Celia Rivenbark, author of You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning, launches her blog tour

& Book Giveaway Comments Contest!

Celia Rivenbark is an award-winning newspaper columnist and freelance journalist whose work has been compared to a cross between Erma Bombeck and Hunter S. Thompson.

Celia has won national and state press awards and is the author of four humor collections: Bless Your Heart, Tramp (2000, reprinted in 2006), We're Just Like You, Only Prettier (2004), Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank (2006) and Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits.

Her latest collection, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning, was released in September 2009 (St. Martin's Press).

Celia lives in Wilmington, NC, with her husband and daughter.

Find out more about Celia by visiting her website: www.CeliaRivenbark.com.

You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning
By Celia Rivenbark

So new it's got puppy breath, this fifth collection of funny stuff covers it all: From religion to recipes, from car-pooling to cat-whispering, Rivenbark dishes up hilarious new essays for anyone born south of somewhere. Whether she's trying to convince her mama to be her senior bingo "beard," flying on the fictional (or is it?) One Hot Mess Airlines, contemplating Action Figure Jesus or trying to convince Clay Aiken fans that he'll never marry their glandular daughters, Celia's having some fun now. Filled to the brim with belly laughs, Drink is topped off with a collection of genuine southern recipes to comfort your soul and cure your hangover. This one's for anyone who likes their humor shaken, stirred, or straight up!

Published by St. Martin's Press
Hardcover: 256 pages
ISBN# 031236301X

Book Giveaway Comments Contest!

If you received our Events Newsletter, remember, we are holding a contest to win a copy of Celia's book, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning, to those that comment. So, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and enjoy the chat, and share your thoughts, and comments, at the end.

We will randomly choose a winner from those who comment. Enjoy!

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: Welcome to The Muffin, Celia. We're delighted to launch your blog tour for your book, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning. I have so many questions I don't know where to start. So let's start at the end. On the last page of your latest book you thank your agent and describe your meeting as, "Lana-Turner-discovered-at-the-soda-fountain lucky that she found me." So tell us how you became the Lana Turner of the literary world.

Celia: When I said that, I meant that it was incredibly lucky that Jenny discovered my work precisely because I'd never worked at finding an agent. No conferences, no queries, just a really great stroke of luck that Jenny happened to see my first book on the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance(SIBA) best-seller list and decided to give me a call. When she told me she was Jill Conner Browne's agent, I nearly fainted. She asked me if I had another humor collection in the works and I said, "I do now." That night, I started working on We're Just Like You, Only Prettier, which she sold in about a week as I recall.

WOW: A week? That's amazing! Have you and your agent Jenny Bent worked together for all five of your books?

Celia: Jenny is no longer with Trident Media Group but has gone out on her own to establish The Bent Agency. She has represented me on all five books. My first book, Bless Your Heart, Tramp was published by a small local press that went out of business. After the rights reverted to me, Jenny re-sold that book to St. Martin's Press.

WOW: Tell us from your experience, what characteristics should we be looking for in an agent?

Celia: I have no experience with any agent other than Jenny so all I can say is that it's important to have complete and utter trust in your agent. If you feel squirrely, move on. She has guided me through the process and I've never once doubted her decision-making. I trust her completely. She's also a lot of fun to talk to and if she thinks an idea is crap, she'll tell me.

WOW: She sounds great! I hear you're packing your bags for a September book tour. Any advice for other authors on how to make a book tour a success?

Celia: My wonderful publicist John Karle at St. Martin's Press understands that it's important to squeeze as much media as you can out of every stop on the tour. Doing just a bookstore isn't any good. You need to hit a morning TV show, get a print interview or two, do some drive-time radio stations AND read and sign at the store to make it worthwhile. Even if they don't come to the signing, you're in their heads.

WOW: Tell us what you look forward to about book tours. And horror stories? You can change names to protect the innocent, if you like.

Celia: The best and most supportive book audiences I've found are in the stores in and around Lexington/Louisville. They really support authors in that part of the world. Ohio can be good, too. Charleston is a horrible town for a signing which kills me because it's my favorite city.

The worst place I ever signed books was following a speech I made for a rural electrical cooperative. I set up my little table and everyone came by and picked up a book and walked away! They thought it was just another giveaway along with the calendars and free pens. I had to chase 'em down and tell them the book was $15 or so. Every one of them dropped it like it was a snake. A bad, bad experience.

