Interview with Sara Dobie, Public Relations Coordinator

Sara Dobie is a Public Relations Coordinator for a publishing house. If you're an author who doesn't self-promote, she will find you and throw tomatoes. Rotten ones. Read more PR advice from Dobie on her blog: http://saradobie.wordpress.com/.

1. How can an author best utilize his/her personal contacts?

First off, organize them into an email group. (Snail mail is so OUT right now. Too expensive, especially when email is free!) Send this contact group emails regarding upcoming events, new releases, and media coverage/interviews you receive. Develop a fan base; start with your nearest and dearest.

Secondly, do you have a friend in the media? Give them a review copy of your book. Do you have a friend who works with educators/media specialists? Give them a review copy of your book. Do you have a friend who just likes TALKING to everyone in your community? Give them a review copy and tell them to blab all over town.

Having said this, in an ideal world, these personal contacts should go buy your book. (Guilt them into it. Don’t feel bad; it’s your job to sell your book.) Tell your personal contacts to go buy your book at a local bookshop. If the book isn’t in stock, have your friends ask the bookstore to order your book. This starts to get you some attention over time. If your book is selling in bookstores, distributors and store buyers take notice, and bookstores will be more apt and enthusiastic to schedule you for events.

2. What is the best way to prepare for a book signing?

Make flyers for the bookstore where your signing will take place. (A good bookstore will help with this, but just in case, do it yourself!) Hang them up yourself if you have to. It’d be awful if your pretty flyer just sat on a dusty desk, as opposed to hanging in the front window.

Tell your local media about it a couple weeks before the event. If you’re good at the public relations side (meaning, if you’re familiar with AP style and know your journalism junk), write a press release and send it to your newspapers, radio stations, magazines, and TV stations. This press release should include info about you, your book, and all event details. If you’re not comfortable with writing a press release, send local media an email. (Their contact info should be on the newspapers/radio/TV website.) Offer to send a review copy of your book as bait. If you don’t hear from them the week of the event, call them. Stop in the station, if you want. Don’t be afraid of the media. They’re just like you and me, and they’re the ones looking for the next big story. You’re doing them a favor by handing them the breaking news.

Make your signing into a party. Offer an activity or writing workshop on the side as a package deal. Make your event a place for people to learn, as well as meet a totally cool writer person. As an addendum to the party idea, plan to have refreshments at your event. Make it a celebration! Make people want to stick around and meet you! Hey, who doesn’t like free food, right?

Always have tons of books. NEVER run out. NEVER! And if the store will let you, sign the remaining books at the conclusion of your signing. People dig copies signed by the author. Plus, it makes you feel like a big shot. Good stuff.

3. How can an author get the most out of his/her blog?

Offer to review the books of other authors. (Get in touch with the author directly or the public relations guy/gal at the book publishing house.) You’ll get free books out of the deal. Then, you’ll be able to give a fellow author press by posting the review on your blog. Maybe someday they’ll review your book, too. (In theory, scratch their back, and they’ll scratch yours.) Then, hold a book giveaway contest. Ask people to post a comment on your blog to be entered into the giveaway. Choose a name at random, and send them the book. Everyone likes free stuff, and it’ll drive traffic to your site.

Post on the Verla Kay Blueboards. It’s simple. Just sign up: http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php. There’s a Message Board just for blogs. Whenever you post something new on your blog, post a synopsis on the Message Board. It’ll get attention and traffic from your fellow author/illustrators. Basically, you’ll be getting traffic from the industry people who matter, and you might learn something from them in the process.

Always post information about your upcoming events—the where, when, what, why, etc. How are people going to come meet you and buy your book if they don’t know how to find you?

Make your “official” info easy to find, as in contact info, bio, and how to order your book. This will be helpful for media people who want to interview you. It will also be helpful for people who want to buy your book, which in turn, is helpful for YOU.

Post your URL on the internet everywhere you touch. Post it on Jacketflap. Post it on Facebook/MySpace. Leave posts on other publishing industry sites so that people can read your comment and follow your link. Keep that URL in your email signature. Business cards. Press releases. Book website. You get the idea. Basically, post that URL EVERYWHERE.

4. How can an author best use Amazon to his/her advantage?

Whenever a friend/family member/reviewer reads your book, have them post a write up on your Amazon page. The more reviews, the better it looks. It’ll make other people think, “Sheesh! I should probably read this book, too!”

5. How can an author handle a spur of the moment phone interview by the press?

Always be ready to sell yourself and your book. ALWAYS. A phone interview by the press is a lot like a job interview. Instead of them offering you a job at the end of the call, though, they’re assessing the saleability of you and your book. You gotta wow them, or their report on you will be drab and uninspired.

In my personal experience, I’ve done some brainstorming. I prepare a list of possible questions that I think the media would ask. Then, I prepare my answers to these questions and practice. Sounds dorky, but it helps. Like the Boy Scouts—always be prepared. If you know yourself/your aspirations well enough, there will never be a spur of the moment phone interview. There will only be amazing, wonderful, and terribly charming interviews with the press.

Around the Towns: Blakely

Scranton Times-Tribune
June 28, 2009

Around the Towns
Blakely
by Cecilia Baress

Resident Helen Silvestri won the 2009 Volunteer Award for her work at Lackawanna County Prison.

Mrs. Silvestri was selected by the Rev. Ricardo Jackson, prison chaplain, for her weekly prayer group visits.

She said receiving the award was gratifying and humbling. "Naturally, I was pleased," she said.

She has volunteered at the prison for about 20 years, hosting a Catholic Charismatic prayer group for female inmates, she said.

Religious author honored for volunteerism

Times Leader Scranton Edition
June 21, 2009

Religious author honored for volunteerism
by Shelby Fisk

Helen Silvestri, of Peckville, receives award from Lackawanna County Prison.

Local author, Helen Silvestri from Peckville, who wrote “With God There Is Hope: Hope for Humanity” under her pen name, Ellen Chaksil, has won the 2009 Volunteer Award from the Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton.

In 1978, Silvestri said that she attended her first prayer group after being invited by two friends. Although she was originally skeptical about what she would experience, she said going to the prayer group was a life-changing event. She said that she was given the gift of speaking in tongues and nine months later was given the gift of prophecy. Since then she said that she has helped volunteer with religious groups.

