DAPHNE, Alabama — Camellia Cafe seemed to burst at the seams as about 50 attendees poured in for Page & Palette’s Read It & Eat event on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Forks scraped last morsels of meatloaf gravy from plates, guests moseyed up to a table to purchase books and muffled chatter rose above the clanking of utensils. As plates were cleared and seats pushed back, author Gin Phillips rose to take a seat in front of the crowd.

From a tall barstool, she mesmerized the audience as the readings from her new novel, “Come In and Cover Me,” hung casually in the air like a friendly conversation. Her voice was sure as her eyes strayed from pages to meet glances of her readers.

Phillips explained that one aspect she enjoys about writing is the ability to transcend traditional boundaries. For example, this book is about an archaeological dig in Arizona.

“Writing lets you dip your toes into other professions that seem interesting,” she said with a smile. “And it (archaeology) is similar to writing in that telling a story is like fitting the puzzle together.

“The preoccupation with the past is tied to a personal loss. She (the narrator) is perpetually trying to get back her own past.”

Phillips also divulged that the title, as with her first novel, “The Well and the Mine,” was chosen by editors instead of herself, but that she has grasped some of their purpose.

“I think it references, one, an invitation inviting people, both ghosts

and real people, into your life,” she explained. “Two, ‘Cover Me’ is a

song by Bruce Springsteen and I reference Bruce Springsteen … in the

book.

“Also, it deals with whether people in the past want to be uncovered—is that need about them or about us?”

She said she had always been a writer, but decided in high school that she would consider it more of a real job.

“It takes a while to realize that’s something you can make money at,” she laughed. “You do it because you love it and if anything ever happens with it, you take it with great appreciation.”

Fred Michaels, an audience member, asked a question of the author.

“In your writing, did you find a process happening to you that was similar to Ren’s (the narrator’s) process?” he asked.

Phillips explained that Ren is an archaeologist and tries to uncover issues from her past as she makes sense of her findings.

“Yes, there are some parallels,” she began. “Some of the best moments of writing are those sudden feelings of the pieces shifting together. I’ll puzzle over big things or small things. There are flashes that turn out to have something important to do with the book.”

Intuitive character developments such as this are one reasons Phillips was invited to speak, according to Anderson McKean, editor at Page & Palette.

“We are just delighted to have Gin Phillips return to Fairhope and thrilled to include her in our series of Read It and Eat luncheons at Camellia Cafe,” she said. “Readers were enthralled with her astonishing

debut ‘The Well in the Mine.’

“Her bold characters leapt from the page, bringing readers deep into the heart, and secrets, of a coal mining town in Alabama. Phillips weaves that same attention to detail, rich dialogue and slow-rumbling suspense in her captivating new novel, ‘Come In and Cover Me.’ She is the kind of writer that evokes such depth of emotion that readers just want to meet her in person. We are excited to offer readers a chance to have lunch with this gifted storyteller and welcome her back to P&P.”