Thursday, December 15, 2022

The Enemy Recliner

The pseudo-suede recliner has had a place in my living room for years. I relied on it through hip replacement recovery, back spasms, and became my bed when "the real McCoy" proved too uncomfortable for me to sleep in.

Spooky and I often disagree about whose chair the recliner is. My cat is quite territorial about it.

Of course, over the years the chair has suffered from multiple coffee and food spills. The stains are somewhat camouflaged by the light brown fabric.

What gets me about the recliner is that, occasionally, an ant appears on my arm. "Where did THAT come from?" I wonder. This happens more often when it rains, so I didn't think too much about it until yesterday.

Let me backtrack to mid-October. I was sitting in my usual spot when I felt a distinctive bite to the middle right side of my back. A quick check in the bathroom mirror reflected a bulls-eye bump. This confirmed in my mind that a tick must have been carried indoors on my clothing. Daunting visions of Lyme Disease or Rocky Spotted Mountain fever came to mind. I'm really good at scaring myself.

My doctor was quick to prescribe antibiotics. The wound grew to cover a third of my back, pus emanating from three distinct sources. This was so concerning that I had to wait a week for the wound specialist to book me as a new patient. At that time, my sore spot was covered by a 5" x 9" bandage. Smaller gauze pads wouldn't do.

This was when having a roommate would have helped. One can't imagine the contortions it took to position the dressing over the just-out-of-reach site below the bra line.  As my left hand held a mirror, the right held a comb to spread out and adhere the bandage to the far reaches of my back. AWKWARD!

The new doc gave me silver-backed padding and a slew of other dressings to use. No doctor, GP or specialist, ever took a blood sample or hazarded a guess as to what exactly bit me. After a few weeks, I was told that the wound healed. What looks like a red bruise is all that is left to remember it by. Eventually, it will fade away (I hope).

~

I thought no more about the brown recliner until yesterday as I binge-watched Netflix from my favorite seat. My left knee suddenly became really sore. I moved into the bathroom to get my arthritis gel.

Oh, no! I had been bitten again! The pustule was red with a yellow dot at the center. A few hours later, the bite had become completely red.

~

So, I've come to the difficult conclusion that the old recliner has got to go. There may be an ant's nest inside it, which is gross enough to think about, but the possibility (or likelihood) that it may be infested with fire ants is the icing on the cake!

~

For the time being, I've ceded ownership of the recliner to Spooky. If it ever stops raining and I can get a neighbor to help me put the chair on the curb, that's what I'll do. 

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that a piece of furniture could betray me so. As I rub the swollen spot on the back of my neck, the depth of betrayal becomes evident. Bite number three!

