(7/17/25)

Three more libraries have added Meet Maybeth to their collections: the Anna Porter Public Library in Gatlinburg, TN, The Northwest Regional Library System in Bay County, FL, and a very special library over in Hattiesburg, MS.

As I told the friendly staff at the Panama City Beach branch, Bay County used to stock A Witch’s Burden. However, over a year ago, some jive turkey apparently checked it out and never returned it. Now, as flattering as it is to learn that folks like my work enough to steal it, it’s definitely not cool to pilfer a book from the library! That first novel of mine is so cheap now at Amazon. Such a selfish thing to take a public book from others…

Anyway, when I took them a replacement copy, I also gave them a Maybeth, and now both books can be checked out right there at the beach! Next time you visit your condo, or if you live in the area, be sure to hit the library and check out my work!

Gatlinburg, TN, which Les and I visit almost every year, has a great library that has always supported my work. I am very pleased that Anna Porter stocks Maybeth now as well. Thanks again to the staff there—it was wonderful to meet you last fall! And thank you for showing me your super cool 3D printer!

Now for the fancy one: Did you know—I DIDN’T until recently—that The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) hosts one of the most important, if not THE most important, collections of children’s literature in the world? Fancy that! For much of my middle and high school years I lived in Mobile, AL, not too far down the road and across the border from USM in Hattiesburg. My favorite teacher of all time (my old band director) actually got a job working in Hattiesburg back when I was in high school. I would later come to enjoy visiting USM’s campus when we would go to watch my UAB Blazers play USM’s Eagles. USM began as a teachers college, and during the 1960s one of their professors started the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection. Managed by USM’s University Library, it’s very prestigious. And since I think quite highly of my work—I do my very best!—I sent them a copy of Meet Maybeth, and recently received a wonderful acceptance letter in return. I am delighted that they added my book to their collection. As I told them, it may be the only children’s book I write.  Thank you, thank you to the de Grummond staff! May your collection continue to flourish well into the future!  

P.S. Speaking of children’s literature, you must know that I was supremely flattered by an early Maybeth reviewer who mentioned my work alongside Ms. L.M. Montgomery’s.

Did you know that The Answer studio Co., Ltd. over in Japan has apparently embarked upon a definitive anime telling of Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables? Les and I love it. You will as well. It’s in its second cour now. Watch it! Watch it! It’s charming.

(11/26/24)

Recently, in the midst of promoting my book, I got a question I wasn’t quite ready to answer: Can shops that aren’t primarily bookstores also order my book wholesale?

Answer: Yes!

I was sure they could; I just didn’t know the procedure; I’m talking about gift shops and the like that sell other general merchandise. After a little research, I discovered this handy link that should put retailers on the path to getting almost 50% off:  https://www.ingramcontent.com/get-started  Obviously bookstores are already set up, but this is how any shop can establish their ordering account with Ingram. Ingram, the largest book distributor in the world, is the outfit that prints and distributes my newest book.

In other news, Meet Maybeth is now in three more libraries, and hopefully still more soon as I just finished mailing all my promotional copies.

As of this blog post, library patrons can check me out for free from all eleven of these wonderful facilities:

(IN FLORIDA) The State Library of Florida, the Jefferson County Public Library, the Wakulla County Public Library, the Franklin County Public Library, the Dixie County Public Library, the Gilchrist County Public Library, the Lafayette County Public Library, the Taylor County Public Library, the Levy County Public Library in Chiefland, and the Zephyrhills Public Library down in Pasco County.

(IN GEORGIA) The Roddenbery Memorial Library in Cairo

(10/26/24)

Physical deluxe copies of Meet Maybeth are now available for checkout throughout the Big Bend! So far, I’m in the public libraries of Jefferson, Franklin, Taylor, Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Dixie (Yay!) Counties. Head to the one near you and check me out! I’m also, as I said before, in Grady County, Georgia up in Cairo as well as the Florida State Library & Archive.

I also wanted to mention another great way to purchase the deluxe version of my book quickly and cheaply. As Ingram recently reminded me, you don’t have to buy it from a bookstore at all; you can skip middle men everywhere and just buy it direct from the distributor! I made a little red button for this right on my home page, or you can click this handy-dandy link embedded right HERE!

(10/16/24)

I drove quite a bit today promoting my book, only to see way too many precious now-downed trees… As you might image, it was my first trip east since the latest storm, and even today, after Herculean effort, the damage is still clearly evident. A lot of oaks continue to shed limbs in Madison and Taylor Counties. They’re working very hard despite the fact that the limbs just keep on falling.

As you might have guessed from my header, the State Library of Florida has added Meet Maybeth to its collection. I cannot be more grateful for this; the staff there helped so much with my research! Historical Fiction is of course just that, but it needs to be very plausible. And man, there, digging into all dem books, I sho learnt me some stuff!

