Canterbury House Publishing, Ltd.

Murder at the Jumpoff: A Mystery in an Unusual Setting

2012-02-17T18:12:54-05:00

COMING MARCH 1ST 2012

When asked what inspired her to write her story about adventurers bushwhacking along mountain streams, debut author Jenny Bennett says, “I love telling a story and I wanted to invent one that would open a window into a very unusual place: the world of off-trail hiking in the Smokies. I had the wild idea of putting a compelling murder mystery into this setting. Among the thousands of hikers who visit the Smokies every year, maybe twenty or so venture off the maintained trails to rock-hop the streams up past beautiful cascades or scramble up the steep rocky bluffs of the ridgelines. The reward is the experience of continuously unfolding adventure. Against this backdrop, I wanted to address themes of deep personal importance, especially the question of how an unconventional ‘woman of a certain age’ can find happiness.”

In Murder at the Jumpoff, when Donald MacIntyre, an avid off-trail hiker, fails to return from a quest to bushwhack through difficult terrain up to the top of the Jumpoff, a dramatic cliff in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the good-natured back country ranger Hector Jones leads a search and rescue team into the remotest depths of the Greenbrier section of the park and discovers the body. From the nature of MacIntyre’s injuries, it’s clear that he had fallen—or been pushed—from the top.

The job of investigating the suspicious death goes to Sally Connolly, a 31-year-old detective with the Sevier County, Tennessee, sheriff’s office. Due to Hector's expert knowledge of the terrain, Sally enlists his help in the investigation. Together they follow leads involving a feud between rival professors, the illegal digging of ladyslippers, and a seemingly long-dead romance that might still have a few signs of life.

Midwest Book Reviewer Christy Tillery French says, “Jenny Bennett weaves a galvanizing mystery into an environment that is tough and dangerous. Hikers will enjoy reading her vivid descriptions of different trails and locales and mystery readers will certainly enjoy a challenging and suspenseful plot.”

Jenny Bennett has worked as a journalist, editor, and landscape designer. She reported on international energy markets for 18 years for the London Financial Times and other news organizations. She currently has her own freelance editing business, Summer Afternoon Editing, and maintains a blog, “Endless Streams and Forests.” For More information about the author and details about the book launch, visit her website at http://www.jennybennett.net.

Murder at the Jumpoff is available nationally in bookstores and online retailers as of March 1, 2012. Canterbury House Publishing, Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-9829054-4-9, trade soft cover, $14.95.

A True Love Story "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" for Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T12:09:26-05:00

Carolyn Guy, is a poet...and it's fitting that her first novel, Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree starts with a poem guaranteed to give you goosebumps (see below.) But, lest you think it ends there, you would be sadly mistaken. This heart-warming story offers up the gift of love and laughter throughout, and the ending too, leaves you with goosebumps of happiness that will last for days after reading it.

Two of A Kind

They share a stony ridge,
Mountain woman and rebel tree.
Their roots go deep
In olden time—
They stand on ancient foundation.
The weathered two,
Though lashed and tossed by icy winds
And stroked with fingers of fire,
Look heavenward,
Their rugged limbs outstretched,
Soaking up sunshine—
They bloom,
And bear fruit in due season.
With shield of faith and fortitude
And God-given wisdom,
She shall conquer every trial.

What the Reviewers have said about Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree:

“One of the most authentic portrayals of 1930s and 1940s Appalachian mountain life I've read. Carolyn Guy weaves a tapestry of family stories of courage, love and survival, which ring true. With rich landscape and cultural details, this novel gives the reader a true view of historical Appalachian life in northwestern North Carolina.” —Donna Akers (Warmuth): Author of regional historical non-fiction and Legends, Stories and Ghostly Tales of Abingdon and Washington County, VA.

“Bursting with Appalachian dialect, music, and customs, readers will find Clarinda’s resourcefulness and faith an inspiration as much as they will enjoy the humorous scrapes and stories of her large, warm family.” —UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina Collections Review.

“Many chapters begin or end with poetry or a song, all of them, mostly the author’s own, for she is a published poet. This book was awarded the Clark Cox Award for fiction given by the North Carolina Society of Historians in 2011. It is an appropriate read for all ages young adult to seniors and should be considered a must purchase for any public or university library which includes North Carolina history, fiction and, in particular, Appalachian regional literature.” —Carol Truett, Appalachian State University, Appalachian Studies

“Guy captures the Depression-era desperation of hardscrabble farmers struggling to eke out a living from rocky mountain soil and the love that often binds such families together. Fiddle-playing and dancing are the bright spots of such a life, and the McCloud family enjoys both. There is an innocence to this story set in an age before Americans came to expect life to be easy. And there is hope in the love one woman can bring into the world.” —Historical Novels Review

"The driver of a woman to protect her family as its sole provider is something that should never be underestimated. "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" tells the story of Clarinda Darningbush, a woman of the great depression who faces the common fate of Appalachian women, marrying early and having many children. As her husband passes, her challenges grow as Carolyn Guy tells this well researched story of the devoted nature of motherhood. ...a thoughtful and very highly recommended read, not to be missed."—James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review, Library Watch: July 2011

Buy Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree now.

Ebook "Anna: Child of the Poorhouse" by Award-Winning Canadian Author Pat Mestern

2012-02-13T23:16:13-05:00

RELEASED IN TIME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY.
A great gift for adults and young adults alike.

Born into the Poor House in Fergus, Ontario, bound out to a wealthy family, Anna Ellington returns to Fergus c1904 as a beautiful woman in search of her family. She finds romance, wealth, mystery, intrigue and answers to many questions. Readers will never forget Anna and the folks that enter her life.

What Reviewers Say About Pat Mestern Novels:

“Pat Mestern should be considered a national treasure. Her descriptive writing style gives a wonderful glimpse into past lives and times that are quickly being forgotten.” --Fergus Elora News Express

“In conversation with Pat, one senses that no reading of her works of fiction can take us into the deep, compulsive level of creativity that this novelist experiences and accepts as another strata of her life--a plateau as mysterious as some of the characters in her novels. And this deep level of creativity is what makes Pat’s novels so compelling. They come from the heart and soul of the writer.”--Ryan Taylor, Book Reviewer, Fort Wayne, Indiana

“Pat Mestern's fictional works are among the most rewarding and most pleasing published today. Her historical novels conjure up a time long gone and characters long dead. They never fail to embrace the sorts of scandals, dreams and secrets that can haunt nearly every family in every walk of life for many tomorrows.”--J. Marshall Craig, screen writer and film director

Canterbury House Publishing welcomes Pat Mestern to our family of excellent authors and we look forward to publishing Pat Mestern novels in the near future.

Pat Mestern who calls Fergus, Ontario, Canada home has authored twelve books, her favourite genre being historical fiction. She also writes travel, lifestyle and local history columns for a variety of national and international publications. For more information visit Pat Mestern’s website: http://www.mestern.net

Other Fiction Titles by Pat Mestern:
Rachael's Legacy (the sequel to Anna)
Magdalena's Song
No Choice but Freedom
Granite
Clara

Buy Anna: Child of the Poorhouse from Amazon.com's Kindle Store
Buy Anna: Child of the Poorhouse from Barnes & Noble Nook Store
Buy Anna: Child of the Poorhouse from Smashwords (Upload to any Ereader)

Sweet Ebooks for Valentines Only .99 for the Month of February! #3

2012-02-08T14:22:42-05:00

"This heartwarming story, third in the Smoky Mountain Novel series, will engage the reader from beginning to end. Stepp nicely develops the chemistry between Alice and Harrison, along with the prickliness of their relationship as the two go through a bit of an emotional roller-coaster with their feelings and interactions. Readers will root for the relationship to bloom as Alice’s foster children develop a fondness for Harrison, and he for them. With finesse, Stepp blends romance, inspiration and the intricacies of family dynamics into a charming, uplifting book." --Midwest Book Reviewer, Christy Tillery French

"I enjoy reading novels about this beautiful place where I live, East Tennessee. Lin Stepp has an amazing way of making the reader feel like they are sitting in a rocking chair, taking in the Great Smoky Mountains, whether they can physically see them or not. Descriptive writing, characters that embrace you and an amazing storyline make Stepp's novels highly anticipated and thoroughly enjoyable". --Jennifer Alexander - Popular Midday Host B97.5 - WJKB-FM Radio - and creator of the station's Book of the Month Club reaching over 100,000+ listeners

"Lin Stepp has done it again. She has delivered another warm, clean romance with Appalachian flare and small town charm. This edition in the Smoky Mountain series is my favorite so far and I sincerely hope that Alice, Harrison, and the Stuart clan will remake appearances in future books. I have mentioned in my previous reviews that Stepp is a master of detail concerning place in her novels and this one was no exception." --The Reading Lark

Buy For Six Good Reasons from Smashwords now: Enter Coupon Code PW39K for .99 special price

Buy For Six Good Reasons from Amazon.com

Sweet Ebooks for Valentines Only .99 for the Month of February! #2

2012-02-08T13:10:52-05:00

1106 Grand Boulevard placed in the top 20 of Women's Fiction at Heart Press of Sausalito

"1106 Grand Boulevard reads like Harold Robbins's The Carpetbaggers, but with a beautiful woman in the lead." - Paul Kyriazi, Hollywood movie director (Omega
Cop), author of How to Live the James Bond Lifestyle, Hard Rock Lovers

“A heart-wrenching and heart-warming masterpiece…. This gem of a book is not just another romantic story based on a real character. In fact, I think it is the most powerful and touching novel that I have ever read.” - Thomas Wikman “Texas Swede” – Amazon Reviewer

"Edge-of-your-seat suspense… Dravis grabs the reader up front. A page-turner story that tugs the emotional heart strings." - David E. Meadows, author of the best-selling Joint Task Force and Sixth Fleet series

"Billie Jean Sloane was created for life's dramatic moments. Nothing she does is "beige"...she is washed in vivid colors from Day One....I could not put this book down, taking it everywhere until I reached the last page. And then I wanted a sequel!" - Laurel Rain Snow author of Web of Tyranny

"Few writers rival Dravis's ability to make insightful social observations while leading the reader through a fascinating story. She knows her craft as a storyteller while she shares her intuition as a significant journalist. 1106 Grand Boulevard is a fascinating journey well worth taking!" - Grady Harp, No. 4 Top Amazon Reviewer, author of War Songs

Buy "1106 Grand Boulevard" from Smashwords now: Enter coupon code DS68Z for special .99 price

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Sweet Ebooks for Valentines Only .99 for the Month of February! #1

2012-02-08T12:20:24-05:00

“It's amazing how a book can make it's way into your heart and change you forever. This is one of those books. Julian is an extremely likable character who you can't help but fall in love with. Steve captured the meaning of family with Heart With Joy. When you're in the mood for a feel-good book, this is your best option.”—Confessions of a Readaholic

“I absolutely loved Heart With Joy. This really is a great book and more people should know about it…. I would highly recommend this novel to both teens and adults looking for a quick, heartwarming read.”—The Book Pixie

“I absolutely loved this book. It takes the reader into a short time in these peoples lives to see how broken relationships can be mended through finding out what really fills our hearts with joy! I would rate this book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.”—Reviews From The Heart

“This well-written coming-of-age novel is heartwarming and poignant. ….Through Julian’s narrative, the reader witnesses his journey of self-discovery, acceptance of his parents’ estranged relationship, and love of family and friends.”-- Midwest Book Review

“The nice thing about Heart with Joy is it is a book of hope…. There’s no violence or dangerous liaisons with tragic consequences….It’s quiet and gentle and certainly suitable for teens and adults….You’ll like Julian and feel that the ending is right, and you’ll feel a little bit better about the world.”—The Salisbury Post

“Heart With Joy is a very sensitive story presented by Steve Cushman which brings out the essence of life - finding that special thing which fills the heart with joy and fills life with contentment and satisfaction. “—Literary Sojourn

“This short novel is packed with a profound story of joy, loss, hope, and discovery. Heart with Joy is emotionally charged and superbly written. I could not put it down once I started reading….Heart with Joy is a must read for anyone. …This will be a book that I will read again and again in the years to come.” —Books Complete Me

“Wow. This book took my breath away. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this short, but extremely touching novel….All in all this is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it.” — A Bookish Wonderland

“I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in young adult literature that focuses on family, relationships, and love. I guarantee once you pick it up you won’t want to put it down until you finish.” —Fiction Folio

Buy "Heart with Joy" now at Smashwords - Enter Coupon Code: EB59Y for special .99 price.

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"Hera's Revenge" Gets Rave Review From All About Women's Magazine

2012-01-21T18:15:39-05:00

All About Women
January 2012 Issue
Reviewer: June Bare

HERA’S REVENGE: An Yvonne Suarez Travel Mystery
By Wendy Dingwall

“The weather outside is frightful…” If that song strikes a note this time of year, perhaps an escape to sunny, warm Greece would be more palatable. Caution, however, might be in order if you go with Fort Lauderdale’s Pinkerton’s travel agent, Yvonne Suarez … unless you want murder and mayhem to accompany your vacation.

Single mother, Yvonne Suarez, the protagonist in Wendy Dingwall’s first book of a series, Hera’s Revenge, has never actually led a tour. When she directs her first tour, she is plagued with problems that were not part of the bargain. No sooner does her diverse group of tourists arrive at the Athens airport, than a body decorated with a dagger through his chest replaces the expected luggage at the baggage pickup. This particular murder, seemingly unconnected to the trials that follow, is merely the beginning of Yvonne’s problems.

The tour group includes software designer, David, a last minute tourist, who has an eye for Yvonne; Beverly, a single paralegal, who has an eye for David; Evelyn, who has long awaited a vacation to Greece with her retired physician husband, Richard; Cynthia and Mark, hairstylists, who hope to find romance … not with each other; Missy and Todd, second honeymooners with their own set of conflicts; accident prone Janice and her loud-mouthed husband Bill; their wealthy friends, Rosanna and Nicholas; and Ari, the Greek tour guide.

Yvonne inadvertently becomes involved in the varied conflicts of her charges, when the police detain the tour group. Daily crises occur when Janice is pushed and falls on the climb to the Parthenon. Every day Yvonne faces another calamity … accidents, suspicions, death, conflicts among the group, love affairs. Yvonne is not certain she is cut out to be a tour guide, especially since she is concerned for her six year old daughter back home in Fort Lauderdale.

Just when it looks as though all is going to turn out well, another crisis occurs. David’s life is endangered, delaying Yvonne’s return home. In the end, Yvonne is partly instrumental for nabbing an international art theft ring and receives a heroine’s welcome when she returns to the Pinkerton Travel Agency.

Hera’s Revenge is a well-researched book, taking the reader to Greece, with its beauty, ancient history, mythology, and architecture. Wendy Dingwall transfers sights, sounds, and savory Greek foods and wines to the reader’s mind. If the reader has been to Greece, the book will bring back enjoyable memories. If a trip to Greece is in your “bucket list” of things to do, Hera’s Revenge might be a good way to feed the dream.

Although Wendy Dingwall has traveled in Greece as a travel agent, she did not set about to write travel mysteries until she moved to the high country. “Since it’s a good idea to write what you know, and since I was fortunate to come from a travel background, I felt it gave me a world of possibilities for an unusual mystery series. In most travel mysteries the protagonist is someone that just happens to travel. In mine the protagonist is an actual travel agent so it allows me to weave the history and culture of the area into the story,” Wendy states.

Most of the characters the reader meets in the book are figments of Dingwall’s fertile imagination; however, a few are based on her experience as a travel agent. She even sees herself and other agents in the character development of Yvonne Suarez.

The next book of this mystery series, set in Scotland, will be titled Celtic Curse, Readers may expect to see David Ludlow and a few other recurring characters in Celtic Curse and subsequent books.

Ms. Dingwall is not only a writer; she has her own publishing firm, Canterbury House Publishing. With the advent of more reading options such as digital books and e-books, traditional books have a lot of competition. She believes, however, that there will always be those who prefer turning pages in a real book, and that the digital market will level out. Currently, “…most publishers have decreased the size of their print runs,” she says.

Enjoy the read.

Rave Review for "For Six Good Reasons"

2011-12-06T10:23:28-05:00

The Reading Lark Book Review hits the nail on the head with their review of Lin Stepp's fourth book in the Smoky Mountain Novel series, For Six Good Reasons

Click on this link: Reading Lark Book Review to read the review.

The Historical Novels Review of "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" says, "There is Hope in the Love One Woman Can Bring into the World"

2011-11-04T15:22:49-04:00

Carolyn Guy’s debut novel, Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree, tells the story of Clarinda McCloud, a strong Appalachian woman who raises her large brood of children (seventeen!) in the mountains of North Carolina from 1913 to 1951. Married at 14 and widowed at 38, Clarinda must struggle to clothe and feed her brood.

Though the title page calls this work a novel, it reads more like a memoir and is told episodically. For those not used to reading mountain dialect, this book might prove problematic, but for one such as myself, raised in the mountains of West Virginia, Guy captures the idiomatic speech of the region – she’s spot on.

She also captures the Depression-era desperation of hardscrabble farmers struggling to eke out a living from rocky mountain soil and the love that often binds such families together. Fiddle-playing and dancing are the bright spots of such a life, and the McCloud family enjoys both. There is an innocence to this story set in an age before Americans came to expect life to be easy. And there is hope in the love one woman can bring into the world.

Anne Clinard Barnhill
The Historical Novels Review
Charleston, IL

Canterbury House Publishing, 2011, $16.95, pb, 261pp, 9780982539699

"For Six Good Reasons" Now Available As Ebook

2011-10-31T17:57:43-04:00

Click on the title and check out all the different ways you can read the third novel in Lin Stepp's Smoky Mountain series "For Six Good Reasons"

Two Canterbury House Authors Receive NCSH Awards

2011-10-24T13:10:53-04:00

The North Carolina Society of Historians held its Annual Awards Banquet on October 22nd in Moorseville, NC, at the Hilton Garden Inn. Awards were presented in several publishing categories relating to local, regional and statewide historical events, places and people. The award categories included Museums; Newspaper Articles and Magazine Articles; Books relating to History, Family History, Religious History, Historical Fiction; Society; Publishers; Newsletters; Journals and Multimedia (which includes historical plays, videos, oral histories, poetry, music, websites, family heirlooms, photography, etc.; and Historian of the Year.

Started in July 2009, Canterbury House Publishing, located in Sugar Grove, NC, submitted two of its five books published in 2011. “Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree” by poet and debut author, Carolyn Guy, which won the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award and “Mama’s Wreaths” by poet and historian Julia Taylor Ebel who won a Paul Green Multimedia Award. This was Julia’s eighth NCSH award.

“Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree” set in the early 1930s and 40s, is based on the true story of Carolyn Guy’s mother, Clarinda, who at the age of fourteen marries blue-eyed, banjo picking, Rufus McCloud. She bore seventeen children by the time she was 38. When Rufus died at a young age, Clarinda still had eleven children left at home. The youngest—twins—were only ten months old. Against the advice of her uncle, she refused to put the young ones up for adoption and fought to raise her children with fierce determination.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reviewer said, “Carolyn Guy has put forth what many readers are calling one of the most accurate depictions of North Carolina mountain life during the 1930s and 1940s that they’ve ever read. Bursting with Appalachian dialect, music, and customs, readers will find Clarinda’s resourcefulness and faith an inspiration as much as they will enjoy the humorous scrapes and stories of her large, warm family.”

In “Mama’s Wreaths,” Julia Taylor Ebel crafts a sensitive story in free verse bringing alive the scents and feel of wreath-makers in the Appalachian Mountains. With the help of M. Joann (Joanie) Moretz whose mountain home was filled with fir and hemlock branches, as she learned the art and craft of making evergreen wreaths to sell before Christmas from her mother, Ebel unfolds Joanie’s story through a garland of gentle poems that readers of all ages will savor.

Fred Chappell, author of “Shadow Box” and many other North Carolina regional books said, “The story is old and true—and fresh and new. Every page that Julia Taylor Ebel and Joann Moretz set down here smells like Christmas.”

Both books are available both locally and nationally in bookstores, and from online stores. For more information about the authors and their books visit www.canterburyhousepublishing.com.

Read about Wendy Dingwall's Awesome Experience at the Writer's Police Academy

2011-09-26T18:00:39-04:00

Click here to visit Wendy's blog about the Writer's Police Academy

Midwest Reviewer say's, "1106 Grand Boulevard" is an Excellent Ebook.

2011-09-21T11:15:01-04:00

1106 Grand Boulevard
Betty Dravis
Canterbury House Publishing, Ltd.
www.canterburyhousepublishing.com
B00564TQ28, Kindle $4.99, www.amazon.com

Let's travel back in time to the 1930's. It's evening and an argument has just broken and Billie Jean accidentally gets shot in the shoulder by her husband, Cal. Running for her life she hides from her husband in the bushes. Naturally, she goes back to her childhood home...1106 Grand Boulevard. This is one woman's story of her search for true love during and after the turbulent World War II years.

At her childhood home, she is welcomed with open arms by her family. Naturally, her parents admit her to the hospital where the doctors repair her shoulder.

Now that sixteen-year-old Billie Jean is married, can she stay at her childhood home or will her stern mother make her go back to her manic husband?

Aunt Tommie enters the story here. She believes in marrying rich and having the best of everything. She takes Billie Jean to Arizona to live with her and her uncle. Billie Jean is schooled in the proper way to get a rich husband. Aunt Tommie teaches her how to walk, talk and behave like a lady around the 'right' people. At her coming out party, Billie meets a handsome man in his twenties named Jackson. Of course, Jackson is struck by Billie Jean's beauty and wants to marry her.

By this time, Billie Jean is used to the high life and the attention shown to her by men. She flits from man to man searching for someone who can take Cal's place. She marries several of these men. Each time she marries, Billie Jean is sure she is in love. But is she?

Six times she goes home to 1106 Grand Boulevard where her sister helps her drown her sorrows by going shopping. She goes back to 1106 Grand Boulevard each time a husband dies or when Billie Jean goes through a divorce. Once she went back when her then husband went off to fight in World War II. Will there be a seventh homecoming for Billie? Will Billie Jean ever find true love or will she keep flitting from man to man like a bee flits from flower to flower?

There are a couple of ways to find out more about the author of this love story. You can go to Ms. Dravis' website at: http://www.bettydravis.com and click on the 'Bio' tab. You can also surf here to read more about her: http://kindlenationdaily.com/2011/08/who-is-betty-dravis.

You can find out more about 1106 Grand Boulevard by going to her website at: http://www.bettydravis.com. Just click on the 'Books and Stories' tab.

You can pick up this excellent ebook at several places. Among them are Amazon (US) http://www.amazon.com and Amazon (UK) http://www.amazon.co.uk. Go to the kindle store at Amazon to find this story of life during the World War II era. You can also find it at Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com and at Barnes & Noble for the Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com.

Deb Hockenberry, Reviewer
http://debsbookreviews.blogspot.com

Check Out Julia Taylor Ebel's New Website!

2011-09-01T17:09:58-04:00

One of our newest authors, Julia Taylor Ebel's new revamped website is beautiful. It's like her poetry and writing.

Aaron Burleson, cover artist, book and web designer, created it. Both Aaron and Julia are known to pay attention to the little details in all they do. You can see it in the way the website coordinates well with Julia's book covers and her themes of keeping ones family stories and local history alive. And, Julia's other themes of taking inspiration from the nature all around us, reflects equally well in the site.

Julia's newest book, Mama's Wreaths was launched August 30th. To learn more about Julia and her books click here.

Canterbury House Publishing announces the release of Mama’s Wreaths, by NC regional writer Julia Taylor Ebel with M. Joann Moretz.

2011-08-23T12:05:43-04:00

Tuesday, August 30th from 2:00-7:00PM, Julia Taylor Ebel will launch her latest book, Mama's Wreaths at the Jamestown Public Library in Jamestown, North Carolina. Ebel will begin her launch with a talk, a reading, and a wreath-making demonstration, to be followed by a book signing.

Mama's Wreaths

Mama’s Workshop

The kitchen table
will hold no mealtime dishes,
not till nearly Christmas time.
Till then,
it’s Mama’s workshop.
To me,
that workshop is Christmas—
the kitchen
full of hemlock,
fir,
and pine tips
full of the delicious scent
of needles
and resin
that creeps
through our house
the way fog creeps
into mountain hollows.

The kitchen at Joanie’s mountain home is filled with fresh fir and hemlock branches, evergreens that Mama will use as she makes wreaths to sell before Christmas. Joanie is eager to learn to make wreaths like Mama’s. As Mama patiently guides her, Joanie learns not only about wreath making, but also about trust and joy—lessons entwined with fragrant evergreen. Joanie’s story unfolds through a garland of gentle free verse poems that readers of all ages will savor.

Mama’s Wreaths speaks to the heart of persons whose lives are neither glamorous nor ordinary, and it affirms the importance of their uniquely rich experience. As are Julia Taylor Ebel's six other books, Mama’s Wreaths is inspired by the lives of real people—in this case, the wreath-making experiences of writer M. Joann Moretz and her family. Mama’s Wreaths invites us all to look with gentle hearts toward those unseen faces and unheard stories of so many who touch our lives with joy.

In Mama’s Wreaths, Julia Taylor Ebel’s dedication to keeping cultural stories shines through. As she weaves slices of life, she reminds us of the importance of passing on the knowledge, traditions, and stories we value.

Mama’s Wreaths includes end notes on wreath making in western North Carolina, Christmas tree production, and simple instructions on making a wreath.

Enhanced by Joann Moretz’s keen eye for detail and Julia Ebel’s delicate pencil sketches, Mama’s Wreaths is a heartwarming story to be read and shared at Christmas and throughout the year.

Reflecting on Mama’s Wreaths, Joann Moretz says, “This story is a treasure of mixed jewels of my childhood memories, Appalachian mountain life, the passing on of a family craft, and much more.”

Other writers offer praise:

“The story is old and true—and fresh and new. Every page that Julia Taylor Ebel and Joann Moretz set down here smells like Christmas.”
        –Fred Chappell, former NC Poet Laureate and author of Shadow Box

“Beautifully crafted as one of Mama’s wreaths, this charming collection of narrative poems, strung together like cranberries on a Christmas tree…. Inspiring, warm and authentic, the story of Mama’s Wreaths will quickly enfold you in its pine-scented arms—become a family tradition as beloved as placing a wreath on your own front door.”
                –Terri Kirby Erickson, author of In the Palms of Angels

“… sensitive poem story…. The simplicity of Joanie’s voice rings true, and her fears, longings and insights resonate beyond life in the mountains. Mama’s Wreaths is a Christmas story and more…. [Ebel] paints her resilient young protagonists, their families and the magnificent mountain landscape with a delicate brush, revealing beauty of place and character honed by the demands of mountain living.”
                –Patricia Koehler, co-author of Oakdale Cotton Mill



