Category: My books

A nice find in Sylva, North Carolina

My sister and I have enjoyed shopping at the used bookstore in Sylva, North Carolina, that is operated by the Friends of the Jackson County Friends of the Library. It is a marvelous store and the volunteers there are always very helpful and welcoming.

I knew there was another bookstore in the small town of Sylva — City Lights. We just never had taken the time to visit it. I’m not sure why. It is a gem and another example of a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains that supports an independent bookstore. I love the Indies!

We visited City Lights Bookstore in Sylva in December. I met Chris, the owner. There was only one copy of my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, remaining on the shelf. Chris asked me to autograph it. I was pleased to be asked to sign the book, although autographing my book is the most unsettling thing I do. It doesn’t look like the signature of an author. It lacks flair. It’s legible. It’s not pretty. It seems silly, but I think I need to practice writing my name. I have fairly good penmanship until I put pen in hand to autograph a copy of my book.

City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, North Carolina.
City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, North Carolina.

City Lights sells new books and used books. It shares a building with City Lights Cafe. In futures trips to Sylva, we’ll make time to visit both bookstores and give the cafe a try!

2014 was an exciting writing year for me

Most people take December 31 or January 1 to reflect on the last year. Leave it to me to wait a few days. I can procrastinate with the best of them! Looking back on 2014, I realize what an exciting writing year it was for me.

I celebrated the following firsts: (1) My first book, a vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, was published on August 25 by Arcadia Publishing; (2) My first author event was held at the public library in Harrisburg, North Carolina, on September 11; and (3) My first book launch was held on September 21.

In the last three months of 2014, I had additional author events at public libraries in Cabarrus and Haywood Counties, North Carolina.

Two whirlwind trips to the mountains of North Carolina in December to promote my book, to thank bookstore owners for selling my book, and to introduce my book to other bookstore and gift shop owners were my first forays into commercial book promotion.

In my spare time, I have done a bit of research in preparation for submitting an author proposal to Arcadia Publishing for a Piedmont North Carolina vintage postcard book in 2015, but most of my time has been spent promoting the Blue Ridge Mountains book. That book is my primary focus. I have two author events scheduled in April and May. With the holidays behind me, it is time to turn my attention to lining up additional author events this spring and summer.

Last week I took time to write a 1,899-word piece to enter in the Southern California Genealogical Society’s 2014 GENEii Nonfiction Writing Contest. I’ll talk more about that and my subject matter in another blog post this month. The winner will be announced on May 1, 2015.

Sometimes I don’t think I get much accomplished. It’s gratifying to take a few minutes on December 31, January 1, or even January 4 to remember what I did in the last year. Will I be as productive in 2015? Stay tuned!

On my recent trip to Franklin, North Carolina, I visited the Smoky Mountain Host’s Smoky Mountain Visitors Center just south of that town because I knew the Arcadia Publishing sales rep got my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, placed there in August.

Smoky Mountain Host's Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, Franklin, NC.
Smoky Mountain Host’s Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, Franklin, NC.

Smoky Mountain Visitor Center is on US-23/US-441, which is called Georgia Road because it is between Franklin and the Georgia state line. It is a beautiful facility. My book was displayed in the Arcadia spinner that visitors see immediately when they come in the door. In fact, my book was at eye level. Fantastic placement!

My book on the Arcadia Publishing spinner at Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, Franklin, NC.
My book on the Arcadia Publishing spinner at Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, Franklin, NC.

O’Neill’s Shop on the Corner

While visiting Bryson City, North Carolina a couple of weeks ago to introduce my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, to store owners, I happened upon a lovely bookstore just feet from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad station. O’Neill’s Shop on the Corner was a pleasant surprise.

My sister and I had planned to eat lunch at The Filling Station because it had rave reviews online. After being told it would be a 45-minute wait, we walked up Main Street until Jimmy Mac’s Pizza caught our eye. Lo and behold, we spotted O’Neill’s Shop on the Corner across the street and went there after lunch.

