My Books Are Set Free

 During many years with Oak Tree Books, I have produced a wide array of books, starting with my reincarnation novel, Hearts Across Forever. Following publication of that book, my publisher, Billie Johnson, created the "Passenger to Paradise" series for me. A very talented lady, Billie produced many beautiful books, including five in that series. We also developed books set in the small fictitious town of Jefferson City that somewhat resembles the little Tidewater Virginia community where I live.

Through the years, Billie started a series of "Snapshot in Time" books that are spinoffs from my big coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. She took all the books I ever sent to her without my ever going through an acquisitions editor.

A few weeks ago, Billie Johnson passed away following a long illness associated with several strokes. The debilitating strokes forced her to move from her home in California, the place of her heart, back to be near family in Illinois. It was the second time she had left California. The first was because of problems with criminal activities that threatened her in the neighborhood where she lived. The story of her life would probably make quite a book.

Oak Tree is gone now. Losing a publisher is difficult in many ways. For a long time, I have been quite troubled by seeing my books disappear from normal sale sites. Since they are no longer returnable, my books mostly aren't available for signings.

Disappointing. That is true. However, for every negative, there is a positive.

Now, I realize, my books have been set free. I have control to make good things happen for them. I always regretted the title, Night Watch, for my story set in Trinidad. I can create a new title now for that book. Since many people believe Daddy's Christmas Angel is a children's book (it isn't), I'm considering changing the title back to the working one, Riding Carousel Horses.

The possibilities go on and on. Self-publish or something else? Choices to make. Positive decisions.

My books are set free.

You Can Never Go Back

"You can never go back," I heard them say.

At first I didn't believe those words.

"Of course, you can," I thought.

But over the years, I've proven myself wrong again and again. Several times, I've gone back to my childhood neighborhood in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Those yards and streets that once were filled with my young friends, most of whom were the children of professors at then Mary Washington College, were different from almost the moment we left. The city grew and sprawled out into malls and suburbia that overtook the farmland. My uncle's horse stable is gone, replaced by highways and businesses I never imagined would one day exist there.

"Hotel Del Cornado" ©Mary Montague Sikes

Even the places I've only visited change ever so quickly. A couple of years ago, I returned to the Hotel Del Coronado, a favorite destination from my book, Hotels to Remember. To my surprise and disappointment, the beaches looked different there. The sands were far more crowded than I remembered. But the sturdy old building was the same in many ways. For that, I was thankful.

Many of the hotels from my book are different now. Some changed their outside appearances before the ink was dry. One of my favorites, the Adams Mark St. Louis, was soon gone. I enjoyed looking from my hotel window, down on the outdoor art gallery below, so I was especially sad. Hilltop House in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia has been closed for several years, but a movement is underway to reopen it.

The children are gone; the landscape, changed; the hotels, different.

"You can never go back," they said.

"You can never go back," I agree.

Book Signings - Past and Present

Book Signing at Barnes & Noble New Town Williamsburg, VA

When my first novel, Hearts Across Forever, came out in 2001, I was thrilled and excited to set up book signings. My first major signing was scheduled at a Barnes & Noble in Richmond for the night of September 11, 2001.

The whole world changed on that date, so you know what happened with my signing. Although the excitement diminished for me, I continued the scheduled book store events. When my Hotels to Remember coffee table book was released the next year, I had signings for both it and my novel in Barnes & Nobles in cities like Savannah, Georgia, Jacksonville and Brandon, Florida, etc. I even had one in Oahu, Hawaii. I also set up signings in Waldenbooks, Borders, as well as little independent book stores in various cities including Sedona, Arizona. I was getting my name out, as some people mentioned.

I never fully appreciated the importance of those signing opportunities until recently when people made comments about "hitting the big time" with the B & N signing. I know they were merely teasing, but I started to think that sometimes I take too much for granted. I, also, miss the special little bookstores like Twice Told Tales in Gloucester, Virginia that has gone out of business in recent years. I wonder if the little bookstore in Las Vegas, Nevada, where some of the Oak Tree authors, including me, had a book signing event a few years ago, is still around.