~

How can Spooky look so comfy, curled up as she is? I envy her and only wish to emulate her placid pose before three pillows.





~~~


Thursday, December 8, 2022

Directionally Challenged, Part 2

Sunday's Christmas party was even more of a challenge to reach than Friday's launch party. I overshot an exit by one hour. I had excellent, patient coaching by our host and hostess. I was on the road for three hours. By the time I walked through the facility's entry, there were roughly a dozen people left as the food was being put away. 


The Plan for getting home was to follow the car of one of the guests. When I saw a car leave, I rushed to retrace their turns. I couldn't catch up. Nobody else left the parking lot, which should have indicated my decision to leave was premature.


The Result was that I was successfully guided by phone out of the development. Guess you could say that I was only Semi-Lost.


It got much worse from there when I missed the turn-off that was to lead me home. After driving through endless unfamiliar woods, on the alert for deer crossing, I realized that now I was Really Lost

😕

Then I stopped at an intersection with unfamiliar route numbers. The routes were unknown to my friends as well.  Luckily, they knew how to use their smart phones to access GPS, a skill I never learned.


After the couple figured out where I was (in HELL), we exchanged calls back and forth to gauge my progress.  Their directions bypassed  Raleigh and eventually led me to a familiar town and main road. Route 95 South was just a few blocks away. 

🎆

The couple's empathy and encouragement got me through a difficult night. I am so grateful!

Four pluses for the evening were that I did not run out of gas, end up in a ditch, or run over any deer. I walked into my living room at 9:10 pm.   +   +   +   +


To paraphrase the Beatles, "I got by with a lot of help from my friends."



Monday, December 5, 2022

Directionally Challenged

Friday 12/2/2022 

I have twenty minutes set aside to write before I leave. Hopefully, this drive will be uneventful...


Sunday 12/4/2022 2:10 PM

...unlike Friday's foray into Clayton for Christy Anne's book launch party. That trip was two hours of hell going back and forth along Route 42 and intermittent adventures trying out the side roads. Impatient drivers made their displeasure known as I tried to make three-point turns at several busy intersections.

Of course, I lacked the "phone a friend" option. I didn't have the phone number of anyone who could help. I stopped several times to read my pre-printed directions. Can't see anything without my reading glasses. All I could do was continue to traverse the main and occasional side roads. 

Around 6:45 PM, among the incoming traffic feeding from some unknown-to-me highway came a deputy sheriff who couldn't help but notice my car parked on the side of the road, emergency flashers going. (I was looking in vain for an opportunity to turn around). The sheriff pulled alongside my car and we both rolled down our windows. "What seems to be the problem?" she asked. I admitted that I was hopelessly lost. Then the deputy sheriff put on her vehicle's strobe lights and parked behind me.

Now I had to roll down my passenger window to speak with the deputy sheriff. I told her how I left early, determined to reach my destination in time, but: 

  • My GD GPS wouldn't turn on. 
  • It was dark. 
  • Clayton had construction barrels lined up for miles. 
  • I couldn't read my written directions without pulling over. 
  • Major intersections and side streets lacked visible street names. 
  • I was an hour late already.

The stress in my voice was unmistakable.

This wonderful lady deputy said I was only nine minutes away from the street I needed. Then she blocked all traffic with her car so we could both change direction. From that minute on, I followed her all the way to Christy's door. 

(Hmm...I never went THIS far west on the main road).

The party was in full swing when I rang Christy's doorbell. Everyone in the house was wondering why they saw the strobing lights on their quiet street. "My police escort," I explained.

While I missed the children's coloring drawings of characters in The Lower World, I enjoyed the delicious finger food and conversations with the party-goers. Before the event ended at 8:00 PM, I got Christy's phone number "just in case" I needed help getting home. Thankfully, I found my way home easily.  

Anyway, when I leave on Sunday for a Christmas party that starts at 4:00 PM, I will give myself an extra half-hour buffer to reach the daytime event. I'll be sure to enter our hostess' phone number into my cell phone's memory.


Tuesday, November 29, 2022

If you get nonsense when trying to subscribe here...

Google, which owns Blogger, removed the Subscribe by Email service last year, which is why you may get gobbledy-goop (or is it gobbledy-gook?) instead of a link. I swear, it has nothing to do with Thanksgiving gobble-gobblers. If this happens, it may be due to spam. Now I'm getting hungry. 


SO, please set up a Bookmark on your phone or computer to https://barbaracrowley.blogspot.com/p/about_20.html  for up- dates, and I can share posts to Facebook.


Monday, November 28, 2022

Instagram Newbie

I'm switching up my social media. Getting rid of my Twitter account; I had few followers anyway.

In the next day or two, I'll launch my Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/authorbarbaracrowley

It will feature my book, Liberty's Scrapbook, my current feline roommate, Spooky, and maybe some infrequent product recommendations to save the planet (which are all unsolicited).


Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Say When? What?

Ever since September's "breakdown" (for lack of a better word), my relationship with a calendar is IFFY. 😯

I print a Google calendar each month and I try to write in add-ons from a miniature calendar I keep in my purse. It seems that neither they nor I are in synch.

💻 📅 = DOES NOT COMPUTE

Today, Tuesday, I realized that I had a Library Board Meeting last night while I was enjoying Jeopardy. That's embarrassing because: (1)  I had pulled the library board file over the weekend so I wouldn't miss it, ( 2) I live so close to the library, (3) this is not the first time I've missed the LBM.

I used to be a proud, extremely busy volunteer for adult literacy.  After more than ten years with them, I quit (coinciding with my meltdown). Their first attempt at the annual Scrabble Event was supposed to be 9/30, but was canceled due to bad weather. The following week, at 6:30, a colleague called me to ask if I was coming. I said hell no, and wondered to myself why it was being held on a Sunday? Duh - it was a Friday. Mind you, the time change hadn't kicked in yet, so I can't blame that.

Yes, I am confusing days. Showed up to the podiatrist a week early. Totally missed my appointment with a different doctor last month. I could have sworn I went! One good thing was that my therapist canceled today's session, so I have more time to get my act together.

So, dear friends and colleagues...if you make plans with me and I don't show up, please understand that my brain is still not up to par. It's not you; it's definitely ME.

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Freethought of the Day


I can relate to the second half of this quote by the late Butterfly McQueen:

"As my ancestors are free from slavery, I am free from the slavery of religion."

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Mini Writers' Event

How could I have forgotten to write about last Saturday's event at the Mary Duncan Public Library?

Shame on me!


Well, on Saturday, October 8th at 11:00 AM, Derrick Barefoot hosted a group of writers from Triangle East Writers

Acting as an emcee, I introduced each speaker to the audience. First up was C. Anne, author of A Home Called Haven, soon to be released. Then, Christy Anne's talented illlustrator, Alessandra Liane, discussed how she collaborates with authors to bring book ideas to life. Alessandra brought examples of her pencil drawings. A color mock-up was displayed in front of the authors' table. After A Home Called Haven is released, Christy's next book, Give You The World, will be released.

A Benson native, Teresa McLamb Blackmon, is the author of Daddy Said. The author read a few poems for the audience. Her poems reminded me of how farm life must have been like for my mother, who grew up in Newton Grove.

Last but not least, G. Don Craig, discussed his multiple books and the reason for the order of what has become a trilogy.

The photos below were shared by Benson Library. Please click each link. Sorry I'm making you work for it.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Great Neighbors

In case you didn't know, I am a senior citizen who lives with an elderly cat in a mobile home. My house sits sideways on a busy road, and is adjacent to a hand car wash on one side; a white trailer faces the street on the lot next to me. 

Be that as it may . . .

In lieu of a horrible hand-written drawing, imagine my quiet block:

    South Side: 1 single family home (on 2 lots), 1 duplex, plus 2 empty lots

    North Side:  a bodega, hand car wash, MY PLACE, 1 neighbor's house, the trailer park entrance

In other words:

You can't use the trailer park entrance to get to my house. Well, that's been an issue for more than ten years. As you can imagine, getting deliveries to my abode can be problematic.

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Lapses or Something Else

 

Lapses, or are they brain synapses?

I never made the connection before.

Either something ‘clicks’, or it doesn’t.

Here’s a rhyme for my age group - holy crapsis!                        💩

I’d hoped my sick mind would be better this weekend.

The library loaned me a Stephen King novel.

It vanished, just as a horror story would.

Retracing my steps has not met a good end.  📚

Had I neglected to lock up my car -

making the Master writer’s work more appealing?

Some fans of dark fiction collect nefarious tales

but this was the worst way to do it, by far.       -🚙

Might I, some days from now, recover my brain or the book? 

Do these forgetful spells predict Alzheimer’s? 

A lesser (but still scary) thought just came to mind.

Did my thrift store donations include this ‘find’ for a crook? 👿

That leaves me to wonder about my mind’s fate? 

Come Friday, when the thrift store reopens,

Will I retrieve - or repay - for the lost novel? 

Or blame early dementia - a family trait.                                        😥

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Proof of a Good Time

Liberty's Scrapbook Relaunch Party Sep. 13, 2022

A small crowd descended upon Sisters II Ice Cream parlor in Benson last evening, but not just for the yummy ice cream. It was the night of my book relaunch.

I was an overdressed, extremely nervous, hostess about to talk to the friendly faces around me. It took me awhile to relax, but as the evening continued, that's exactly what I did.

Thanks to everyone for calming me down as I read a portion of Chapter 2. I also discussed the hardest part of writing the book without risking a lawsuit. (Unfortunately, some of Liberty's funniest wisecracks had to be cut.) So far, I think I'm safe.

Thanks to Rose Cushing, who provided three Scentsy(TM) gifts to raffle off, as well as a pound cake. After all, you can't have ice cream without cake.  

Jai Russoniello was kind enough to bring a case of water; muchas gracias. Besides Jai, also attending were Judy and Bill Hewett, and Claudia Farr, whom I met through Triangle South Literacy Works. My colleagues at Triangle East Writers came out to support me: Evelyn Wood, Dot LaMotta, Rodney and Rose Cushing, and Julie Johnson. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. I'm so glad y'all came and made the relaunch a success.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the venue, the camaraderie we shared, plus their free books (previous version 1.5), and cat-themed goody bags. The icing on the cake was that I sold a number of version 2.0. 
(Who else is hungry now?)

If you haven't already done so, please post a review of Liberty's Scrapbook on Amazon.com. 


See the link below for Rose's photographs of the event:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/triangleeastwriters/permalink/4986203754828146/

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Book Relaunch Event is TONIGHT!

 Come on down to Sisters II Ice Cream in Benson 

     From 6PM to 8PM on September 13th...

          To get a scoop of free🍦

               Maybe we'll let you eat some 🎂.

                   As you meet and greet the author (ME);

                       🔉 Hear an excerpt or two from Liberty's Scrapbook...  

Get a goodie bag with an older version (1.5) book for your friends...

    Autographed, of course... 🙀 (more typos are FREE) 

        With raffle drawings every forty (40) minutes...

            There will be Q&A with the author... 👓

                And you can buy the second edition of Liberty's Scrapbook.

                    Autographed, naturally. 🖋

Come for delicious frozen treat...

                    . . . stay for the story of Liberty, the coolest polydactyl cat.

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Liberty was a New Jersey cat

 

Liberty was a New Jersey cat . . .


Take a good luck at his THUMBS! He had nine claws on one front paw and eleven on the other.


Some people refer to this type of cat as a HEMINGWAY (the cats are famous in Key West, where the writer lived). The real name is polydactyl. Is there a Polly-Dac-Till in the house?


Any way you looked at him, you know he was SPECIAL.


. . . with a winning personality


Liberty became the alpha cat to two other felines, Bubba and Callie.


There were four birds in the New Jersey condo where they lived. The birds thought they were safe in their cages. Dumb birds!


Liberty didn’t look for trouble. It just had a way of finding him. Repeatedly.

He liked to play with shower curtains, chair rungs, clothes washers, plastic bags, floppy handles . . . you name it!



Saturday, August 20, 2022

Party Planning

Why I do the things I do often confounds me. Take, for example, the date I chose for my book relaunch: Tuesday, September 13th at 6 PM. I had forgotten that it's the same day and time as a literacy fundraiser, Zaxby's Night in Smithfield (from 5 PM to 8 PM). Oops. 

Actually, I had hoped to do it the day before, but Sisters II Ice Cream is closed on Mondays. I suppose I could change the date, but I can only think of two people from the literacy office I might miss. Where does that leave a public that's torn between two venues? (As if...)

They might be able to do both. Say, a person can support LITERACY by showing up to Smithfield's Zaxby's at 5 PM, eat dinner and stay for a while. After that, they can then head south to the Benson book relaunch for dessert from 6 to 8 PM. 

Voila! 

Both missions will have been accomplished!😺



Thursday, August 11, 2022

Well!


Raise the flag! 🚩


After ten days of self-isolation, 🚩


I beat COVID! 🚩


So happy to be well at long last! 🚩



Saturday, August 6, 2022

COVID Thoughts

 Perfect excuses for inaction:


  • Since I'm stuck at home, who cares if I skip a shower or two?
    • The answer is ME.
    • By day number two, I can't stand myself!

  • Go outside? No, I don't want to spread COVID outdoors. 
    • Besides, this heat is unreal! 
      • (Okay, that's two excuses for being lazy.)
        • Let the weeds grow! 

  • The world's shut-ins are helping the planet by not going anywhere. 
    • Think of all the fossil fuels we're saving!

  • This is a test to see how unruly my hair will become. 
    • It may hurt the eyes that witness my new rat's nest coiffure.

  • How many deliveries can I order in a single week?
    • Still finding out.

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Four Freebies for Cat Lovers

For lovers of the feline species, I have now compiled the following fact sheets* for anyone interested. All can be had in exchange for your email address. I need to build a following for this writing career endeavor. I promise not to bombard you with a bunch of spam.

So far, it's going at a c-r-a-w-l. But YOU can change that! 
Email me at info@authorbarbaracrowley.com

If you would like to see a different breed of cat profiled, just ask. I will add it to my To Do List.

