December 17, 2009
Electric City's Best Of 2009 AwardsBest Local Author
Jay Luke
Monday, December 21, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Conversations with Writers interviews Molly Roe
Conversations with Writers,
December 12, 2009
Interview: Molly Roe
by Ambrose Musiyiwa
In this interview, Molly Roe, the author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires (Tribute Books, 2008), talks about her writing:
How would you describe the writing you are doing?
Until about five years ago, I wrote only academic papers, but I began writing fiction as an outgrowth of my genealogy hobby. At first the stories were just for my family and myself, but later publishing became my goal.
My writing combines family genealogy, Irish and coal region lore, local history, and imagination to create historical fiction for young people.
What motivated you to write for this audience?
Since I teach junior high students, they seemed the logical target audience. I read and evaluated middle grade and young adult library favorites and decided that an historical fiction novel similar to the Dear America series books would suit my style and abilities.
I also wanted my students to learn more about local history - of which coal mining and the Molly Maguires are a huge part. Imagine my surprise when I found that the grandparents and great grandparents of my teen and ‘tween audience were also fascinated with Call Me Kate. Now some of my most avid fans are octogenarians!
Which authors influenced you most?
Two young adult authors, Susan Campbell Bartoletti and Suzanne Fisher Staples, have had a big impact on my writing. They are both Newbery Award recipients, and both grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, as I did. Last spring I had the enormous pleasure of sitting with Susan and Suzanne at a library luncheon. Both women are fantastic writers and unbelievably gracious people.
Susan Campbell Bartoletti’s historical fiction and nonfiction works relate to my area of interest, and she has been kind enough to give me advice about writing.
Suzanne, on the other hand, writes knowledgeably about an entirely unfamiliar but fascinating world. She worked in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan for twenty years and brings that exotic setting to life in her books. I could never hope to match her global experience, but I become a virtual world traveler by reading her books.
Have your own personal experiences influenced your writing in any way?
My personal experiences influence my writing since my beliefs often surface in my characters’ lives.
I feel strong ties to my female ancestors who were so strong and enduring through the tough times of past generations. I feel their sense of injustice over discrimination, I feel for today’s immigrants because of what they endured. I get angry at the cavalier attitude of big business just as they evidently did against the Coal Companies that ran their lives.
What are your main concerns as a writer?
A general concern is that people will stop reading for pleasure. The modern world moves so fast that many people say they don’t have the time to sit and savor a book. I think writers and publishers are dealing with this issue by changing to meet the needs of the “modern” reader who like to jump right into the action.
A personal challenge with writing is making the time to write. Since I teach, most of my day involves reading and writing. When I get home, grading papers consumes much of the evening. I don’t always have the energy to write. On the other hand, teaching is a part of my platform and motivation, so my career is a double-edged sword.
Do you write everyday?
I wish I would buckle down and write every day!
When the muse is with me, I get an idea and start off great guns. Sometimes, I try to picture my current heroine involved in an ordinary chore and wonder what tools she had to use, how long it took, etc. Research on the internet and in book and old newspapers also spurs my imagination. Usually a writing session ends when my eyes blur and the pins and needles in my legs become unbearable.
How many books have you written so far?
Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires is my debut novel. My other published works are academic articles and short stories.
Call Me Kate was published in November 2009 by Tribute Books. It is the fictionalized life of my great great grandmother, Catharine McCafferty.
Kate lived at a time when the Great Hunger struck Ireland, and droves of poor peasants were shipped to the US by their English landlords. Kate arrived in the US at a time when nativists persecuted immigrants, and her teenage years coincided with the Civil War.
Her family and friends had to depend on each other to survive.
Some factions of this group became militant in their struggle for safety, justice, and human rights. A group of Pennsylvania miners became known as the Molly Maguires. There is still controversy about whether the group were labor activists, criminals or even whether they actually existed. One fact is known: Twenty men were hanged for crimes committed by the “Molly Maguires.”
What will your next book be about?
The working title of my next book is Sarah’s Story: The Curse on Centralia. This one is also about the Molly Maguires, but this time the story follows Kate’s younger sister, Sarah McCafferty, to the town of Centralia.
A devastating mine fire that started in the 1960s has reduced Centralia to a mere six residents. Was the fire the result of a curse placed on the Mollies a hundred years earlier? That’s the question that inspired Sarah’s Story.
December 12, 2009
Interview: Molly Roeby Ambrose Musiyiwa
In this interview, Molly Roe, the author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires (Tribute Books, 2008), talks about her writing:
How would you describe the writing you are doing?
Until about five years ago, I wrote only academic papers, but I began writing fiction as an outgrowth of my genealogy hobby. At first the stories were just for my family and myself, but later publishing became my goal.
My writing combines family genealogy, Irish and coal region lore, local history, and imagination to create historical fiction for young people.
What motivated you to write for this audience?
Since I teach junior high students, they seemed the logical target audience. I read and evaluated middle grade and young adult library favorites and decided that an historical fiction novel similar to the Dear America series books would suit my style and abilities.
I also wanted my students to learn more about local history - of which coal mining and the Molly Maguires are a huge part. Imagine my surprise when I found that the grandparents and great grandparents of my teen and ‘tween audience were also fascinated with Call Me Kate. Now some of my most avid fans are octogenarians!
Which authors influenced you most?
Two young adult authors, Susan Campbell Bartoletti and Suzanne Fisher Staples, have had a big impact on my writing. They are both Newbery Award recipients, and both grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, as I did. Last spring I had the enormous pleasure of sitting with Susan and Suzanne at a library luncheon. Both women are fantastic writers and unbelievably gracious people.
Susan Campbell Bartoletti’s historical fiction and nonfiction works relate to my area of interest, and she has been kind enough to give me advice about writing.
Suzanne, on the other hand, writes knowledgeably about an entirely unfamiliar but fascinating world. She worked in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan for twenty years and brings that exotic setting to life in her books. I could never hope to match her global experience, but I become a virtual world traveler by reading her books.
Have your own personal experiences influenced your writing in any way?
My personal experiences influence my writing since my beliefs often surface in my characters’ lives.
I feel strong ties to my female ancestors who were so strong and enduring through the tough times of past generations. I feel their sense of injustice over discrimination, I feel for today’s immigrants because of what they endured. I get angry at the cavalier attitude of big business just as they evidently did against the Coal Companies that ran their lives.
What are your main concerns as a writer?
A general concern is that people will stop reading for pleasure. The modern world moves so fast that many people say they don’t have the time to sit and savor a book. I think writers and publishers are dealing with this issue by changing to meet the needs of the “modern” reader who like to jump right into the action.
A personal challenge with writing is making the time to write. Since I teach, most of my day involves reading and writing. When I get home, grading papers consumes much of the evening. I don’t always have the energy to write. On the other hand, teaching is a part of my platform and motivation, so my career is a double-edged sword.
Do you write everyday?
I wish I would buckle down and write every day!
When the muse is with me, I get an idea and start off great guns. Sometimes, I try to picture my current heroine involved in an ordinary chore and wonder what tools she had to use, how long it took, etc. Research on the internet and in book and old newspapers also spurs my imagination. Usually a writing session ends when my eyes blur and the pins and needles in my legs become unbearable.
How many books have you written so far?
Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires is my debut novel. My other published works are academic articles and short stories.
Call Me Kate was published in November 2009 by Tribute Books. It is the fictionalized life of my great great grandmother, Catharine McCafferty.
Kate lived at a time when the Great Hunger struck Ireland, and droves of poor peasants were shipped to the US by their English landlords. Kate arrived in the US at a time when nativists persecuted immigrants, and her teenage years coincided with the Civil War.
Her family and friends had to depend on each other to survive.
Some factions of this group became militant in their struggle for safety, justice, and human rights. A group of Pennsylvania miners became known as the Molly Maguires. There is still controversy about whether the group were labor activists, criminals or even whether they actually existed. One fact is known: Twenty men were hanged for crimes committed by the “Molly Maguires.”
What will your next book be about?
The working title of my next book is Sarah’s Story: The Curse on Centralia. This one is also about the Molly Maguires, but this time the story follows Kate’s younger sister, Sarah McCafferty, to the town of Centralia.
A devastating mine fire that started in the 1960s has reduced Centralia to a mere six residents. Was the fire the result of a curse placed on the Mollies a hundred years earlier? That’s the question that inspired Sarah’s Story.
Friday, December 11, 2009
BookPleasures.com review of "Call Me Kate"
Book Pleasures,
December 11, 2009
Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires
by Amy Lignor
As a huge Irish fan (the language, the ideals, etc.) and being a complete research geek when it comes to The Civil War, this book seemed like the absolute perfect match for me. And, thankfully, I wasn’t wrong.
We meet fourteen-year-old Katie McCafferty. This is your typical Irish gal. She is funny, smart, quick-as-a-whip, hard-working, and absolutely loves her family. Her father works in the coal mines of Pennsylvania – Murphy’s Patch, to be exact – east of the Panther Creek Valley. Now, the living is hard in these hills. Coal mining, of course, was never – and still isn’t – an easy or safe job, and her father is soon involved in a mine collapse. The family is devastated. The bread-winner has lost the use of his legs, and Katie’s sisters are too young to help the family. Her mother bakes bread and other foods to sell in order to keep the family on their feet. But the coal company is tough; if you can’t pay the rent, you can’t live in a Company House, so Katie leaves school to work and support her family by being a domestic servant.
She’s friends with many large Irish families, including twins by the name of Dinny and Con. Con is a young man who Katie feels a great deal for, and her family can see her marrying one day. But Con gets himself into something he simply can’t get out of… The war is coming, and once the shot is fired at Fort Sumter, Pennsylvania boys have only a short time before the signs of DRAFT are placed in their town. The hardest part for me about this story is when they told of how the Irish marched into battle, while Americans (Christians, by the way) threw things at them and reviled the immigrants who were about to give up their lives for their country.
Anyway, Con gets mad. He’s sick and tired of his people being treated badly. Why lay down your life for people who don’t even care? Who think of you as second-class citizen? So he joins up with a man who feels that the only way to stop the anger and frustration towards them is to make a war of their own.
Katie, by now, is in a huge home working for a very rich family. She hears the news of the “uprising” that’s about to happen, and dresses herself up in men’s clothes to attend the meetings and try to stop her friend – and perhaps future husband – from getting himself killed.
The politics of the time, the history of how hard the struggle was for many poor families, is absolutely inspirational. The writer did a wonderful job bringing us back to the past, and making us understand that bigotry – in any form – can only harm. I wish we’d learned our lesson by now. For any school or library, this is the book you want the kids to read. I am always so thankful when a writer comes out with a story that teaches something more than “unrequited love with a supernatural being.” Don’t get me wrong, those are fun, too. But this is a great story that will teach something and be fun at the same time. When you take your kids to the library, pull this one off the shelf. You’ll be very glad you did.
December 11, 2009
Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguiresby Amy Lignor
As a huge Irish fan (the language, the ideals, etc.) and being a complete research geek when it comes to The Civil War, this book seemed like the absolute perfect match for me. And, thankfully, I wasn’t wrong.
We meet fourteen-year-old Katie McCafferty. This is your typical Irish gal. She is funny, smart, quick-as-a-whip, hard-working, and absolutely loves her family. Her father works in the coal mines of Pennsylvania – Murphy’s Patch, to be exact – east of the Panther Creek Valley. Now, the living is hard in these hills. Coal mining, of course, was never – and still isn’t – an easy or safe job, and her father is soon involved in a mine collapse. The family is devastated. The bread-winner has lost the use of his legs, and Katie’s sisters are too young to help the family. Her mother bakes bread and other foods to sell in order to keep the family on their feet. But the coal company is tough; if you can’t pay the rent, you can’t live in a Company House, so Katie leaves school to work and support her family by being a domestic servant.
She’s friends with many large Irish families, including twins by the name of Dinny and Con. Con is a young man who Katie feels a great deal for, and her family can see her marrying one day. But Con gets himself into something he simply can’t get out of… The war is coming, and once the shot is fired at Fort Sumter, Pennsylvania boys have only a short time before the signs of DRAFT are placed in their town. The hardest part for me about this story is when they told of how the Irish marched into battle, while Americans (Christians, by the way) threw things at them and reviled the immigrants who were about to give up their lives for their country.
