Author event and giveaway: Sue Monk Kidd
This year, our county’s Amazing Read is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. According to the library’s newsletter, the “book selection is designed for audiences 13 and older with the intent to encourage discussion and build community around literature.” If the kick-off event, featuring author Sue Monk Kidd is any indication, it’s already successful. There was a huge turnout for the event, and I was surprised at the number of men and teens in attendance.
Sue Monk Kidd grew up in the small town of Sylvester, Georgia. She said the summer of 1964 changed her forever. She started writing at age thirty and while she imagined herself writing fiction, she didn’t until twelve years later. When she first tried her hand at fiction, she wrote short stories for four years. She read the short story that would become The Secret Life of Bees at a conference and was approached by a literary agent who hoped it was the first chapter of a book.
The original idea for The Secret Life of Bees came from Kidd’s childhood home. Bees lived in the walls of her family’s guest room. When they couldn’t get rid of them, her family learned to live with them, keeping the door closed when they weren’t using the room. Before they were married, Kidd’s husband stayed in the room and when he later recounted how bees buzzed around the room at night, she was sure there was a story in there.
It took three and a half years to write The Secret Life of Bees. When the book was released, it was optioned for a movie, but it took seven years for the movie to be made. Kidd was a consultant on the movie, but said that it’s difficult to condense a 300 page book down to a hundred pages of dialogue. She feels like the movie version of the book is “pretty good,” though. When her car pulled up at the premier of the movie, the driver was told to circle the block a few times, because they needed someone “big” to walk the red carpet at that time. She and the actors were waiting in the green room before a press conference when someone came in the room and said, “Get all the talent, and could you get Sue, too?”
Kidd feels that the primary value of fiction is that it gives the reader the experience of empathy. She said writing a novel takes courage and that it’s the job of the novelist to take a bad situation and make it worse. Now that she has grandchildren, she has thought of writing a children’s book with her son.
Some of the upcoming Amazing Read events are:
- Book discussions
- Movie nights
- Beginning beekeeping classes
- Homemade honey swap
- Discussion of the Civil Rights movement in South Carolina
The signing portion of the event was unorganized and chaotic. It was late and Carl and I hadn’t eaten, so I decided it wasn’t worth fighting the mob. Luckily, my independent bookseller was there selling books and she came to my rescue – she traded my unsigned copies of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES for autographed ones. To enter to win an autographed copy of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd, simply fill out this entry form. Contest is open worldwide. I will use random.org to determine the winner. Contest ends at midnight EST Sunday, April 17, 2011. The winner will be announced on Monday, April 18, 2011. Comments are welcome (and appreciated) but will not get you an entry in the contest.
Thanks a lot for the chance. I’ve read so many great reviews about this book.
You know, I’ve seen the movie but I’ve never actually read the book. Not sure why. I think I thought I had, but no. Must do this. Thanks for sharing about the event, Kathy. The “talent” and Sue indeed. LOL
I have been wanting to read this book for so long. Thank you for the giveaway!
She sounds like she was a fun speaker – those movie people are keeping her humble!
Thanks for sharing. I thought it may be unnerving to have bees buzzing around! specially whilst you were sleeping.
What a wonderful post…..I really liked this book.
THANKS.
Your independent book seller came THROUGH! Yay to your bookie!
I love these author meet & greet events you get to go to. Thank you for making it all come alive for us.
Going to sign up for a chance to win! Good luck to everyone & now onward we go to the link for a reading good time
I already read this, but loved it. Great choice for an Amazing Read!
She sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway!
I have The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair on my TBR shelves.
Great post, these are being bumped up my reading list
carol
I’ve seen the movie and have heard great things about the book. It sounds like Sue Monk Kidd put a lot of hard work and time into The Secret Life of Bees, no wonder it’s so popular. I love that she started writing fiction when she was a little older. I cannot imagine living with bees in a wall of my home!
Thank you for a wonderful giveaway.
This book is on my list of all-time favorites. I really enjoyed reading your post and learning some new things. It sounds like it was both fun and interesting to see Kidd in person. Great choice for an Amazing Read.
i’ve never seen the movie but i have sue monk kidd’s books and literary voice! the secret life of bees was one of my book club’s favorite reads….what a wonderful giveaway!
I own a copy of the book but haven’t read it yet. I’ve heard such great things though!
My husband and I lived in a duplex that had bees living in the wall, but weren’t able to confirm it until right before we moved. For a while I thought maybe I was just imagining the random buzzing that we could hear, because you could only hear while standing on the stairs on a hot day.
I enjoyed the stories about her red carpet and green room experiences!
I loved the movie and I am so glad you didn’t wait around…dinner is important…
I think my mum has got this book, I really should check
Oh I absolutely loved this book and movie! I hope you do too!
Great summary. I will have to keep this one in mind for Booking Daughter in a few years. I loved it!
I loved this movie!
What a bunch of neat events! I love the line about the talent…and Sue too!
Yay for your independent bookseller coming to the rescue — and yay to you for a generous giveaway.
I love this book! It’s a great book for a community read, especially a southern one. Thanks for reminding me to add the movie to my Netflix queue.
Wonderful post! I adored this book and also thought the movie was excellent. Thanks for hosting this giveaway, Kathy.
I’ve read the book, but haven’t yet seen the movie. I think it’s great that she was able to be a consultant for the film. I’ve heard many stories about authors not even being consulted and not liking how the movie turned out.
This is another book that I haven’t read yet. An autographed copy sounds wonderful.
This book sounds great, thanks, for the chance to win.
This event sounds like it was so much fun (maybe a bit chaotic, but fun). The Secret Life of Bees has been on my to-buy list for ages. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Wow.. I would have loved to be there. I absolutely enjoyed her Secret Life of Bees!
Having a signed copy of one of my favorite books of all time would be awesome!!!
Thanks so much for the opportunity!
i would really love to read this book