In the mid-1980s, Silvestri said that she began her work with the Lackawanna County Prison. Since then she has continued, making weekly visits to the prison to host Monday prayer groups for women.

“It’s a fulfilling experience,” Silvestri said about hosting the prayer groups, because “prayer could change outlooks.”

“There’s a spiritual energy in prayer,” Silvestri said. “It can move mountains.”

There have been many positive and affirming comments from the women that she prays with, Silvestri said. She did not discuss the exact conversations that she’s had with inmates, citing confidentiality. She said that she is also not allowed to speak with women after they are released from prison, so Silvestri said she only hopes for the best for the women that she has met and she feels that praying with women in the prison can help them.

She believes most of the women in the prison have come from dysfunctional families and are misguided.

“Ninety percent of the females in there are in because of drug related crimes,” she said.

Silvestri explained that she feels that there is a void left in everyone by God that can only be filled by God, even though humans sometimes try to fill it in other ways.

“They’re young girls,” Silvestri said, “hoping to get into rehab.”

“When they’re sentenced we pray that justice will be done.”

Silvestri said that she often reads Scriptures from the Bible to comfort the women.

“Jesus said we’re forgiven 70 times, seven times,” Silvestri said. “Letting them know there is help is important.”

“We’re all children of God,” Silvestri said, noting that some women have found religion through her prayer groups.

“We have common ground (regardless of religious affiliations),” she added.

In her prayer groups, she said that she shares the same message that is prominent in her book: the power of prayer.

“Seeing the power of prayer,” she said is important.

“Yesterday (June 16) was the 20th anniversary of my son’s death,” Silvestri said. “It (prayer) helps you get through (tough times).”

Silvestri has traveled locally, nationally and for the last two years internationally volunteering her time with religious work.

“All I ever hope for is to touch a heart,” Silvestri said.

“You’ve got to do what you can,” Silvestri said adding that inspiration from God keeps her going.

“I’ve had an exciting life in the Lord,” Silvestri said.

Silvestri is a member of the parishes of St. Patrick, Holy Ghost, and St. Michael the Archangel in Olyphant, where she serves as a eucharistic minister and lector. She is also president of the Confraternity of Christian Women, coordinator of RENEW, and is a member of the parish and finance councils.

Her book, “With God There Is Hope: Hope for Humanity,” can be purchased at tribute-books.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com, booksamillion.com and powells.com or can be special ordered at local bookstores.

Barnes & Noble College Booksellers on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre will host a book signing with Silvestri on Saturday, Aug. 15, from noon to 2 p.m.

Helen Silvestri

TOWN OF RESIDENCE: Peckville

OCCUPATION: Self-employed

HOW MANY YEARS: Almost 49 years

CHARITIES, VOLUNTEER PROJECTS: Religious volunteer work on local, national and international levels

FAMILY: Husband, Bruno; children, Marie, Paul, and the late John; grandchildren, Laura, 27; Sarah, 20; David, 19; Matthew, 16; Morgan, 14

EDUCATION: Archbald High School and some university theology work

HOBBIES, INTERESTS: Cooking and golf

ABOVE: Helen Silvestri greets Pope Benedict XVI.

Andrea Nepa Interview with AdoptionBlogs.com

AdoptionBlogs.com
June 18, 2009

Talking with Andrea Nepa, Author of Red In the Flower Bed
by Robyn Chittister

I was recently contacted by Tribute Books with a great opportunity - to interview Andrea Nepa, adoptive mom and author of Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption. I read the book and asked Andrea a few questions.

Andrea Nepa and her husband adopted their daughter Leah from Vietnam in 2001. Although she is a dietician, she took on the challenge of writing and illustrating a children's book for her daughter. Red in the Flower Bed was published in December 2008, and has received several positive reviews.

In the book, a seed who is unable to grow in the garden she starts it travels the world until she settles in a far off flower bed. The other flowers are anxious to see what the new flower will look like, who she will be. When the seed sprouts, she becomes a beautiful red poppy. Though there aren't any other red poppies in the garden, she and the other flowers are happy because she completes their rainbow of colors.

Now, more from Andrea herself...

RobynC: Has writing always been a favorite pastime?

Andrea Nepa: I've always loved to read, but creative writing isn't something I do all that often.

RC: When did first think about creating a children's book?

AN: I was inspired to write this story when my daughter was about 3 years old. We felt so lucky to have such a beautiful little girl from all the way on the other side of the world. Her background was a mystery to us and when she asked us questions about her birth mother we didn't know the answer. She seemed to have feelings of abandonment when she was able to understand the concept of adoption, and it was important to make her feel loved and wanted.

RC: How long did it take the idea to become reality?

AN: It took a few years to finish writing the story. I would think about it and write a little then put it away for a while. I didn't intend on illustrating it, too, but I wanted the pictures to be appealing to children and put the words into pictures. So I decided to make it look the way I wanted it, which took another year or so.

RC: The illustrations for the book are beautiful. What techniques did you use to create them?

AN: I used a collage technique for the illustrations. My favorite children's book illustrators are Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert, so I was inspired by their styles.

RC: Finally, a more personal question, because it's one I get all the time. Are you and your husband thinking about adopting again?

AN: We originally planned on having a sibling for our daughter Leah, but when we started to seriously think about adopting again she got very sick so we put things on hold. Now not only is Vietnam closed for adoptions, but we feel that at this point she would be too much older than an infant or toddler, plus we really can't afford it anyway. So that is the honest answer (I don't mind when people ask).

Andrea Nepa Interview with Road to Ethiopia Blog

Road to Ethiopia
June 16, 2009

Red in the Flower Bed
by Alicia Grinberg

I had the wonderful chance to interview the author of a children’s book about transracial adoption, Andrea Nepa. She is an adoptive parent herself, her beautiful girl is from Vietnam and is already 7 1/2 years old.

Even when there are many books about transracial adoption for adults, I wasn’t able to find any other book about that subject for children. We always wonder how are we going to explain to our children, once they are old enough, about their journey and ours, about how they became part of the family. It’s a delicate subject and each of us are trying to find a way to discuss it with the children without hurting them but also without lying to them.

Every age is different and it’s important not to say more than the child needs at each stage, more than he or she is able to understand. And we need to talk about adoption and for many of us about race too.

That’s what happened to Andrea Nepa and it is the idea behind her book at a very special time in the life of her child, when the little girl was diagnosed with cancer and many more questions about her identity were asked.