The Wilderness Coast System from Franklin to Jefferson is adding me to their collections as well. Thank you again to Carrabelle who always seems to somehow get there first!

I’m up in Georgia too; thanks also to you! I came from Alabama (without a banjo on my knee), but Cairo was and always will be my literary starter tree.

I’ve gotta go. It’s been a long day. But I will say one thing more: whenever you’re in Perry, GO EAT at Graves Drive-In! Holy Cow, what-a-burger (suck it, Texas!)! I know, I know, I’m new. I should’ve gone there sooner!

(9/30/24)

Presently, I’m only seeing it from Barnes & Noble here in the states, but you can use Book Finder to locate it in other shops as it continues to populate. It’s also up in Europe now in a few different places. I don’t even have my big author library promotional order yet. It’s just now shipping to me, so talk about “hot off the press!”

Notice this Ingram version is more expensive, but not by much. It depends on what you seek to get out of a physical copy. Don’t worry; the story is exactly the same. But if you want it in a fancier format, it does cost a little extra. To recap: go to my last post or to my Substack to see a sample of the deluxe version, and over to Amazon for a “look inside” at their cheaper templated version. Please note there is no fancy eBook version; those are all the same. So, for example, even on Barnes & Noble’s website that NOOK preview you’re seeing is NOT representative of what the hardcover they are selling looks like inside.

In other news, we bugged out this time from the latest hurricane. They had us so concerned that we drove west for five whole hours. Not sure why the NHC refused to adjust the storm track; in spite of conflicting modelling they held the damned cone on Tallahassee at least until the morning of. We didn’t get any damage this time because they turned out to be wrong, but it would be a real shame if any people east of us were hit unawares.

After this, my friends in Perry are due for at least a hundred years of peace and freedom from all tropical weather. So horrible to hear what happened to them and all the others…

You know, floods and strange things have been going on all over the world lately. It would be interesting to see if they persisted beyond a lasting peace with Russia. Let’s try it anyway. Shall we? I’d like to test a theory.

(9/21/24)

As fate would have it, I received my deluxe hardcover proof the day after my official release. ::womp, womp:: Doesn’t that just figure? The good news, however, is that now that is done. I spent all day yesterday reading the thing through one last time.

Theoretically now it should start showing up soon for sale at all of Ingram’s worldwide partners. I haven’t seen one yet, but I didn’t click approve until pretty late last evening. I have also been fighting with IngramSpark’s horrible website, so it’s entirely possible I did something screwy. On that note, there’s already been an issue I’m going to have to work out with one of their partners. I won’t name names, but one of the sheep there lost their way…

The super good news, especially for folks here locally, is that I was able to order my first batch of library copies. In a little over a week or so I’ll start getting those out. I also owe some to another competition I’ve entered. It’s gonna be close, but I should be able to get them in by the deadline!

I’ve got a lot of errands to run today, so I’ll keep this short. But did you see late on release day when I was briefly NUMBER ONE! #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases in my sub-sub-sub-sub category: Children’s/Literature and Fiction/Historical Fiction/American/1800s. And in “historical” perhaps “American” I was also briefly alongside a re-release of Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. I found that amusing. I took a picture and’ll see if I can find it and post it later.

P.S. If you’re reading this, and liked my book, please tell someone! No one knows me! ~.^

(9/17/24) Tomorrow, be sure and run—don’t walk—to Amazon, so you can order my hardcover right off the press! Or, if you’re one of those people who insists on using a device, you can buy my story from any of your favorite eBook-tailers instead.  

Here’s where we stand:

RIGHT NOW, you still have a few hours to enter my Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win a free Kindle copy of my book.

TOMORROW, you’ll be able to buy the very economical Amazon hardcover version of my book—the one whose cover I meticulously crafted. Advantages: I did this one, so it’s the cool “director’s cut,” and you’ll get it right away and cheaper (five dollars cheaper!). The inside is also in Amazon’s Bookerly font that is really easy on the eyes, and probably even more so for the youngest of readers.  Disadvantage: The internals on this one are all by template and fairly basic; you won’t be seeing any cute flowers breaking up scenes, for example.

ALSO TOMORROW, you’ll be able to go to almost any eBook retailer in the whole world including Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. to get my story cheaply on any device you got.

LATER is when my fancy deluxe hardcover will come out. How much later? Not very. Its proof is being printed this week! If you want to see why I’m so excited about this still forthcoming version, head on over to Substack (link below) where I’ve posted a chapter preview. The great thing about this slightly delayed Ingram hardcover version is that it will be distributed worldwide and orderable through bookshops. I’m really excited about it. I’ll continue to keep you posted.