Anyway, Con gets mad. He’s sick and tired of his people being treated badly. Why lay down your life for people who don’t even care? Who think of you as second-class citizen? So he joins up with a man who feels that the only way to stop the anger and frustration towards them is to make a war of their own.
Katie, by now, is in a huge home working for a very rich family. She hears the news of the “uprising” that’s about to happen, and dresses herself up in men’s clothes to attend the meetings and try to stop her friend – and perhaps future husband – from getting himself killed.
The politics of the time, the history of how hard the struggle was for many poor families, is absolutely inspirational. The writer did a wonderful job bringing us back to the past, and making us understand that bigotry – in any form – can only harm. I wish we’d learned our lesson by now. For any school or library, this is the book you want the kids to read. I am always so thankful when a writer comes out with a story that teaches something more than “unrequited love with a supernatural being.” Don’t get me wrong, those are fun, too. But this is a great story that will teach something and be fun at the same time. When you take your kids to the library, pull this one off the shelf. You’ll be very glad you did.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Steph Burkhart reviews What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date
Steph Burkhart,
December 10, 2009
Book Review for "What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date"
by Steph Burkhart
Earley pens a sharp and witty memoir with What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date. Recently divorced, Earley decides to enter the vast space of Internet dating. It’s adventurous, hazardous, and humorous as Earley shared her experiences with the reader.
The book opens with Earley revealing her Internet profile and the members of her “advisory committee.” I loved the idea of an advisory committee, trusted friends and family members who helped give Earley guidance and wisdom through her Internet dating adventures.
Earley writes with a unique brand of humor. While sharing her experiences, one of her first adventures involves a man called Antonio who wears leg warmers. He’s a decent enough guy, but definitely too quirky for a serious dating relationship.
Earley has several misadventures. There’s a Sponge Tom who is so cheap he can’t swing for an ice cream cone, and a busy body called “Skip to my Lou” Stew. There’s also a gangster looking guy with a shaved head that Earley refers to as Peter Lorre.
Early soon realizes it’s good to have rules. Always meet at a public place for the first time. If the man’s picture is a little fuzzy, there’s probably a good reason for it. The world of Internet dating is definitely challenging for Earley. Will she find the man of her dreams on the Internet? Only time will tell.
Earley’s writing is sharp and crisp, laced with warmth and compassion. Each chapter is framed with a whimsical picture that embodies the theme of the chapter and makes the reader smile. She writes in a conversational style which engages the reader. Earley’s story is hard to put down. Her humor and honesty are a refreshing reminder that dating can have its rewards and its failure.
Earley’s tale is one many can identify with. Who hasn’t had a date that didn’t go well or clicked with someone over the phone only to discover there were no sparks when they met in person? Earley learns a lot about Internet dating and candidly shares her experiences. By the end of the novel, I just wanted to reach out and give her a reassuring hug. Earley’s story will touch the reader’s heart.
What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date is a great read for those who Internet date or are interested in Internet dating. It offers guidance, tidbits, and anecdotes that while humorous, also educate. Two thumbs up for Earley’s story.
December 10, 2009
Book Review for "What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date"by Steph Burkhart
Earley pens a sharp and witty memoir with What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date. Recently divorced, Earley decides to enter the vast space of Internet dating. It’s adventurous, hazardous, and humorous as Earley shared her experiences with the reader.
The book opens with Earley revealing her Internet profile and the members of her “advisory committee.” I loved the idea of an advisory committee, trusted friends and family members who helped give Earley guidance and wisdom through her Internet dating adventures.
Earley writes with a unique brand of humor. While sharing her experiences, one of her first adventures involves a man called Antonio who wears leg warmers. He’s a decent enough guy, but definitely too quirky for a serious dating relationship.
Earley has several misadventures. There’s a Sponge Tom who is so cheap he can’t swing for an ice cream cone, and a busy body called “Skip to my Lou” Stew. There’s also a gangster looking guy with a shaved head that Earley refers to as Peter Lorre.
Early soon realizes it’s good to have rules. Always meet at a public place for the first time. If the man’s picture is a little fuzzy, there’s probably a good reason for it. The world of Internet dating is definitely challenging for Earley. Will she find the man of her dreams on the Internet? Only time will tell.
Earley’s writing is sharp and crisp, laced with warmth and compassion. Each chapter is framed with a whimsical picture that embodies the theme of the chapter and makes the reader smile. She writes in a conversational style which engages the reader. Earley’s story is hard to put down. Her humor and honesty are a refreshing reminder that dating can have its rewards and its failure.
Earley’s tale is one many can identify with. Who hasn’t had a date that didn’t go well or clicked with someone over the phone only to discover there were no sparks when they met in person? Earley learns a lot about Internet dating and candidly shares her experiences. By the end of the novel, I just wanted to reach out and give her a reassuring hug. Earley’s story will touch the reader’s heart.
What Was I Thinking? How Not to Date is a great read for those who Internet date or are interested in Internet dating. It offers guidance, tidbits, and anecdotes that while humorous, also educate. Two thumbs up for Earley’s story.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Conversations with Writers interviews Jay Luke
Conversations with Writers,
December 9, 2009
Interview with Jay Luke
by Ambrose Musiyiwa
Musician, graphic designer and local historian, Jay Luke is a graduate from Marywood University. He is also a project engineer with the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association.
His first book, When Coal Was Queen (Tribute Books, 2009), looks at the history of Olyphant, Pennsylvania.
In this interview, Jay Luke talks about his writing:
When did you start writing?
I began writing while in grade school. It was mainly lyrics. I would write these songs and kept at it as often as I could. I think, looking back, my earliest attempts are very laughable, but on the same token they were the springboard to better things. Without those early fearless attempts, I may not have had the courage to dive in later on in life. So I never gave up and kept refining my writing craft.
I think things really heated up for me during my high school years. I think it was where my creativity came into its own. With each song I'd write, I noticed they always told a story of some sort and that was when I decided maybe I can put together a real story that doesn't have to rhyme or fit into a musical score. So again I assembled parts little by little and eventually I got some short stories.
I put the writing on a shelf as my art career took off a bit and my band played continuous shows. My recent publication came about due to my activity in the town of Olyphant, PA. I'm a project engineer for The Olyphant Coal Miners Memorial Association. We set out to erect a bronze statue in town that would memorialize the countless men who'd sacrificed their lives in the anthracite abyss. When we accomplished that goal, the next step we planned was to put a little book out, as a "Thank you" to those who donated for the statue. Once I began writing, it quickly turned from a small project into a very tireless research project and it ended up as the greatest history lesson I'd ever had.
How would you describe the writing you are doing?
My writing, for the book I'm promoting now, is historical/documentary style. I took on the difficult task of delving in the origins of the town history of Olyphant. I learned relatively quickly that this was to be no easy task. Often during research I found dates from previous publications clashed with others, and spellings were inaccurate. It was sometimes a maddening experience, but it meant a lot to me to get this as accurate as possible. I didn't want others to have to go through as much trouble as I did in search of good information.
My target audience for this publication are people in the area of Northeastern PA. Not just Olyphant residents but even those of surrounding towns. I felt strongly that as more time passes, places and names of historical significance seem to disappear. That isn't as much of a problem for people of my generation and older, but younger kids today really have nothing to teach them what their town was like when their early ancestors first came here. We were fortunate enough to have had our grandparents tell us tales of the old days, and today it's a different story. So I was motivated to try to bridge the gap and help those who are curious of their area's origins learn where it all started.
Which authors influenced you most?
Being that this book is a history book, I really didn't have any authors that I could say were a direct influence. I kind of went from my heart on this one more than anything.
Had you asked me who influenced my upcoming novel, I would have said Dan Brown, Ian Caldwell, Dustin Thomason, and Elizabeth Kostova. (Hopefully I can speak more of that closer to publication time.)
How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?
I think the most obvious answer here is that I grew up in this town and have been lucky enough to have spoken to countless people who had a great knowledge of the area.
Nothing beats first-hand accounts, and in a lot of ways, I look at the elders of the town to be like living national treasures. They know the real story, because writing about history is so hard since most of the writers weren't there. In my case, I've been lucky enough to have talked to those who were there and discussed the important events and facts about the subject matter.
What are your main concerns as a writer?
My concerns were that when I finished this book no one would have to travel the difficult road I did in finding the information. I hoped it would be a great shortcut to accurate knowledge. I wanted this to be a great help to students and new residents of the area alike to find out more about the area.
My concerns as a writer were numerous. I wanted to make sure that the dates, spellings, and events were all accurately described. So many dates clashed and the biggest error I caught was that when researching the first woman ever to enlist in the U.S. Navy, Ms. Loretta Walsh of Olyphant, I found that her name has been misspelled on a historical marker in town for years. I found it to be a great injustice and hope that when I get some responses to the request it will be fixed. I mean, not everyone may read my book but every day people are walking by that marker and it is inaccurate.
So many things that have been previously published had data that didn't match up, so I really had to do my homework and live in libraries to trace things as far back to the sources as I could to get the final data.
Do you write everyday?
I try to write a little each day, most of the time if I'm too busy to do anything else. It'll be journal entries. They either begin in the morning or before I go to bed. I find writing before sleep can be better than a sleeping pill. Getting everything out before sleeping definitely helps get a better night's rest.
As for the right time to write, I have to say that it could be anytime. Inspiration hits everyone at different times, and in my case it'll take me by surprise and I have to hope I'm within quick reach of a pen and paper when it occurs.
How many books have you written so far?
As of this very moment, I have only one published work entitled When Coal was Queen, published by Tribute Books in August of this year (2009).
The book is about the origins of a town called Olyphant, PA. Interesting events that have occured through its history, famous residents and visitors, as well as its storied anthracite-rich past.
How did you choose a publisher for the book?
It was published through Tribute Books in Eynon, PA in August of 2009. The publisher was chosen because we wanted to keep this publication as local as we could, as that was a theme of ours, and also because I know the owner of Tribute Books very well. So it seemed the obvious choice to go with a reliable publisher rather than someone we had no connection with.
Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into When Coal was Queen?
I found the fact checking and editing to be the most difficult portion of the entire process. Right up until the hour it was sent to the publishers, I was still trying to go over everything with a fine tooth comb to make sure my information was accurate, and that was a good thing because that was when I noticed a name I had down was misspelled, not within my book, but on a historical marker for Loretta Walsh, the first woman in the U.S. Navy.
I was going over my information and looked at the plaque and thought something was out of place. It turns out the marker spelled her first name as "Lorretto." So it pays to really look over your subject matter thoroughly.
I enjoyed the researching and speaking to people about what they knew the most. Not only was it enjoyable to hear the stories, but the education it provided me was remarkable. Out of all my research, the oral discussions were the most informative. They gave the whole human element that can often be lacking in library research.
I also got to travel around town with my camera in very obscure locations which almost made it feel like an Indiana Jones style adventure.
What sets When Coal was Queen apart from other things you've written?
For one, I've usually only written fiction.
I have always had a serious interest in history but never imagined I'd one day write a book on it. I am the sort of person that will pass through a place and always wonder what it might've looked like 300 years ago. So this book is a stark contrast to my usual writing and songwriting.
It was a great departure but a very thrilling one.
What will your next book be about?
I might do a second edition to When Coal was Queen.
I am also underway with a novel I began some years ago. It is a thriller with a looming suspense throughout the book. It is about two childhood friends that grow up very differently and one goes on and accomplishes some truly miraculous feats. The greatest part will naturally be the climatic ending, which I hope you all get to read soon.
What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
Aside from getting published, I would have to say it's been the warm reception I've been given. I had no idea this book would've struck such a nerve. Seeing people get very emotional when they come up to me is a feeling I cannot describe. People have such fond memories of the coal miners and it is a wonderful tribute to them to keep their memories alive, even if it is just by re-telling their stories.
On the opposite end, when younger kids come up to me and ask me for help or advice on Olyphant for their school projects that is the entire reason I started this process, and to see a goal continually get accomplished is one of life's greatest gifts.
I thank each and every person who has helped me along the way. This has been one of the best experiences of my life.
December 9, 2009
Interview with Jay Lukeby Ambrose Musiyiwa
Musician, graphic designer and local historian, Jay Luke is a graduate from Marywood University. He is also a project engineer with the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association.
His first book, When Coal Was Queen (Tribute Books, 2009), looks at the history of Olyphant, Pennsylvania.