And the answers took the form of a book titled Red in the Flower Bed. The book tells about the journey of a little poppy seed that needs to go in search of a place where she can grow up.

Here is what I asked Andrea and her answers:

Can you tell us about your transracial adoption experience?

“We chose to adopt from Vietnam because we were told that young, healthy infants were available and the wait wasn’t long. We were able to choose the gender of the child we wanted, but after that it was a first come, first serve basis. We didn’t have any choice in who the child was (and no information about the birth parents or the circumstances of the adoption were known), but in many ways it seems like we were destined to have this child. From the moment I first saw photos of my daughter I couldn’t imagine any other child as mine. We went to Vietnam when she was only 4 months old to get her. As soon as she was placed in my arms at the orphanage I felt bonded to her. I can’t say it was love at first sight, but it didn’t take long. By the end of the 2 weeks that we stayed in Vietnam she seemed fully bonded to us. The opportunity to have experienced her place of birth was priceless. I remember suddenly having an intense feeling of sadness for her when we were at the airport on the way back home. It seemed like she was being ripped away from her homeland and forever separated from her birth mother. But one thing was sure: she was a beautiful baby in need of a loving home. She is now 7 1/2 years old, and we are in touch with many Asian adoptees of her age, including those in our travel group. We also attend Asian New Year celebrations through our adoption agency and other events. Her favorite restaurant is a Vietnamese restaurant near us in Philadelphia, although she enjoys many other "ethnic" foods as well!”

How did you come up with the idea of comparing a transracial adoption to the journey of a seed?

“The idea started when my daughter starting asking questions about her adoption, and we didn’t have the answers. One especially sad memory is her at 5 years old sitting in a hospital bed receiving chemotherapy and asking "Does my birth mother know I’m here?" She often expressed sadness about "missing" her birth mother, and I suspect she had a lot of feelings of abandonment, too. She had come so far away from her place of birth and had "landed" with us. It seemed like more than coincidence that she ended up being 20 minutes away from the best children’s hospital in the country, if not the world. Her journey as a young infant to the other side other world and then fighting cancer seemed like a big journey for a little girl. I chose a seed because when you adopt a child you don’t know who that child is, but end up loving him/her for whoever they become. It is wonderful seeing a child’s personality emerge as they grow up. In the story the garden flowers accepted the seed for who she was even before they knew what kind of flower she would be. I chose a flower seed because of several reasons: The seed blossomed into another red poppy like its birth mom to represent the fact that a child retains his/her identity no matter where it lives; heritage can’t be denied or ignored. When my daughter asks what her birth mom looks like I say "she looks like you", which she loves to hear. Another reason is that with love and good care the seed blossomed into her full potential, much like a child would in a good family.”

The illustrations are beautiful. What technique did you use?

“My main goal was to attract the attention of young children with colorful, eye-pleasing pictures. It’s important in children’s books for the pictures to bring the words to life. I was inspired by the collage techniques of Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert, two of my favorite children’s book illustrators.”

Are you planning to write more books?

“I think I would be more interested in illustrating another children’s book than writing one. I asked my daughter if she would like me to write a book about her hospital experience, but she said no. So I have to respect that.”

Personally I found the book very moving and it’s a beautiful and poetic way to explain a small child how he/she became a part of our “garden” and that we love him just they way he is, with his own “colors”. The identity of the child is an important part of who he is and should be protected and celebrated, not ignored and the same goes for his/her birth parents no matter the circumstances of the adoption. If you want to read more about Andrea’s story, please visit her blog, and if you want to know more about the book and see some examples the illustrations visit Tribute Books.

Power of Self-Promotion

Electric City
June 11, 2009

Power of Self-Promotion
by Alicia Grega

It wasn’t too long after graduating from Marywood University that Nicole Langan decided to defy naysayers and set up a publishing company in her hometown of Archbald. Tribute Books is now in its 5th year of assisting independent writers see their manuscripts transformed into bonafide books with slick covers, clean layouts and effective media campaigns behind them. More than 22 titles are currently available. Wonder how your long-dreamed volume might someday join them on bookstore shelves? Langan will present a workshop titled “How to Publish a Book” Tuesday at 6:30 at Danielle and Company on Adams Avenue in Scranton. A fee of $5 will be charged. Class size is limited to 20 students. Call 207-1777 to make a reservation or visit www.tribute-books.com for more information.

Inkweaver Review of Call Me Kate

Inkweaver Review

“Call Me Kate,” by Molly Roe

http://inkweaver-review.blogspot.com/2009/06/call-me-kate-by-molly-roe.html

“Call Me Kate,” by Molly Roe is a historical fiction story about a young Irish girl living during the Civil War era.

Kate McCafferty lives in the Patch, a small coal mining community. Most of the families of the Patch are Irish. For their entire, and sometimes tragically short, lives the men and boys work hard in the coal mines to make a living. Dangerous work conditions and unfair mine owners add to the difficulty of life in the Patch. Many of the Irish men are angry over their life and the racism shown against Irish.

With the start of the Civil War a new threat looms on the horizon. Poor Irish men are being drafted into the war effort because they don’t have the money to pay for an exemption. No concern is shown for their wives and children, who will have to suffer the loss of a spouse or father.

The Irish men of the Patch form a secret society called the Molly Maguires. Its goal is to fight the draft and protect its members from the draft. Kate’s friend Con becomes deeply involved in the effort, but Kate fears for his safety because the Molly Maguires seem to be headed toward disaster. Many of them have very angry and violent attitudes.

Then Kate learns of their ultimate plan. The Molly Maguires plan to blow up the train tracks and derail the draft train. Then the men of the Patch won’t be taken away in the draft.

Kate is afraid that this desperate plan will end with many Irish men, including her friend Con imprisoned. So Kate comes up with her own plan. By disguising herself and posing as a draft resister who was blacklisted by the mine owners, Kate infiltrates the Molly Maguires and attempts to bring about a peaceful solution to the problem.

Overall I would say that “Call Me Kate” is a decent book. Kate is an imaginative and strong heroine, and her personality really comes into action in the last few chapters of the book. However, the story takes a while to get to its climax, and for most of the first three quarters of the book Kate plays a minimal role, as she is far away from the theatre of action.

Despite the fact that this part of the book seems to drag on a little, it is full of strange gaps and breaks that ruin the flow of the plot. Many of the chapters have weeks or months of time between them, and they start with a brief summary of what happened in the interim time between. The flow of the book feels a little sacrificed as if portions of the story were edited out at the last minute.

