I’m headed back to the Everglades & Tampa!

On March 9th, I'm reading and signing books at the Smallwood Store. On March 12th, I’ll be at Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL with special guest, Jeff Babauta

TLDR: Here is an updated list of my upcoming events!

• March 9, 2024 - I’ll be reading and signing books at the Smallwood Store with the one and only Kent Daniels.

• March 12, 2024 - I'm speaking at the Oxford Exchange in Tampa with Jeff Babauta as my conversation partner. Get tickets now!

• April 12 , 2024— I'll be Annabelle Tometich's conversation partner at Third House Books in Gainesville.

• April 26-28, 2024— I’m speaking at Word of South in Tallahassee. The headlining act is The Flaming Lips!

• May 18, 2024 — I’m a featured author at the Orlando Book Festival.

• November 14, 2024 — I’m giving the keynote address at Sarasota Public Libraries' Off the Page Literary Celebration.

Howdy Friends,

This Saturday, I’m headed to the Everglades for a reading at the Smallwood Store, which some of you may recognize from Gator Country. The Smallwood Store started its life as a trading post in 1906 when Ted Smallwood moved down to that last frontier and saw that while the families who had set up there were rugged, they were still in need of produce, supplies, and mail.

The store remained more or less unchanged until it closed in 1982. The Smallwoods then locked the doors with the goods inside, a time capsule waiting for Ted Smallwood’s granddaughter. Recognizing what she had as an intact gem of Florida history, she reopened the Smallwood Store as a museum in 1990, and it has continued on like that ever since.

In Gator Country, I wrote:

Venturing inside was like stepping through a time warp— or into my great- grandfather’s toolshed. The main long aisle of the store ran from the front door straight to the back door, which remained open to the upper porch and the breeze. Cast- iron skillets, pans, and washtubs hung from the ceiling along with the lazily turning fans. On one side of the main aisle, a counter was piled high with new and old books, worn photographs, hats, canned goods, and endless other memorabilia. The counter itself was slanted inward from the top to accommodate the hoop skirts from back in the day. The next aisle seemed to be a gift shop, but items scattered throughout the store had price tags, making it hard to tell where the true store ended and the museum began. This was especially true of the books, which claimed space on every available surface.

I’m excited to return to the space not only to be immersed back in one of the settings of Gator Country but to also be in conversation with one of its characters: Kent Daniels. You might remember him as Chokoloskee’s unofficial one man welcome wagon and raconteur who led me through the swamps during my visit. He’s also the author of two books, Shadows of The Ghost and Ghost People of the Everglades. The event is on Saturday, March 9th from 1-4pm. There will be food and even a live alligator that you can take pictures with. I hope to see you there.

Following this event, on March 12th from 7-8:30pm, I’ll be at Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL with special guest, Jeff Babauta, the infamous main character of Gator Country. I’ve done events with Jeff before and they are always a good time. It’s very special to be able to talk to the characters of my book who are very much real people with their own stories to tell. This event is ticketed, so make sure to grab a ticket if you’re interested in joining us.

Yours Truly,

Rebecca

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This week, I recommend reading The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery in which the author explores her own growing appreciation of this mollusk, a unique love story of sorts. It is a captivating exploration of the remarkable intelligence and personality of these elusive sea creatures. As Montgomery shares her deep connection with these creatures and the individuals who study and care for them, The Soul of an Octopus is a poignant reminder of the beauty and complexity of the natural world, offering profound insights into the intersection of human and animal consciousness. I recommend this book to those who enjoy nonfiction books about nature and psychology.

Would you read this book?

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Hazel and Jojo would like to remind you to follow me on Tik Tok, Twitter, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky for more.