie Center for the Arts), an arcade, and many other iconic attractions. As a teen, I strolled the sidewalks with friends and spent many hours hanging in Marine Park. One of my high schools, Red Bank Regional, where I cemented my commitment to creative writing, is nearby.

On a recent trip to Jersey, I spent time in Red Bank remembering those teenage years and snapping a few photos of my novel in its spiritual home.

Bonus Question - Next Time

There’s no bonus question for this newsletter but please do enjoy the results of the past newsletter’s questions.

How to Get the Book

Pssst! Wondering where/how to get a copy of CoaCS? Here's the scoop: visit your favorite local, independent bookshop OR order online at indiebound, bookshop, barnes and noble, or amazon.