With nine novels and many other non-fiction books a part of my experience, I am looking forward to promoting An Artful Animal Alphabet in bookstores. What have been your experiences?

Hotels Are But a "Snapshot in Time"

When I look out of my writing studio window, the yellow turning leaves capture my attention. They are the colors of autumn. A few years ago, I suspect the trees would be bare by now. With global warming, we have not yet had a frost.

Things change. And so did the hotels in my Hotels to Remember project. As I wrote, took photographs, and painted, I had no idea how quickly hotel facilities are renovated and transformed.

All the paintings in my Hotels to Remember coffee table book were created using a favorite material of mine, soft pastels. A few years ago while we were visiting famous and historic old hotels, I began to paint images of the rough and weathered facades of some and the shiny jeweled surfaces of others. I loved watching the paintings grow on the tinted Canson pastel papers. As I became more involved in the project, I realized I had far too many hotels to include in just one book.

The Royal Hawaiian "Pink Lady" was cast aside. So was the Princeville hotel in Kauai. I took out La Samanna in St. Martin, SuperClubs resorts in Jamaica, Orient Express hotels in New Orleans and in Charleston, South Carolina. There wasn't room for them in my book, so I put aside photographs and slides I had taken on site and stored them in a large box in my writing studio. I placed the pastels I had already painted in my flat files storage unit in the painting studio closet. I would come back to them soon, I assured myself as I added even more material from Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre in Quebec to my stash.

Then I realized it was probably too late to start work on More Hotels to Remember. After all, when you are dealing with the hotel industry, things change quickly. Renovations take place. Buildings are altered with entrances shifting, properties doubling in size and much more.

Only the side trips remain the same and the locations. You don't transform the Grand Canyon when the El Tovar seated on its edge is upgraded. The charming little town of Harper's Ferry, West Virginia does not vanish when the Hilltop House Hotel closes. The St. Louis Union Station remains the same even though the hotel property switches hands.

Each hotel in my book is actually a "Snapshot in Time". A wise writer pointed out that fact to me. My publisher was quick to pick up on the premise and created "Snapshot in Time" books for a few of the hotels in the Hotels to Remember project. I added some new materials for the side trips, and realized that even closed hotels are a part of history.

Many of my "Snapshot in Time" paintings are now on view at Dara LeBlanc-Haynes' Mathews Country Galleria on Brickbat Road in Mathews, Virginia. The gallery is open now on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dara LeBlanc-Haynes in her Mathews Country Galleria. ©Mary Montague Sikes

Finding Joy in the Moment

"Sunset on a Tropical Beach" ©Mary Montague Sikes

You know how much I love to travel, especially to Jamaica. That's why I can't help but feel disappointed about the closure or changed ownership of some of my favorite destination resorts.

Earlier this week, I was researching hotels and resorts in Jamaica for a friend who wants her annual trip with sorority sisters to be to a Caribbean destination. She read about the Wyndham Rose Hall in my coffee table book, Hotels to Remember, and was so fascinated by the story of the White Witch of Rose Hall that she wanted to visit the legendary Great House. Since my book, published in 2002, is a "Snapshot in Time", I knew the hotel was no longer a Wyndham. It is now Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa, a property I have not yet visited and am unable to recommend from personal experience.

While the Rose Hall change did not surprise me, other transformations in Jamaica did. I discovered that both Grand Lido Negril and Grand Lido Braco are closed and have been for several years. Grand Lido Sans Souci is no more. During many trips to Jamaica, Olen and I stayed at all three locations and have fond memories of each destination. Braco has reopened as Melia Braco Village, a Spanish-operated resort. Grand Lido Negril which closed in April 2015 is now owned by Blue Diamond Hotel Groups which is renovating and expanding the property that will reopen in Fall 2016 as the Royalton Negril.