In this interview, Jay Luke talks about his writing:
When did you start writing?
I began writing while in grade school. It was mainly lyrics. I would write these songs and kept at it as often as I could. I think, looking back, my earliest attempts are very laughable, but on the same token they were the springboard to better things. Without those early fearless attempts, I may not have had the courage to dive in later on in life. So I never gave up and kept refining my writing craft.
I think things really heated up for me during my high school years. I think it was where my creativity came into its own. With each song I'd write, I noticed they always told a story of some sort and that was when I decided maybe I can put together a real story that doesn't have to rhyme or fit into a musical score. So again I assembled parts little by little and eventually I got some short stories.
I put the writing on a shelf as my art career took off a bit and my band played continuous shows. My recent publication came about due to my activity in the town of Olyphant, PA. I'm a project engineer for The Olyphant Coal Miners Memorial Association. We set out to erect a bronze statue in town that would memorialize the countless men who'd sacrificed their lives in the anthracite abyss. When we accomplished that goal, the next step we planned was to put a little book out, as a "Thank you" to those who donated for the statue. Once I began writing, it quickly turned from a small project into a very tireless research project and it ended up as the greatest history lesson I'd ever had.
How would you describe the writing you are doing?
My writing, for the book I'm promoting now, is historical/documentary style. I took on the difficult task of delving in the origins of the town history of Olyphant. I learned relatively quickly that this was to be no easy task. Often during research I found dates from previous publications clashed with others, and spellings were inaccurate. It was sometimes a maddening experience, but it meant a lot to me to get this as accurate as possible. I didn't want others to have to go through as much trouble as I did in search of good information.
My target audience for this publication are people in the area of Northeastern PA. Not just Olyphant residents but even those of surrounding towns. I felt strongly that as more time passes, places and names of historical significance seem to disappear. That isn't as much of a problem for people of my generation and older, but younger kids today really have nothing to teach them what their town was like when their early ancestors first came here. We were fortunate enough to have had our grandparents tell us tales of the old days, and today it's a different story. So I was motivated to try to bridge the gap and help those who are curious of their area's origins learn where it all started.
Which authors influenced you most?
Being that this book is a history book, I really didn't have any authors that I could say were a direct influence. I kind of went from my heart on this one more than anything.
Had you asked me who influenced my upcoming novel, I would have said Dan Brown, Ian Caldwell, Dustin Thomason, and Elizabeth Kostova. (Hopefully I can speak more of that closer to publication time.)
How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?
I think the most obvious answer here is that I grew up in this town and have been lucky enough to have spoken to countless people who had a great knowledge of the area.
Nothing beats first-hand accounts, and in a lot of ways, I look at the elders of the town to be like living national treasures. They know the real story, because writing about history is so hard since most of the writers weren't there. In my case, I've been lucky enough to have talked to those who were there and discussed the important events and facts about the subject matter.
What are your main concerns as a writer?
My concerns were that when I finished this book no one would have to travel the difficult road I did in finding the information. I hoped it would be a great shortcut to accurate knowledge. I wanted this to be a great help to students and new residents of the area alike to find out more about the area.
My concerns as a writer were numerous. I wanted to make sure that the dates, spellings, and events were all accurately described. So many dates clashed and the biggest error I caught was that when researching the first woman ever to enlist in the U.S. Navy, Ms. Loretta Walsh of Olyphant, I found that her name has been misspelled on a historical marker in town for years. I found it to be a great injustice and hope that when I get some responses to the request it will be fixed. I mean, not everyone may read my book but every day people are walking by that marker and it is inaccurate.
So many things that have been previously published had data that didn't match up, so I really had to do my homework and live in libraries to trace things as far back to the sources as I could to get the final data.
Do you write everyday?
I try to write a little each day, most of the time if I'm too busy to do anything else. It'll be journal entries. They either begin in the morning or before I go to bed. I find writing before sleep can be better than a sleeping pill. Getting everything out before sleeping definitely helps get a better night's rest.
As for the right time to write, I have to say that it could be anytime. Inspiration hits everyone at different times, and in my case it'll take me by surprise and I have to hope I'm within quick reach of a pen and paper when it occurs.
How many books have you written so far?
As of this very moment, I have only one published work entitled When Coal was Queen, published by Tribute Books in August of this year (2009).
The book is about the origins of a town called Olyphant, PA. Interesting events that have occured through its history, famous residents and visitors, as well as its storied anthracite-rich past.
How did you choose a publisher for the book?
It was published through Tribute Books in Eynon, PA in August of 2009. The publisher was chosen because we wanted to keep this publication as local as we could, as that was a theme of ours, and also because I know the owner of Tribute Books very well. So it seemed the obvious choice to go with a reliable publisher rather than someone we had no connection with.
Which were the most difficult aspects of the work you put into When Coal was Queen?
I found the fact checking and editing to be the most difficult portion of the entire process. Right up until the hour it was sent to the publishers, I was still trying to go over everything with a fine tooth comb to make sure my information was accurate, and that was a good thing because that was when I noticed a name I had down was misspelled, not within my book, but on a historical marker for Loretta Walsh, the first woman in the U.S. Navy.
I was going over my information and looked at the plaque and thought something was out of place. It turns out the marker spelled her first name as "Lorretto." So it pays to really look over your subject matter thoroughly.
I enjoyed the researching and speaking to people about what they knew the most. Not only was it enjoyable to hear the stories, but the education it provided me was remarkable. Out of all my research, the oral discussions were the most informative. They gave the whole human element that can often be lacking in library research.
I also got to travel around town with my camera in very obscure locations which almost made it feel like an Indiana Jones style adventure.
What sets When Coal was Queen apart from other things you've written?
For one, I've usually only written fiction.
I have always had a serious interest in history but never imagined I'd one day write a book on it. I am the sort of person that will pass through a place and always wonder what it might've looked like 300 years ago. So this book is a stark contrast to my usual writing and songwriting.
It was a great departure but a very thrilling one.
What will your next book be about?
I might do a second edition to When Coal was Queen.
I am also underway with a novel I began some years ago. It is a thriller with a looming suspense throughout the book. It is about two childhood friends that grow up very differently and one goes on and accomplishes some truly miraculous feats. The greatest part will naturally be the climatic ending, which I hope you all get to read soon.
What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
Aside from getting published, I would have to say it's been the warm reception I've been given. I had no idea this book would've struck such a nerve. Seeing people get very emotional when they come up to me is a feeling I cannot describe. People have such fond memories of the coal miners and it is a wonderful tribute to them to keep their memories alive, even if it is just by re-telling their stories.
On the opposite end, when younger kids come up to me and ask me for help or advice on Olyphant for their school projects that is the entire reason I started this process, and to see a goal continually get accomplished is one of life's greatest gifts.
I thank each and every person who has helped me along the way. This has been one of the best experiences of my life.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Lainey Bancroft Romance interviews Annie Earley of "What Was I Thinking!? How Not to Date"
Lainey Bancroft Romance,
December 7, 2009
An Interview
by Lainey Bancroft
Ms. Earley is published with Tribute Books, and their marketing department contacted me to see if I'd be interested in doing a Q & A with their author. Nice.
After reading WHAT WAS I THINKING? HOW NOT TO DATE, I felt rather like I'd been gifted with a sneak copy of the diary of an interesting chick I'd like to meet up with and grab a drink. If you're looking for formal fiction standards, forgetaboutit. Annie's dating disasters are told in episodes, like short stories, almost like a blog or email to a long-distance friend. IMO, with the material--boy-o-boy, did Annie make some interesting connections--and her sense of humor, she could have built this into a solid chick lit/hen lit tale that would have held wider appeal. As it stands, How Not to Date is a quick entertaining read, a bit like sitting in a cafe, drinking coffee until your hands sweat just because the gossip at the table next to you is too interesting for you to leave. Not that I ever listen to other people's conversations, of course.
Welcome, take it away Annie!
Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed on your blog! I have received other opportunities in the past but did not respond; mainly because I am so busy. However, I really liked your questions, so here goes.
1. How long have you been writing?
I have been writing since I was a kid. At first it was poems. I have also written lyrics over the years, but always wanted to write a book.
2. Cute little illustrations for the chapter headers in your book! Did you draw them?
Yes, I did draw the cartoons at the beginning of each chapter. My art talent is limited compared to the artistic talent that runs in my family. However, each cartoon represents what was actually happening at the time. I took what was in my head and put it on paper. I wanted the reader to have a visual image to go along with what they were reading.
3. Did you set out to make WHAT WAS I THINKING?! HOW NOT TO DATE a book, or did you journal your experiences and decide later that perhaps they were book-worthy?
Well, as I said, I had always wanted to write a book. When I was going through the dating experience and telling these stories to my friends and family the response was always the same, “Annie, you should write a book!” So I did. It was therapy for me to write down my thoughts and helped me to sort out what was happening in my life.
4. What made you decide to choose Tribute Books as your publisher?
When I start something I finish it. So, when I was in the process of writing my book I was also looking into having it published. I had talked to people who had gone through the process of hiring an agent to find a publisher, etc. That sounded like it would be too time-consuming and too expensive. So I started to research the topic on the internet and found out that you can find a publisher and pay to have your book published. Somehow I came upon Tribute Books’ website and when I saw that it was a local publisher I called them. After talking to the owner, Nicole Langan, on the phone I made the decision to go with them. She was so helpful, guiding me along the way and is still doing so many things to get my book out there.
5. Promoting a book can be an uphill scramble for a new author. Is there anything you've learned in the process that you've found successful that you'd like to share with other new or aspiring authors?
I have to say here that one thing I did not even consider was promoting my book once it was published. I did not have any expectations other than finishing the book and getting it published…project completed. When my publisher set me up for book signings around the area I was quite taken off guard; especially since I had used a pen name. I found myself looking for a wig that looked like Annie’s hair and a pair of sunglasses to disguise myself. Actually, it was quite appropriate for Annie to wear sunglasses since the last chapter of the book is entitled, “My future’s so bright…”
Getting back to the question, my publisher is constantly sending me information for opportunities to promote my book, like this, but I am so busy that I just don’t have the time to do it all. As I said, I do not have great expectations of becoming famous or making a lot of money (although that would be nice) and there are things in my life that are priorities. So the only thing I could say to other authors is get a good publisher who will guide you and keep plugging away for you.
6. Is there a particular message you want readers to appreciate from WHAT WAS I THINKING?! HOW NOT TO DATE?
I think the main message I would like readers to appreciate is this: “Don’t get discouraged about meeting someone special to spend your life with. Set goals for yourself, stick to your values and have faith in God or whatever higher force you believe in. Learn how to be happy even if you are alone by doing things you enjoy and spending time with friends and family. Have a positive attitude in life. I do believe that if you have a positive attitude in life positive things will happen to you.”
It is because of this message that I did not include a chapter about how I met my husband. Stories don’t always have happy endings but you can be happy without a happy ending.
7. What is one thing you think readers would be interested to know about you?
Actually, I think I would tell them I am just a person who had an idea and followed through. I don’t limit myself by what others say. My parents never told me I couldn’t do this or that. When I wanted to try something new they encouraged me. When they all said, “You should write a book,” I did.
8. What’s next for Annie Earley? Do you have other books in the works?
Actually, I do have some more quirky stories about what happened after the last chapter in the book. However, I have led a very adventurous life and have experienced many things such as camping on the Continental Divide with a Brahma bull 100 feet away from my tent and am considering writing about those adventures.
9. Finally, leg warmer guy...really? You fictionalized him, right?
Haha! Well, if you read the disclaimer at the beginning of my book you will see that all the stories are fiction. So, the question here is, “Were these characters a figment of my imagination?”
In my “mind’s eye” the answer is “no”. So if that is the case, then yes, the leg warmers guy was “real.” I always said, if leg warmers guy ever read my book and figured out I was referring to him and called me on the phone I would say, “What, do you think you are the only guy around with a comb-over and leg warmers?!” “Sheesh!”
And those answers are pretty indicative of the sort of fun content you'll find between the pages of What Was I Thinking? How Not To Date. You can check out Annie's author page at Tribute Books or drop by and visit Annie at her blog Doting On Dating.
Thanks for joining us, Annie!
December 7, 2009
An Interviewby Lainey Bancroft
Ms. Earley is published with Tribute Books, and their marketing department contacted me to see if I'd be interested in doing a Q & A with their author. Nice.