Even if there are breaks in the plot, there are definitely no shortcomings in the excellent details that Molly Roe uses to enliven the historical scenes. I feel that the portrayal of Civil War era life is very authentic, and at the same time it subtly teaches much about how people worked, played, and thought in that time period.

“Call Me Kate” is a decent historical novel. I feel that it is a good education book, even though it is not as exciting or as polished as some other historical fiction I’ve read.

Inkweaver Book Rating:

Plot

Characters

Presentation

Overall

Andrea Nepa Interview with Children's Hope International

Children's Hope International

Interview with Andrea Napa: Red in the Flower Bed (Children's Adoption Author)

Andrea Napa is the author of the new adoption-themed children's book, Red in the Flower Bed. Andrea is the mother of an adopted Vietnamese daughter named Leah. She is a registered dietitian at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Red in the Flower Bed is for recommended for readers ages 9-12. This interview was conducted over email in June 2009. Thank you for sharing, Andrea!

1. When and why did you begin writing Red in the Flower Bed?

When my daughter was 4 months old we brought her home from Vietnam. She understood from an early age that she was adopted, and sometimes would cry that she missed her birth mother. She would also ask questions that we didn't have the answer to, as we were not given any info. as to who her birth parents were or why she was given up. Her saddness and my inability to answer her questions was inspiration for writing this story. I started writing it when she was about 3 or 4, and from time to time I would work on it. The story just wouldn't leave me. Then just when she turned 5 years old she was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, a rare form of childhood bone cancer. (After major surgery and 8 months of chemotherapy she has now been in remission for 2 years). The concept of the seed's journey took on even more significance, as it seemed that she had already journeyed very far (both literally and figuratively) for a little girl. She was taken from her birth place half way around the world as an infant and then fought cancer a few years later. Furthermore, I couldn't help wondering if she had "landed" in the right place, as we live only 20 minutes away from the best children's hospital in the country, if not the world. I also happened to work there. It seemed more than coincidence that she ended up with us.

2. In Red in the Flower Bed, the poppy seed flower is beautiful but does not look like the other flowers in the family garden. Although it is not mentioned in the text directly, this story is an illustration of interracial adoption. How old is your daughter now and how does she react when you read your book to her?

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. My daughter is now 7 1/2 years old. She loves the idea that I wrote a book and asked me to read it to her second grade class and is hoping that I will end up on TV! Her favorite page is the last page with the rainbow. I think she interprets this to mean that she is wanted and needed in our family, even though she does not look like us and is not a birth child like most of her friends. She also seems to be comforted by the mother poppy being sad, as it helps her feel that she wasn't just thrown away by her birth mother. Also, I made the seed turn into a red poppy flower like its birth flower, since when my daughter asks what her birth mom looks like I can say with some confidence "she looks like you", which she loves to hear. She is proud of her Vietnamese background and always answers that she is from Vietnam whenever someone asks where she is from (even if they just mean what state). I hope that she will never feel ashamed of looking different from her family or classmates. In this story the seed retains its identity no matter where it lands since its heritage can't be ignored or denied. Note that the garden flowers accepted the seed for who she was even before they knew what kind of flower she would be. The seed blossomed into her full potential because she was given the care and love she needed.

3. What are some good questions / statements an adopting parent might add to this story to further relate to their child?

Questions to prompt the child to think about the story could include: Why do you think this story is called Red in the Flower Bed? Even though the poppy did not look like the other flowers in the garden, was she still part of its family? Who did she look like? What did the seed need to grow in the garden? Do all flowers need this? How was the garden changed by the poppy flower?

4. Can you explain the choices made in the illustration technique?

My main goal was to attract the attention of young children with colorful, eye-pleasing pictures. In children's books it's important for the pictures to bring the words to life. I was inspired by the art techniques of Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert, two of my favorite children's book artists. One adult reader commented that the collage style using different prints makes that point that "we are all one and can come together to form a single family".

5. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I think that it's important to accept your child unconditionally for who they are, and to acknowledge your child's place of birth and heritage. It will always be a part of them. It is also important to respect your child's desire to know their background. It is their right to know. Allow them to talk about it and ask questions, even if you don't know the answer. Be honest.

Molly Roe Interview with The Historical Novel

The Historical Novel
posted by Mirella Sichirollo Patzer

1. Welcome, I’m so glad to have this opportunity to chat with you. Can you share with my readers the essence of the story you’ve penned?

Thank you for your interest in my book. Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires is the story of Katie McCafferty, a girl living in the Pennsylvania coal region during the Civil War. After her father is critically injured in a mining accident, Katie seeks work as a domestic to help provide for her family. She must leave her family and friends in Murphy’s Patch to work at the estate of a coal baron in a nearby city. There she hears a group of wealthy industrialists discuss plans to ruthlessly squash an upcoming draft protest. Among the protesters are people from her community, including her childhood friend, Con Gallagher. Katie is conflicted about the best way to intervene, but she eventually launches herself into the events of the day, including the draft protest, putting her job and life at risk.

2. You’ve chosen a very interesting title. What inspired the title? What inspired the book?

The title is in two parts. The first Call Me Kate reflects the coming of age of Katie, who matures during the course of the story, hence the change from Katie to Kate. The second part, Meeting the Molly Maguires, specifies the setting, the early Molly Maguire era. The Molly Maguires, the legendary secret society of Irish miners, were considered labor heroes by some people and terrorists by others.

The book was inspired by the information I learned while researching my family history. My sense of wonder was kindled at the way people lived in the nineteenth century. Life was very difficult, but people somehow kept surmounting the obstacles set in their way. While growing up, I’d heard many stories about the Molly Maguires, but never knew how intimately connected they were to both sides of my family tree.

3. What makes this book special to you?

The basis of the story is really very personal. It’s the fictionalized story of my ancestors who came to Pennsylvania because of the Great Famine in Ireland so it’s an homage to them. Catharine McCafferty was the name of my great-great-grandmother and her mother’s name was Mary McCall, the names of the characters in the novel.


4. What makes this a book that people MUST read and WHY?

The idea that people will be forced to relive the mistakes of the past if they do not study history is definitely a motivating factor. The themes in the historical events are eerily repetitive: immigration, war protests, injustice, the greed of big business, the abuse of the working man, and the list goes on. We need to keep teaching the younger generations to learn from the past. Since I teach seventh and eighth graders, the educational value is always in my mind.