We loved visiting Jamaica, but things change. You can never go back and expect it to be the same. Moral of the story: Stay in the present. Never take anything for granted. Find joy in the moment. Take photographs. Make memories you'll never forget. Create paintings. Write a book. I did.

Revisiting Hotels to Remember, The Jefferson

Over the years, I have visited many fabulous, fascinating, and often historic hotels that were unforgettable to me. In 2002, I created a book about 20 of these special destinations. That coffee table book, Hotels to Remember, became a snapshot in time because, as many of those people I interviewed for the project told me, hotels are constantly undergoing change. Recently, I realized how true that statement was when we visited the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia for lunch.

As we neared the Main Street entrance to the Jefferson, I saw lots of orange highway cones and scaffolding going

Jefferson historic staircase ©Mary Montague Sikes

up a side of the building. I worried the entry would be closed, but it wasn't. Although the historic lower lobby with its dramatic staircase was January subdued, it impressed me as it always does. The comfortable sofa and chairs were completely empty with no one waiting a turn to dine at TJs. It was quiet and a little sad. Gator's, the gift shop right off the lobby, seemed smaller than I remembered. It was no longer filled with bright stuffed alligators that reminded visitors of the live creatures that once lived in the upper lobby and sometimes lounged about on the furniture there.

Alligators in the lobby is one of my favorite stories about the old hotel that opened in 1895. The alligators first appeared around the time of the Grand Reopening of the hotel (following a terrible fire in 1901) between 1905 and 1907. Old Pompey, the last alligator, died in 1948. He is now immortalized by an impressive bronze statue situated at the hotel entrance located by the driveway off Franklin Street.

Old Pompey decked out for Christmas ©MM Sikes

As we dined in TJs, enjoying the view of the Grand Staircase, I learned from our waiter that only about 62 of the hotel's guestrooms are now open. The hotel is undergoing a renovation to create more lavish and larger rooms.

As always, hotels are changing. I am happy to see that the historic Jefferson continues to improve. Some of the other hotels I chose to include in Hotels to Remember no longer exist. I am sad about that but very proud to have the Jefferson Hotel as part of my book.

 Please contact me to order a specially-priced autographed copy of Hotels to Remember.

Hotels Book - Only a "Snapshot in Time"

Earlier this century, when I wrote my classic hotels book, Hotels to Remember, I never once realized how quickly the old edifices transform. Not only are the buildings renovated, expanded, and redecorated, they also change ownership.

When I read today about the sale by DuPont of their 130-year-old theater located with the 12-story Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, I was especially saddened. I included a side segment about that theater in my book which devotes a large section to the beautiful old hotel that is filled with numerous art treasures.

Almost before my book was off the presses, one of the hotels had added a new section that transformed its size and guest perception. I hadn't anticipated a change so quickly. I also had not expected sales to new ownerships that gave different faces and names to the structures. One of the hotels I selected because I found its relationship with the community so special was closed several years ago with the anticipation of renovation and reopening. That project for Hilltop House in Harper's Ferry WV was put on hold in 2010. The St. Louis hotels I included have been renamed or are gone. Only the ancient and truly historic places like the Hotel Del Coronado in California, the El Tovar on the edge of the Grand Canyon, and the Homestead in Hot Springs VA have remained the same. And these special destinations have undergone a few renovations.

Someone mentioned to me several years ago that a book like mine is truly a "Snapshot in Time." I understand that now. In fact, my publisher has taken out sections from my book, and we have created little "Snapshot in Time" books.

While I was writing my coffee table book, I wish I had understood how quickly things can change. Even so, I would still be distressed by the sale of the DuPont Theater that will be renamed The Playhouse on Rodney Square. Sadly, hotel books can only be "A Snapshot in Time."

"R" is for Rocky Mountain National Park

"Colorado Rockies" ©Mary Montague Sikes

Several years ago, when we visited Rocky Mountain National Park, I was caught by surprise as I walked along a trail in the snow. It was late June, and I had not expected snow. Obviously, I was younger and more naive. Now, snow, no matter what season, in the Rockies fails to surprise me.

