I had my Hometown Book Party Saturday and people actually showed up to hear me talk about my books and writing. Every person who entered the meeting room was like a special gift to me. They even smiled when I asked my son to take our picture.
Some came who had been to almost every one of my book parties since I had the first one way back in 2005 after Scent of Lilacs was published. The best thing about these wonderful people is that they are okay with me sharing some of the same stories of my writer beginnings although I’m thinking if I have another party next year for another book, I maybe should come up with some new writer beginning stories. Or maybe middle of my writing life stories or anything different. But these beautiful people kept listening and smiling. Some family came to support me and make sure the room wasn’t empty. Family is the best.
Some of those who came had never been to one of my book parties. Some came from out of town. I could brag and say one came from Arizona which she did, but it was because she happened to be in Kentucky visiting her family. Still it was great to meet her.
Some of my friends from church came including my preacher and his daughter. She’s eleven and we have Sunday school togther every week. I’d say I am her teacher but she teaches me as much as I teach her. This morning at church, I asked her if my book talk bored her. That was a brave question for me to ask since she will say what she thinks. Not sure if she was simply being polite, but the sweet girl said no, I wasn’t boring. Whew!
I had fun giving out my 8 door prizes. I made them open them to share what they were. That always adds to the fun for me. We did it grab bag style with them pointing to whichever bagged up gift they wanted after their name was drawn out of the basket of names. The last gift was a bit unusual or a little crazy. It was a little bear (Beanie Baby style) dressed in purple with a red hat plus a candy bar to sweeten the gift. The lady who got it was very nice and didn’t look too puzzled by such a strange gift. Even better she gave it to one of the other women there who had been to a red hat ladies meeting before coming to my book talk. She had on red and purple and the lady who won it thought she should have the little bear. I think they both ended up pleased. The lady who won the gift got the candy and found a great way to pass along the little bear.
After I told them about how I had grown up dreaming of being a writer and having people read my stories even though I thought it was a big dream for a little farm girl like me, I went on to tell them about some of my books including, of course, my newest book, In the Shadow of the River. But I shared about other of my books too. Things like how Perdita Sweet surprised me and became a favorite viewpoint character in my book, Along a Storied Trail. And how I used my mom’s memories of growing up during the Great Depression era in my book, Angel Sister.
I guess I could have talked all afternoon, but there was a clock on the back wall that was too hard to ignore. I did enjoy the questions some of the people asked. Q & A is always my favorite part of any book talk. Surprisingly enough, nobody asked me the two questions I hear the most. That is which is my favorite book and how many books have I written.
We had a great time. They ate my cookies so I didn’t have too many left over. I had fun signing books for them to carry home with them. I hope they will enjoy every story.
Now For a Blog Book Party Door Prize
I know some of you would have been at my book party if you lived closer or weren’t already busy.
So for fun, and to keep the party going, I’m going to do a fast book giveaway. All you have to do to register for this blog party door prize is leave a comment. For extra fun, why don’t you pretend you are at my book party? I’m encouraging you, anybody brave enough to raise a hand, to ask me a question. It doesn’t have to be about my books or writing, but it can be. Or it can be what’s my favorite color or how many dogs have I had?
But if you don’t want to ask a question, you can still enter the giveaway with any kind of comment. We’re going to do this one fast. I’ll pick a winner next Sunday and announce the winner on my post that night. We’ll talk about it again on Wednesday. I can answer those questions if anybody asks some. But you’ll get another chance to enter and get your name in the drawing again by commenting on Wednesday’s post. Deadline to enter will be midnight EST on Saturday, July 29, 2023. You have to be at least 18 years old to enter.
Oh, and thanks for coming to my blog book party. You are a gift to me and make me smkile.
What question would you like to ask me?
Comments 51
I wish I could have been there to meet you. What is your favorite food? Blessings
Author
Hi, Lucy. Your question has me thinking. It’s hard to pick one favorite, but I do love bacon and tomato sandwiches. And it’s hard to beat cinnamon rolls.
Hello, Ann. I am happy to say that I have met you, right after I started reading your Shaker books. I wish I lived closer to your part of Kentucky so I could attend some of your book signing and speaker events. I have loved all of your books and especially enjoyed your Hidden Springs Mysteries. My question is, do you plan to do another mystery series?
