NFCT thru-paddle – Laurie Apgar Chandler

A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessities of life. Henry Ward Beecher

Reading with Grampy.jpg — Reading Mother Goose with Grampy, November 1965

Don’t I look just the same at not quite 4 years old, reading with my great-grandfather? Those who attended the book launch may remember Grampy as the professional photographer who spent summers camping out on New Jersey’s Island Beach.

Grampy and camp

Like the outdoors, books and libraries have always been a natural and essential part of my life. Here in the state of Maine, there are 264 public libraries, and each and every one of them has patrons who are eagerly waiting to read Upwards. They just don’t know it. When the snow deepens and the cold and ice incarcerate us, there are never enough good adventure stories. So let’s try to reach as many libraries as we can before winter sets in. (Those of you beyond the borders of the Pine Tree State are welcome to help, too.)

On Tuesday, Janie Hartman delivered Upwards to the Rangeley Public Library, right on the NFCT!

The idea popped into my mind when friends told me that they were buying copies to donate to their local libraries. Administering the program will be simple. Just let me know by email (lmtchandler@yahoo.com) which library you would like to support and I will track and report our progress. We currently have six Maine libraries covered, giving us plenty of room for growth. A big thank you to those who have donated:

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library and Wiscasset Public Library – Susan Sefcik

Rangeley Public Library – Janie Hartman

Skidompha Public Library – Laurie Chandler

Millinocket Memorial Library – Carol Ransom

Bremen Library – Steve Maclachlan

The more twists and bumps in the road, the slower you go and the more time there is for learning, reflection, and appreciating the scenery along the way.

I went looking this morning for a quote that articulated all that I am feeling as, one by one, the roadblocks to printing Upwards fall behind. I couldn’t find one, so I wrote one. Yesterday, the book went to press, which we’ve discovered is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dad is already planning a road trip down there in mid-October to fill his truck with boxes of books, 1,000 copies for the first print run.

IMG_6651 (2) — With Jane Karker, president of Maine Authors Publishing, having a first look at the interior press proofs. There will be 10 pages of color photos in the center of the book.

What is on my list of author chores this weekend? Writing this post, most importantly, to let everyone know that the book launch party will happen in late October. The delay has given me precious time to work on marketing and publicity and business tasks such as getting set up to accept credit card payments and collect Maine state sales tax. My next post, very soon, will announce the exact date and location for the book launch! In the meantime, I would love to hear back from a few of you that this post reached you fine.