The trees along the trail we followed in the park were green and picturesque. I don't recall the name of the trail, but it parallels the North Fork Colorado River and provides views of unforgettable mountain scenery. The rugged mountain terrain provided me with many photographs and side stories for my book, Hotels to Remember. We entered the park, which is north of Silver Creek and Highway 34, at the Lake Grand entrance. Visitors to the park this year will find the scenic Trail Ridge Road closed due to floods in 2013. That breathtaking road ascends to 12,183 feet.

Rocky Mountain National Park was established in 1915. More than 300 prehistoric sites have been found there at high elevations, from 8,000 to 13,000 feet. Interesting that this is another area that has been home to a human population for about 10,000 years.

"Colorado Rockies in the Summer" ©Mary Montague Sikes

If you plan to visit Rocky Mountain National Park this year, please check ahead of time about closed sections and roads under construction because of flood repairs. According to information on the park website, many bridges inside the park were washed out in the September 2013 floods.

What Inspires a Writer Years Down the Road?

Phoenix Gold Mine

A few years ago, we were exploring an area of Colorado we had not visited before. In Idaho Springs, we came across the Phoenix Gold Mine and met the co-owner, Al Mosch, who gave us a tour we will never forget. Besides sharing his story of an eye-to-eye encounter with a mountain lion, Mosch related other mining tales and gave me a piece of gold-flecked ore from the mine. Because of this unusual character, I will never forget our mine visit. Not only did I include the Phoenix Gold Mine as a side trip for the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver when I wrote Hotels to Remember, but I also used some of what I learned that day in my novel, A Rainbow for Christmas.

That novel was also inspired by books I found on that same Colorado trip that were written by women who crossed the plains from Missouri traveling by wagon train. In museums, I saw items from some of those journeys. I also viewed actual wagons from those trains and stared in wonderment, amazed at how small they actually were.

Using inspiration years down the road is one of the things that especially excites me as a writer. I keep notebooks, take photos everywhere, and put everything together in my "gathering books". You never know when you'll have a chance to use some of that information.

What inspires you?

A Rainbow for Christmas and Daddy's Christmas Angel are two of the books I'll be signing on Friday, November 22 at the William and Mary Barnes and Noble on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, Virginia from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. I will also feature A Rainbow for Christmas on the Neal Steele radio show, 8:15 a.m., Monday, December 9.

Where Should Artists Promote Their Work? Only at Home?

Mary Montague Sikes in Cielo Bella Art Gallery with her meditation paintings

Recently, someone asked me why I had come all the way across the country to Sedona, Arizona to promote my art work. That is a really good question and it started me thinking. Weren't there plenty of venues in Virginia where I live?

Yes and no.

When I first visited Sedona in the early 1990s, I was both stunned and captivated by the scenery. No wonder so many of the old western movies used the Red Rock Country as a background. I loved the "feel" of the area. I enjoyed snapping photos--actually mostly 35 mm color slides at that time. I liked the New Age atmosphere all around me.

Over the years, we've returned many times. The Hotel El Tovar is part of my coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. Side stories and many photos in the book relate to Sedona and the area. I've taken art classes there, and I set my novel, Eagle Rising, in and around Sedona. What better place to visit and promote my art?

That's why I returned to Cielo Bella Art Gallery in the Village of Oak Creek to sign books and to talk about my new Master's Meditation Paintings and Soul Songs that accompany them. The gallery is also featuring my Giclee prints from Hotels to Remember, and I plan to ship some of the original paintings from the book for display there.

On this trip, it made me sad to know that the Grand Canyon National Park was closed. The El Tovar is located inside the park, so that historic edifice, along with many other famous tourist stops, is closed as well. I cannot imagine the disappointment of planning all year long for a special trip to the Canyon and being stopped by the antics of foolish politicians from visiting it. I wanted to go and sit along the edge, take more photos, sketch, and muse about my writing as well as imagine new paintings I would like to create.