Author
So fun that we got to meet sometime in the past, Maria. And thank you so much for reading my Shaker books and then my others including the Hidden Springs mysteries. I love my Hidden Springs mystery readers. Thanks for being one of them, Maria.
You ask a little different questions than many of my other mystery readers when you ask if I am planning to do another mystery series. Most of those who have read my mysteries ask if I’m ever going to write another Hidden Springs mystery. And I would like to. I even already have a title for that Hidden Springs mystery. Murder at the Wedding. I would love to write that book someday.
Actually, with the thought of writing that book, I hadn’t considered writing another mystery series. But now that you mention it, I’m sort of liking the idea. I think that might be fun. Maybe I’ll try to come up with some great ideas and kill off a few fictional characters to have a new mystery with new characters.
Hello Ann, I just wished I could have been there to meet you in person but since I could not be there I was wondering what is your favorite thing about living in Kentucky?
Author
It would have been great to meet you in person, Sarah, but here online is sort of fun too. So what is my favorite thing about living in Kentucky?
Besides being near my family roots here, I love the beauty of the seasons in Kentucky–the flowers in the spring, the summer green, the colorful trees in the fall, and even the snow in the winter. I like all the birds and butterflies. I like how there are churches on every road and street. I like how most of the people are friendly and always ready to help out their neighbors. I like Kentucky’s rich history. I love seeing the horses in the fields of bluegrass. I like how the landscape changes from mountains in the east, rolling pastures in the central part and then lakes in the west. I like that there are still lots of trees and country places.
Ann I wish I could have attended your book party; it looks like you had a great turnout! What or who inspired you to write the Hollyhill books? These were the first books I read of yours and started me on this journey, one I have enjoyed very much! I really hope one day you write another in this series…I would love it.
Author
It would have been fun to see you again, Pamela. Maybe I’ll be back down your way sometime and we can do some more book talking.
So what or who inspired me to go to Hollyhill for some stories? I often tell this story when I’m giving a book talk, but I’m not sure I did last Saturday. So many stories to tell. LOL.
I had been several years without being able to see any of the stories I was writing. After publishing 13 books for adults and young adults, I wrote several books that didn’t find a publishing home. To say I was discouraged would be an understatement. I decided to stop worrying about what was or wasn’t selling and simply write the book I wanted to write. Also, a writer often hears the advice to write what you know. So what I knew was small town life and country churches. I decided to set my story in a town like the one near the farm where I grew up. Then I brought in a girl something like me with a love of reading and writing although Jocie wrote articles for her father’s newspaper while I scribbled stories in notebooks that I hid away in my desk drawers. I didn’t have a preacher dad. My dad rarely went to church. But I had been attending a small country church since I married and had gotten to know many of the preachers there who were all either in seminary or bi-vocational preachers. I traveled back in time to the Sixties and set off on my story road with no idea whether what I was writing would end up on my rejection shelf or find its way out to readers. I was blessed that the story found a loving editor and became my first of many books published by Revell Books. I have no doubt that the Lord heard my prayer for that story, that book, and guided my finished manuscript to the perfect editor for it. So perhaps desperation inspired the story or maybe only the love of sharing a story that had bits of my own memories of growing up in a small town..
I wish I could have met you when you came to the church in Tilton Il when The Patriot Singers were there in concert. I would like to see them come back sometime. Keep writing great books.
Author
I had a great time the one time I was able to come with the Patriots to Tilton. Jerry Shepherd and I actually did a presentation about the book that I wrote about his life testimony at that church, I think. The guys might like to come again if they could work out a trip where they could sing at several churchs. It is a long drive. I would love to meet you too.
Ann, if you weren’t able to be a writer and write novels… what would have done instead?
Author
Hmmm, Julie, that’s an interesting question. I never really thought about doing anything else. Well, not as a focus anyway. I actually did secretarial work off and on, and I wanted to be an at home mom while my kids were little. I was also a farm wife which can be a full time job at times. But if I hadn’t done that and if I had flubbed up on writing, I used to think it would be great to work in a library or book store.
Where is the farthest you’ve had to travel for research?
Sounds like you had a great party. Sorry I missed it.
