Francine Thomas Howard resides with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally from Illinois, she has lived in the Bay Area since childhood. Howard left a rewarding career in pediatric occupational therapy to pursue her first love, writing. Page from a Tennessee Journal is her first novel.
Hi, Francine–
First, congratulations on your new book! We’d like to cover it at Chapter 16, an online journal about books and author events in Tennessee. You can find us at http://www.chapter16.org. Will you email me at margaret@humanitiestennessee.org, and let me know how I can arrange for a review copy and high-res jpegs (author and book jacket)?
Many thanks,
Margaret Renkl
Great Job Francine. I have seen how hard you worked at the California Writers Club, Berkeley Branch’s Support/critique group at the Rockridge Library.
Readers who are writers, check out the 100+ year-old California Writers Club for upcoming writing workshops, conferences, speaker programs and more. Francine is a member of the Berkeley Branch (that meets in Oakland), http://www.cwc-berkeley.com. You will find information on all CWC branches and the Club’s legendary founders including Jack London at http://www.calwriters.org.
Francine, I have read and posted my review for your great book. Quite a fantastic book for your first. I have posted it on amazon.com (through Vine), b&n.com, mysteryworld.com, gather.com, and ezines.com
I hope they help you.
Thanks for a great story.
Cy.
Dear Ms. Howard, I just feel the need to reach out to you and thank you so very much for providing me with the best read I’ve had in a long time.
I read about a book a week so that’s saying quite a bit. I tried to read it slowly so it would last longer but I confess I finished it in two days.
The characters almost jumped off the page! Incredibly well crafted and such a delight to read,
Of course I am already looking for your next novel. I hope I don’t have to wait too long.
Thank you so much for writing this amazing book.
Very Sincerely,
Kathy Musselman
Ms. Musselman, you are most welcome. It’s always a thrill to have the characters I’ve lived with for so long find themselves appreciated–even with all their flaws–in another home.
Ms. Howard,
I totally agree with Ms. Musselman above. This is by far
the best book I have ever read. You have fleshed out
the characters so well and made them so real they stay
with me all day until the evening when I finally get to read
again! I read 75% on my kindle in a week – which for me
is FAST because I don’t get to read much.
I can’t wait until your next book. I find it hard to believe
this is your first. Please, please, please keep writing.
Also, being in the south my entire life, you capture the
south well too, especially for a bay area lady ;D
Keep up the great work…will be waiting not too patiently
for your next great masterpiece.
Blessings~~janelle
Thanks so much Janelle. Yes, I’ll keep writing. I have to. I have a family with so many odd branches that the stories keep coming. The next one on the drawing board is something called The Sisterhood Hyphen. That one set primarily in Senegal, tells the story of three African-American women who take early retirement and head off on a budget-class around-the-world trip where they meet three very different Africa-born men who challenge the women’s very identities.
[…] in a small southern town in 1913, Francine Thomas Howard’s Page from a Tennessee Journal plucks the long threads of miscegenation and focuses on the […]
Thank you, Aimee. It has been a pleasure for me to see how many readers “get” the characters of Page From a Tennessee Journal. There are elements of our American past that have harmed us all. That’s what I wanted to show.
Ms. Howard,
I just finished your wonderful book. I really enjoyed it and wish you much success with you other books. It was a pleasure meeting you at the Les Gemmes event.
John
John,
Thank you so much. Nashville was an absolute delight. I know I’ve told you before but I much admire your tenacity and skill at all the research you did to write your marvelous book, The Washingtons of Wessington Plantation.
Will you be at BEA next month? If you are, look me up at the Amazon table. I’ve got a book signing. I’m excited.
I won’t get to make it to BEA. I was really fascinated by your book. Charity, Rebecca, Annalaura, John etc. were they your family’s real names or created for the book? Being a genealogist I was tempted to try to look them up on the census records everytime I heard a new name.
francine,
i got a press proof copy of your upcoming book PARIS NOIRE, and i was thinking it could be the debut review for the book section of the website i work for. i was curious, and i just wanted to throw the idea out there for you, if, when i’m finished, and our schedules permitting you might do a small interview with me?
/charles
Sure, Charles. Just give me a few particulars about your website.
email me any questions you might have
Ms. Howard, Your novel, Page from a Tennessee Journal is one of the best if not the best novel I have ever read. I’ve read a lot in seventy plus years. You so eloquently presented this sad, ugly part of our history. It gives insight to behaviors of some women both black and white in some segments of our society today. Thank you for sharing your amazing talent with us all. Sue
Sue, thanks so much. I’m just delighted that my efforts to look a little deeper into the complexities of racial and gender roles of the past have been so well understood by readers of Page From a Tennessee Journal.
Ms. Thomas-Howard,
I’m Casaundra Freeman and I just had the pleasure of narrating your two books, Page from a Tennessee Journal & Paris Noire. You’ve created such lovely work, I hope my voice does justice to the characters you’ve so artfully designed.
Best,
Casaundra Freeman
Casaundra, how fun! I guess I never imagined my characters speaking in voices other than the ones I heard in my head as I was writing them down. I’m excited to hear what they really sound like! Thanks.
Ms. Howard,
My name is Lawson Mabry and I live in Clarksville, Tennessee. I am the great great grandson of John Elliott Mabry and have many of the records and letters from Poplar Hill from the 1840’s to the early 20th century. Jackie Collins and I were preparing for the upcoming Mabry reunion today and he showed me your book Page From a Tennessee Journal which I ordered immediately.
I have photos, ledgers (including slave and tenant records) and transcripts of letters which mention many of your ancestors and would be happy to share them with you if you have an interest.
I’d also like to tell you about some other literary efforts from both “sides” of the family that coincidentally parallel your own.
I look forward to reading your book when it arrives as it covers a time period in not well covered in our family archive and seems like a great story as well.
Sincerely,
Lawson Mabry
Dear Francine,
Might you be interested in the prospect
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I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Mark
Mark Gottlieb
Literary Agent
Trident Media Group, LLC
41 Madison Avenue, Floor 36
New York, NY 10010
(212) 333-1506
tridentmediagroup.com
How did you select Union County Arkansas for your book setting? I happen to live in Union County, Arkansas (a transplant from New Orleans) and find it to be a rather obscure location for you to choose.
Hello Cathy,
Union County found me. My in-laws are from Arkansas.
Loved the book – it is right up my alley (historical interests). Would like to announce on Historical Writers of America site. http://www.historicalwritersofamerica.org
Your support is much appreciated. Thanks so much.