The wonder of the Grand Canyon, the New Age essence, the vortexes hidden among the Red Rocks, and so much more beckon me to cross the country and show my art somewhere different where visions align with my own.

I love Virginia, but my breath catches as soon as the Red Rocks come into view. The artist and the writer within me are both torn. No wonder Mark Twain loved to travel.

(The art work behind me in the photograph is the work of other gallery artists. The art pieces on the table are paintings in progress from the Master's Meditation series.)

All Wrapped Up in a Bow - Hotel Del Coronado

 

"All Wrapped Up in a Bow" - ©Mary Montague Sikes

In celebration of the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Hotel Del Coronado, the  famous cupola that adorns the old Victorian wooden structure is all wrapped up in a golden ribbon with a bow. What an amazing sight!

The Del is one of my favorite hotels. A few years ago, when I first viewed the charming and picturesque grounds, I was captivated. After searching for a while, I found a location on the grounds that was especially appealing and created my own painting of the Hotel Del Coronado.

"Hotel Del" pastel painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

When we revisited the Del earlier this summer, I had a little trouble finding that exact spot in the trees and gardens. Because it was summer, there were crowds everywhere which made things look a little different. Still, I loved the setting and the view. I can understand why Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz, was so inspired by the fantasy building that he created the Emerald City for his book. Baum also designed the remarkable light fixtures in the Crown Room of the hotel.

"Crown Room Lights" ©Mary Montague Sikes

As I was walking along a pathway, I had the chance to photograph the Crown Room lights through the dining room window. The result is an unusual picture of the lights Baum designed with the trees behind me reflected in the glass.

What a spectacular, festive place to visit no matter what the season. I haven't been to the Hotel Del during Christmas, but I understand a visit during that holiday season is very special.

What about you? Do you have a favorite fantastic hotel?

"Hotel Del from the Beaches" ©Mary Montague Sikes

(The Hotel Del is part of the book, Hotels to Remember. Giclees on archival paper of the Hotel Del are available from the artist.)

Loving Historic Old Hotels - Lake McDonald Lodge

Lake McDonald Lodge - road view ©Mary Montague Sikes

My love affair with old historic hotels began years ago when I first saw the El Tovar on the edge of wonder at the Grand Canyon. Now I can't seem to resist infatuation whenever I discover another wonderful, historic lodging place.

The Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier National Park on the Going-to-the-Sun Road is my latest love. Opened June 14, 1914, the hotel has all the elements that make it special including an amazing lobby that rises into forever. While we were visiting Glacier, a decorated Christmas tree suddenly appeared in the lobby, and outdoors, one of the Red Jammer Tour Buses made its way through the grounds complete with Santa and a green-clad elf. The horn blasted, and Santa called out "Merry Christmas"! It was July 25. Seems Christmas in July is for real there.

Lake McDonald Lodge lobby ©Mary Montague Sikes

On May 28, 1987, Lake McDonald Lodge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a well-deserved place for this historic edifice.

Great wooden pillars rise to the ceiling in the impressive lobby. The main lodge, a row of duplex cabins, and a 1950s motel section combine to offer 100 guest rooms for visitors. Most views face out to the forest of tall cedars and cottonwood trees. Many guests like to enjoy the verandah chairs where they can sip a drink of their choice and enjoy the picturesque view of Lake McDonald complete with mountains and glaciers in the background.

Lake McDonald Lodge--what a great discovery in one of our national treasures, Glacier National Park. Thank you, our ancestors, for saving this spectacular space! Thank you, engineers and builders, for creating this historic hotel for us to enjoy today.

To read about other hotels I visited and love, please see my book, Hotels to Remember, or my Snapshot in Time books.

Lake McDonald Lodge fronts on the lake ©Mary Montague Sikes

Art and Writing Can Make a Good Match

Sometimes I wonder about the merit of being an artist and an author. Both demand a great deal of time. And, although it's a poor fit for my artistic persona, I've found that both require considerable marketing skills.

