Meet Lone Star Literary Life

Every so often the Writers’ League likes to highlight another Texas-based writing/literary organization on our blog. This week, we’re featuring Lubbock-based Lone Star Literary Life—a Texas-centric website and newsletter that connects its readers to the literary community in Texas. Lone Star Literary Life was founded by Barbara Brannon and Kay Ellington (coauthors of the novel The Paragraph Ranch). LSLL’s website offers a wealth of information on Texas authors and their latest books, as well as literary programming and events going on within our great state. Read the interview with Kay and Barbara below to learn more.
 
Scribe: Tell us what led both of you to launching Lone Star Literary Life.
Lone Star Literary Life: As authors and media professionals, we were dismayed by the shrinking number of media outlets for book reviews and event news. For example, 93% of the state’s newspapers offer no regular books coverage of any kind. And despite the great services that organizations like the Writers’ League of Texas provide, no one’s been able to devote the resources to posting every event in every location, week in and week out. Texas readers want to read about Texas books (among other books, of course!) and Texas authors want their books reviewed. So we had been thinking for some time that this was an underserved niche and a great opportunity, and we felt we were the ones with the right experience and commitment to do it right.
Scribe: What has been the response to Lone Star Literary Life from the writing and reading community in Texas?
LSLL: We have been bombarded with requests for stories, reviews, and email subscriptions! And our social media numbers have soared. We think we’re onto something.
Scribe: How can Texas writers get involved in Lone Star Literary Life?
LSLL: 1. They can work with their publishers/publicists and make sure that their signings, readings, and release dates reach us at info@LoneStarLiterary.com. 2. They can use the reference information on our website. We have the most comprehensive contact lists we know of: Texas bookstores, writers’ groups, book clubs, literary journals, and book publishers, as well as helpful links to learning about Texas authors. 3. Authors and publishers of Texas-related books may apply for a very valuable author/sponsored review service which is half the price of many legacy brands in the area of reviews. We are tentatively planning to launch this service with first reviews in late April.
Scribe: What do you hope to accomplish within the first year of publishing Lone Star Literary Life?
LSLL: On the drawing board are a weekly podcast and a Texas book blog tour. We want to be your one-stop literary destination for Texas readers, authors, booksellers, publishers, and librarians. We’ll feel a great sense of satisfaction if a reader can discover a great indie bookstore, or a fledgling writer can connect with a like-minded group near them, with less trouble than ever before.
Scribe: Since you two have your finger on the pulse of the latest Texas-related books, we’d love to hear what you’re both reading and loving. Pick one Texas-related book that has come out within the past year that you couldn’t put down. 
Barbara: I loved Anne Weisgarber’s The Promise, set during the 1900 Galveston hurricane. I’m a sucker for historical fiction.
 
 
 
Kay: Happiness for Beginners by Houston author Katherine Center. Her books are always funny, insightful, and well-written.
 
 
 
Are you a Texas-based writing or literary organization? Interested in being interviewed for a feature on Scribe? Drop us a note at wlt@writersleague.org.