Outlined the Rest of News from Dead Mule Swamp

Today I wrote a general overview of the rest of News from Dead Mule Swamp. Basically, I did a brief synopsis of what will happen in each of chapters 17-22 and made notes about how I want to handle some of the details. Everything seems to hang together pretty well, and makes sense. I don't have to stretch anything too much to have the story resolve.

What I may need to do is go back and add more details from Ana's personal life. The sub-theme is that she is learning about rural life, and it takes some getting used to!

Then I went back and worked on some of the actual writing of Chapter 17.

It's probably time to start thinking about a cover.

Final Edits on "Toby and Harry"

This may be getting really close! Yesterday I received what I hope are the final edits for "Toby and Harry." I have been told that it will be live today at Twin Trinity Books. We shall see.

Since this is a bit of a (light by today's standards) horror tale, having it appear just before Halloween is great timing. I hope that I'll soon be able to report that you can buy and read "Toby and Harry."

The Path Less Traveled- Media Coverage Grand Rapids Press

JHY overlooking the US-Canadian border from the Border Route Trail (photo by RMA

The Grand Rapids Press is running a nice article today about my being the first (so far only) woman to hike the entire North Country National Scenic Trail. I was interviewed three weeks ago for this, but didn't want to say anything till the article appeared in print.

Hopefully, it will generate a few book sales, although the Grand Rapids bookstores that were carrying North Country Cache have mostly dropped it, so people will probably have to look on line. Thankfully the writer does mention the name of the book.

She did get a few things really wrong (and there are way too many spelling errors for submission to a major newspaper), but I'm glad to have the coverage!

The story begins:

When Jennifer Pharr Davis set the fastest thru-hike record of the Appalachian Trail in August, completing the 2,181-mile foot path in less than 47 days -- the fastest by any man or woman -- the North Carolina hiker’s achievement got a storm of national media coverage.

But just a year earlier, Joan Young, of Scottville, became the first woman to hike the North Country Trail -- the longest foot path in the United States.

And, for the most part, the media were mum.

See the full article at: M-Live.com

Wow- Also Sold Out of Would You Dare?

I have also discovered that I am completely out of copies of my book of short biographies Would You Dare?

That's a bit more serious of a printing project because it has 86 pages, and has a comb binding. I'll need to pretty much find a whole day to devote to that. Of course, an order for a copy would turn it into an immediate priority!

Order of Devotions for Hikers

I got an order for ten copies of Devotions for Hikers this week, to be delivered tomorrow. Horray!

That means I need to print more. I'm really glad that I wrote down EXACTLY how to do that and put it in my file, and also that the new printer doesn't seem to have any idiosyncrasies that cause it to print differently from the last one.

I have all the printing done, and am assembling them next. I have chosen to print this book myself, because it keeps the weight very small- something that backpackers are always worried about, and the printing costs are very low this way, as well.

I'll never get rich offering this little booklet, but it is a slow, but steady, seller. If my records are accurate, I've sold 62 copies with almost no promotion. I just put it out for sale with my other things when I give a program. Of course it's listed at Books Leaving Footprints

I have a file with ideas for a second volume. It's also available as an e-book at Smashwords. Click the picture of the cover to go there.

Chapters 15-16 of News from Dead Mule Swamp

The West Side Gang writers' group meets tonight and I want to have a chapter of News from Dead Mule Swamp to read. After lunch I got down to work, and actually wrote two chapters. This is too much to share at one meeting, but I feel really good about making progress on the story.

Chapter 15 gives more insight into rural life, which is really the tongue-in-cheek sub-theme of the book. In Chapter 16, the plot begins to move along again.

Here's an excerpt from Chapter 15:

    I followed her through the porch into a kitchen that probably hadn’t changed since the 1950s. A wooden table and chairs, painted white, occupied the center floor space. A one-piece cast, enameled sink and drainboard filled a corner, and flowered chintz hid the pipes and whatever was stored beneath. Open shelves were neatly lined with flowered paper and stacked with dishes, pans, books and knick-knacks. A round-topped refrigerator hummed in the adjacent corner. The one anomaly was a brand-new cooktop range. Cora had been following my eyes. “Had to do it,” she said. “The old oven just up and died one day."

If the West Side Gang has interesting things to say, I'll report tomorrow.

Spirit of the Woods Program and Book Sales

Last night I gave my program "The North Country Trail and the Kitchen Sink" for our local chapter of the North Country Trail Association. There were quite a few guests there, so that was fun- to educate a lot more people about the trail.

I thought that the group was pretty well saturated with book sales, but I sold two copies of North Country Cache, so that's always a good thing.

Also, there was one ordered through Amazon this week.

I have no bookings coming up until spring, and that date is not firm yet. If you are in the Midwest and would like a great program at a reasonable cost, let me know! You can see the flyer of my offerings and prices at Books Leaving Footprints. (Click on Meet the Author, see lower left corner)