5. What sparks your creativity? Any tips to help others spark their own creativity?

Connecting with people from other generations or cultures often sparks creative ideas. I’ve always enjoyed hearing the stories of the older generation, and now I find dialogue with the younger generation also fascinating. Reading is another way my ideas emerge. I’ve always been a reader and constantly wondered “what if” when reading the works of other writers. My number one tip to beginning writers is to read, read, read.

6. What has been the biggest stumbling block in your writing? Can you share some tips to help others get past similar problems?

Time is probably the biggest hurdle. Teaching teenagers is very demanding, and grading papers sometimes saps my energy. Historical fiction requires a lot of research and fact checking at libraries and historical societies, and I have limited travel time during the school year. I use the summer to accomplish as much research as possible. Regarding time, everyone has different biorhythms so each writer must find what works personally.

7. Tell me about the most unusual things you have done to promote your book?

I haven’t done anything too dramatic regarding promotion, although a friend jokingly suggested a float in the local St. Patrick’s Day parade. I’ve promoted my book at talks in several historical locations in northeastern Pennsylvania and managed to get it accepted into gift shops at two state and one national historical site. I’m currently creating a WebQuest for middle school students related to Call Me Kate that addresses Pennsylvania history and language arts standards.

8. Each author is different in the way they create a work of fiction. Please describe for us how you plan or plot a story.

For Call Me Kate and Sarah’s Story I developed a timeline of the actual historical dates of the events that occurred. The dates are set so I have to fill in the fictional part between those dates. For the fictional part of the plot, I follow a framework that was described in a writer’s workbook. I start with a core sentence describing the story and break it into parts that represent the main sections of the novel. Then I enlarge on the core theme and build on each part in stages. This becomes the basic outline. When I looked back at it after the novel was written, I realized the story took a few unexpected turns. When I get blocked on a certain section, I jump ahead and write the parts that I am confident about.

9. Authors are very unique in the way they write, the tools they use, when they write, etc. Please describe a typical writing day for you? How do you organize your day?

I’m an absolute night owl so my ordinary writing time is between 10 PM -1:30 AM. This is definitely my best time and always has been. My scheduled work day is from 7:15 to 2:45, but I’m usually in my classroom until at least 3:45. When I get home I nap for an hour, then make dinner, grade papers and finally settle in to writing for a while. Some nights I get a lot done, but as long as I write two pages I’m satisfied. I use my desktop computer at home for writing. When away I use my laptop. Somehow being in the same place at my desktop helps me avoid distractions so I rarely use the laptop at home.

10. What is your current work in progress?

I am currently working on the second book in the McCafferty sisters’ trilogy. The tentative title is Sarah’s Story: The Curse on Centralia. The setting of my first novel was a re-creation of my maternal great-grandparents’ town. This second novel is set in Centralia where my father’s grandparents lived from the 1860s to the 1900s. Sarah’s Story continues examining the Molly Maguire history with the murder of a mine superintendent.

11. Can you tell us where to find more information about you and your books and how readers can reach you?

My publisher, Nicole Langan, has lots of information on the Tribute Books website, www.tribute-books.com. My e-mail address is mollyroe3@yahoo.com. I also have a blog, http://conversationsfromthesideporch.blogspot.com/

12. What would you like our readers to know about you and your writing?

My writing arises from a pride in my heritage and in my ancestors’ stoicism. My pen name is a tribute to Mollyroe, the townland in Donegal, Ireland, where my great-grandfather was born. I firmly believe that we need to acknowledge that our ancestors paved the way for an easier life for us here in the present.

Molly Roe Interview with The Boogle

The Boogle

Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires

by Molly Roe

Tribute Books, 2008

168 pages, historical fiction

Ladies and gentlemen, The Boogle is proud to present our first ever author interview! Please welcome Molly Roe author of Call Me Kate!!!!

The Boogle: What is Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires about?
MR: Call Me Kate is the story of the adventures and tribulations of Katie McCafferty and her family in the hard coal region of Pennsylvania. During the Civil War, conflict between mine owners and their employees resulted in labor strikes and riots. The Company owners considered the workers’ behavior treasonous, and eventually they attached the name “Molly Maguire” to anyone resisting the draft or fighting for labor rights.
Katie becomes aware of the turmoil when her best friend, Con Gallagher, joins the protesters and is blacklisted from work in the local mine. To save her friend from the inevitable consequences of his impulsiveness, she gets entangled with the anti-draft faction, and her own safety is jeopardized. The novel is a coming of age story as well as an introduction to the beginnings of the secret society called the Molly Maguires.

The Boogle: Sounds pretty cool. I’m fascinated by stories of labor strife and civil unrest. What inspired you to write this book?
MR: After years of researching genealogy, I decided to put my thoughts into writing for future generations. The family stories I heard while growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania amazed me; the stoicism of the people was astounding. I found many of my “ordinary” relatives mentioned in the historical records and trial transcripts of the Molly Maguire era and wondered how they survived the extraordinary events of the time. The “whys” and “what ifs” led to Call Me Kate, my first novel.

The Boogle: Why do you write historical fiction?

MR: Historical fiction fascinates me because it gives an insight into how people lived in past centuries. Many of the junior high students that I teach are unaware of how their ancestors lived. I hope to inspire my readers to learn about the past by providing stories that inform as well as entertain.

The Boogle: Who are some of your favorite authors and what are some of your favorite books?
MR: My reading tastes are eclectic. I’ve always loved the early nineteenth century novels of Jane Austen and the Brontes. Pride and Prejudice is my all-time favorite, with Jane Eyre and Persuasion tied for second place. On a totally different note, some other favorites are Stephen King’s horror stories, especially The Stand and The Shining; James A. Michener’s novels, and Pearl Buck’s stories set in China. Since I teach junior high, I also try to keep up with YA lit so I’ve read many popular series such as Harry Potter, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Twilight, and the works of Gary Paulsen and J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Boogle: What is next? What are you currently working on?
MR: Before I started writing Call Me Kate, I outlined the lives of all three McCafferty sisters: Kate, Sarah, and Maymie. I’m currently half way through the first draft of Sarah’s Story: The Curse on Centralia. The story line picks up the McCaffertys’ lives three years after the war when they are forced to move to another county. There the second oldest sister finds work as a governess for the mine superintendent’s daughters in Centralia, PA. Once again talk of the Molly Maguires dominate the town to the extent that the parish priest warns the people that their nefarious dealings will bring the town to a bad end. The mine fire has reduced the town to six residents as of this writing, seeming to validate the priest’s curse of one hundred forty years ago.