Author
Maybe you can come to one of my book parties another time, Linda, and I do hope you can come see me when I am at the Richomond book event at the Madison County Library September 23rd. I think I will get to be part of a panel discussion of historical fiction that day.
As to your question, since my books all have Kentucky settings and Kentucky history, I’ve never had to travel far to research. I went to Springfield, a short trip from my house, to research River to Redemption. I went the the Shaker village in Mercer County a number of times while writing my Shaker stories. For my Heart of Hollyhill books and Rosey Corner books, I did most of the research in my own head with memories of the 1960’s for Hollyhill and remembering my mother’s stories of growing up during the Great Depression for the Rosey Corner books. A lot of my research is in history books or first person accounts of historical happenings if I can find them. Libraries and Amazon are my favorite friends when I’m researching.
What’s your favorite thing, place or event, you enjoy most about Kentucky?
Author
That’s a great question, Connie, but I know I will have trouble narrowing it down to one favorite thing. If you’ve read my other answers, you know I seem to have trouble with that narrowing down bit. But I’m going to try on your question.
My favorite place is right here on my farm. There’s a cliff with a cave about a mile’s walk from my house. A spring fed creek runs down the little valley to a bigger creek and eventually into the Kentucky River. I love walking over there, especially in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming. I’ve loved taking my grandkids over there to let them play in the creek. I like walking down the creek with my dogs. So, I don’t have to go far to find a favorite place.
Then there’s Kentucky basketball and the Kentucky and Southern Kentucky Book Festivals and the friendly people in Kentucky.
I love your books. My question is if you could spend one hour or one day with any author of fiction who would it be and why?
Author
Thank you, Greta, for reading my stories.
I’ve been asked that question at some time in the past for this or that interview, but I don’t remember what I answered. It might be hard to narrow that down to just one writer. First name to come to mind is Mark Twain. He would surely have some great stories to tell about riding the rivers and that might be fun after I wrote my showboat story. But instead I think I’d like to gather a group of writers who write inspirational fiction. I’d want Laura Frantz to come and Virginia Smith. I’d like to see Susie Finkbeiner with her irrespressible good humor. I’d love to meet Susanne Woods Fisher and Amanda Cabot. We could have a little tea party and talk books all day. I know that’s not exactly answering your question but it does sound fun.
Thanks for sharing the book party, Ann. Wish I could’ve been there, but coming from SW Missouri would be a bit of a drive! I would love to meet you in person. May have to wait for Heaven to do that! 😉. My question: do you have any plans for a book that revisits the Angel Sister series? Or, the Appalachian nurses? I love all of your books, but those are my favorites!
Author
That might have been a long drive, Judi, but if you ever do come through Kentucky, let me know. If you’re in my area we could meet for tea or coffee.
As for your question, I haven’t thought about going back to Leslie County for more Frontier Nursing stories, but it might be fun. I actually met a Frontier nurse midwife who worked there in the 1960’s I think. She was some character and it might be fun to write her into a story. I’ll have to give that some thought.
I would like to go back to Rosey Corner and write one more story there. I’ve pitched an idea to my publishers but they aren’t sure another Rosey Corner story would sell well. I still think about writing that story though and maybe someday I will. It would be centered on Lorena after she’s older.
What publicity do you do before your book parties?
Author
Through the years, since this is maybe the 20th Hometown Book Party I’ve had, I’ve done different things, Diana. Once I even put an ad in our local paper. I didn’t think that brought in any extras. I’ve made posters to put up in the library. I’ve, of course, spread it around my social media and added it to my Events and News page on my website. I’ve verbally invited friends and relatives. This year I put out invitations on Facebook. I posted evenet graphics. I talked about it here on my blog. I mentioned it in my recent newsletter. But what has probably been my best publicity is the postcards I send out. I sent out 60 cards this time even though I worried my address list might be a little outdated and some of the cards would probably go astray. Then the library was great enough to put posters up in their library and to make this fastastic invitation that they sent to all their patrons. I got one. That was kind of neat.
I would have loved to be at your book party and have gotten to meet you in person. I bet that was the best part for some of the guest who had never meant you. I guess my question would be-have any of your children or grandchildren thought of or plan to be writers too? You have written a lot of great books to inspire them. 🙂
Author
I would have loved having all of you at my in person book partym Hope. We could have talked all afternoon. I had iced tea and cookies. But the next best thing is being able to talk here.
