Full Circle - Past to Present

My home town newspaper, Muskegon Chronicle, ignored my accomplishments that were quite a few in my youth, including top of my graduating class with a plethora of scholarship offers, an honorary internship to D.C. where I was photographed with everyone and news releases sent back home, never published. I was a new administrator with a new and catchy title at the community college - the list goes on. I had one major fault - North Muskegon (the north side of Muskegon Lake) was the "society section." If you were not from North Muskegon, you didn't make it to the Chronicle. After all, local news is to sell papers; no one cared about a girl from the outskirts of nowhere.

December 23, I have a book signing at N. Muskegon Books, on the north side of Muskegon Lake. Today the Chronicle wrote the following half page article in the arts and entertainment section, with a giant picture of Ghost Orchid's cover. My mom is thrilled beyond measure. I'm even impressed! There is some satisfaction in coming full circle on the wings of a story that is worth the attention. I hope you can share my feelings - as I'm not quite sure how to categorize them; but a young girl inside is smiling.

Ghost Orchid – mother/daughter to greet patrons at North Shore Books
By: Linda David-Rhodea
The hurricane season in Southwest Florida brings many things – fear, devastation, loss. But in one case, the prospect of a ravaging storm brought inspiration. It was the catalyst that changed a life and produced a published novelist.

“As I boarded up my house for the third time in the same season and moved my precious collection of boxes with all my research and starter stories to inside closets, I knew the boxes had to go – they had to go into print,” said D. K. Christi of that threatening time.

Born and raised in Muskegon, it was her teachers at Muskegon Community College who were the first to recommend that she publish her short stories. Although she was published in technical journals and had written much non-fiction at the time of the hurricane, the boxes filled with unfinished manuscripts she had faithfully lugged from state to state, from one country to another, were too important to lose and took on new meaning. “Finally, I was fear driven to finish at least one novel and several short stories,” Christi said.

Her life reads like a book itself, having visited exciting destinations and having dwelled in exotic locales. Christi’s experiences, while living and working abroad, add color and excitement to the characters in her novels and short stories.

Although marriage and family provided detours to her career plans, the three years spent blue water sailing in the Caribbean with her family, home schooling two sons and sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Venezuela and back add even more depth and understanding of relationships which are reflected in Christi’s stories.

Christi’s mother and publicist, Lueneda Johnson, 90 years young, still resides in Muskegon County and helps her daughter at book signings and conferences. Originally from the south, Johnson’s grandfather was a hero in the Civil War whose story was told in books of that era; and it is apparent that she has many of her own stories to tell. “She reads and comments on all my manuscripts and has a heart for romance,” said Christi about her mother.

Christi’s debut novel, “Arirang: The Bamboo Connection,” was published in 2006. The epic tale tells a romantic adventure that spans six continents and includes references to Western Michigan. Amazon.com featured Christi as their “Author to Watch.”
Christi’s short stories such as Chalk, The Magic Box and The Valentine offer themes of love, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit and are exclusive to Amazon Shorts. She has written eight of these inexpensive, fun reads.

Christi’s newest novel, “Ghost Orchid,” is set in the Florida Everglades and was inspired by her own obsession with the ghost orchid that first bloomed in Corkscrew Swamp Audubon Sanctuary on her birthday in 2007 and continued to bloom in 2008 and 2009. This rare and exotic flower broke all records for blooming anywhere. “I am its captive audience, pulled into its mysticism and magic myself,” Christi said.

An intimate read set in the jungles of South America, the Svelts of Africa and the swamps of the Everglades, this talented author spins a heartwarming tale of one fictional family’s loves, lies and redemption all wrapped in the magic of the rare and beautiful ghost orchid.

Photographers seeking the perfect subject in the perfect light find mystery and love, and most importantly, themselves, one coincidence at a time. “The tears are for the losses - and the joys of redemption,” Christi said.

An enthusiastic platform speaker, educator/administrator, business leader and community advocate, D. K. Christi currently resides in Florida. Fiction remains her passion.

“Ghost Orchid” can be purchased at select retailers, independent bookstores and all online print and ebook stores such as Amazon.com and BN.com.

12/17/2009

DK...

I love it ! Congratulations !

Cheers..Joe

Dear DK,
I imagine you have a little cramp in your face from smiling. Sometimes Justice feels so good. I am proud of every thing that you have accomplished. You are not just another pretty face! You should send that story to all the papers here in Florida, too. Toot your horn!

Merry Christmas to you!

Love,
Betty

I'm still waiting to share that table at a book festival in Florida....your animals talk and my flower bestows magic...that's quite a table right there.....happy holidays to all and a festive new year!

Nice article! Does your mom really work as your publicist?

LOL...I love it.

DK,
positive revenge is the best and you've done it. Congratulations. As Jackie Gleason would say, "How sweet it is."

Congratulations DK! I can picture your mom's smile!

I'll try to take a picture this time; she is lovely and LC any publicity I have beyond my own efforts is from my mom. She is not for hire, however :-)

That article was worth waiting for dear DK!!!

Congrats to you, and to your mom for a great daughter and being a great publicist! Her pride must be overflowing!

Love, Carol

Congratulatons!

My book signing in North Muskegon, MI was heart warming and special. The North Shore Books store is a lovely book store, family owned with great hospitality. I sold a significant number of books for a Wednesday, the day before Christmas eve in the winter :-)

Once again, I encourage working with independent book stores before they are gone........

It's nice when somebody finally gets noticed!

Malcolm

How do we do a book signing with ebooks?

dkchristi wrote:

How do we do a book signing with ebooks?

Ask DT. He knows everything.

Ann