Category: Uncategorized

Another missed opportunity

I planned to write something to enter in the 23rd Annual Austin Chronicle Short Story Contest. I also planned to write a short piece to enter in the Highlights Fiction Contest. Time was not on my side, but my main road block was a profound lack of story ideas. “Those ships have sailed,” so to speak. The deadlines have passed. I did not pull myself together enough to enter either contest. I am disappointed in myself.

Perhaps I should start a list of story ideas to draw from when I hear about a contest.

It’s not that I am not writing. I write every day. I just have not been able to align my thoughts with any writing contests lately.

To steal a line from Scarlett O’Hara, “Tomorrow is another day.”

Queens Writers Group Reconnect

I was recently surprised to reconnect with another member of the Queens Writers Group in Charlotte at an unexpected place. It was one of those times when I knew there was something familiar about her but it took me about an hour to figure out that it was Elizabeth Towles.

Elizabeth is working on her second novel. Her first novel was titled The Long Night Moon. Look for it online.

Everyone who completed a writing course at Queens University in Charlotte taught by Judy Simpson was eligible to join the Queens Writers Group. Judy was an excellent teacher and mentor. She led the group and encouraged and supported each of us until the day she died. I think of her often and miss her greatly. I am so grateful I had the privilege of having her teach me how to write fiction.

After not hearing from anyone in the group for about ten years, it was nice to reconnect with Elizabeth.

A different kind of gem in Franklin, NC

Franklin, North Carolina is known for the wide array of precious gems that are mined in the area. I found another kind of gem in Franklin on a recent visit. Books Unlimited is a wonderful independent bookstore in downtown Franklin.

Books Unlimited, 50 E. Main Street, Franklin, NC.
Books Unlimited, 50 E. Main Street, Franklin, NC.

I was thrilled to find five or six copies of my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, on the shelf! I was asked to autograph the copies. Nice folks!

Janet, autographing her book at Books Unlimited in Franklin, NC.
Janet, autographing her book at Books Unlimited in Franklin, NC.

Support your local independent bookstore, if you are fortunate enough to have one. And when you’re traveling, seek them out and buy a book — either mine or one by another struggling writer!

Janet's book on display at Books Unlimited in Franklin, NC.
Janet’s book on display at Books Unlimited in Franklin, NC.

Charleston Station in Bryson City NC

Bryson City is a nice little town just outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. One of its draws is Smoky Mountain Railroad and the steam trains one can take to and from the town. We were there recently on a Saturday. The historic downtown district was filled with families and children dressed in their pajamas — ready to board The Polar Express that evening.

We were in town to try to get my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, placed in a store or two. Sometimes we go into a store hoping to place it there only to be sent to another location. That is what happened in Bryson City. I thought perhaps the old N.C. Clampitt Hardware Company or the Ace Hardware would be interested in selling my book. I was told in each of those establishments that I needed to go up the street to Charleston Station and ask for Diana Clampitt. Charleston Station is an antiques and gift shop located in an old house.

Charleston Station in Bryson City, NC.
Charleston Station in Bryson City, NC.

Ms. Clampitt is one of the owners of all three stores. She loved my book! She said she will order it in the spring for Charleston Station. She tries not to duplicate merchandise in the three stores. Charleston Station will close after the holidays for the winter and will reopen on March 18, 2015. Hopefully, my book will be available there when it opens for business then for the tourist season.

Snow and Ice on the way to Waynesville

We enjoyed the scenery as we drove from Brevard to Waynesville, North Carolina last Thursday. It had snowed the night before and a dusting of snow remained in the shaded areas beside US-276. Some exposed rockfaces were encased in ice, while some had long icicles hanging from them. We took time to stop and visit Looking Glass Falls, one of my favorite waterfalls in our state.

Looking Glass Falls, beside US-276 in Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania County, NC is 60 feet high.
Looking Glass Falls, beside US-276 in Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania County, NC is 60 feet high.

There are two views of Looking Glass Falls in my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

Icicles at Looking Glass Falls.
Icicles at Looking Glass Falls.

It was a cold but bright sunny day. I love driving on curvy mountain roads. US-276 is a good one. It was a great day!

Ice-covered exposed rocks in Looking Glass Creek.
Ice-covered exposed rocks in Looking Glass Creek.