The Boogle: Thanks Mollie – best of luck with the book!

Call Me Kate is available from Tribute Books and amazon.

Andrea Nepa Interview with the Extraordinary Mom's Network Blog

Extraordinary Mom's Network Blog

Special Book for Adoptive Families

The book I’d like to review today is entitled Red in the Flower Bed, by Andrea Nepa (Tribute Books). Andrea is an adoptive mother of a little girl from Vietnam, and I had the pleasure of asking her a few questions about her book:

1. Tell me a bit about your international adoption story.

Our adoption journey began when we went to Vietnam to get our daughter when she was 4 months old. We stayed there for 2 weeks, which was an incredible way to get to know a little bit about her place of birth. We loved watching her spunky personality emerge as she grew. Our biggest challenge so far was when she was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, a rare pediatric bone cancer, at the age of 5. (After major surgery and 8 months of chemo, she has now been in remission for 2 years).

She understood from an early age that she was adopted and sometimes would cry that she missed her birth mother. Her mourning and my inability to answer her questions about her adoption (we were not given any info. as to who her biological parents were or even the circumstances of her being given up) was part of my inspiration to write this story. Plus, I felt that somehow perhaps she was meant to be with us, since we live only 20 minutes away from the best children’s hospital in the country, if not the world.

2. What advice would you give parents who adopt an older child, and run into difficulties parenting that child — if the “flower” has difficulty fitting in their particular garden?

You have to acknowledge and respect the child’s cultural heritage no matter what age they are adopted at. The idea isn’t necessarily for the flower to have to fit in to the garden, but for the flower and garden to complement each other with their differences. It is no doubt much harder for an older child to adjust to a new family in a new culture than for a very young child. Ideally, the child should be accepted by their family unconditionally for who they are and not have to live up to expectations for the kind of person they “should” be. The garden flowers accepted the seed for who she was before they knew what kind of flower she would be. Also, I believe that parents need to be flexible in adapting to the personality of their child (whether or not they are adopted, but of course this is just my opinion!).

3. The image of “seed” can be a loaded one for some adoptive families, especially those whose children come from neglectful or abusive backgrounds. The suggestion is that — no matter what you do to raise the child, all he is and will ever be is already determined in the “seed.” How would you respond to this?

The seed retains its identity no matter where it lands, since its heritage can’t be denied and shouldn’t be ignored. Looking different is not something to be ashamed of. In the story the seed thrived and blossomed into a healthy, beautiful flower because it was given the love and care it needed. Superficially the poppy looks like her birth flower, but also in a good environment she is allowed to reach her full potential. Likewise, a child who experiences an abusive home will likely be influenced in a negative way. This is one good reason to adopt a needy child! All children deserve a loving home.

4. What do you say to grown international adoptees who long to know more about their roots, but don’t know how to begin?

I don’t have direct experience with this, but from an adoptive parent’s perspective I will say that it is important to be honest with your child as much as possible even if this means saying “I don’t know”. The child should not be made to feel guilty about asking questions about their past; it’s their right to know. The only question that my daughter asks that I can honestly answer with some confidence is when she wants to know what her birth mother looks like. She loves to hear “she looks like you”. This is another reason why I made the seed turn out as a red poppy like its mother flower. In terms of dealing with adoption issues, it is important for adoptees to have contact with other adoptees.

Heritage Press Sandglass Companion Book: 1960-1983 Video Book Trailer

Mollies recalled at Eckley program

Hazleton Standard Speaker
May 5, 2009

Mollies recalled at Eckley program
by Joseph Bezares

Eckley Miners' Village Associates hosted a Molly Maguires program in their auditorium on Sunday.

The event began with some traditional Irish folk music and songs about the Molly Maguires by singer Steve Stanislaw and Jerry Sweeney.

Stanislaw sang classics like "Make Way for the Molly Maguires" and "Lament for the Molly Maguires."

Even though this was his first time doing a Molly Maguires-themed event in Eckley, Stanislaw has played at places like Molly Maguires Pub in Philadelphia.

Next at the podium was Molly Roe, author of the book "Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires."

According to her bio on the book, Molly Roe is the pen name of Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts and reading teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School. Her son, John Garrett, is the illustrator of the cover.

Her book takes place in 1861, the beginning of the Civil War, and follows the adventures of 14-year-old Katie McCafferty as she infiltrates a secret Irish organization called the Molly Maguires.

After doing a family history, Mary Garrity Slaby wanted to make the coal mining era more relevant to the age group she teaches (7-8) and entice those children to immerse themselves in their own family histories.

She said this book started out as a chapter and after four years of writing, researching and editing finally blossomed into the first book of a trilogy.

"I think (the hardest part) was more decision making on how to go about it," Slaby said. Communication was so limited during that time period, it was hard to piece together the information with the many gaps in history, she said.

After her lecture, Slaby began her book signing while Stanislaw began singing Irish folk tunes again.

Around the Region: Weatherly

Pottsville Republican Herald
May 1, 2009

Around the Region
Weatherly

Eckley Miner's Village Associates will host a Molly Maguire-themed program on Sunday in the visitors' center auditorium, free and open to the public. At 1 p.m., Irish folk singer Steve Stanislaw will perform traditional Irish music. At 2 p.m., author Molly Roe will present a lecture on her latest novel, "Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires," which focuses on life in the coal region during the Civil War and the Molly Maguires' struggle against the draft act. A book signing will follow the lecture. Eckley is nine miles east of Hazleton, just off Route 940. For more information, call 636-2070 or go to the village Web site at www.eckleyminers.org.

Recommended by Adoptions from the Heart

Adoptions from the Heart
Book Review
by Heidi Gonzalez

Red in the Flower Bed: A Story About Inter-racial Adoption by Andrea Nepa - Written by one of AFTH's families, this abstract story is about a small poppy seed that makes a long journey to find itself in a garden with other flowers that don't look anything like the beautiful red poppy the seed grows into. It is a story of acceptance and teaches that you don't have to look the same to fit in. It's a good way to introduce the topic of diversity to children.

