AMAZING WOMEN WRITERS…

Dear friends –

Check out this photo of true authorial sisterhood! Here I am with the tremendous writers Lee Smith, Sandra Brown and Amy Tan — in a giddy moment last night at the Southern Independent Bookseller's Association conference in New Orleans.

The four of us, who could not be more different in background, personal history or writing style (but who are united in love of our work) bonded immediately when we met last night. We all spoke, one after the other, on the same stage. Let me tell you — they are all beautiful powerhouses.

My favorite moment was when the presenter introduced Sandra Brown (whom I've met before and LOVE) as "the author of 50 New York Times Bestselling novels." A quite impressive number, to be sure, but then Sandra got up on stage and said in her gentle but firm Southern accent, "I hate to correct you, Jake…but it's actually 65." I almost came out of my seat cheering. I love it — I absolutely love it — when women fearlessly own their achievements!

All three of these women inhabit every inch of space they can reach for in this world, and it was a honor to hang out with them. And all four of us have books coming out in the next month. I can't wait to see Sandra hit her 66th bestseller (with the rest of us trying to catch up!)

Rock on,
Liz

via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall