What’s in Mrs. Hale’s Receipts for the Million 1857
1313. To make Salt Butter fresh- Put four pounds of slat butter into a churn, with four quarts of new milk, and a small portion of annatto. Churn them together, and in about an hour, take out the butter and treat it exactly as fresh butter, by washing it in water, adding the customary quantity of salt.
One of the hardest things about writing and publishing is getting your book known. There are lit contests, book fairs, and a lot of advertising on many platforms to present your book to the world, but sometimes the best way is word of mouth. A couple of years ago, I was standing in line to hear Andy Weir, author of The Martian, speak at an event. I was first in line with a long wait ahead of me. I began to chat with other folks in the line, talking about books. I mentioned that I was a writer. Immediately, they asked questions. Before I knew it, I was booked for their book club. A few weeks later, I arrived to meet some wonderful women who took the time to read my first novel, Tree Soldier, a story about the CCC and the Great Depression in my neck of the Pacific NW woods. Word of mouth led to more opportunities to meet other book club members.
What’s it like to be an author guest at a book club? First of all, I think it’s such an honor that readers have taken the time to read any of my books. I want to do everything to make my visit a pleasant one for them. As I write historical fiction, I bring photos and artifacts that I have used in my research. I often bring extra books and do a giveaway. Bookmarks to hand out are a given. I let readers know that I’m available any time.
Books, Brew (well, wine) and Zoom
One of the fun things about book clubs, is the combination of food and book talk. Some book clubs have food that might be represented in the book they are reading. My own book club has done this, creating international dishes to try out. Others just lay out a really great spread. Wine is popular, but beer is good, too.
Of course, since COVID, Zooming with book clubs all over the US and abroad has been possible. I have had several of these is that past four years. One of my favorites was when I talked to a book club in Lancaster, PA via Zoom to a deaf church. While I talked and gave my PowerPoint presentation on a large screen in the Sons of Norway Hall, the minister signed my entire talk. In The Jossing Affair, set in Norway during WWII, my hero is undercover as a deaf fisherman. I presented the history of the deaf church and schools in Norway and its real life leader who was in the resistance.
Are you in a book club? I’d love to talk to about all aspects of my books, how I write, etc. You can contact me any time.
Book and Writing News
For the past six months while I work on a new historical novel, I’ve been sending out personal essays for publication. This past spring I had a personal essay accepted at the Well Read Magazine. Enjoy Mr. Brown Reads. https://tinyurl.com/4n9e9wv3