Tag: Blue Ridge Mountains

Still catching up on e-mail

After being close to home except for medial appointments and church attendance for most of the spring and summer, I had a weekend in the mountains of North Carolina and several days with family in the Atlanta area earlier this week. It was refreshing to see some different scenery. The Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains always lift my spirits. It felt good to see my brother’s family for the first time since December.

It is now time for me to start tackling the mountain of e-mails (more than 400) that have accumulated since I got shingles in early May. A few of them are personal, but most are from writing, quilting, or author sites or are notifications about the various blogs I follow.

I would be remiss if I did not comment on the history made last night at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. I was beginning to wonder if I would live to see a woman nominated for US President by one of the two major political parties. Hillary Clinton accepted her party’s nomination last night. It was quite a moment for this old political science major! Our nation is 240 years old. It’s about time!

Until next Friday, happy reading!

Janet

Troutman, NC Branch Library

I had the privilege of presenting a program about postcard history and my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina, at the Troutman, NC Branch Library on Thursday evening. The J. Hoyt Hayes Memorial Library – Troutman Branch – is a beautiful five-year-old facility that grew out of a grassroots effort in the Troutman community.

Front of the J. Hoyt Hayes Memorial Troutman Library
Front of the J. Hoyt Hayes Memorial Troutman Library

Janet speaks @Troutman 005

The library patrons in attendance were interested and responsive to my remarks, and I really enjoyed interacting with them. They took my trivia questions in stride with good humor.

Janet speaks @Troutman 008

I enjoyed the hour I spent with the patrons of the Troutman branch of the Iredell County public library system. It is always rewarding to speak at a public library that has my book in circulation! Thank you, Juli Moore, library branch manager, for inviting me, publicizing the event, and giving me such a warm welcome!

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!

Learning about lead times

I feel my way along in the dark as I try to arrange The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina book talks.

It has been a learning experience. Our local county’s library system schedules author events three months in advance and the Friends group for each branch library controls the timetable.

Plans for my September 21 book launch at Rocky River Presbyterian Church continue while I try to get other events on the calendar. I will work to schedule book talks locally and in some mountain counties. I still haven’t given up on visiting libraries in five mountain counties in October, but nothing has worked out so far.

Planning book talk

I have sore muscles today after helping to set up the history room yesterday in the new building at Rocky River Presbyterian Church. We haven’t had a room set aside for history in several years, so I’m excited that we’ll once again have such a room. It will serve as history room, church library, and a meeting room. It is absolutely beautiful!

I worked on my book talk today, so I’ll be ready when I start taking The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina “on the road” to public libraries in September.

Planning a book tour

Every day brings a new experience. I’m putting together my first book tour in the mountains of North Carolina. I’ve selected nine public libraries to contact. Speaking about my book is going to take me way out of my comfort zone, but I need to do it!

Amy Clipston gave a very interesting presentation on Monday night at Rocky River Presbyterian Church. She told us about how she is able to write Amish fiction without being Amish. She also talked about the journey her family took through the process of kidney transplantation. She is one busy and gracious lady! Check out her books and her website: http://www.amyclipston.com.

Planning a book launch

I’m planning a book launch for The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in September. How many books should I order for that and other events?

It’s a guessing game.

My book arrived!

My complimentary author copies of The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina arrived yesterday. What a thrill to hold in my hands a book with my name on the cover as the author! It will be available to the public on August 25.

Another deadline met!

This has been an exciting week! On Tuesday I went for my first head shot. I do not enjoy having my picture made, but Joanna Rogers of Memories by JoannaR put me at ease and made me look pretty good. The session was relatively painless. Thanks, Joanna!

Today I had a sales and marketing (along with head shot) deadline with Arcadia Publishing. It was with great relief and pleasure that I clicked on the “send” button at 4:59 p.m. yesterday. Deadline met!

With that deadline met, I’m one step closer to the August 25 publication of The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Only 38 days, but who’s counting?

Notice for anyone wanting to order any of my three Rocky River Presbyterian Church history booklets: My costs have gone up dramatically since I set the prices listed on my website. Those prices include shipping, so I am now losing money on photocopying, binding, and shipping. Stay tuned for some necessary price increases. I hate to do it, but I can’t afford to lose money on every sale. In the mean time, if you wish to order one of those books, please contact me at Janet@JanetMorrisonBooks.com for pricing information. I apologize for the inconvenience.