WOW: Oh my gosh! That's awful! But it makes for a great story. Real life seems to do that. Your humor columns and books include a lot about your family and neighbors--sometimes complimentary, sometimes not so much. Do you change names, details so people don't recognize themselves?

Celia: Yes, I change names, time frames and events as needed to prevent hurt feelings. A Southern lady never intentionally hurts someone else. Unless it's a Hollywood skank or creepy politician. Then, all bets are off.

WOW: (Laughs) What happens when the PTA moms recognize a unflattering portrait of themselves?

Celia: I've had a few run-ins with folks who thought I was talking about them when I wrote about hating those perfect attendance awards. I just said, "Oh! That! Yep, that was you!" I think if you're going to do it, you gotta own it. When all the kids get swine flu this year because Junior hasn't missed a day in eight years, I'm calling you out. Truly, most people are incredibly supportive and they do get the joke.

WOW: Your daughter is getting older now. Have you gotten to the point where she's started saying, "No mom, do not write about this!"

Celia: Not yet. There's a funny story in Drink about how she threw up during sex ed class in fifth grade. I asked her if I could write about it and she was fine with it. Sophie's pragmatic. She understands that the funnier Mommie is, the more books she sells and that just translates into more Twilight merchandise for her. Smart cookie, that one.

WOW: Tell us a little about what's coming up next for you.

Celia: I have a two-book contract (humor collections 6 and 7) with St. Martin's Press and, after that, who knows? I have a wonderful idea for a children's book in my head and I might try that just for a change of pace.

Want to join Celia on her blog tour? Check out these dates and mark your calendar! You can also snag a copy of WOW's Events Calendar HERE.

Blog Tour Dates: Come and join the fun!

September 8, 2009 Tuesday
Celia will be chatting with WOW! Women On Writing at The Muffin. Stop by and share your comments! One lucky commenter will win copy of Celia's book!
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html

September 9, 2009 Wednesday
Celia stops by A Good Blog is Hard to Find to discuss: What's Easier--Making Your Reader Laugh or Cry? Stop by to share your opinion!
http://www.southernauthors.blogspot.com/

September 10, 2009 Thursday
Stop by Mom-e-Centric and have a blast with Celia, the Queen of Tell It Like It Is--with a dash of Southern charm tossed in. Today she shares what happens when your well of inspiration becomes a teenager.
http://www.momecentric.com/

September 14, 2009 Monday
Celia stops by Anne-Marie Nichols' blog, A Mama's Rant, for a great chat about the craziness we all call our lives. Stop by and join in on the lively conversation!
http://www.amamasrant.com/

September 15, 2009 Tuesday
David Letterman isn't the only one with a Top Ten List. Today, Celia stops by Beth Morrissey's blog, Hell Or High Water, to share her list of the Top Ten Things You Need to Be A Humor Writer.
http://hellorhighwaterwriter.blogspot.com/

September 17, 2009 Thursday
Stop by Donna's Book Pub and enjoy some Southern hospitality with Celia Rivenbark. And don't forget to enter for a free copy of her latest laugh-out-loud book: You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning.
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com/

September 18, 2009 Friday
Stop by WordHustler today for a great interview with humor writer Celia Rivenbark. Find out more about humor writing and anything else fabulous interviewer Anne Walls can dish up!
http://wordhustlerink.wordhustler.com/

September 22, 2009 Tuesday
Need a good laugh today? First read the interview with humor writer Celia Rivenbark and then enter to win a copy of her book You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning.
http://writerinspired.wordpress.com/

October 1, 2009 Thursday
Stop by Blonde Mom Blog today for an interview with the irrepressible Celia Rivenbark. Also enter to win a copy of her book You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning.
http://blondemomblog.com/

October 7, 2009 Wednesday
Read a review of You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Mornin' today. Then come back tomorrow for a guest post by Celia and chance to win a copy!
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/

October 8, 2009 Thursday
Celia tells readers about the joyful (and not so joyful) days of being a mom! And gives everyone a chance to win a copy of her hilarious record of her parenting. You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning book giveaway!
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/

We may have several more dates to come, so be sure to check out our Events Calendar HERE.

Get involved!

We hope you are as excited about the tour as we are! Mark your calendar, save these dates, and join us for this truly unique and fascinating author blog tour.

If you have a blog or website and would like to participate in Celia Rivenbark's blog tour, or schedule a tour of your own, please email Angela and Jodi at: blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com

** Please feel free to copy any portion of this post.

Oh, be sure to comment on this post to enter in a drawing for a copy of Celia's laugh-out-loud book You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning.