Category Archives: Books

Books, News

A Sparkling Time on Saturday

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On Saturday, Clif and I had a pop-up table at Quiet City Books in Lewiston. Quiet City is surely one of the best little bookstores in Maine, with a wonderful selection of books and gifts for readers of all ages.

We were at the bookstore as part of an event called Sparkle Saturday, where the many stores and restaurants on Lisbon street opened their doors to welcome crafters and artists to set up tables.

The goal was to encourage people to come downtown and shop locally. If our experience was any indication, then I would have to say that Sparkle Saturday was a smashing success. Truly, we had our best day ever at a single event. How fun it was to watch people come into the bookstore, browse, stop at our table, buy books, and then head to the front counter with another armload of books to purchase from Courtney, the owner. Oh, the heart of this nerdy, wordy book girl was filled with joy.

Readers, I know I am preaching to the choir, but I want to emphasize how much it means to writers, crafters, artists, and local businesses when people buy their wares. Most of us have budgets as big as a minute, and it is a huge boost to have a day like Sparkle Saturday, where shoppers are out and about, planning to buy presents from someplace other than a big box store.

I got into the holiday spirit and bought an adorable felt Santa ornament from Maureen Andrew from Warm as Wool.

Maureen was also a vendor at Quiet City Books.

Finally, here is a shot of dusk in Lewiston as the moon rises over a building, casting a soft light on everything, bringing good cheer and hope to a small city that is still struggling but is beginning to find its way.

 

 

 

 

Books, Food, Nature

Celebrating with Seafood and a Whoopie Pie

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It’s not every day that you get the first shipment of your new book. Therefore, when the box with copies of Library Lost came in, Clif and I decided to celebrate and go to the Red Barn for some of their delectable seafood and, of course, a whoopie pie. So good and so reasonably priced.

And speaking of Library Lost…my blogging friend Eliza asked how a copy might be ordered. Glad you asked, Eliza! For others who are wondering, all you have to do is click here, and it will take you to our Hinterlands Press website, where you can order a signed copy directly from us. The book can also be ordered through Amazon.

On another subject…the holidays are coming—tomorrow is December 1—and yesterday I went into the woods to gather pine and dried fern stalks for outside arrangements on our little deck.

I went midafternoon when this time of year the sun is setting and the woods are filled with shadows. There were lots of fern stalks by the little stream that runs behind our house and eventually makes its way to the Upper Narrows Pond.

There were some winterberries left, a bright punctuation against the white of winter. Fortunately, I had gathered winterberries a couple of weeks ago, when they were more plentiful.

And I came across this tree, covered with fungi.

Always something to notice in the woods, even in the winter.

Books, Celebrate, News

Look What Came on a Snowy Day: Library Lost!

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The books have arrived! Library Lost, the sequel to Maya and the Book of Everything, is now available. What a thrill to see them, so vibrant and red, in the box.

Library Lost is the second book in my Great Library Series. Two forces, Time and Chaos, battle each other for control of the mysterious Great Library, where all information flows. In the middle of this battle between Time and Chaos is one kid from Earth—Maya Hammond, who has traveled back in time, across the universe, and then home again with a Book of Everything from the Great Library.

In Library Lost, Maya is once again on the move, this time with an Apprentice Book named Ariel. As Chaos gains an edge, it doesn’t take long for the action to spiral into mayhem and destruction. However, Sydda, the Great Library’s director, has come up with a daring but dangerous plan that involves Maya.

But Maya has grave doubts. How can she ever prevail against such a powerful force as Chaos? How, indeed?

Library Lost can be ordered directly from Hinterlands Press. For orders in the United States, shipping is free, and you can get your very own signed copy of any of our books. We are also having a holiday sale: Order both Maya and the Book of Everything and Library Lost for $28, and again, shipping is free.

For those who like or need to order through Amazon, here are two special offers. Through the end of December, the Kindle version of Maya and the Book of Everything will be available for $0.99. And here is an even better deal: If you buy the paperback edition of Maya and the Book of Everything, the Kindle version is free.

My husband, Clif, and I will also be attending several fairs in Maine between now and Christmas. Central Maine readers, all you need to do is click the events button at the top of our Hinterlands website to see where we will be.

A heartfelt thanks to the many blogging friends who not only bought Maya and the Book of Everything but also took the time to write thoughtful reviews on their own blogs. I so appreciate this.

A reminder: The drawing for the free copy of Library Lost will be held on Thursday, November 29. There are still a couple of days to enter the contest, and I will mail the book anywhere on this planet. Anywhere.

Finally, the credo of the Great Library Series can be summed up in three words: Love Your Library.

But, blogging friends, you already love your libraries, don’t you?

 

authorpages, Books, People

At Quiet City Books

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Yesterday, as part of Lewiston’s Sunday Indie Market, Clif and I went to Quiet City Books, where we had our own little table for our own little books.

Quiet City Books is one those shops that feels like home to all nerdy, wordy folks who love books. (Yes, that would include me.)  Courtney MacMunn Schlacter, the owner, has managed to tuck in bright, funky art and sweet little gifts among an astonishing assortment of books that appeal to readers young and old.

What a delightful way to spend a winter’s day. We sold some books and chatted with Courtney, who has a commitment to making Lewiston a better place. We talked about how too many people only hear what’s bad about Lewiston, a mill city that has seen better days, but nonetheless has a lot going for it.  Thanks to Courtney and other bright, creative people, Lewiston now has a hopeful spark.

So readers, if you live in the area and find yourself in Lewiston, stop by Quiet City Books, look at the art and the books and support this wonderful local store.

Books, Nature

Brisk and Invigorating

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Yesterday was a fine, brisk day. The sun was shining, but the air smelled cold and fresh, and if it weren’t for creaky knees, I would have been positively frisky. What can I say? I’m a Mainer, and for me the first touch of winter is always invigorating.

Even with creaky knees, I got a fair amount done. Up the road, where the winter berries grow, I clipped quite a few branches of these red beauties to use in a winter arrangement for the front deck.

On the way to get the Sunday paper, I stopped at Maranacook Lake to take a few pictures.

I found blue sky, blue water, and a beached boat

as well as golden and dried plants against the rippling lake.

When I got home, I raked the driveway, perhaps for the last time, but we shall see.

At the end of the short day, I was tucked on the couch with the orange cat on my lap and a cup of hot cocoa nearby. I am going back and forth between two books—A Manuel for Cleaning Women, a collection of  sad, moving, short stories by Lucia Berlin; and Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics by Stephen Greenblatt. Of the latter book, in brief, let’s just say that Shakespeare knew.

authorpages, Books, Nature

I’ve Been Book Reported

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Here we are, firmly in November.

We set back the clocks on Saturday, and now it gets dark at 4:30, which always gives me a claustrophobic, restless feeling. I have come to the conclusion that I am neither a morning person nor a night person. Instead, I am a day person, and when the dark comes, I am ready to kick back. This is fine when it stays light out until, say, 7:00 p.m. But when the dark comes at 4:30, it’s too early to relax for the evening, and in addition, it makes me fidgety to be inside so much. Therefore, as soon as I am finished with the copy editing of Library Lost, I will be spending some part of every day outside. Being outside helps with the fidgets.

Speaking of Library Lost, I am coming down the homestretch with copy editing. Wowsah, what a job! Fortunately I have the patience to go over the book line by line. Many times. I wish I could get it right with one pass, but there you are.

This weekend, at a craft fair, there was another first for me. A young man who was about thirteen came to my table and told me that he liked Maya and the Book of Everything so much that he did a book report about it for his English class. Readers, I have been book reported. Holy cats, I was thrilled.

In the United States, tomorrow is Election Day, and it’s going to be a nail biter. As I have written in previous posts, I am heartbroken about the direction this country has taken—the ugliness, the racism, the threats, the lack of tolerance and compassion, the total disregard of the environment.

There are some—a minority, I hope—who think it doesn’t make any difference as to which candidate wins. How wrong they are! And I can use the small state of Maine (population 1.3 million) as an example. Because of our current governor and his refusal to accept the Medicaid expansion money available through the  Affordable Care Act, 70,000 people  in our state have gone without health insurance. These are people who earn too much to qualify for standard Medicaid and too little to qualify for subsidies from the ACA. They are caught right in the middle.

How many people died because of our governor’s refusal to expand Medicaid coverage? How many went to the emergency room, thus driving up the overall cost of healthcare?

In each Maine gubernatorial election—alas, our current governor won two times—if the other candidate had won, then those 70,000 Mainers would have had health insurance. This is but one issue of many where there has been a sea of differences between the candidates, and the same is true with the current election.

So out Clif and I will go tomorrow, to cast our votes and hope, hope, hope that we have come to the turning of tide.

Books, News

A Book Give Away for Library Lost

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Before I get to the really fun part of this post, a bit of news first.

The nor’easter proved to be pretty mild, as such things go. I think it went mostly out to sea. By the Maine coast there were strong winds, but as far as I know, there were no widespread power outages. There was hardly any wind in our area, but there was some slushy snow that made driving a bit tricky. But glory be, we kept our power. That’s one storm down and who knows how many more to come.

With our books, we went to two fairs this weekend, and the one on Saturday was nearby at Hall-Dale High School. We had a good time and sold quite a few books, but the best part of the day didn’t involve any sales at all. The librarian from Monmouth Middle School stopped by to tell me something that all writers of young adult fiction long to hear.

She said, “I really liked Maya and the Book of Everything and so have the kids. They’ve been passing it around and discussing it.”

Oh, my gosh! I was so thrilled when she told me this that I stammered out my gratitude in an inarticulate way. But she made my day, that’s for sure.

Now we come to the fun part of this post. I am barreling down the homestretch with editing Library Lost, and it will be ready to go out into the world in two or three weeks. To celebrate this second book in the Great Library Series, Clif and I are having a contest to give away a signed copy of Library Lost.

And readers, we will mail the winning copy to Canada. We will mail the winning copy to England. We will mail the winning copy to Australia. In short, we will mail the book to the winner anywhere in the world.

So don’t be shy about entering the contest. We are thrilled to be offering this give-away.

All you have to do is tell me in the comment section that you would like to enter the contest. The winning name will be drawn on November 29.

Good luck!

Books, News

Proof, Proof, Proofing

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I would like to say that I am enjoying the glories of October while getting yard work done, but that would not be the truth. Instead, I am working like a busy chickadee getting my second book, Library Lost, ready for publication.

It is intense, picky work. I go over the book line by line, squinting at formatting errors and checking for those dratted typos that always seem to slip through. I am happy to report I am making good progress. I also have other readers who are helping me.

In all likelihood, Library Lost will be ready sometime mid-November. But before then, I hope to be out with my wee camera recording the glories of late autumn in northern New England.

I also have a funny story to tell about Clif’s cataract surgery. How often does that happen?

In the meantime…

Books, Gardening, News

Farewell to Hostas

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For the past week, it has been unusually warm—in the 70s. It hardly feels like autumn in Maine at all.

But the the hostas know that summer is over.

I’ve begun emptying and cleaning pots. This weekend, I’ll start bringing in the garden ornaments.

Somehow, it is always more fun to bring them out in the spring than it is to put them away in the fall.

On other matters…I have done major editing on my book Library Lost, and I will soon be receiving the first proof copy. Always exciting, but the work is not done. I’ll be going over the proof copy line by line. Onward, ho!

A couple of days ago, a terrible hurricane slammed the coast of Florida. What devastation! I wonder what will become of coastal communities, especially in the South, as the oceans continue to heat up and the storms get worse and worse.

In North Carolina, where our daughter and son-in-law live, the hurricane notched itself down to a tropical storm. Nevertheless, the winds were strong, trees were toppled, and there were widespread power outages. In fact, my daughter and son-in-law don’t have electricty. At least they have water. But as a veteran of power outages, I can attest to the fact that they are no fun at all. For us, what a happy day it is when the refrigerator whirs back to life as the power comes back on.

But how horrible to lose everything in a storm. Somehow, when compared with such destruction, a power outage doesn’t seem that bad.