After reading WHAT WAS I THINKING? HOW NOT TO DATE, I felt rather like I'd been gifted with a sneak copy of the diary of an interesting chick I'd like to meet up with and grab a drink. If you're looking for formal fiction standards, forgetaboutit. Annie's dating disasters are told in episodes, like short stories, almost like a blog or email to a long-distance friend. IMO, with the material--boy-o-boy, did Annie make some interesting connections--and her sense of humor, she could have built this into a solid chick lit/hen lit tale that would have held wider appeal. As it stands, How Not to Date is a quick entertaining read, a bit like sitting in a cafe, drinking coffee until your hands sweat just because the gossip at the table next to you is too interesting for you to leave. Not that I ever listen to other people's conversations, of course.
Welcome, take it away Annie!
Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed on your blog! I have received other opportunities in the past but did not respond; mainly because I am so busy. However, I really liked your questions, so here goes.
1. How long have you been writing?
I have been writing since I was a kid. At first it was poems. I have also written lyrics over the years, but always wanted to write a book.
2. Cute little illustrations for the chapter headers in your book! Did you draw them?
Yes, I did draw the cartoons at the beginning of each chapter. My art talent is limited compared to the artistic talent that runs in my family. However, each cartoon represents what was actually happening at the time. I took what was in my head and put it on paper. I wanted the reader to have a visual image to go along with what they were reading.
3. Did you set out to make WHAT WAS I THINKING?! HOW NOT TO DATE a book, or did you journal your experiences and decide later that perhaps they were book-worthy?
Well, as I said, I had always wanted to write a book. When I was going through the dating experience and telling these stories to my friends and family the response was always the same, “Annie, you should write a book!” So I did. It was therapy for me to write down my thoughts and helped me to sort out what was happening in my life.
4. What made you decide to choose Tribute Books as your publisher?
When I start something I finish it. So, when I was in the process of writing my book I was also looking into having it published. I had talked to people who had gone through the process of hiring an agent to find a publisher, etc. That sounded like it would be too time-consuming and too expensive. So I started to research the topic on the internet and found out that you can find a publisher and pay to have your book published. Somehow I came upon Tribute Books’ website and when I saw that it was a local publisher I called them. After talking to the owner, Nicole Langan, on the phone I made the decision to go with them. She was so helpful, guiding me along the way and is still doing so many things to get my book out there.
5. Promoting a book can be an uphill scramble for a new author. Is there anything you've learned in the process that you've found successful that you'd like to share with other new or aspiring authors?
I have to say here that one thing I did not even consider was promoting my book once it was published. I did not have any expectations other than finishing the book and getting it published…project completed. When my publisher set me up for book signings around the area I was quite taken off guard; especially since I had used a pen name. I found myself looking for a wig that looked like Annie’s hair and a pair of sunglasses to disguise myself. Actually, it was quite appropriate for Annie to wear sunglasses since the last chapter of the book is entitled, “My future’s so bright…”
Getting back to the question, my publisher is constantly sending me information for opportunities to promote my book, like this, but I am so busy that I just don’t have the time to do it all. As I said, I do not have great expectations of becoming famous or making a lot of money (although that would be nice) and there are things in my life that are priorities. So the only thing I could say to other authors is get a good publisher who will guide you and keep plugging away for you.
6. Is there a particular message you want readers to appreciate from WHAT WAS I THINKING?! HOW NOT TO DATE?
I think the main message I would like readers to appreciate is this: “Don’t get discouraged about meeting someone special to spend your life with. Set goals for yourself, stick to your values and have faith in God or whatever higher force you believe in. Learn how to be happy even if you are alone by doing things you enjoy and spending time with friends and family. Have a positive attitude in life. I do believe that if you have a positive attitude in life positive things will happen to you.”
It is because of this message that I did not include a chapter about how I met my husband. Stories don’t always have happy endings but you can be happy without a happy ending.
7. What is one thing you think readers would be interested to know about you?
Actually, I think I would tell them I am just a person who had an idea and followed through. I don’t limit myself by what others say. My parents never told me I couldn’t do this or that. When I wanted to try something new they encouraged me. When they all said, “You should write a book,” I did.
8. What’s next for Annie Earley? Do you have other books in the works?
Actually, I do have some more quirky stories about what happened after the last chapter in the book. However, I have led a very adventurous life and have experienced many things such as camping on the Continental Divide with a Brahma bull 100 feet away from my tent and am considering writing about those adventures.
9. Finally, leg warmer guy...really? You fictionalized him, right?
Haha! Well, if you read the disclaimer at the beginning of my book you will see that all the stories are fiction. So, the question here is, “Were these characters a figment of my imagination?”
In my “mind’s eye” the answer is “no”. So if that is the case, then yes, the leg warmers guy was “real.” I always said, if leg warmers guy ever read my book and figured out I was referring to him and called me on the phone I would say, “What, do you think you are the only guy around with a comb-over and leg warmers?!” “Sheesh!”
And those answers are pretty indicative of the sort of fun content you'll find between the pages of What Was I Thinking? How Not To Date. You can check out Annie's author page at Tribute Books or drop by and visit Annie at her blog Doting On Dating.
Thanks for joining us, Annie!
BookMac interviews Molly Roe & reviews "Call Me Kate"
BookMac,
December 6, 2009
Call Me Kate
by Meg Hill
Getting to Know Molly Roe, author of Call Me Kate
1.) Where did you get the idea to write Call Me Kate?
Catharine McCafferty was born out of my excitement at finally learning the name of my great grandmother. The genealogy bug bit me back in the late 1990s when my son had to make a family tree for school. While I wasn't able to find out everything I wanted to know about Catharine, I learned that she lived through "interesting times." She survived the great potato famine in Ireland, came to America, and married twice. Her nephew was one of the hanged Molly Maguires, and she had a son who rose to some heights in the academic world. I wondered what she must have felt about all the good and bad events in her life. I decided she must have been torn about what was happening to the people she loved. Call Me Kate actually started out as a short story, basically chapter two of the book.
2.) How do you connect with your characters?
I go to reenactments of Civil War battles and to museums where some of the everyday tools and household appliances of the 1800s are displayed, and I imagine what it was like not to have all the conveniences we have today. I understand the indignation and pain my ancestors suffered at the injustice they experienced in the coal fields of Pennsylvania. I think their hope and faith must have sustained them.
3.) How much research did you put into your book?
I researched my family history first, without ever considering that the information would turn into a book. After about four years of US research, I headed off to Ireland with over a dozen family members in tow. We had a wonderful trip, and eventually located the tiny town land of Mollyroe, County Donegal, where one branch of the family began. What a great day that was!
4.) Have you ever visited Ireland yourself?
My trip in 2002 was my second visit to Ireland; my first was at age 17 when I was a college student. We spent five days in Ireland as part of a European tour. I highly recommend visiting. The people were fantastic, and the countryside is beautiful.
5.) Do you plan on writing more young adult books in the future?
I'm currently working on a sequel called Sarah's Story: the Curse on Centralia. It's also based on Molly Maguires lore and features the life of Sarah, Kate's younger sister. Legend has it that Father McDermott, parish priest in Centralia, PA cursed the Mollies for their violent activities and therefore that's why the town was devastated by a mine fire a hundred years later.
6.) Who is your favorite character and why?
Kate is my favorite because she is so spirited and independent. She reminds me of Jo March from Little Women, one of the heroines of my childhood.
7.) Which character can you relate to the most?
I'm personally more like Sarah, less spirited than Kate, more studious and into nature.
8.) What was the best part of writing your novel?
Probably seeing it all come together and having my family read it. I still feel a surge of excitement seeing the book on a store shelf.
9.) What was the worst part of the writing process?
The decision-making and editing were both hard for me. I wanted to use first person point of view, but it was difficult to give Kate access to all the information she needed at a time before phones, the internet, TV, or even radio. Kate had to see and hear the information herself or read it in letters or newspapers. That was a challenge.
10.) When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I don't remember the exact moment. I drifted into writing as a natural extension of reading and researching.
11.) What made you pursue writing a novel?
My aunt Margaret must have said, "You should write a book" at least one hundred times before I took her seriously. I give her credit for motivating me. She has been my #1 fan throughout.
Review
I was interested in reading this book when I was asked to review it, for two reasons. 1.) I'm Irish myself (go pale skin, freckled, st. patty's day lovers!) and 2.) I usually find myself to enjoy young adult historical fiction novels. Under the pen name of Molly Roe, Mary Garity Slabby delivers a powerful young adult historical fiction novel that will make even reluctant history buffs give it a try.
The story starts off quick paced when Molly learns that her father has been a victim to a terrible accident and now she and her mother must support the family. Throughout the book we see Katie grow up from child to adult, take on responsibilities far beyond someone of her age, and actually grow from these experiences.
The writing was very fun as well as educational, the characters were deep and inspiring, and it was an overall good read. Short enough that people won't be scared, Molly definitely has some amazing writing talents and I can't wait to see more of her work in the future.
December 6, 2009
Call Me Kateby Meg Hill
Getting to Know Molly Roe, author of Call Me Kate
1.) Where did you get the idea to write Call Me Kate?
Catharine McCafferty was born out of my excitement at finally learning the name of my great grandmother. The genealogy bug bit me back in the late 1990s when my son had to make a family tree for school. While I wasn't able to find out everything I wanted to know about Catharine, I learned that she lived through "interesting times." She survived the great potato famine in Ireland, came to America, and married twice. Her nephew was one of the hanged Molly Maguires, and she had a son who rose to some heights in the academic world. I wondered what she must have felt about all the good and bad events in her life. I decided she must have been torn about what was happening to the people she loved. Call Me Kate actually started out as a short story, basically chapter two of the book.
2.) How do you connect with your characters?
I go to reenactments of Civil War battles and to museums where some of the everyday tools and household appliances of the 1800s are displayed, and I imagine what it was like not to have all the conveniences we have today. I understand the indignation and pain my ancestors suffered at the injustice they experienced in the coal fields of Pennsylvania. I think their hope and faith must have sustained them.
3.) How much research did you put into your book?
I researched my family history first, without ever considering that the information would turn into a book. After about four years of US research, I headed off to Ireland with over a dozen family members in tow. We had a wonderful trip, and eventually located the tiny town land of Mollyroe, County Donegal, where one branch of the family began. What a great day that was!
4.) Have you ever visited Ireland yourself?
My trip in 2002 was my second visit to Ireland; my first was at age 17 when I was a college student. We spent five days in Ireland as part of a European tour. I highly recommend visiting. The people were fantastic, and the countryside is beautiful.
5.) Do you plan on writing more young adult books in the future?
I'm currently working on a sequel called Sarah's Story: the Curse on Centralia. It's also based on Molly Maguires lore and features the life of Sarah, Kate's younger sister. Legend has it that Father McDermott, parish priest in Centralia, PA cursed the Mollies for their violent activities and therefore that's why the town was devastated by a mine fire a hundred years later.
6.) Who is your favorite character and why?
Kate is my favorite because she is so spirited and independent. She reminds me of Jo March from Little Women, one of the heroines of my childhood.
7.) Which character can you relate to the most?
I'm personally more like Sarah, less spirited than Kate, more studious and into nature.
8.) What was the best part of writing your novel?
Probably seeing it all come together and having my family read it. I still feel a surge of excitement seeing the book on a store shelf.
9.) What was the worst part of the writing process?
The decision-making and editing were both hard for me. I wanted to use first person point of view, but it was difficult to give Kate access to all the information she needed at a time before phones, the internet, TV, or even radio. Kate had to see and hear the information herself or read it in letters or newspapers. That was a challenge.
10.) When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I don't remember the exact moment. I drifted into writing as a natural extension of reading and researching.
11.) What made you pursue writing a novel?
My aunt Margaret must have said, "You should write a book" at least one hundred times before I took her seriously. I give her credit for motivating me. She has been my #1 fan throughout.
ReviewI was interested in reading this book when I was asked to review it, for two reasons. 1.) I'm Irish myself (go pale skin, freckled, st. patty's day lovers!) and 2.) I usually find myself to enjoy young adult historical fiction novels. Under the pen name of Molly Roe, Mary Garity Slabby delivers a powerful young adult historical fiction novel that will make even reluctant history buffs give it a try.
The story starts off quick paced when Molly learns that her father has been a victim to a terrible accident and now she and her mother must support the family. Throughout the book we see Katie grow up from child to adult, take on responsibilities far beyond someone of her age, and actually grow from these experiences.
The writing was very fun as well as educational, the characters were deep and inspiring, and it was an overall good read. Short enough that people won't be scared, Molly definitely has some amazing writing talents and I can't wait to see more of her work in the future.
Freda's Voice reviews "Call Me Sonya Grey"
Freda's Voice,
December 5, 2009
Call Me Sonya Grey by Sonya Tupone Lloyd
by Freda Mans
Knowing how therapeutic poetry can be, I read with an open mind. I really loved reading it, and with each poem, I could feel whatever emotion Sonya felt when writing. I notice she had mostly painful memories, as the majority of poems were quite somber.
I absolutely loved Poem 17, Face. My favorite in the book, by far. I also thought the second version of April Walk was much better. The only poem I had mixed feelings about was, Poem 53. It was a fantastic poem, but the nature of it was immensely sad, and I found my heart wrenched. All-in-all, if you like poetry, then you will love this little book! A huge recommendation from me!
December 5, 2009
Call Me Sonya Grey by Sonya Tupone Lloydby Freda Mans
Knowing how therapeutic poetry can be, I read with an open mind. I really loved reading it, and with each poem, I could feel whatever emotion Sonya felt when writing. I notice she had mostly painful memories, as the majority of poems were quite somber.
I absolutely loved Poem 17, Face. My favorite in the book, by far. I also thought the second version of April Walk was much better. The only poem I had mixed feelings about was, Poem 53. It was a fantastic poem, but the nature of it was immensely sad, and I found my heart wrenched. All-in-all, if you like poetry, then you will love this little book! A huge recommendation from me!
This Dangerous Life reviews "The Evolution of an Identity"
This Dangerous Life,
December 1, 2009
Review - The Evolution of an Identity
by Jessica Danger
In my junior year of college a woman in one of my Postcolonial Literature classes I shared her story of how she felt as though she was a traitor. Her problem, she explained, was that if she told people that she was American, then she was a traitor to her Indian heritage. If she told people that she was Indian, then she is a traitor to her American heritage. That is her story of immigrant assimilation- constant limbo.
I was constantly reminded of this classmate while reading Diya Das and The Evolution of an Identity. The Evolution of an Identity is published by Tribute Books, and tells one person's narration of an attempt at assimilation in America, in reverse. What is most amazing to me is that Das is remarkably young for such an ambitious narratology. The book opens with "This novel was the result of an honors project for an American studies course during my junior year of high school". Yes; high school. As though not ambitious enough, Das offers the disclaimer "for the present, the most recent version must remain the product of a high school junior's mind and hands" as though it were not good enough to take full fledged credit as a novel.
Das is wrong. It is more than good enough.
Das transcribes a binder full of notes, taking over the course of a little under a year, of one family's remarkable story and culture. Aware of the importance of this project, Das concedes that "I would like this alum to survive, so that it might become a repository of family history for my own descendants".
The novel is separated into three major portions- The First Wave, The Second Wave- Settling In, Post 1965 Chicago and Generation X: A Separate Identity New York City 2005.
In the first wave, the first of the migratory Indians, who traveled to Northern California for agricultural work, are summarized. Some examples are Lala Har Dayal and Taraknath Das, both well known Hindus who studied at Stanford. Lala Har Dayal founded the Ghadr Party,whose aim was to gain Indian independence from Great Britain, in 1912.
In the second wave, Das high lights the growing gap between migratory generations. Such gaps are clear with a statement like this that opens the section; “The first Indian immigrants and the post-1965 Indian immigrants are two separate worlds. It is a class thing. They came from the farming, the lower class. We [come] from the educated middle-class. We [speak] English. We went to college. We were already assimilated in India before we came here.”- Indian immigrant, post-1965
The last section, Generation X, is where Das, and millions of other Indian immigrants live now. This too can be blanketed with this quote; “So not quite Indian, and not quite American. Usually I felt more along the lines of Alien...The only times I retreated to one or the other description were when my peers didn’t understand me (then I figured it was because I was too Indian) or when my family didn’t get it (clearly because I was too American).”83 - Dimple Lala, Born Confused
Still humbly modest about this great project, seen to fruition by publication, Das states "this snapshot of my family’s experience in the United States does not seem a significant achievement". A small book, 92 pages, with a large story, the story of how Indians have assimilated into American culture.
December 1, 2009
Review - The Evolution of an Identityby Jessica Danger
In my junior year of college a woman in one of my Postcolonial Literature classes I shared her story of how she felt as though she was a traitor. Her problem, she explained, was that if she told people that she was American, then she was a traitor to her Indian heritage. If she told people that she was Indian, then she is a traitor to her American heritage. That is her story of immigrant assimilation- constant limbo.
I was constantly reminded of this classmate while reading Diya Das and The Evolution of an Identity. The Evolution of an Identity is published by Tribute Books, and tells one person's narration of an attempt at assimilation in America, in reverse. What is most amazing to me is that Das is remarkably young for such an ambitious narratology. The book opens with "This novel was the result of an honors project for an American studies course during my junior year of high school". Yes; high school. As though not ambitious enough, Das offers the disclaimer "for the present, the most recent version must remain the product of a high school junior's mind and hands" as though it were not good enough to take full fledged credit as a novel.
Das is wrong. It is more than good enough.
Das transcribes a binder full of notes, taking over the course of a little under a year, of one family's remarkable story and culture. Aware of the importance of this project, Das concedes that "I would like this alum to survive, so that it might become a repository of family history for my own descendants".
The novel is separated into three major portions- The First Wave, The Second Wave- Settling In, Post 1965 Chicago and Generation X: A Separate Identity New York City 2005.
In the first wave, the first of the migratory Indians, who traveled to Northern California for agricultural work, are summarized. Some examples are Lala Har Dayal and Taraknath Das, both well known Hindus who studied at Stanford. Lala Har Dayal founded the Ghadr Party,whose aim was to gain Indian independence from Great Britain, in 1912.
In the second wave, Das high lights the growing gap between migratory generations. Such gaps are clear with a statement like this that opens the section; “The first Indian immigrants and the post-1965 Indian immigrants are two separate worlds. It is a class thing. They came from the farming, the lower class. We [come] from the educated middle-class. We [speak] English. We went to college. We were already assimilated in India before we came here.”- Indian immigrant, post-1965
The last section, Generation X, is where Das, and millions of other Indian immigrants live now. This too can be blanketed with this quote; “So not quite Indian, and not quite American. Usually I felt more along the lines of Alien...The only times I retreated to one or the other description were when my peers didn’t understand me (then I figured it was because I was too Indian) or when my family didn’t get it (clearly because I was too American).”83 - Dimple Lala, Born Confused
Still humbly modest about this great project, seen to fruition by publication, Das states "this snapshot of my family’s experience in the United States does not seem a significant achievement". A small book, 92 pages, with a large story, the story of how Indians have assimilated into American culture.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Elfster names "A Different Kind of Hero" to its holiday gift list
Elfster,
December 1, 2009
Elfster Recommends: Books
by Julie Negrel
Leah Beth wrote and illustrated “A Different Kind of Hero” at the age of 12 after a lesson about the rain forest. The story is about a monkey named Tomagochi and a problem in the rain forest,” Leah Beth said. “He doesn’t believe he has anything special about him. The rest you have to read about it.”
December 1, 2009
Elfster Recommends: Booksby Julie Negrel
Leah Beth wrote and illustrated “A Different Kind of Hero” at the age of 12 after a lesson about the rain forest. The story is about a monkey named Tomagochi and a problem in the rain forest,” Leah Beth said. “He doesn’t believe he has anything special about him. The rest you have to read about it.”
John Hoh of BookIdeas.com reviews "Journey Along" and "Scranton's Mayors"
Book Ideas,
December 2, 2009
Journey Along the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Review
by John Hoh
This book, as the title suggests, takes the reader on a trip to the Poconos. It follows the route of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The "stops" include Delaware Water Gap, East Stroudsburg, Analomink, Henryville, Cresco, Mount Pocono, Pocono Summit, and Tobyhanna.
The book is a collection mainly of postcards from over the years. Most belong to the author, but scattered throughout are reproductions of postcards from museum and private collections the author found to fill the gaps. Each postcard is credited with its owner. Scattered among the postcards are some ads, a bill for construction, a hand-written menu, and other items for promotion of lodges and the Poconos.
Yes, even human foibles are displayed as one ad stated "We do not take Hebrews or those suffering from lung trouble." The author informs us several times that a lodge would advertise "Gentiles only." Was is overt racism? Or simply a business decision not to have to get into the expense of providing a kosher menu? I can understand the lung problems as tuberculosis (TB) was common and contagious. That could put a damper on business.
Each "stop" is a chapter in the book, with lodges at each place featured. Of course if one was riding the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad one would get off at the depot. So each chapter begins with postcards of the depots at each stop.
Although the cards are in black and white, the beauty of the region is breath-taking. The nature shots would be especially inviting to residents of New York City who would vacation in the fresh air and spacious areas among the Poconos. It was the city clientele that the lodges aimed for.
The author could have explained some details, such as a hotel that "offered both American and European plan accommodations." What was the difference? Did it matter?
Scranton's Mayors Review
by John Hoh
This book covers the 29 mayors in the history of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Each mayor occupies a separate chapter in the book. Also, the number of mayors is open for debate. A handful of mayors had non-consecutive terms. Grover Cleveland, the only U. S. President to serve non-consecutive terms, is counted as the 22nd and 24th president, so one could argue that Scranton had more than 29 mayors if non-consecutive terms are counted separately. Better to refer to the 29 men who served as mayor (unfortunately, no woman has been elected to the office yet).
Along with the brief biographies (the mayors of the last 40 years are more extensively documented) is a running history of Scranton and its politics as well as the state of Pennsylvania. A law meant to address a problem elsewhere in the state of Pennsylvania affects Scranton. Pittsburgh and Scranton are both 2nd class cities in Pennsylvania. Perhaps an explanation of what it meant to be a "2nd class city" would have been helpful. Why was Scranton a 2nd class city but not Philadelphia?
The author for the most part documented law changes, such as Pennsylvania changing mayoral terms from three to two years. Yet later mayors "seem" to serve three year terms so did the law change again or did mayors not serve their full term? A unique situation was with the first mayor. The unique "salary" arrangement went as follows:
The early mayors of Scranton were figureheads when it came to everyday operations. Mayor Hill received a salary of $300 a year, which was little more than a skilled miner, took home. The city attorney received $200 a year but the Tax Collector got 5% of all revenues he collected and the City Treasurer received 2% of all the money he spent.
Did the treasurer have any incentive not to spend money?
Overall the book ably portrayed a city and those who served that city.
December 2, 2009
Journey Along the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Reviewby John Hoh
This book, as the title suggests, takes the reader on a trip to the Poconos. It follows the route of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The "stops" include Delaware Water Gap, East Stroudsburg, Analomink, Henryville, Cresco, Mount Pocono, Pocono Summit, and Tobyhanna.
The book is a collection mainly of postcards from over the years. Most belong to the author, but scattered throughout are reproductions of postcards from museum and private collections the author found to fill the gaps. Each postcard is credited with its owner. Scattered among the postcards are some ads, a bill for construction, a hand-written menu, and other items for promotion of lodges and the Poconos.
Yes, even human foibles are displayed as one ad stated "We do not take Hebrews or those suffering from lung trouble." The author informs us several times that a lodge would advertise "Gentiles only." Was is overt racism? Or simply a business decision not to have to get into the expense of providing a kosher menu? I can understand the lung problems as tuberculosis (TB) was common and contagious. That could put a damper on business.
Each "stop" is a chapter in the book, with lodges at each place featured. Of course if one was riding the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad one would get off at the depot. So each chapter begins with postcards of the depots at each stop.
Although the cards are in black and white, the beauty of the region is breath-taking. The nature shots would be especially inviting to residents of New York City who would vacation in the fresh air and spacious areas among the Poconos. It was the city clientele that the lodges aimed for.
The author could have explained some details, such as a hotel that "offered both American and European plan accommodations." What was the difference? Did it matter?
Scranton's Mayors Reviewby John Hoh
This book covers the 29 mayors in the history of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Each mayor occupies a separate chapter in the book. Also, the number of mayors is open for debate. A handful of mayors had non-consecutive terms. Grover Cleveland, the only U. S. President to serve non-consecutive terms, is counted as the 22nd and 24th president, so one could argue that Scranton had more than 29 mayors if non-consecutive terms are counted separately. Better to refer to the 29 men who served as mayor (unfortunately, no woman has been elected to the office yet).
Along with the brief biographies (the mayors of the last 40 years are more extensively documented) is a running history of Scranton and its politics as well as the state of Pennsylvania. A law meant to address a problem elsewhere in the state of Pennsylvania affects Scranton. Pittsburgh and Scranton are both 2nd class cities in Pennsylvania. Perhaps an explanation of what it meant to be a "2nd class city" would have been helpful. Why was Scranton a 2nd class city but not Philadelphia?
The author for the most part documented law changes, such as Pennsylvania changing mayoral terms from three to two years. Yet later mayors "seem" to serve three year terms so did the law change again or did mayors not serve their full term? A unique situation was with the first mayor. The unique "salary" arrangement went as follows:
The early mayors of Scranton were figureheads when it came to everyday operations. Mayor Hill received a salary of $300 a year, which was little more than a skilled miner, took home. The city attorney received $200 a year but the Tax Collector got 5% of all revenues he collected and the City Treasurer received 2% of all the money he spent.
Did the treasurer have any incentive not to spend money?
Overall the book ably portrayed a city and those who served that city.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Mommy PR reviews "Red in the Flower Bed"
Mommy PR,
November 29, 2009
Red in the Flower Bed: Children's Book Review
by Dawn Speese
Taking on a subject that is near and dear to my heart Red in the Flower Bed, by Andrea Nepa is an adorable children’s book about interracial adoption.
The story follows a seed’s journey from her original home to her final destination with her new garden family where, although different, she is a perfect fit. The book is beautifully written in a simple and touching way.
I read the story to my 6 year old daughter who has been home with us for two years and she also loved it. I was not sure how she would react since she always gets emotional if she feels like someone is losing something or being left out. She did not relate the book to herself, but was very happy for the flower seed who safely settled into her new home, and since she loves flowers she enjoyed the illustrations as well. When we finished the story I was able to use it to open discussion with my daughter about how even though the seed did not start out with this flower family, she was very well loved and completed the family just like she herself completes our family.
About the author: Andrea Nepa is the author of Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children’s Story about Interracial Adoption. She is the mother of an daughter adopted from Vietnam in 2001. In 2008 Andera wrote and dedicated this book to her daughter Leah.
My thoughts: This is a fantastic book to add to your child’s book collection and a wonderful gift for any family that has been touched by adoption. I am always on the lookout for ways to encourage open discussions with my daughter and this book is a perfect tool for helping with that!
November 29, 2009
Red in the Flower Bed: Children's Book Reviewby Dawn Speese
Taking on a subject that is near and dear to my heart Red in the Flower Bed, by Andrea Nepa is an adorable children’s book about interracial adoption.
The story follows a seed’s journey from her original home to her final destination with her new garden family where, although different, she is a perfect fit. The book is beautifully written in a simple and touching way.
I read the story to my 6 year old daughter who has been home with us for two years and she also loved it. I was not sure how she would react since she always gets emotional if she feels like someone is losing something or being left out. She did not relate the book to herself, but was very happy for the flower seed who safely settled into her new home, and since she loves flowers she enjoyed the illustrations as well. When we finished the story I was able to use it to open discussion with my daughter about how even though the seed did not start out with this flower family, she was very well loved and completed the family just like she herself completes our family.
About the author: Andrea Nepa is the author of Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children’s Story about Interracial Adoption. She is the mother of an daughter adopted from Vietnam in 2001. In 2008 Andera wrote and dedicated this book to her daughter Leah.
My thoughts: This is a fantastic book to add to your child’s book collection and a wonderful gift for any family that has been touched by adoption. I am always on the lookout for ways to encourage open discussions with my daughter and this book is a perfect tool for helping with that!
Money Saving Moms Club names "Red in the Flower Bed" to 2009 Holiday Gift Guide
Money Saving Moms Club,
November 28, 2009
2009 Holiday Gift Guide
by Kristin
Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption
The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of "seeds" being planted in the perfect place - exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book's loving approach helps children to understand adoption. Andrea Nepa has captured the essence of adoption and family, and has illustrated it beautifully with images and poetry that even a small child can comprehend and enjoy.
November 28, 2009
2009 Holiday Gift Guideby Kristin
Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption
The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of "seeds" being planted in the perfect place - exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book's loving approach helps children to understand adoption. Andrea Nepa has captured the essence of adoption and family, and has illustrated it beautifully with images and poetry that even a small child can comprehend and enjoy.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Confessions of an Overworked Mom reviews "A Different Kind of Hero"
Confessions of an Overworked Mom,
November 26, 2009
Review: A Different Kind of Hero
by Ellen Christian
A Different Kind of Hero is an adorable children's book about a little brown monkey who think's he's nothing special. His friend's are beautiful and multi-colored and he's just a plain small brown monkey. When his home is threatened, he proves to himself just how special he is when he fights off the intruders in his rainforest.
This children's book has beautiful color pictures throughout and is sure to keep your child's attention while teaching a special message - just how important we all are. This would make a really special gift for the child in your life.
November 26, 2009
Review: A Different Kind of Heroby Ellen Christian
A Different Kind of Hero is an adorable children's book about a little brown monkey who think's he's nothing special. His friend's are beautiful and multi-colored and he's just a plain small brown monkey. When his home is threatened, he proves to himself just how special he is when he fights off the intruders in his rainforest.
This children's book has beautiful color pictures throughout and is sure to keep your child's attention while teaching a special message - just how important we all are. This would make a really special gift for the child in your life.
Book Dragon's Lair reviews 3 Tribute Books titles
Book Dragon's Lair,
November 24, 2009
Three New Review Books
by Gina
Red in the Flower Bed
An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption
The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of "seeds" being planted in the perfect place - exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book's loving approach helps children to understand adoption. Andrea Nepa has captured the essence of adoption and family, and has illustrated it beautifully with images and poetry that even a small child can comprehend and enjoy.
Second Chance
How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog
Over the past 10 years, author Sandra Gerencher has been on a mission to save dogs from high-kill animal shelters. Her first rescue was P.J., the black and white Pomeranian in the story. She also adopted the orange Pomeranians Shelby and Lil Rascal, and of course, Chance, the big black Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix. All characters in the story are based on Sandra's real life family. The book is filled with softly blended watercolor photos of her loved ones. Her most significant adoption was her son, Terry. He was considered a special needs child because he was born with a genetic disorder known as Fragile X Syndrome. The disorder can cause many cognitive disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation and depression.
Nine Things Nathan Noticed at Night
Nine great things happen when the sun sets for the evening. Each page includes a statement about what is happening and then some fun facts and information about that event. Written from a Christian perspective, the story describes how God made things when He created the Earth. While the story was written specifically for ages 3-8, children of all ages will enjoy this book. Even adults can admire the beautiful watercolor artwork.
November 24, 2009
Three New Review Booksby Gina
Red in the Flower Bed
An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption
The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of "seeds" being planted in the perfect place - exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book's loving approach helps children to understand adoption. Andrea Nepa has captured the essence of adoption and family, and has illustrated it beautifully with images and poetry that even a small child can comprehend and enjoy.
Second ChanceHow Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog
Over the past 10 years, author Sandra Gerencher has been on a mission to save dogs from high-kill animal shelters. Her first rescue was P.J., the black and white Pomeranian in the story. She also adopted the orange Pomeranians Shelby and Lil Rascal, and of course, Chance, the big black Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix. All characters in the story are based on Sandra's real life family. The book is filled with softly blended watercolor photos of her loved ones. Her most significant adoption was her son, Terry. He was considered a special needs child because he was born with a genetic disorder known as Fragile X Syndrome. The disorder can cause many cognitive disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation and depression.
Nine Things Nathan Noticed at NightNine great things happen when the sun sets for the evening. Each page includes a statement about what is happening and then some fun facts and information about that event. Written from a Christian perspective, the story describes how God made things when He created the Earth. While the story was written specifically for ages 3-8, children of all ages will enjoy this book. Even adults can admire the beautiful watercolor artwork.
Page Turners interview with Andrea Howells & Leah Beth Evans
Page Turners,
November 20, 2009
Interview with Andrea Howells and Leah Beth Evans
by Amber Clark
I recently read two children's books, written by two young authors. I can't imagine my kids writing and publishing a book, so I wanted to ask these young ladies a few questions. I will be posting my review of their books in the next few days.
Andrea Howells
At what age did you start writing?
10
Do you plan on writing more books?
On different topics, most likely.
Where did you get the idea for your story?
It came from a dream and from all my other readings.
Did you help with the design (book cover, illustration)?
Yes, I designed the cover and the art work.
What are your favorite things to write about?
Fantasy - like werewolves and I'm currently into Steampunk.
Leah Beth Evans
At what age did you start writing?
I began writing before i even went to kindergarten.
Do you plan on writing more books?
I have actually written quite a few other stories.I hope to someday get them published.
Where did you get the idea for your story?
I thought of it after reading about the rainforest in my 4th grade class.
Did you help with the design (book cover, illustration)?
No, all credit goes to Colleen Gedrich for this question. She did such a wonderful job!
What are your favorite things to write about?
I like writing about anything that just comes to my mind. But generally my writing consists of children's stories, religious and artistic poems (music, theatre, etc.) that i can relate to, and occasionally mystery stories.
November 20, 2009
Interview with Andrea Howells and Leah Beth Evansby Amber Clark
I recently read two children's books, written by two young authors. I can't imagine my kids writing and publishing a book, so I wanted to ask these young ladies a few questions. I will be posting my review of their books in the next few days.
Andrea Howells
At what age did you start writing?
10
Do you plan on writing more books?
On different topics, most likely.
Where did you get the idea for your story?
It came from a dream and from all my other readings.
Did you help with the design (book cover, illustration)?
Yes, I designed the cover and the art work.
What are your favorite things to write about?
Fantasy - like werewolves and I'm currently into Steampunk.
Leah Beth EvansAt what age did you start writing?
I began writing before i even went to kindergarten.
Do you plan on writing more books?
I have actually written quite a few other stories.I hope to someday get them published.
Where did you get the idea for your story?
I thought of it after reading about the rainforest in my 4th grade class.
Did you help with the design (book cover, illustration)?
No, all credit goes to Colleen Gedrich for this question. She did such a wonderful job!
What are your favorite things to write about?
I like writing about anything that just comes to my mind. But generally my writing consists of children's stories, religious and artistic poems (music, theatre, etc.) that i can relate to, and occasionally mystery stories.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Listen to Molly Roe's radio interview on "Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires"
Molly Roe Interview
InternetVoiceRadio.com, Marketing for Fun & Profit with Janet E. Smith
CLICK HERE to listen to the radio broadcast.
Monday, November 23, 2009
3 Peas in a Pod interview with Andrea Nepa
3 Peas in a Pod,
November 21, 2009
Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption
by Alyson LaBarge
To go along with National Adoption Month, I have come across a wonderful book, written by an adoptive mom. Her name is Andrea Nepa and she is the author of Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children’s Story about Interracial Adoption.
The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of seeds being planted in the perfect place – exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book’s loving approach helps children to understand adoption.
I read it and loved it immediately. As the Mama to a foreign-born child myself, and one who knew the moment my daughter was placed in my arms that my family was complete, this story resonated especially true. I have shared it with my daughter who, although she is only three, loved the bright cheery colors and tender message of the book. Andrea, the author of the book, was kind enough to allow me to interview her.
What inspired you to write this story? How did you come to choose adoption?
Thanks for the interview. I was inspired to write this story when my daughter Leah was a toddler, because she asked questions about her adoption that we didn’t know the answer to (we were not given any info. about her biological parents), and because she sometimes would cry that she missed her birth mother. Although she really didn’t know her birth mother (she was given up the day she was born), I took this to mean that she felt abandoned by someone very close to her. It must be upsetting and confusing for a child to know this. I wanted Leah to know that she was very much wanted and loved by us, but that we would never ask her to forget her roots. The story took on more significance when she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 5. Since my husband and I are both health professionals, and live 20 minutes from the best children’s hospital in the country (and probably the world), it seemed that she was meant to be with us. In fact, I work at that hospital and that is where Leah was cured (actually she has been in “remission” for 2 1/2 years).