O'Neill's Shop on the Corner in Bryson City, NC.
O’Neill’s Shop on the Corner in Bryson City, NC.

I met the new owners, Tom and Cynthia O’Neill. They are new to the bookstore business. I introduced my book to them and, thereby, introduced them to Arcadia Publishing. I told them how to contact Arcadia’s sales department to order my book and other books by Arcadia.

It was a beautiful, mild winter day in this mountain town. It was the first time I’d been to Bryson City. I want to go back and spend more time there. I want to go back and ride the steam train!

Some “cold calls” go better than others

Most of my recent posts have been positive, but today I’ll share the other side of the coin. I made a few more “cold calls” in Bryson City, North Carolina, on December 13. Some of them went better than others. Although a Saturday in December was probably not the best day for me to be out and about promoting my book to store owners, it was my only opportunity to visit Bryson City this winter. Overall, I had a successful day. I called on three stores there in the afternoon that probably won’t result in book sales, but that’s okay. Bryson City isn’t a large enough town to support my book in every store. I’m confident that it will soon be available in two stores in town and that will be perfect.

Trips like the two I made to the mountains in December have given me confidence and some interesting memories. All the memories fall into the “good” category except for one, which definitely falls into the “interesting” category. I visited one store, which will remain nameless in this blog, in which the owner was less than receptive. After reprimanding me for having called on him on a Saturday, he turned his head and spit. (You can’t make this stuff up!) Needless to say, I do not expect my book to ever appear on the shelves in that store. I can’t help but think that particular establishment stays in business in spite of the owner. The other 25 to 30 store owners I met in December were welcoming and gracious. There are a lot of good people out there operating small businesses. I hope as the economy continues to improve, people will remember to support small local businesses.

As a new author, I must get myself and my book title out there any way I can without breaking my contract with Arcadia Publishing. Together, we are trying to blanket the mountains with my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It is proving to be a slow process, but I believe I made some excellent contacts during the month of December.

My next blog will be about another pleasant surprise I had in Bryson City.

Talking Leaves

When I was researching retail stores throughout the mountains of North Carolina where my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, could be sold, I was intrigued by a bookstore in Cherokee called Talking Leaves.

A couple of weeks ago, I got to visit Cherokee and Talking Leaves. It is in a small strip shopping center at the corner of US-19 and Nickel Drive, next to KFC. The owner, Ron Blankenship, thought he had my book on the shelf. Taking a closer look, though, he realized he had confused my book with another book by Arcadia Publishing.

I showed Mr. Blankenship my book and gave him a postcard with its picture on the front and ways to contact the sales department at Arcadia. I hope he will order my book.

Oconaluftee Visitors Center

While visiting bookstores and other retail establishments that sell books in the mountains of North Carolina a couple of weeks ago, I made a point to stop by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Oconaluftee Visitors Center near Cherokee, North Carolina.

I hoped to find my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, on the shelf there, but it was not there. I was pleased, though, to get to meet Ila Hatter, a volunteer with Great Smoky Mountains Association, the 501(c)3 organization that operates the bookstore/gift shop at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center. I recognized Ms. Hatter from seeing her on UNC-TV (North Carolina public television.) She is a medicinal plant expert. It was a pleasure to meet her.

I told Ms. Hatter about my book and she told me how to e-mail the buyer for the Great Smoky Mountains Association. I did that when I returned home, and I hope to see my book on the shelves in all the GSMA gift shops on my next trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

My sister and I joined the Great Smoky Mountains Association and hope to get to take advantage of some of the programs the association offers throughout the year. Even if we don’t, though, we like knowing our membership dues help preserve the national park and provide educational opportunities for others.

You can learn more about Great Smoky Mountains Association by visiting the organization’s website at http://www.smokiesinformation.org.

Lake Junaluska Scenes in My Book

Weekend before last we took time out from visiting bookstores and publicizing my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, to attend two performances by the Lake Junaluska Singers at the United Methodist Church Conference Center at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

Welcome Sign at Lake Junaluska, NC.
Welcome Sign at Lake Junaluska, NC.