We visited Mast General Store on North Main Street in Waynesville, North Carolina. No visit to Mast General Store is complete without a trip to the candy section. You pick up a basket and select how much of each wrapped candies you wish to purchase. You pay by the pound of candy; it’s all the same price. In addition to current popular candies, they sell some old-fashioned candies that were all the rage in the mid-20th century.

Mast General Store on North Main Street, Waynesville, NC.
Mast General Store on North Main Street, Waynesville, NC.

I was happy to find my book on display and for sale at Mast General Store. I hope it’s available at all their locations in western North and South Carolina.

My book displayed at Mast General Store in Waynesville, NC.
My book displayed at Mast General Store in Waynesville, NC.

Freedom of Speech

On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for things too numerous to list. I choose to concentrate today on being thankful for freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Through no doing of my own, I was born in and get to live in a country where I can write anything I want to write as long as it is not slanderous. I am free to study, explore, and write about any topic I choose. If I want to criticize my government, I can do so without fear of the authorities arresting me. Millions of people in the world do not enjoy that level of freedom.

As a freelance writer, I can try any path, any subject, any outlet for my writing. My writing is not subject to censorship. I do not have to write in fear of being discovered.

This is such a simple concept and one I take for granted most days. Today I pause to thank God for placing me in a time and place where I have freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Marketing my book

In an attempt to get the word out about the availability of my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I have written letters to 30 bookstores, pharmacies, and gift shops around the state this week and enclosed a marketing postcard from Arcadia Publishing.

Today I was thrilled to hear from Allen Eskens, author of The Life We Bury. He saw my blog about his book, and dropped me a note of thanks.

I was supposed to participate in the Downtown Christmas Festival in downtown Lenoir, NC tomorrow in a tent with several other authors. Circumstances prevent my going, so I had to cancel at the last minute. I hope to schedule some author events in some stores or public libraries in that area after the first of the year.

Scheduling author events continues to be the most challenging part of the writing process for me.

Author event at Aldersgate

I enjoyed a delicious lunch and speaking to the Presbyterians who live at Aldersgate in Charlotte yesterday. I opened with some facts about the ways postcards have changed over the years, and then I talked about a few of the many things I learned while doing the research for The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina vintage postcard book. I passed around 60 of my vintage North Carolina mountain postcards afterwards along with copies of one of the word find puzzles I designed to go with the book. The old postcards and the word find puzzles seemed to be hits. It was a cordial group and many of the places and events I talked about seemed to trigger good memories for many of them.

I learned last Thursday that my book is available at Moose Pharmacy in Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina. Today I was notified that The Wrinkled Egg in Flat Rock, North Carolina has ordered a dozen copies. Great news!

What I’m reading

There’s a chill in the air. It’s that time of year when the hours of daylight decrease and my dread of winter increases. Writing, reading, and practicing the dulcimer will help get me through the cold months ahead.

I’m currently reading The Life We Bury, by Allen Eskens; My Beloved World, by Sonia Sotomayor; and The Apostles’ Creed:  Fresh Water From An Ancient Spring, by James O. Speed.

My Sunday School class has just started a study of the Apostles’ Creed, and we’re using James. O. Speed’s book as our textbook. It promises to be an enlightening study of a creed that I sometimes say by rote without thinking about the words.

I am just 70 pages into The Life We Bury and I am so impressed with Allen Eskens’ writing that I already look forward to his next novel. The Life We Bury is his first novel. This novelist who also practices law has a gift for descriptive writing and characterization. This is a good read and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s book, My Beloved World, is this month’s pick by Rocky River Readers Book Club. Ms. Sotomayor’s childhood was completely different from my own experience. Imagine someone growing up in “the projects” in New York City defying the odds and earning appointment to the United States Supreme Court!

I have a growing list of books I want to read, so stay tuned.

Book Launch Party!

I had a great time this afternoon at my book launch party for The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina! There were 55-60 people in attendance and I felt so much love from everyone. I was honored that so many people took time out of the middle of a beautiful late summer Sunday afternoon to come out to support me. It was overwhelming to look up from my table and see that long line of people waiting to purchase MY book! It was thrilling to give away the six door prizes. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. It was a wonderful afternoon!