I like your question. Several of my grandchildren love to read. One of my granddaughters has written some stories but she also loves to draw and paint. So not sure which pulls at her most. One of my sons told amazing bedtime stories to his kids and I always thought he should have tried to write some of them down. But he has a busy life and while I think he could probably come up with some great stories, he doesn’t have that feeling that he has to write something the way I always did and do. Even so, maybe someday when work and family slow down a little for him, he might yet get the writing bug. As for my granddaughter, it’s a wait and see time for her.
How old is Marley?
I wonder every time you write about him.
Author
Ahh, an easy question, Lisa. Marley was 11 years old the end of May. He has lost his hearing and has arthritis in his legs, but he’s still game and goes along with Frankie and me when we walk. I would leave him in the yard but he looks so sad and upset if I leave him behind. So far he’s been able to make the walk although he will cut corners and not go the whole way if I’m gointg a usual walk where he knows I’ll be back at the gate soon.
What is your favorite recipe to make?
Author
Wonderful, Deborah. And easy question.
My favorite recipe to make is sourdough bread. I’ve been making bread for maybe 30 years or longer from the same sourdough starter. I like making loaves or rolls. I sometimes make cinnamon rolls from the starter and I have even made doughnuts a few times. I like kneading in some cinnamon, brown sugar and dried cranberries into the dough for a sweet loaf that makes the best toast.
It looks like you had a fun party Saturday. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it. But this blog party is fun too!
My question is: what book did you have the most fun researching, and which book was the hardest to research? I guess that’s actually two questions though.
Have a great week, Ann. 🙂
Author
I would have loved to see you, Lavon, but I know that is quite a driver for you. I do appreciate the time you did make it. Glad you think a blog book party is fun too.
Your question has me thinking. Or two questions. The more questions the better. I told you I like the Q&A time best. Let’s see. The book I had the most fun researching. Hmm. I might have several of those. I had fun thinking back to the Sixties and what my little town and church was like then which was my research for my book Scent of Lilacs. I had fun taking a walk with friends to the Salt River to try to get the setting right for my book, When the Meadow Blooms, and then I also got to pay more attention to blooming meadows. I really enjoyed learning about showboats for my newest book, In the Shadow of the River. And of course, going back in time to when my mother’s stories about growing up in the Great Depression years and thinking about those stories was a kind of research from the heart for Angel Sister. Then I could go way back in my writing life and remember researching my first historical romance, A Forbidden Yearning, when I followed that traveling church across the Wilderness Trail to Kentucky. That was when history first came to life for me.
Now the ones that were hardest. That might be Words Spoken True. The history in that story is so dramatic and the truth of the happenings in Louisville on that election day in 1855 that became known as “Bloody Monday” were hard to think about at times. Also I had to try to find out about newspapers and how all that worked in that era. Sometimes I felt like I was punching in the dark. I feel that a little whenever I’m writing about things I don’t really know that much about and that I’m having to figure out. Like midwives delivering babies in the Frontier Nurses stories. Like riding horses. Like showboats on a river. There are always things to figure out.
Besides the Bible, what type of books do you like? Who are some of your favorite authors? My favorite is mysteries, with a little bit of romance? I like lots of other books too.
Author
I like so many different kinds of books, Jolynn. As long as it’s a good story well told, I’m there. I don’t like books that have too much graphic violence. I just don’t need that in my head which is why I’ve only read a few of Stephen King’s books. He’s such a good writer that I see the horrors he writes about too well. I’ve stopped reading other writers too when the scenes weren’t scenes I wanted to take up residence in my head. But I do love historical stories with some romance and I like mysteries too. A bit of romance makes most any kind of story a little more fun to read. We all love romance. However, I don’t read straight romance. I like my romance mixed with that history or mystery or suspense. I like character driven stories and I’ve enjoyed some fantasy stories too. You can read my answer to Peggy about some of my favorite writers.
I hope you like the mystery that I’ve put into some of my stories and enjoyed visiting Hidden Springs to help Michael figure out some mysteries.
Who is your favorite writer?
How many books have you written☺️
Are your characters inspired by people in your life?
Hello! I love to travel, so my question is…
Where is your favorite place to travel and why?