TIARA WEARING, BEAUTY AND BOOK SHARING PULPWOOD QUEENS

Last year, I discovered one of those pleasant surprises that make us realize that hope is not lost for literacy in America. Sometimes, all it takes is one clever woman who is creative and not above using large doses of humor to get people to pick up a book and read. Kathy Patrick of Jefferson, Texas had a beauty shop and she loved books, so she started what is probably the only beauty/book shop in the country.

But she went much further than that! She formed a book club, called the Pulpwood Queens, whose members read books and discuss them at regularly scheduled meetings. There's a twist to her book club, though. Every participant must wear a tiara! Big hair helps, too - this is Texas, after all.

Kathy's Pulpwood Queens club chapters are spreading across the country now. They place a needed focus on literacy and support hardworking writers who (trust me) don't get a lot of encouragement or support from either publishers or bookstores. I've provided a link to her Web site below.

Kathy is a generous, creative, and caring woman who is not immune to helping those in need. I'll write next time about the project she is pursuing to help the writer of a new book. Meanwhile, check out her Web site.