Opening Night - MMSikes

In the exhibition currently on view at the Art Education Center of This Century Art Gallery in Williamsburg, I've enjoyed the opportunity to combine my work as both an artist and author by showing the original art created for my book, Hotels to Remember. At the opening events, it was fascinating to hear stories of people's experiences with the hotels I have documented in my book and in the paintings from that book.

Many people related events from stays at the Hotel Roanoke. Several had fond memories of attending Beta Club conventions there. People who enjoy visiting hotels built near old train stations pointed out that at one time the station was visible from Hotel Roanoke. Gallery visitors recognized  many of the classic hotels including The Jefferson, The Homestead, St. Louis Union Station and even The Empress in Victoria BC. I was intrigued by their comments and memories.

London provides musical entertainment. - MMSikes

It's fun to show along with two other painters, Juliet Kirby and Elaine Abbott, a jeweler, Jason Hillegas, and a book and box craftsman, Devon Rawson. The show continues with open houses, Feb. 8, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 9, 1 to 4 p.m.

Sometimes art and writing make a good match.

Signing Hotels to Remember (Elaine Abbott paintings on the wall)

--Mary Montague Sikes









 Pastels - Bright and Free
   ASP-153-1  Saturday, May 4, 2013
            Times: 9 AM to 4 PM   /   Course Fee: $78    Members $69
Instructor: Mary Montague Sikes
Pastels Bright and Free is a workshop celebrating the joy of color that this vibrant medium brings to artists of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. Sikes will offer demonstrations and also work individually with participants. With more than 30 years experience teaching students of all ages, she has found pastels to be a most versatile art medium. Bring your lunch and enjoy a happy, colorful experience!

Weekend News-- Snow, Books, Art, and Giclees

We have the coldest weather in Virginia that we've had for the last couple of years or more. Late this afternoon, snow came down in a rush and made the roads super slick. I'm glad we don't have to go out tonight.

Jacquie Rogers of Romancing the West has me for her guest this week. I'm discussing my novel, A Rainbow for Christmas and much more.

On the Romancing the West site, I'm also talking about the exhibit of work by Lillian Wilhelm Smith, the illustrator of the Zane Grey books. We saw this show at the Sedona Art Center while we were there last November. I loved reading the Zane Grey books and dreaming about the Old West and was especially interested in the paintings that were part of her work.

Next week, I'm one of five artists putting up work for the February show at the Art Education Center Gallery of This Century Art Gallery in Williamsburg. Twelve of my original paintings from the Hotels to Remember project will be featured in this exhibit. It will be exciting to see the pieces together again. All of the paintings in the book have been reproduced as Giclees. Five of those will be part of this exhibition.

What are Giclees? many of you are asking. The word was created over two decades ago by a printmaker named Jack Duganne who wanted to depict prints made with an inkjet printer in a very positive manner. Giclees are made by carefully matching all the colors in a piece of art using high quality archival inks that will last over 100 years (if kept out of direct sunlight). The pastel reproductions are beautiful and much easier to frame than the originals that must be handled very carefully.

The art exhibit at 110 Westover Avenue will feature Elaine Abbott, Jason Hillegas, Devon Rawson, Juliet Kirby, and me . The opening reception will be Friday, February 1, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Looking at Blog Stats -- Who Visits, What Brings Them

Do you really study and use the blog stats available to you?

Recently, I took a closer look at the Stat Counter I have linked at the bottom of my blog. There's a lot more information there than I realized. The recent page load activity link is interesting because it shows where visitors are located. There's a way to check recent visitor activity and the key words that brought them to your site. You can see the time and how long they stayed.

A colored pie chart pops up to show the percentage of visit lengths. Sadly, most visitors seem to stay less than 5 seconds. Does that mean the visitor got there by accident?