As of today, 8/4/22, you can choose one of these profiles:
        • Sphynx cats
        • Manx cats
        • Maine Coon cats
        • Polydactyl cats

* Each fact sheet is cherry-picked and compiled from multiple public sources readily available on the Internet. The snippets used may not tell the complete story of a breed or contain as many photographs. However, the original writers and websites are cited so readers can get a fuller understanding by going to the original sources.


Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Revision 2 is with my editor

This week, I had planned to release the second revision of Liberty's Scrapbook. Unfortunately, despite repeated edits, the captions keep ending up in the wrong places. The cover art no longer fits Amazon's parameters, even though they had the same cover for months. 

The revised manuscript is now in the hands of its original editor. If she can't fix it...

No  -- I can't think that way.

With any luck, I'll have the latest version uploaded SOON. Then, SOON AFTER THAT, I'll have ordered enough new copies so I can throw a BOOK LAUNCH PARTY.

I already have a venue in mind; the free gifts are wrapped and ready to go. 

I don't know about you, but I'm excited! 😸


Everything Died

Everything Died


This is the week when everything died.

My smoke alarm battery and its two “fresh” replacements.

The car’s key fob battery, which means I can’t drive.

(For now, that’s okay; I am in quarantine).

Then, today, my house phone stopped working!

This is so weird! It strengthens the adage that

“Deaths come in threes.”


Oh! You didn't think I was talking about people, did you?😏


Saturday, July 30, 2022

Free Profile on Polydactyl Cats

If anyone would like to receive a seven-page profile about polydactyl cats, feel free to contact me with your email address. 

Polydactyl / Hemingway cats were my research project for the week. (Okay, so I borrowed it from a few websites). 

All the original websites, photos, and authors were referenced according to Hoyle (whomever that was). 

This sounds like a promotion:


                    I did the research . . .

. . . so you don't have to!


Friday, July 29, 2022

Water Spurts

 


I was at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee earlier this month as part of a bus tour. 

Spooky would have been intrigued to see the koi ponds, but the fountains would have freaked her out. There were TONS of fountains throughout the hotel and conference center. Like Liberty, she was glad to have missed the experience.




Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Five Reviews on Amazon


Amazon review by Cindy Brookshire                               Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2022

5.0 out of 5 stars ««««« Followed this cat's family from Hackensack to Ponchatoula - worth the journey!

I enjoyed reading this "travel" book by a local author near Raleigh - a polydactyl cat's many adventures with her humans from up north to throughout the deep south! Everything makes so much more sense, seen through the eyes of Liberty.

                                                              😺

Amazon review by Karen A. Lauritzen                             Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2022

4.0 out of 5 stars «««« Great book for middle school kids

 Barbara Crowley does an admirable job of writing a book from her cat's point of view. The accompanying photographs will peak a young reader's interest.

This also might be a book to give someone interested in owning a first pet.

😺

Amazon review by gdcjr                                                 Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2022

4.0 out of 5 stars «««« Nice story from the cats viewpoint

Verified Purchase

Although I am not a cat person, this story captured my attention and was an entertaining way to share the author's experiences. Life's challenges from the cat and his human and animal family.

                                                                    😺

Amazon review by Amazon Customer                                      Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022

 5.0 out of 5 stars ««««« A delightful story about a cat’s adventures!

Loved the story. Well done! Would buy for my Grandkids for sure.

  😺

Amazon review by Annette Sauls                                   Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2022

4.0 out of 5 stars «««« Such a cute book

This is a very sweet book written from a cat's point of view. Moving to many homes and having lots of animal friends added to the adventure. Worth the read.


Sunday, July 24, 2022

Freebies Available

 If you provide me with your email address, I will be happy to send you a Fact Sheet about common and unusual cat breeds. 

So far, I have compiled (from various named sources) information about Manx cats and Maine coon cats. Please be patient if the breed you are interested in is not available yet. I will continue to add to the selections. Just specify which breed you'd like to learn more about. 

Of course, you can do the same research yourself, but why would you?

 

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Back Home

I spent two full days in Nashville with a bus group. We stayed at the luxurious Gaylord Opryland Hotel. It was so beautiful that I (almost) hated to go sightseeing!

Of course, among the country songs we heard was Nashville Cats.

