Now that my kickoff event in Albion is complete, I've moved on to the task of getting The Trail of the Gypsy Wagon into bookstores outside of my hometown. My idea for this book is to follow the "trail", and hopefully have the book available in stores along the route that the Jolly Dutchmen followed.
This might be the time to mention that there is a substantial learning curve involved for me - I'm a lawyer by day, and the book selling industry is completely new to me. I am, however, enjoying learning about what exactly bookstores look for and how the industry works.
And, I'm really happy to be able to say that, after only a week of trying, The Trail of the Gypsy Wagon will now be available at Eight Cousins Bookstore in Falmouth, Mass. You can find a link to their site to the right, and stop in the next time you travel to Cape Cod. Hopefully there will be many, many more announcements just like this one to come in the near future!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 19, 2013
The Trail that led me home . . . .
Today was my first solo book signing in my hometown of Albion, NY, at Bindings Bookstore. It was a very small event, part of a downtown shopping day, but I was happy with turnout and my sales. Anybody who missed it - the book is available at Bindings Bookstore, and, for all my friends who used to live in Albion but no longer do,I would encourage you to order it through their website to support a great local business in our hometown.
Today really made me think about how this project has led me back home. I spent a good long time trying to stay away from my little hometown, and, though I don't live very far away, I would sometimes go a year or so at a time without visiting. The people who came to my signing today were not family members, but nonetheless, have known me since birth. Birth. That's a long time. There is not a single person in the city I live in now that I can say that about. This book has brought me back and helped me to remember the importance of connections like that.
It has also helped me see what a vibrant little town I came from. There really is a lot going on there and a lot of people working very hard to make it a better place to live, and they really are on the right path.
After going over a year without being there at all, because of this book, I have been there twice in two months. And I can't help thinking that there's a message from my Grandma in that. She would tell me something like "you should no forget where you came from".
It was good to go home.
Today really made me think about how this project has led me back home. I spent a good long time trying to stay away from my little hometown, and, though I don't live very far away, I would sometimes go a year or so at a time without visiting. The people who came to my signing today were not family members, but nonetheless, have known me since birth. Birth. That's a long time. There is not a single person in the city I live in now that I can say that about. This book has brought me back and helped me to remember the importance of connections like that.
It has also helped me see what a vibrant little town I came from. There really is a lot going on there and a lot of people working very hard to make it a better place to live, and they really are on the right path.
After going over a year without being there at all, because of this book, I have been there twice in two months. And I can't help thinking that there's a message from my Grandma in that. She would tell me something like "you should no forget where you came from".
It was good to go home.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Lessons we could learn
The recent government shutdown has infuriated me, on a number of levels. But, since I am not a political pundit, I'll not go into all of that. While listening to the radio recently, I heard a story about a man and his son who had planned an epic, once in a lifetime trip down the Colorado River, which they were unable to take because of the shutdown of the National Parks. He had spent countless hours planning this trip, tens of thousands of dollars in rental fees and permit fees, and taken his son out of school for the length of the trip. Unfortunately for them, their point of access to the river was inside Grand Canyon National Park, so when they arrived, they were told by the rangers that they had to turn around. This story made me think of how this same scenario might have played out 74 years ago when the Daughter Courageous made their epic trip.
I wondered about the logistics of their trip. They didn't get to any of the national parks until at least two weeks into their trip, and, at the age of 23,none of them were likely glued to any type of news media, such as it was in 1939. So, had these same events occurred then, it seems to me entirely likely that these young women could have driven up to the gates of the Grand Canyon to find a sign that said, "sorry! we're closed", without any advance warning.
So, what then? The Grand Canyon is remote now, with really nothing around it for miles outside the park, and I'm sure it was even more so then. So, in an era of no cell phones, really no pay phones hardly, no internet to find the next hotel, gas station or roadside attraction, they would have had no choice but to press on, and make still the best of their trip, without the epic visit to the Grand Canyon, and later Yellowstone. And, being nicknamed the Daughters Courageous, I have no doubt that they would have found another epic adventure to make up for their loss.