There's a link to popular pages, so you can find out which pages get the most hits. You can also find out the key words that bring people to your blog. In January 2011, I wrote a little blog about the "Medium" television show and my dismay that they allowed Joe Dubois to die when actually, in real life, he was still very much alive. Almost every day, I still get the most hits from key words relating to Joe Dubois and the story I wrote a year and a half ago.

A couple of weeks ago, I started examining the stats available in the Blogger overview. It gives a nice chart of daily visits. If you click on stats, you can see the most popular posts and how many hits you've had on them in recent days. Again, Joe Dubois tops my list every day.

I'm looking to find another popular topic. Maybe I can discover some other key words people often search.

I'm heading to Google right now...

"Grove Park Inn" pastel from Hotels to Remember

 MMSikes

Paintings from Hotels to Remember

Sometimes I like to go back and revisit the original pastels from my coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. I did that today and decided to post one of the hotel paintings. This is the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. I think of serenity when I see this painting.

Quiet serenity--a good thought for the day.

Mary Montague Sikes

Writing for a Small Publisher

Several years ago, my small publisher and I worked together to create an ambitious project that resulted in a hard cover coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. Not only was the writing in this book my own, but I also took all the photographs and created all of the paintings--one for each of the 20 hotels featured in this book.

"St. Louis Union Station" Painting by MM Sikes Hotels to Remember

My publisher, Billie Johnson, was located in California at the time. On several occasions, my husband and I flew from Virginia to the John Wayne Airport in Orange County and met with Billie. I brought with me hundreds of slides and photographs, and we spread them out on one of the large breakfast tables at a La Quinta where we were staying. It was on that table that many of the choices for the final version of my book were made.

This was in the early days of Oak Tree. I was learning as a writer, and Billie was learning as a publisher. We've had interesting experiences and challenges along the way. It has been rewarding to work directly with my publisher on projects. We've met other times and places--in Denver when my first novel, Hearts Across Forever was released, in New Orleans where we were working together on another project, and in Las Vegas at the Public Safety Writers Conference where several of my later books were released. These include:  Secrets by the Sea, Night Watch, and Jungle Jeopardy. Because my books are with a small publisher who is concerned with every one of her published books, the earlier books are still available. Books with large publishing houses often are no longer available after several months, sometimes after only one month.

After Oak Tree moved to Taylorville, Illinois, Billie had a writers conference that I attended. While there I discussed my hotels book with another author. I lamented that hotels are always changing and updating. One in my book almost doubled in size right before publication. He told me my book was a snapshot in time. I mentioned that to Billie, and last year she created "A Snapshot in Time" books for some of my hotels.
I loved the idea because I could use much of the material from Hotels to Remember and update it as well. Would this have happened with a larger publisher? Perhaps.


The publishing industry has changed drastically over the past several years. E-books have gained prominence. They are outselling print books and will become an even bigger market. Although I love to hold a book in my hand, I thought when I left on a trip recently that the two large paperbacks would be much nicer to take in an e-reading device.

I'm excited about writing for a small publisher. I'm excited to have a marketing team to help me. I'm excited about all the potential for growth and opportunity writers now have.

Do you write for a small publisher? What are your experiences?

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - West Virginia

When the Passenger to Paradise was considering her blog for the letter "W" for Around the World in 30 Days for the A to Z Blogfest, she hesitated. She thought about Wien (Vienna, Austria), then remembered she'd probably focused on Vienna in last year's blogfest.
What to do?

"Mountain Sunset" MMSikes

Then she thought of West Virginia--a state she's passed through many times and a state with Hilltop House, one of the hotels she spotlighted in her coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. It is a destination that during her childhood, her grandmother spoke of many times. There were many relatives living there, including her great-uncle, inventor of his own cameras that he used in his photography business. Uncle Ben Gravely also invented a tractor that developed into the Gravely Tractor Company. Her grandmother was especially proud of her brother and talked about him so much that West Virginia became a special place in the Passenger's memory. It was special, not because she'd been there but because the rugged mountain state had become an iconic dream inside her heart!

Do you have a place that perhaps you've never visited but is special for you in some amazing way?