Did you choose to not use the word “adoption” in the story on purpose?
I deliberately did not use the word adoption in the story so that the reader can interpret the book in their own way at their own pace according to their age level.
When you decided to adopt your daughter internationally did you feel that there would be challenges unique to becoming parents of a child with a different cultural background?
As far as adopting a child of a different cultural background, our adoption agency encourages all international adopters to learn about their child’s culture of birth.
How have you chosen to help her have pride in her birth heritage?
We were in Vietnam for 2 weeks when we adopted her, and participate in Asian New Year events, etc. and take Leah to Vietnamese restaurants (along with other ethnic restaurants, too). We enjoy learning about Vietnamese culture, too, which makes these experiences positive. Leah is proud to call herself Vietnamese, but I do remind her that she is also American, so that she feels that she belongs here too.
As your daughter grows older, have you found any unique challenges from being a multi-cultural family?
So far we have not encountered much prejudice, and there are a lot of Asian adoptees in our neighborhood and school system. Leah doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that she doesn’t look like us, but this might change when she is older. She does seem a little jealous, though, that I look like my twin sister!
Those who choose to adopt internationally go through many of the same requirements and experiences as do those who adopt domestically and I found Red in the Flower Bed to be very applicable to my oldest daughter who we adopted here in Texas as well.
We read the book together and she could really seem to relate to the thought process of how she needed to come be a part of our family, just like the seed. It was a great jumping off point for some conversation about her birth mom and how we could not be a family with out her.
There are many children’s books relating to adoption that can help families talk about their feelings and begin conversation that just come as part of the territory when you become a parent of adopted children.
November 21, 2009
Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoptionby Alyson LaBarge
To go along with National Adoption Month, I have come across a wonderful book, written by an adoptive mom. Her name is Andrea Nepa and she is the author of Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children’s Story about Interracial Adoption.
The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of seeds being planted in the perfect place – exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book’s loving approach helps children to understand adoption.
I read it and loved it immediately. As the Mama to a foreign-born child myself, and one who knew the moment my daughter was placed in my arms that my family was complete, this story resonated especially true. I have shared it with my daughter who, although she is only three, loved the bright cheery colors and tender message of the book. Andrea, the author of the book, was kind enough to allow me to interview her.
What inspired you to write this story? How did you come to choose adoption?
Thanks for the interview. I was inspired to write this story when my daughter Leah was a toddler, because she asked questions about her adoption that we didn’t know the answer to (we were not given any info. about her biological parents), and because she sometimes would cry that she missed her birth mother. Although she really didn’t know her birth mother (she was given up the day she was born), I took this to mean that she felt abandoned by someone very close to her. It must be upsetting and confusing for a child to know this. I wanted Leah to know that she was very much wanted and loved by us, but that we would never ask her to forget her roots. The story took on more significance when she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 5. Since my husband and I are both health professionals, and live 20 minutes from the best children’s hospital in the country (and probably the world), it seemed that she was meant to be with us. In fact, I work at that hospital and that is where Leah was cured (actually she has been in “remission” for 2 1/2 years).
Did you choose to not use the word “adoption” in the story on purpose?
I deliberately did not use the word adoption in the story so that the reader can interpret the book in their own way at their own pace according to their age level.
When you decided to adopt your daughter internationally did you feel that there would be challenges unique to becoming parents of a child with a different cultural background?
As far as adopting a child of a different cultural background, our adoption agency encourages all international adopters to learn about their child’s culture of birth.
How have you chosen to help her have pride in her birth heritage?
We were in Vietnam for 2 weeks when we adopted her, and participate in Asian New Year events, etc. and take Leah to Vietnamese restaurants (along with other ethnic restaurants, too). We enjoy learning about Vietnamese culture, too, which makes these experiences positive. Leah is proud to call herself Vietnamese, but I do remind her that she is also American, so that she feels that she belongs here too.
As your daughter grows older, have you found any unique challenges from being a multi-cultural family?
So far we have not encountered much prejudice, and there are a lot of Asian adoptees in our neighborhood and school system. Leah doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that she doesn’t look like us, but this might change when she is older. She does seem a little jealous, though, that I look like my twin sister!
Those who choose to adopt internationally go through many of the same requirements and experiences as do those who adopt domestically and I found Red in the Flower Bed to be very applicable to my oldest daughter who we adopted here in Texas as well.
We read the book together and she could really seem to relate to the thought process of how she needed to come be a part of our family, just like the seed. It was a great jumping off point for some conversation about her birth mom and how we could not be a family with out her.
There are many children’s books relating to adoption that can help families talk about their feelings and begin conversation that just come as part of the territory when you become a parent of adopted children.
Friday, November 20, 2009
From the Heart reviews "But Then Again I Could Be Wrong: The Book of Rants"
From the Heart,
November 17, 2009
Review: But Then Again I Could Be Wrong
by Scarlett Haines
This book was so good. I thought it would be alright but nope it was soo good. Jim Rising has got to be one of the coolest guys around.
The book is short but it is full of humour.
I found Jim Rising to be a fascinating guy and his book is pure genius. There's little else I can say about the book. Definitely check it out.
November 17, 2009
Review: But Then Again I Could Be Wrongby Scarlett Haines
This book was so good. I thought it would be alright but nope it was soo good. Jim Rising has got to be one of the coolest guys around.
The book is short but it is full of humour.
I found Jim Rising to be a fascinating guy and his book is pure genius. There's little else I can say about the book. Definitely check it out.
From the Heart reviews "What Was I Thinking?! How Not to Date"
From the Heart,
November 14, 2009
Review: What Was I Thinking?
by Scarlett Haines
This book is so funny. And incredibly interesting. When I read the description I knew I would enjoy this book. So basically, I wanted to read it for a change of pace.
As I'm getting married next month I thought this one would be really interesting to read to see what I was missing out on in the dating scene. And Annie Earley was a very interesting woman and she met some very interesting people online.
There's not much more that I can say about What Was I Thinking? other than it is a really interesting and good light read. Anyone looking for a book about the not so great side of online dating then this book would definitely suit you.
I've read a few other reviews of this book after reading it and the ones I found were all negative which I thought was unfortunate but at the end of the day you cannot please everyone.
November 14, 2009
Review: What Was I Thinking?by Scarlett Haines
This book is so funny. And incredibly interesting. When I read the description I knew I would enjoy this book. So basically, I wanted to read it for a change of pace.
As I'm getting married next month I thought this one would be really interesting to read to see what I was missing out on in the dating scene. And Annie Earley was a very interesting woman and she met some very interesting people online.
There's not much more that I can say about What Was I Thinking? other than it is a really interesting and good light read. Anyone looking for a book about the not so great side of online dating then this book would definitely suit you.
I've read a few other reviews of this book after reading it and the ones I found were all negative which I thought was unfortunate but at the end of the day you cannot please everyone.
Page Turners reviews "Call Me Sonya Grey"
Page Turners,
November 11, 2009
Call Me Sonya Grey
by Amber Clark
This collection of poems written by a young girl, beginnings at age nine, and finally by the young woman she becomes. She started writing following the death of her mother and the poems explore her fears, guilt, anger and wonder surrounding her life.
Her writing is intriguing and I found myself reading faster to get to the next phase of her life. She explores her emotions and some of them are very painful. She puts her emotions out there for all to read as only a young girl can. My heart breaks for her as she works through what is happening around her in terms of family and coming to terms with growing up and becoming an independent woman.
November 11, 2009
Call Me Sonya Greyby Amber Clark
This collection of poems written by a young girl, beginnings at age nine, and finally by the young woman she becomes. She started writing following the death of her mother and the poems explore her fears, guilt, anger and wonder surrounding her life.
Her writing is intriguing and I found myself reading faster to get to the next phase of her life. She explores her emotions and some of them are very painful. She puts her emotions out there for all to read as only a young girl can. My heart breaks for her as she works through what is happening around her in terms of family and coming to terms with growing up and becoming an independent woman.
Page Turners reviews "In Mind: A Collection of Poetry"
Page Turners,
November 11, 2009
In Mind: A Collection of Poetry
by Amber Clark
This anthology, written by a 16 year-old girl from India, covers six years of her life. It is broken up into 9 sections and encompasses different phases of her life. The sections include the titles “First Drafts”, “A Writer’s Hands”, “In Mind”, “Fantasy Moments”, “It’s not me, it’s you”, “Pondering”, “Daydreams and Nightmares”, “Wandering Home”, and “Intercepted Conversations”. I was excited to read the words of a teen and get her perspective on life as she was experiencing it.
The first few poems are obviously written by a young person. The word choice and lack of formal structure are not an issue. They seem to be written in a stream of consciousness manner and remind me of listening to a teenager talk. The early poems are simplistic in form and topic. As the poet ages, the tone of the poems changes and becomes more emotionally focused rather than on topics outside the poet.
I enjoyed the earlier poems, but as the poems and poet matured, I was less involved with the words. I felt that she was trying too hard to make the poems profound and deep rather than letting the poems happen, and I found myself struggling to get through some of them. However, I think this poet demonstrates a lot of potential in her writing, and I believe teens may find themselves in her words through similar experiences.
November 11, 2009
In Mind: A Collection of Poetryby Amber Clark
This anthology, written by a 16 year-old girl from India, covers six years of her life. It is broken up into 9 sections and encompasses different phases of her life. The sections include the titles “First Drafts”, “A Writer’s Hands”, “In Mind”, “Fantasy Moments”, “It’s not me, it’s you”, “Pondering”, “Daydreams and Nightmares”, “Wandering Home”, and “Intercepted Conversations”. I was excited to read the words of a teen and get her perspective on life as she was experiencing it.
The first few poems are obviously written by a young person. The word choice and lack of formal structure are not an issue. They seem to be written in a stream of consciousness manner and remind me of listening to a teenager talk. The early poems are simplistic in form and topic. As the poet ages, the tone of the poems changes and becomes more emotionally focused rather than on topics outside the poet.
I enjoyed the earlier poems, but as the poems and poet matured, I was less involved with the words. I felt that she was trying too hard to make the poems profound and deep rather than letting the poems happen, and I found myself struggling to get through some of them. However, I think this poet demonstrates a lot of potential in her writing, and I believe teens may find themselves in her words through similar experiences.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Teachers learning local history
Scranton Times-Tribune,
November 18, 2009
Teachers learning local history
by Sarah Hofius Hall
Area social studies teachers received a lesson in local history Tuesday.
"You can't learn about 'there' unless you learn about 'here,'" said William Gershey, a curriculum consultant for the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit, the sponsor of the class. "This area had an impact on national history. I don't think students understand that."
Organizers of the workshop hope the lessons on railroad, coal and architecture are passed on to area students.
The workshop at the Albright Memorial Library was the fifth in a series of history lessons for teachers.
After sessions with local history authors including Mary Slaby (pen name Molly Roe) author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires the 21 teachers toured the library and Scranton Cultural Center.
While fourth-grade students generally learn about local and state history, the organizers of Tuesday's workshop hope to see high school students, who must complete senior projects, consider projects based on local history, said Thomas Kennedy, a curriculum consultant with the intermediate unit.
Montrose High School teacher Mike Boccella, who teaches American history to ninth-grade students, said he hopes to incorporate more local history in his classroom.
"This area in Northeast Pennsylvania has a very rich history I think that's often neglected," Mr. Boccella said.
November 18, 2009
Teachers learning local historyby Sarah Hofius Hall
Area social studies teachers received a lesson in local history Tuesday.
"You can't learn about 'there' unless you learn about 'here,'" said William Gershey, a curriculum consultant for the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit, the sponsor of the class. "This area had an impact on national history. I don't think students understand that."
Organizers of the workshop hope the lessons on railroad, coal and architecture are passed on to area students.
The workshop at the Albright Memorial Library was the fifth in a series of history lessons for teachers.
After sessions with local history authors including Mary Slaby (pen name Molly Roe) author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires the 21 teachers toured the library and Scranton Cultural Center.
