Category: Uncategorized

The Book Thief

I had an extraordinary experience on Saturday afternoon at a showing of the movie, “The Book Thief.” The Concord (NC) Friends of the Library sponsored the first of what promises to be a long line of monthly movie/book discussions. Books that have been made into movies will be shown and then discussed by attendees.

Saturday’s discussion was led by Dr. Barbara Thiede, Judiac Studies professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. There were 35 to 40 people in attendance and everyone participated in the discussion of the book, the movie, and the power of words for good and for evil.

The fact that for many years the public libraries in Cabarrus County were closed on Saturday afternoons due to budget cuts made Saturday’s 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. program all the sweeter. This was just the fourth Saturday we’ve enjoyed Saturday hours past 1:00 p.m., thanks to the current County Commissioners restoring budget for additional staff members. Since the idea for the book, The Book Thief, came from the Nazis burning books in Germany and wanting to control the reading material citizens had access to, it was an appropriate choice for the inaugural “Movie and Discussion.” We took Saturday afternoon library hours for granted until we lost them. Perhaps someday we’ll get Friday hours back, too!

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Top of the Mountain Fiction Contest

My January 28, 2015 blog announced that I had entered the first 20 pages of my unpublished historical novel manuscript, The Spanish Coin, in the Top of the Mountain Fiction Contest. The contest was sponsored by Northern Colorada Writers.

This week I eagerly awaited news of how my writing fared in the contest. Word came today that my entry was not one of the four finalists. That was disappointing, but the critique I received from one of the three judges was well worth the $25 contest entry fee.

My work was graded on a 10-point scale on each of the following 10 categories: synopsis, beginning hook, plot, originality & voice, characterization, pacing, dialog, setting/description/narrative, mechanics, and appeal to intended audience.

I am pleased that my lowest score was 8 and I received two 10s. My total score was 88 out of a possible 100.

The judge’s comments give me some specific weaknesses and areas I need to work on. I look forward to doing that in the coming months as I work toward my ultimate goal of getting the novel published.

Charleston Station Book Signing!

Charleston Station in Bryson City, North Carolina has placed an order for my book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Ms. Clampitt, the owner, wants be to have a book signing there. I’m thrilled! It will be my first book signing or author event in Swain County.

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

Free classes at public library

I have taken advantage of two free classes at the Harrisburg Branch of the Cabarrus County Public Library System recently. You can’t beat FREE!

I took a PowerPoint class because I think that skill will eventually come in handy with my writing. When I speak at a library or bookstore, it would be nice to be able to have a PowerPoint presentation to offer for the event.

The Skype class a couple of weeks ago was informative. It’s something I’d like to be able to do with far-flung friends and relatives, and it is a tool that might be advantageous in my writing. I can see that a literary agent might want to communicate via Skype. Many authors offer to “meet” with book clubs using Skype.

Last year I took a free Microsoft Excel class at the public library and almost immediately put that new skill to use by creating a tri-fold brochure about my books.

The public library is much more than a repository for books! If you haven’t visited your local public library lately, you need to “check it out!”

A local history talk

Yesterday my sister and I conducted our fourth (and last) Local and Rocky River Presbyterian Church History Talk and Tour. We had these monthly, September through November, skipped December, and then started again in January. Response has fluctuated. It was worth a try. I spent hours planning the topics. I had enough topics to last two or three years. No doubt, someone who has not attended any of the four talks so far will complain that we are discontinuing the programs. That’s human nature.

Yesterday’s topics were the Rev. Dr. John Makemie Wilson and the Rocky River Academy. Dr. Wilson was the pastor of Rocky River and Philadelphia Presbyterian Churches in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties for 30 years in the early decades of the 19th century. He served as teacher at Rocky River Academy for much of that time. Completing their studies at Rocky River Academy prepared the students for entrance in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Twenty-five of the academy’s students went on to become Presbyterian ministers. One of them, the Rev. Dr. Robert Hall Morrison, was a founder and the first president of Davidson College.

The three-part series of local history columns I wrote about the Rocky River Academy for Harrisburg Horizons newspaper came in handy as I prepared for yesterday’s program.

Last night I spent some time editing the manuscript of my historical novel, The Spanish Coin, in preparation to submit it in a writing competition. More on that later.

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.