Dawn Cook showed up to the Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Georgia camera at the ready. She was excited to record the release of the 10th book in the Rachel Morgan series written by urban fantasy author, Kim Harrison.

Stepping up to the podium, Dawn Cook, aka Kim Harrison, captured a few pics of her fans before directing a question and answer session about her new release, A Perfect Blood. Over 100 fans congregated for the book signing on Saturday, February 25th.

In her Hollows series, Harrison creates an alternate history where after a pandemic caused by genetically-modified tomatoes almost wipes out the human population, Inderlanders reveal themselves to the human world. Enter witch and bounty hunter, Rachel Morgan. Morgan lives with a vampire and pixy in a church in the Hollows, an area close to downtown Cincinnati. This “itchy witch” spends her time protecting the human and Inderlander world from bad vampires, banshees, elves, and demons all while trying to avoid black magic and being sucked into the Ever-after.  As the premise suggests, Harrison’s books are laced with humor and a serious ass-kicking heroine who may be somewhat flawed and impulsive, but still is loveable and intriguing.

Early in her career Dawn Cook wrote traditional fantasy books: the Truth series and the Decoy Princess series published by Ace Books. In 2004 she met her current agent Richard Curtis at a writing convention. He introduced her to Editor Diana Gill and they produced the first book in the Rachel Morgan series, Dead Witch Walking published by HarperCollins.

It was her editor who took a look at current markets and suggested she assume an “H” name to put her books on the shelves next to authors such as Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris. Kim Harrison was born.

Fans flocked to the stores many unaware of the dual personality until 2009 when the information was disclosed in a Locus magazine article. Readers were unfazed. They continued to appreciate her books with titles based on Clint Eastwood movies where characters do what’s right whether it’s legal or not. Rachel admirers–this sound familiar?

After taking pictures of the roadies with her “bunny cam,” Harrison relayed exciting news that the CW Television Network plans to produce a series based on her books and character, Rachel Morgan. She also confirmed that she has a thirteen-book contract so Rachel should be around for another two or three books. But the end is coming soon, “Rachel wants her happy ending and I’m about to give it to her,” laughed Harrison.

-Notes-

Kim Harrison is gracious and incredibly approachable. She dedicates much of her time keeping in touch with her fans on her blog the Drama Box. A big thank you goes to Kim’s husband for being a great photographer for all her fans. For more information about Kim’s books and her tour go to: http://www.kimharrison.net/index.html

For info on Eagle Eye go to: http://www.eagleeyebooks.com/ 

Other Harrison works: young adult series featuring main character, Madison Avery; graphic novel, Blood Work; second graphic novel, Blood Crime due out in December, 2012. 

Inspire Each Other 
My left brain engaged, I drove down Ponce De Leon Avenue processing the diverse slideshow streaming by me. From one block to the next, the scenery changed from dilapidated old businesses to historic restored homes as I got closer to the Decatur square. In search of parking, I circled the block by the MARTA train station. My intention was to gather information for the setting in my book.

At the corner of East Trinity Place and North Candler Street I hit a wall -- a visual feast of colors, images and writing that stopped me in my tracks. The graffiti before me was not your average "KILROY WAS HERE." I threw away my checklist of locations I planned to visit. 

Instead of continuing straight, I swerved to the left and parked in an apartment building lot complete with signs that threatened to tow nonresidents. I didn't care, I was "stopping to smell the flowers." 

The colorful mural was a collaborative effort by street artists Freddy Sam and Ever for the Living Walls Atlanta Conference in August, 2011.

Artist and curator, Ricky Lee Gordon, aka Freddy Sam, discovered graffiti art at the age of 16. Today he has revitalized his neighborhood of Woodstock in Capetown, South Africa with colorful murals. He spearheads projects such as Write on Africa and the development of the Woodstock Industrial Centre.  Write on Africa creates murals and workshops in poor communities to uplift residents and create social change. The Woodstock Industrial Centre houses over 75 artists from around the world and has launched an Artist in Residency program.

Ever, née Nicolás Romero, began painting letter-based graffiti in Buenos Aires in 2001. Today he paints realistic portraits of the average person on the street with a "thought cloud" like a window into the person's soul.

I thank them both for uplifting my soul, coloring the world, and letting me know sometimes it's okay to write on the wall.


For more information:
http://www.freddysam.com/ 
http://collabcubed.com/2011/12/01/ever-argentine-street-artist/ 
http://livingwallsconference.com/