The Lake Junaluska Singers performed in Stuart Auditorium. Since I had researched the building and written about it in my book, it was nice to get to enjoy two concerts there.

Stuart Auditorium, Lake Junaluska, NC.
Stuart Auditorium, Lake Junaluska, NC.

The bell at Lake Junaluska, which I wrote about in my book, is between Harrell Center (where the bookstore is located) and Stuart Auditorium. It was donated in 1920 to call conference attendees to meetings in the auditorium.

The bell at Lake Junaluska decorated for Christmas 2014.
The bell at Lake Junaluska decorated for Christmas 2014.

I also wrote about Memorial Chapel at Lake Junaluska in my book, so I was glad to finally see it for myself. The chapel was constructed in 1949 in memory of members of the Methodist Church, South, who served in the armed forces during World War II.

Lake Junaluska's Memorial Chapel.
Lake Junaluska’s Memorial Chapel.

The lake at Lake Junaluska is beautiful any time of the year. It was named for the Cherokee chief who served in that capacity in 1838 when the United State government ordered the removal of the Cherokee people to the Oklahoma Territory.

Mountains and Stuart Auditorium reflected in the 200-acre lake at Lake Junaluska.
Mountains and Stuart Auditorium reflected in the 200-acre lake at Lake Junaluska.

A different kind of bookstore in Asheville

After leaving the Biltmore Estate on December 12, 2014, I went to downtown Asheville and visited Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. I knew my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, had been available there since the week it was released in August.

My book on the shelf at Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar in Asheville, NC.
My book on the shelf at Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar in Asheville, NC.

Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar is an intriguing combination of old and rare books and hot-off-the-press books shelved and otherwise displayed on and around interesting pieces of furniture. There are cozy little areas where friends can meet for drinks and quiet conversation and chairs in corners where readers can sit and escape into the pages of a good book.

Western North Carolina section at Asheville's Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar.
Western North Carolina section at Asheville’s Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar.

Seven copies of my book were on a shelf in the Western North Carolina section, a copy was on display on a table with several other Arcadia Publishing books, and one copy was on display on an end cap across from one of the bars! Wow!

My book on display with three other Arcadia Publishing books at Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar.
My book on display with three other Arcadia Publishing books at Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar.
My book on an end cap across from the bar at Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. Great location!
My book on an end cap across from the bar at Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. Great location!

Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar is located in the Grove Arcade. I included a postcard of the Grove Arcade in my book. It has quite an interesting history. It was built by Edwin Wiley Grove, who also built The Grove Park Inn. He made his fortune selling Grove’s Tasteless Chill Tonic.

Entrance of Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar at The Grove Arcade in Asheville.
Entrance of Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar at The Grove Arcade in Asheville.

The Grove Arcade fills a city block at 269,000 square feet. It opened in 1929 with shops and offices. The federal government took over the building during World War II, but in 2002 it was restored to it’s original beauty and elegance and is again home to a variety of shops and offices. After researching it while writing my book, it was a thrill last Friday to get to see the building and enjoy several of the stores there.

One of the Grove Arcade entrances.
One of the Grove Arcade entrances.
Peering through the glass into Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar from inside the Grove Arcade.
Peering through the glass into Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar from inside the Grove Arcade.

As the sun was setting over the Blue Ridge Mountains, we (my sister/trusty photographer and I) returned to Lake Junaluska for the night and a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” by the Lake Junaluska Singers and an orchestra.

What a wonderful day!

Book available at Biltmore Estate someday?

I visited The Book Binder’s Shop and the Shop at the Gate at the Biltmore Estate. My book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, was not being sold there, although other Arcadia Publishing books were. I followed up with the buyer and hope my book will be sold there soon.

Lion at The Biltmore House, all decked out for Christmas. I had my picture taken with this same lion in 1964 or 1965 while on a school field trip.
Lion at The Biltmore House, all decked out for Christmas. I had my picture taken with this same lion in 1964 or 1965 while on a school field trip.