While fourth-grade students generally learn about local and state history, the organizers of Tuesday's workshop hope to see high school students, who must complete senior projects, consider projects based on local history, said Thomas Kennedy, a curriculum consultant with the intermediate unit.
Montrose High School teacher Mike Boccella, who teaches American history to ninth-grade students, said he hopes to incorporate more local history in his classroom.
"This area in Northeast Pennsylvania has a very rich history I think that's often neglected," Mr. Boccella said.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Satisfacation for Insatiable Readers reviews "Second Chance"
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers,
November 17, 2009
Family Ties: Second Chance by Sandra J. Gerencher
by Gina
Hello, everyone! Post number two of the day (yay, me!), and what do you know, we have a book review! This one is definitely a great read for all ages. A heart-warming story for this special time of year....or any time for that matter. Let's get right done to business, shall we? Today's book of choice is Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog by Sandra J. Gerencher. Meet Chance. He is the current "roommate" of Ruffles at the animal shelter. That's right, Chance is a dog. As it turns out, he's not just any dog either. He has been chosen by a new "mommy" for a forever home, her home. Along with a cast of other rescued souls, his new Mommy shares her endless love with her young son, Ryan. Ryan is a special child, apart from the fact that he has Autism. Ryan's special factor lies in how he came to be with his current family. You see, Ryan and Chance are very much alike. They both have had to adjust to new surroundings; both have had several "mothers" throughout their lives. Above all else, their common bond lies in the fact that they were both....adopted. Follow along with Chance as he learns the ins and outs of his new domain, discovers the amazing connection amongst his new family, and finally learns the true meaning of a forever home. A touching story for readers of all ages, and an eye opening look at new ways to open our hearts.
I must say that I was thoroughly surprised by this one! I did not anticipate the narrator being Chance, but it definitely worked for the story. How cute is it to see a book from a dog's perspective? (Oh, I forgot, you probably haven't read it yet...but trust me, it is definitely an experience.) Knowing that this "tail" (pun intended) is based on true life events makes it all the more memorable. Another interesting aspect (in my humble opinion) is the fact that the human characters take a backseat to the animals throughout most of the story. You meet P.J., Little Rascal, and Shelby (or as I like to call them the "Pom Squad") (yes, they are Pomeranians) throughout the course of Chance's thoughts. My favorite scene, although so hard to pick, was when young Ryan explains adoption to Chance. Due to his special abilities, Ryan is able to communicate with his furry pals better than most, and so this conversation is especially heart-warming. He explains that their new mommy made "the unselfish decision to adopt" and that this means they are "loved forever." Now how can you truly compete with a message like that? (WARNING: Have a tissue handy, just in case you get weepy eyed....it's not said, just heart-breakingly sincere and beautiful.) (Oh, one last note, a portion of the proceeds for each book sold go to the Humane Society....a very fitting and noble cause, if I do say so myself.)
November 17, 2009
Family Ties: Second Chance by Sandra J. Gerencherby Gina
Hello, everyone! Post number two of the day (yay, me!), and what do you know, we have a book review! This one is definitely a great read for all ages. A heart-warming story for this special time of year....or any time for that matter. Let's get right done to business, shall we? Today's book of choice is Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog by Sandra J. Gerencher. Meet Chance. He is the current "roommate" of Ruffles at the animal shelter. That's right, Chance is a dog. As it turns out, he's not just any dog either. He has been chosen by a new "mommy" for a forever home, her home. Along with a cast of other rescued souls, his new Mommy shares her endless love with her young son, Ryan. Ryan is a special child, apart from the fact that he has Autism. Ryan's special factor lies in how he came to be with his current family. You see, Ryan and Chance are very much alike. They both have had to adjust to new surroundings; both have had several "mothers" throughout their lives. Above all else, their common bond lies in the fact that they were both....adopted. Follow along with Chance as he learns the ins and outs of his new domain, discovers the amazing connection amongst his new family, and finally learns the true meaning of a forever home. A touching story for readers of all ages, and an eye opening look at new ways to open our hearts.
I must say that I was thoroughly surprised by this one! I did not anticipate the narrator being Chance, but it definitely worked for the story. How cute is it to see a book from a dog's perspective? (Oh, I forgot, you probably haven't read it yet...but trust me, it is definitely an experience.) Knowing that this "tail" (pun intended) is based on true life events makes it all the more memorable. Another interesting aspect (in my humble opinion) is the fact that the human characters take a backseat to the animals throughout most of the story. You meet P.J., Little Rascal, and Shelby (or as I like to call them the "Pom Squad") (yes, they are Pomeranians) throughout the course of Chance's thoughts. My favorite scene, although so hard to pick, was when young Ryan explains adoption to Chance. Due to his special abilities, Ryan is able to communicate with his furry pals better than most, and so this conversation is especially heart-warming. He explains that their new mommy made "the unselfish decision to adopt" and that this means they are "loved forever." Now how can you truly compete with a message like that? (WARNING: Have a tissue handy, just in case you get weepy eyed....it's not said, just heart-breakingly sincere and beautiful.) (Oh, one last note, a portion of the proceeds for each book sold go to the Humane Society....a very fitting and noble cause, if I do say so myself.)
Friday, November 13, 2009
Alan Sweeney's name enshrined at Civil War museum
Scranton Times-Tribune,
November 9, 2009
Sweeney's name enshrined at Civil War museum
by Roger Dupuis II
On the seventh day, members of the Sweeney family always knew where to find dad.
"He spent every Sunday at the historical society," Kara Sweeney said of her father, Alan.
The former president of the Lackawanna Historical Society - a beloved fixture at the group's Catlin House on Monroe Avenue - died of cancer in December at age 55.
"If he wasn't there, he was upstairs, reading his history books," his daughter recalled.
As dusk fell Sunday, Mr. Sweeney's family and friends gathered in the pastel-hued basement of Scranton City Hall to help cement his own place in the book of local history.
The warren of rooms that once housed the city's police headquarters became the new home last year of a century-old Civil War museum, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Sweeney and other dedicated volunteers. On Sunday, the space was rechristened "Alan Sweeney Hall" in his memory.
"I think he wouldn't like everyone making a fuss over him," Ms. Sweeney said. "But I think he would be proud."
Speaker after speaker - friends, family, Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty - recalled a low-key kind of guy whose passion for local history was matched only by his reticence toward self-promotion and the limelight.
Mr. Doherty said Mr. Sweeney came to him three years ago when the museum - which had been on the second floor of the historic GAR Building at Penn Avenue and Linden Street since 1904 - needed a new home. Mr. Sweeney asked Mr. Doherty whether the basement of City Hall was available after the Police Department's relocation to a modern facility on South Washington Avenue.
Mr. Sweeney assured the mayor that group members would see to renovations.
"It was characteristic Alan," the mayor said. "He said it would be no big deal."
He was right.
Members of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Association of Scranton, which runs the museum, quietly went about putting in new carpets and painting the walls to ready 1,000 square feet of space for their collection of artifacts and literature related to the War Between the States.
In late 2007 the group signed a 10-year lease and began work. A grand reopening ceremony was held Nov. 1, 2008.
"Alan was that rare person who just wanted to make a difference and make everything nice in the city he lived in," Mr. Doherty said. "And he loved history. He embodied history."
The mayor on Sunday presented a commemorative plaque to Mr. Sweeney's widow, Judy, and daughters Kara, 20, and Rachel, 21, before the two young women unveiled a larger plaque in the hall outside the museum's rooms.
About two dozen people then trekked across the street to a reception at the Scranton Club, and a speech by local history columnist Cheryl Kashuba, who teared up during remarks about the man she described as "a mentor and a true friend."
When she first went to volunteer at the historical society, Ms. Kashuba said she expected to find a place that was "staid and stuffy."
"How wrong I was," she explained with a smile. "It was a hopping joint."
She credited much of that energy to Mr. Sweeney and his indefatigable passion for local lore. Indeed, he had a special place in his heart for the Civil War, Ms. Kashuba noted, but that was only one of his many well-plumbed niche interests.
"He could rattle off facts about railroading and coal mining," she said. "He was a walking history book."
In addition to his work with the historical society, Mr. Sweeney wrote books about local history, lobbied for library funding and historic preservation and served on numerous fraternal and civic boards, including that of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority.
No small feat, that, considering Mr. Sweeney was not a professional historian but a district sales manager for Schiff's Food Service who joked with self-effacing humor about how he sold "french fries for a living."
"He didn't think of himself as important," LVHA Executive Director Natalie Solfanelli said. "He was so down-to-earth. I can't tell you how I miss him."
Ms. Kashuba agreed.
"Alan left us too soon," she said. "It's that simple."
ABOVE: Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer: Rachael Sweeney, left, and Kara Sweeney reveal a plaque in the Civil War museum in Scranton City Hall in memory of their father, former Lackawanna Historical Society President Alan Sweeney.
November 9, 2009
Sweeney's name enshrined at Civil War museumby Roger Dupuis II
On the seventh day, members of the Sweeney family always knew where to find dad.
"He spent every Sunday at the historical society," Kara Sweeney said of her father, Alan.
The former president of the Lackawanna Historical Society - a beloved fixture at the group's Catlin House on Monroe Avenue - died of cancer in December at age 55.
"If he wasn't there, he was upstairs, reading his history books," his daughter recalled.
As dusk fell Sunday, Mr. Sweeney's family and friends gathered in the pastel-hued basement of Scranton City Hall to help cement his own place in the book of local history.
The warren of rooms that once housed the city's police headquarters became the new home last year of a century-old Civil War museum, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Sweeney and other dedicated volunteers. On Sunday, the space was rechristened "Alan Sweeney Hall" in his memory.
"I think he wouldn't like everyone making a fuss over him," Ms. Sweeney said. "But I think he would be proud."
Speaker after speaker - friends, family, Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty - recalled a low-key kind of guy whose passion for local history was matched only by his reticence toward self-promotion and the limelight.
Mr. Doherty said Mr. Sweeney came to him three years ago when the museum - which had been on the second floor of the historic GAR Building at Penn Avenue and Linden Street since 1904 - needed a new home. Mr. Sweeney asked Mr. Doherty whether the basement of City Hall was available after the Police Department's relocation to a modern facility on South Washington Avenue.
Mr. Sweeney assured the mayor that group members would see to renovations.
"It was characteristic Alan," the mayor said. "He said it would be no big deal."
He was right.
Members of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Association of Scranton, which runs the museum, quietly went about putting in new carpets and painting the walls to ready 1,000 square feet of space for their collection of artifacts and literature related to the War Between the States.
In late 2007 the group signed a 10-year lease and began work. A grand reopening ceremony was held Nov. 1, 2008.
"Alan was that rare person who just wanted to make a difference and make everything nice in the city he lived in," Mr. Doherty said. "And he loved history. He embodied history."
The mayor on Sunday presented a commemorative plaque to Mr. Sweeney's widow, Judy, and daughters Kara, 20, and Rachel, 21, before the two young women unveiled a larger plaque in the hall outside the museum's rooms.
About two dozen people then trekked across the street to a reception at the Scranton Club, and a speech by local history columnist Cheryl Kashuba, who teared up during remarks about the man she described as "a mentor and a true friend."
When she first went to volunteer at the historical society, Ms. Kashuba said she expected to find a place that was "staid and stuffy."
"How wrong I was," she explained with a smile. "It was a hopping joint."
She credited much of that energy to Mr. Sweeney and his indefatigable passion for local lore. Indeed, he had a special place in his heart for the Civil War, Ms. Kashuba noted, but that was only one of his many well-plumbed niche interests.
"He could rattle off facts about railroading and coal mining," she said. "He was a walking history book."
In addition to his work with the historical society, Mr. Sweeney wrote books about local history, lobbied for library funding and historic preservation and served on numerous fraternal and civic boards, including that of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority.
No small feat, that, considering Mr. Sweeney was not a professional historian but a district sales manager for Schiff's Food Service who joked with self-effacing humor about how he sold "french fries for a living."
"He didn't think of himself as important," LVHA Executive Director Natalie Solfanelli said. "He was so down-to-earth. I can't tell you how I miss him."
Ms. Kashuba agreed.
"Alan left us too soon," she said. "It's that simple."
ABOVE: Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer: Rachael Sweeney, left, and Kara Sweeney reveal a plaque in the Civil War museum in Scranton City Hall in memory of their father, former Lackawanna Historical Society President Alan Sweeney.
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