I tend to think that they would have pressed on and really not have been too crushed by a hiccup such as this, because that is what I knew of my Grandma. She did always press on, and whatever it was, it was always ok. Her generation of Americans had that resilience, and our country could do well to remember that now. We need to remember how to make the best of what we have, instead of wanting for more.
Hopefully the man in the interview I heard was courageous enough to press on and find another epic adventure.
I wondered about the logistics of their trip. They didn't get to any of the national parks until at least two weeks into their trip, and, at the age of 23,none of them were likely glued to any type of news media, such as it was in 1939. So, had these same events occurred then, it seems to me entirely likely that these young women could have driven up to the gates of the Grand Canyon to find a sign that said, "sorry! we're closed", without any advance warning.
So, what then? The Grand Canyon is remote now, with really nothing around it for miles outside the park, and I'm sure it was even more so then. So, in an era of no cell phones, really no pay phones hardly, no internet to find the next hotel, gas station or roadside attraction, they would have had no choice but to press on, and make still the best of their trip, without the epic visit to the Grand Canyon, and later Yellowstone. And, being nicknamed the Daughters Courageous, I have no doubt that they would have found another epic adventure to make up for their loss.
I tend to think that they would have pressed on and really not have been too crushed by a hiccup such as this, because that is what I knew of my Grandma. She did always press on, and whatever it was, it was always ok. Her generation of Americans had that resilience, and our country could do well to remember that now. We need to remember how to make the best of what we have, instead of wanting for more.
Hopefully the man in the interview I heard was courageous enough to press on and find another epic adventure.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
On My Own Trail . . . .
Now that The Trail of the Gypsy Wagon has made it's way into paperback form, I have begun the task of spreading the word about this wonderful tale. For an introduction into the world of book promotion, I was lucky enough to piggyback with my aunt, Marilyn Smith Neilans, at a recent signing at Bindings Bookstore in my hometown. The book is currently available to for sale there, and you can find a link to their website to the right of where you are reading now.
The first event was a great tribute to my Grandma, full of old friends, teachers and family. The memories of her were wonderful to share, and it was nice to hear fond recollections of her. My favorite was from one gentleman with whom I was discussing how the Grandma that I knew growing up sounded so different from the "Peaches" in the story. He was not surprised by the stories of her dancing with cowboys - he said "she always had a twinkle in her eye" that let you know there was more to the quiet woman we all knew.
October 19 marks my first "solo" signing, again at Bindings Bookstore in Albion. October 19 is Albion Shopping Day, a day chosen by the local Chamber of Commerce to promote local businesses. I'm excited to be able to be a part of that day in my hometown, where my family was very much a part of the local business scene for many years. I'll be there from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.
My plan after that date is to begin to promote the book along the Trail that the "Jolly Dutchmen" took on their trips, hopefully placing the book in small, independent bookstores along the way. As it becomes available in other stores, new links will be posted here.
This is an exciting journey for me so far, into an industry that is completely unknown to me. I am looking forward to the learning experience this will bring, and to sharing this book with people near and far.
The first event was a great tribute to my Grandma, full of old friends, teachers and family. The memories of her were wonderful to share, and it was nice to hear fond recollections of her. My favorite was from one gentleman with whom I was discussing how the Grandma that I knew growing up sounded so different from the "Peaches" in the story. He was not surprised by the stories of her dancing with cowboys - he said "she always had a twinkle in her eye" that let you know there was more to the quiet woman we all knew.
October 19 marks my first "solo" signing, again at Bindings Bookstore in Albion. October 19 is Albion Shopping Day, a day chosen by the local Chamber of Commerce to promote local businesses. I'm excited to be able to be a part of that day in my hometown, where my family was very much a part of the local business scene for many years. I'll be there from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.
My plan after that date is to begin to promote the book along the Trail that the "Jolly Dutchmen" took on their trips, hopefully placing the book in small, independent bookstores along the way. As it becomes available in other stores, new links will be posted here.
This is an exciting journey for me so far, into an industry that is completely unknown to me. I am looking forward to the learning experience this will bring, and to sharing this book with people near and far.
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