History jumps off the page

Scranton Times
April 12, 2009

History jumps off the page
by Cheryl Kashuba

Irish Miners

"Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires" (www.tribute-books.com), by Molly Roe, is fiction grounded in authentic history. Fourteen-year-old Katie McCafferty infiltrates a secret Irish organization to save her friend and prevent bloodshed. This book recreates, in vivid detail, life among the Irish coal miners in the days just before the Civil War. While the story provides a glimpse into the dangers of a mining community, it focuses on the draft practices that took Irish immigrants, sometimes against their will. The book is especially suitable for younger readers. But its careful rendering of facts makes it appealing to anyone interested in mining history and the history of Irish immigrants.

The book brings local history to life. Thoroughly researched, with careful attention to accuracy, it offers an authentic view into an interesting segment of our region's past.

The Lackawanna Historical Society carries a wide range of local history publications. For a listing, go to www.lackawannahistory.org or call the society at 570-344-3841.

WNEP-TV 16, Call Me Kate at the Lackawanna Historical Society

If You Go

Scranton Times
April 5, 2009

If You Go
by Cheryl Kashuba

Molly Roe, author of "Call Me Kate," will appear at the Catlin House today at 2 p.m. A dramatic novel about a young girl who infiltrates a secret Irish society, the story is set in the anthracite coal region during the Civil War era.

"The Lackawanna Historical Society is always pleased to see new and creative ways to promote an interest in our local history," said Society Director Mary Ann Moran-Savakinus. "We are delighted to know that local authors are using their heritage to develop new publications."

The Mollies through a young girl's eyes

Times News
April 4, 2009

The Mollies through a young girl's eyes
Dimmick Library to feature author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires
by Al Zagofsky

"I write as Molly Roe," said Mary Garrity Slaby, the author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires. Several years ago, she came to the Dimmick Memorial Library in Jim Thorpe to research her family history and in an old census, she discovered that her great grandfather came from Mollyroe, Ireland.

Slaby, a Coaldale native with a Ph.D. in education, liked the name, parsed it into two words, and adopted it as her pen name. Call Me Kate, the result of 10 years of research, is Molly Roe's first novel but not her last. She has accumulated such a wealth of material, that Call Me Kate is being released as the first volume of a trilogy.

Meet Mary Garrity Slaby, a.k.a. Molly Roe, at the Dimmick Memorial Library's "Meet the Author" event on Thursday evening April 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and learn about Molly Roe, her family's history and her novel, Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires.

Molly Roe's historical fiction tells the story of 14-year-old Katie McCafferty. After her family immigrates to northeastern Pennsylvania from Ireland, Katie gains employment as a servant in the mansion of coal baron Ario Pardee in Hazleton.

Over the next two years, Katie, named and loosely based-on Roe's great great grandmother, Katherine McCafferty, infiltrates the Irish resistance to the Civil War conscription - a movement that the Pottsville Miners Journal labeled, the Molly Maguires.

Disguised as a draft resister, Katie risks job, family, and eventually her life to prevent bloodshed and rescue a lifelong friend.

"All eight of my great grandparents came from Ireland," said Roe. "They started coming in 1847 - the great hunger years. Some came later into the 1870s."

"The book has several facets," she explained. "There is the immigration, the coal mines, and how the Molly Maguires started. May people think of them in the 1870s but they started in the Civil War years."

It all began as a family history research. "I didn't plan to write a book," Roe said. "When I got into it, I learned so many details. After I finished telling everyone who might be interested, I thought I had all this information, I might as well do something with it."

When not Molly Roe the author, Slaby teaches reading and language arts to seventh and eighth graders. "I realized the relevance of history is a lot greater to students if they can picture themselves with their ancestors living it. So, she wrote the novel for the 12 to 15-year-old market. Pleasantly surprised, she discovered that the book has become popular with the octogenarians who remember the era when coal was king.

Slaby, who was born in Philadelphia and now lives in Dallas, Pa., grew up in Coaldale in the 1960s and 70s. "The mines were closing and people were leaving the area to go to other places," she said. "After the Second World War, the coal industry was in decline. People still worked as miners and had the attributes of miners-missing fingers, coal particles embedded in their face, and hacking coughs into handkerchiefs because of black lung."

"My take on the Molly Maguires?" Roe was asked. "They don't seem to have been, so much of an organized group of people. The coal companies and the railroad putting their name on events. Once you call somebody something, it begins to have a life of its own."

"Like Kate in the story, there were people called Molly Maguires who had no idea of what the Molly Maguires were," she explained. "They were probably afraid of them themselves."

"There were crimes at the time. Certainly, people did commit crimes," she said. "But every crime started to become a Molly crime. Even if it was a crime of jealousy. In Summit Hill, a man committed a murder - a crime of jealousy, and he got away with it because it was blamed on the Mollies. I think they took the Ancient Order of Hibernians, plastered a name on them and then everyone was tarred with the same brush."

Roe who had suspected that her family had been close to the Mollies, had always received denials from her family. "During the research for the book, I learned that my great grandmother was the maid of honor at Alec Campbell's wedding," said Roe. "His wife was first cousin of my great grandmother." Alec Campbell, one of the alleged Molly Maguires who were hanged on June 21, 1877, is most remembered as the man whose handprint remains on the Old Jail Museum wall in Jim Thorpe.

Mary Garrity Slaby, a.k.a. Molly Roe will speak at the "Meet the Author" event on Thursday evening April 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Dimmick Memorial Library 54 Broadway in Jim Thorpe.

For information call: (570) 325-2131.

Molly of the Mines

The Weekender
April 1, 2009

Molly of the Mines

Molly Roe, author of the historical fiction novel "Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires," will sign copies of the book beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 5 at the Lackawanna County Historical Society (Catlin House, 232 Monroe Ave., Scranton, 570.344.3841). The book is published by Archbald-based Tribute Books.

Roe is also a contributing author to "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk High School," as well as a teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School.

Visiting Bottega

Windsor Park Theater
March 29, 2009

Visiting Bottega
by Anthony J. Mussari

Clarks Summit is one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s treasures. It is small town America at its very best. Visiting what is known as the gateway to the Endless Mountains is always an enjoyable experience. On this spring morning, the Bottega Art and Book Boutique was my destination of choice. For two hours, it would be the home to more than a dozen regional authors.