I wanted to share a few photos from my trip, but I'm typing this from the wrong computer. This picture of Spooky shows how well she blends in with the furniture.  She is so happy to have me back in Benson! She was meowing her little heart out when I got in late Thursday night.







Saturday, July 9, 2022

Spooky's Suspicous

For the last two days, I've been preparing for a brief vacation. Spooky has taken to waiting for me on my bed to watch the goings-on. 

First, she helped me judge my underwear choices: which panties were OK versus those that were stretched beyond belief. I compared various shorts and t-shirt combinations (she did not offer an opinion).  I considered bringing a favorite dress, but since I only wear sneakers, that would look stupid. She agreed.

Next, I dusted off my leather fanny pack on the dirty sheets, which became MUCH dirtier. Was Obama in office the last time I wore it? 

The kicker was the enormous Big-Dog-Sized bowl of water I put out for Spooky this morning. She looked at me like, "What's going on, Mom"? 

Tomorrow I will switch out her food dish for an equally large receptacle. That will be the last sign that she's about to be left alone for a few days.

Hopefully, she will do well without me. I know she will miss me. Even though I haven't left yet, I'm already looking forward to seeing her upon my return.




Friday, July 8, 2022

About that last post

 I was so excited to be finishing the edits to Liberty's Scrapbook. However, I forgot to read a clause on Amazon that prohibits changes while a book is in a special marketing program. The end of the program gets extended automatically if you leave a box unchecked. (Or is it the other way around?)  Anyway, the date the promotion ends is July 29th.

Although the author's marketing screen said the new version of the eBook was updated, it still reflects the posting date of January 30th. That leads me to believe that any updates won't appear until I resubmit the revisions in early August.

Bummer!😞

On a happier note, 😀 the writer's group I belong to has officially changed its name from Johnston County Writers Group to Triangle East Writers.



Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Second Edition Coming!

 If you've read Liberty's Scrapbook, you may have found a few errors. Well, I think I found them all. (I shouldn't say that out loud . . . there may be more!) 

I just uploaded the new and improved manuscript today in Amazon. It may take a few days before the latest version is available for purchase.

The cover art remains the same as before. However, I had hoped to update the back cover to include the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazon reviews.  Although I tried my hand at creating my own cover, that turned into a fiasco. That forced my decision to leave it "as is". 

Question: How can readers tell if they have the latest edition?

Answers:   

  • There are fewer errors (Whew!)
  • Chapter 10 is now "Back To Louisiana" (instead of "LA")
  • Page 82 states it's the second edition
  • All of my social media sites can be found by entering AuthorBarbaraCrowley.
    • All = my website and blog, Facebook and Twitter. 

The LibertyPolydactyl Facebook page was taken down last week. As for anyone searching for Liberty Hand's Twitter page @LibertyScrapbk, it's only a matter of time before that gets shut down as well. 


Monday, July 4, 2022

April Display on the 4th of July

 Happy 4th of July


In April, I set up this display in the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield to promote my book. 

If you can believe it, I used to own about three times as many knick-knacks as seen here. Packing and moving the ceramic and wooden cat tchotchkes from state to state became tiresome. I brought the bulk of the dust catchers to a consignment shop right before I left Louisiana in 2011. 

 






Hope your Fourth was Happy! 

Stay safe!

 

Thursday, June 30, 2022

June Event at Benson Library

 I've made it my mission to contact local libraries to host several writers to speak. The first such event happened at the Mary Duncan Library in Benson on June 7th. 

Three writers were to come out, but a family death prevented Gary Ridout from attending. Evelyn Wool accompanied me as a scheduled speaker. We sat behind a table sporting a pressed linen tablecloth and tent cards identifying us. Derrick Barefoot, the Library Director, had set up six rows of seats facing our table in the Children's Room. He also designed a publicity flyer for us and provided us with cold water. Neat!

Evelyn and I swapped writing anecdotes while we waited for the public to arrive. A steady stream of library patrons came and went. No one stopped to hear what we had to say. However, that did not deter us from regaling Derrick and a few Town of Benson employees with some of our stories.

We made plans for the future. Evelyn hopes to read her two books to Benson children after the summer reading program is done. I vow to try again in the fall to set up speaker events on Thursdays and/or Saturdays. Dunn Library prefers that we come on Saturdays.

What we learned: 

  • Writers should advertise the event about a month in advance on social media
  • Whomever hosts our speakers should promote the event a month prior
  • Post weekly to remind everyone about the event
  • Ask writer's groups to help advertise the event 
  • Ask friends and fellow writers to attend the event
  • Distribute flyers to people as you "talk up" the event 
  • To go the extra mile, have a local radio station (WPYB) announce the event.



That's all for now!