Animal stories--seems everyone has one. What about you?

My life has been busy the past few weeks. Our NCWN-West website was down and it took forever to get it back up. I was on the computer for hours. Shipping books to fill orders kept me running to the post office as well.

My co-writer, Estelle Rice and I held a book signing at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Hayesville, NC last Sunday, October 14. Estelle and her husband attended this church for many years and she is still a member. I knew she was loved, but was not prepared for all the men and women who crowded around her, hugging and kissing her over and over.

We were delighted at the animal lovers who could not wait to get their copies of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins. One person stood counting on her fingers how many books she was going to purchase for gifts. She ended up with seven copies.

I enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing photos of pets of those who wanted our book. I was especially happy when Carol S. , one of the first to buy our book, bought another book to give to her friend.

One day this week, my dear brother-in-law, Charlie, called and told me how much he enjoyed the book I sent to him. He had a suggestion I might consider one day. Charlie said we should call this the first volume of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins and then do a second and a third book using stories of other people who love their pets. What a neat idea, but not right now. I am overwhelmed with work for NCWN-West and for myself.

What do you think, dear readers? Would you have a story to offer if we do another book about animals we love? Charlie, who has a dog he loves dearly, said he had three stories he could tell me.
My friend, Linda, once had a huge rabbit named Studley. Today she told me some great stories about him. He was quite a character.

Of course, I have many more stories that did not go into this book that I could include in the next book. Just an idea, but fun to contemplate. I did not even include my beloved horse, Pretty Thing, who was with me thirty years. Linda said she really likes the color pictures in the book. I, too, think they made a big impact.

 This week, I will celebrate my birthday with Gay and Stu, my sister and BIL. And they will celebrate Paws and Claws, etc. with a book party for me on Tuesday. I will read and speak on writing  and sign for those who want to take a book  home. I look forward to that.  Gay and Stu are so supportive of me and I love them very much. I am blessed indeed.

Have a good week. If you live in my area, come to Writers Night Out in Blairsville, GA on November 9 when Estelle and I will read from our book.

You want to know about this!

We are featured on the NCWN Book Buzz page: Thanks to Charles Fiore.

https://www.ncwriters.org/index.php/our-members/book-buzz

We have a new website/blog. That is, Estelle Rice and I have a site for our books. Check it out here.  Be sure to look for the Pages where you can see where we will be reading or signing books and for Your Comments.We would love to hear from those who have read any of our books. Send comments to gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com. I will publish them on Your Comments.Or you can leave your comments on the page.

Our new book is Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins: Family Pets and God's Other Creatures. We published a collection of stories about our own pets and also added some fiction about animals. We included poems. One of mine is about our first mixed-breed dog, Rocky, and how he came to be with us. A touching story is about Barry, my husband, and how a special horse helped cure his depression after open heart surgery.

Rocky came to us when we most needed him, but I didn't want him.

Estelle wrote a funny story about what happened when she tried to tell her youngest child where babies came from using the pregnant family dog. All of her stories are entertaining, include humor and keep you reading until the end.

We have been pleased by the number of books ordered, and we hope more orders will come in as Christmas nears. The books, filled with color pictures, are great gifts for animal lovers. 

We each published a poetry chapbook some years ago. That is a small book of around 28 pages of poems. Estelle's book, Quiet Times, is a lovely collection of inspirational poems that is loved by everyone who reads it. 

My poetry book, Now Might As Well Be Then, was published by Finishing Line Press and sold on Amazon.com. But recently I learned Amazon is not selling books with the binding used on my book. Sadly, someone has stolen the link to my book and now when you click on it, you go to a website that sells devices. The book is still available at Finishing Line Press and from me.

In 1998, I combined my genealogy research with creative nonfiction and published a hard back, beautiful book: Profiles and Pedigrees, Descendants of Thomas Charles Council (1858 -1911)  Although I was not as good a writer back then, I am proud of this book because I spent ten years researching the lives of my grandfather, Tom Council and his ten children. 

All of our books can be found at Blue Heaven Press.

A Poem from Quiet Times by Estelle Rice:

Silence

When I am silent,

thoughts surge onto the shore

of my consciousness.

There is no place to hide

or deny my fears.

Silence endures my frailties,

nudges me toward the paths

where I will meet myself.

Silence encourages me

to listen to the universe,

that I may hear

the songs of angels.

             ---Estelle Rice

We finished the book. Now what comes next?

Now that our manuscript is ready to be published, Estelle Rice and I are in the next stage of getting our book out. Marketing.

Although writers must start their marketing long before a book is published by getting their work known to the pubic and making a name for themselves as a writer, now we must get word out about our new book, Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins; Family Pets and God's Other Creatures.

While marketing a new book, writers must continue to write -- either another book or work on another project. My next project is to publish a poetry collection. My poetry chapbook, Night Might as Well be Then was published by Finishing Line Press in 2009. Amazon says that book is no longer available, but it is available from the publisher and from me. The price is only $12, but I sell it to my friends for $10. 

Today I created a postcard to send out to a long list of people I know who might be interested in the new book. There is a cost to marketing if you want it done well. The postcard will have the gorgeous picture of the front cover on one side, a message about the book and how to order, on the other side.
I am glad we have an eye catching cover. Covers have a large influence on book buyers.

But no matter how pretty the cover and how well it is written, if no one knows the book is available, on Amazon or in Barnes and Noble stores, how can they purchase it? So the job of the writer is to make herself known and then make her book known. 

I am delighted that Paws, Claws, Hooves... will come out in September just in time for Christmas. It will make a perfect gift for anyone who likes or ever owned a pet. You will meet Mary who saved Gracie at church. You will be impressed with Chanook who saves someone's life. The story of the Horse with a Halo always brings a tear, not from sadness, though. What about a pterodactyl cat?

We have orders coming in already and we are so, so excited. 
I plan to do an interview with my co-author, Estelle Rice, who was a young girl during WWII. In fact, her fiance' was lost in the war. She has so much to offer the public, and I can't wait to do that interview. As you get to know her, you will fall in love with her.

ESTELLE RICE co-author of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins

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What will spring and summer bring?

Although there is snow on the ground at my house tonight, spring will be here before we know it. January promises to be a cold, rainy, icy and snowy month here in the mountains. I have all my heating units, central, gas and a couple of heaters working tonight. Lexie wants me to go to bed where she gets under the covers and stays warm. 

But the weather will get better in a couple of months.

I am happy to be going up to Waynesville, NC to meet with the Netwest Mountain Writers on Tuesday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m. Merry Elrick, our NCWN-West Rep heads up that group which meets at the Trailhead Bakery & Café,18 N. Main Street.  Merry invites writers and people who can speak about the world of writing to their monthly meetings. I enjoy seeing and talking with writers in our region and speaking about NCWN-West. I hope we will have long time members there as well as people who want to know more about our writers organization. I have some good friends I met years ago in the Haywood County region and would love to see them when I am there.

Estelle Rice, author of fiction, poetry, personal essays

Mary Ricketson, Cherokee County rep, has taken over the monthly reading at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. My dear friend, Estelle Rice, will join me on Wednesday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m. She and I have collaborated on a collection of poems, stories and essays about the animals we love and other creatures who share the world with us. Our book, Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins, will be published by the time we read at the folk school. 

I hope our local readers will put this date on their calendar and come out to hear about our book and hear Estelle read her delightful stories. 

When the book is ready, I will post information on where it can be purchased and I am sure, if you buy this book, you will get some smiles and even some laughs from it. But, you will also read some touching words, especially if you like pets or have had pets in your home.