The sun was high in the sky when I made the left hand turn onto Depot Street. I parked the car, and I slowly made my way toward the attractive store front strategically located a stone’s throw from the intersection of the main drag, State Street.

I turned to my right, and I was face to face with the author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires. Earlier in the week, I read an article about the author, Mary Garrity-Slaby, who writes under the pen name, Molly Roe. This made it easy to begin our conversation.

Mary is a very pleasant woman with a beautiful smile and a very sharp mind. She is a teacher by profession and a writer by choice. Her novel about 14-year old Kate McCafferty has taken her to events across the once thriving anthracite coalfields of Northeastern Pennsylvania. On this day, she was celebrating her accomplishments with other authors at Bottega.

In a world that too often appears to be a world of all crime, contention, confrontentation, violence, and lack of humanity all the time, the people like the people I met at Bottega prove that this is not the case. That is not the reality of our cities or our neighborhoods. That is not what is in people’s hearts.

The writers who gathered at Bottega are dedicated to bringing people together, solving problems, telling stories of hope, healing wounds, and making our country a better place for everyone. These are the men and women who are seeking a newer world.

Albert Camus, one of my heroes of the turbulent 60s, said it best, "The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself."

the words of Emily Dickinson and William Wordsworth came to mind:

A word is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just begins
to live that day.

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

Visiting Bottega was a day of life and breathings of the heart.

Teen twist on Mollies

Scranton Times-Tribune
March 8, 2009

Teen twist on Mollies
Author puts young spin on local history
by Caleb Sheaffer

More than a decade of genealogical research went into Dallas resident Mary Garrity Slaby’s new book, "Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires." But it is not a standard history book full of facts and figures.

Rather Slaby, under her pen name Molly Roe, wrote "Call Me Kate" as a novel for young adults to pique their interest in the rich history of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Ms. Slaby will conduct a book signing at the Lackawanna County Historical Society on April 5 at 2 p.m.

Slaby knows her audience well because of her day job. She teaches seventh- and eighth-grade language arts at Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School.

At Lake-Lehman, Slaby often has her students bring in three artifacts related to their family’s past. But usually the exercise doesn’t go over very well.

"I often find out they don’t know too much about their heritage," Slaby said.

Pique their interest

This experience encouraged her to figure out a way to intrigue junior high students with stories about coal mining and immigration. These tales made the areas from Pottsville to Scranton valuable to the country’s history.

Slaby was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Coaldale, about 30 miles south of Hazleton. She started to research her family history later in life. Her research in area historical societies culminated in 2002 when 18 family members accompanied her to Donegal, the county in Ireland where her mother’s family originally lived.

Through her genealogical research, she discovered that her mother’s grandfather, Peter Bonner, may have been involved in the controversial Irish group, the Molly Maguires.

The main character of Slaby’s novel, Kate, is based on her grandmother, Katherine, who worked as a servant for the Pardee family outside Hazleton. In the book she befriends Con, a young man, who learns of the Molly Maguires.

To this day, the Molly Maguires remains an elusive group in the area’s history, and its members have been accused of killing individuals and committing various crimes from election-rigging to rioting. No hard proof exists for these past actions, and Slaby contends that the Molly Maguires may not have actually existed as people think they did.

"I think the name was put on them, and the conspiracy grew from there," Slaby said.

Describing hardships

The book also gives an unflinching look at the hardships of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the early industrial era. The book begins with Kate’s father receiving a paralyzing injury while working in the coal mines. Throughout the book, Slaby does her best to describe the early coal mining towns in the late 1800s. The setting almost becomes a character in the novel.

Slaby and her husband, John, have two grown children, Melissa and John, who did the illustration for the cover of his mother’s book. Slaby is on sabbatical from teaching, and it will give her some extra time to promote her new novel. Slaby also published a story in "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk High School."

Slaby is writing two more books in the series — one about Kate’s sister Sarah and her adventures in Centralia and another about her sister Mamie. Slaby knows that her books may be a non-traditional look at history, but if teenagers read them, she hopes they’ll learn to have pride in growing up in such a fascinating historical area.

"I always find that I become more interested in something when I had a personal connection," Slaby said. "This area was the Wild West of its day."

ABOVE: A teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School, Mary Garrity Slaby wrote "Call Me Kate" to pique the interest of seventh- and eighth-graders in local history.

Mary Garrity Slaby (pen name Molly Roe) author of Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires at Anthology Books, Scranton, PA

Anthology Book Signing - March 7, 2009

'Kate' is brainchild of Lake-Lehman teacher

The Dallas Post
March 1, 2009

'Kate' is brainchild of Lake-Lehman teacher

Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts and reading teacher at the Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School, has written a book entitled "Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires."

Slaby, who writes under the pen name Molly Roe, holds a Ph.D. in education from Temple University and a Pennsylvania teaching certification in six areas. She has pursued the hobby of genealogy for the past decade.

Born in Philadelphia, Slaby was raised in Schuylkill County and currently lives in Dallas with her husband, John. They are parents of two grown children, Melissa and John Garrett, who is the cover illustrator of "Call Me Kate."

Digging into the past has given Slaby newfound respect for her ancestors and a better understanding of history. "Call Me Kate" is the first in the author’s trilogy of historical novels loosely based on the lives of strong women who preceded her.

She is also a contributing author to "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk High School."

"Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires" is a novel of historical fiction aimed at educating while entertaining a young adult audience.

Coming of age amidst the seething unrest of the Civil War era, feisty 14-year-old Katie McCafferty infiltrates the Molly Maguires, a secret Irish organization, to rescue a lifelong friend. Under the guise of a male draft resister, Katie volunteers for a dangerous mission in hopes of preventing bloodshed.

Katie risks job, family and ultimately her very life to intervene. A series of tragedies challenge Kate’s strength and ingenuity and she faces a crisis of conscience. Can she balance her sense of justice with the law?

"Call Me Kate" is suitable for readers from 11 years old to adult. The story is dramatic and adventuresone, yet expressive of daily life in the patches of the hard coal region during the Civil War.

Author receives certificate

The Scranton Times-Tribune
February 28, 2009

Author receives certificate

Alyssa Amori, right, author of "Scranton: The Electric City," receives a certificate of recognition for her book from her publisher, Nicole Langan, left, of Tribute Books in Archbald. Ms. Amori was a finalist in the 2008 National Best Book Awards in the Photography/General category.