Julia Taylor Ebel celebrates nature, heritage and cultural history through stories and poetry. Her six previous books include Dresses, Dreams and Beadwood Leaves and Jack Tales and Mountain Yarns as Told by Orville Hicks. She has over 50 nature poems published in Cricket, Pockets and other magazines. Ebel visits schools, libraries, and community groups to present programs and workshops on poetry and keeping our stories. She lives in Jamestown, North Carolina, where she makes an evergreen wreath for her door each Christmas; but she frequently spends time in the North Carolina mountains. There she finds inspiration for much of her writing. . www.juliaebel.com

M. Joann Moretz, a native of Watauga County, North Carolina, holds childhood Christmas memories of the family kitchen and occasionally the backyard shed serving as workshops for her mother’s wreath making. Her grandmother Sarah, older sister Brenda, and other family members also learned the craft of wreath making as did many Appalachian Mountain women.

Mama's Wreaths is affordably priced at $10.95 for softcover (ISBN 978-098290543-2), the book is available locally and in bookstores and online bookstores nationally.

Bookstores, Wholesalers, and Librarians order books from John F. Blair Publisher:
(800) 222-9796 / www.blairpub.com

The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley

2011-08-12T16:05:32-04:00

Introducing an Ebook for the young and the "young at heart."

Available on Kindle, Nook, at Smashwords and soon on all ebook readers.

Readers are raving about the Toonies:

“Reminiscent of Oz creations! …Between the unique description of the Mischief Makers, and the distinctive "good guys", it was reminiscent of some of Baum's magnificent creations in his classic Oz series...." - T. Burger, (Chicago) Top 100 Amazon Reviewer

“A unique novel for all ages! …I was quite mesmerized by the fact that the plot of the story was so original and unique, and truly held my interest from beginning to end… With her fabulous imagination, Dravis obviously has the potential to become one of the great children's authors of our time." - Erica Sorocco, (Southern California), Top 500 Amazon Reviewer, newspaper writer

“Modern James and the Giant Peach! …Betty Dravis's ability to present real people, places, and things in the midst of a fantasy story is very close to what I strive for in my own writings.... The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley is truly a modern James and the Giant Peach or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory kind of tale." - J. H. Sweet (Texas), author of The Fairy Chronicles

“Already a cult classic. Three cheers for Betty Dravis!”—Linda Collison author of Star Crossed

“This is a great science-fiction fantasy story for kids of all ages, or for those who are young at heart. Although the story of good versus evil has been told thousands of time, it's never been told quite like this. You'll appreciate Ms. Dravis' insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of a young teenager's mind, and laugh-out-loud at the humorous scenarios her humans and Toonies find themselves in. This story is a real winner!” —Jennifer Wardrip reviewer for TeensReadToo.com

Click here to Watch Betty Dravis' Ebook Video

Click here to read a description of Toonies Invade Silicon Valley

Watch Publisher/Author Wendy Dingwall on Mountain TV

2011-08-04T11:10:06-04:00

Wendy Dingwall, publisher of Canterbury House Publishing and author of Hera's Revenge: An Yvonne Suarez Travel Mystery was interviewed by host Cherry Johnson on Mountain TV for the weekly Watauga Arts Council Program. The program originally aired on Tuesday, July 26th at 5:30pm.

Click here to watch Wendy's interview.

Savannah Morning News Writes Super Article About Bart Bare and "Wadmalaw: A Ghost Story"

2011-07-21T17:57:48-04:00

By Linda Sickler
July 21, 2011

Award-winning Southern author, Bart Bare, is coming to Savannah on July 22 to sign his latest novel, “Wadmalaw, A Ghost Story.”

“Much of it is true,” he said. Wadmalaw Island is a real place, one of the sea islands near Charleston. In the novel, a young couple, Liv and Autis Oakley, purchase their dream home at a bargain price only to learn it is haunted.

The couple, based on Bare’s niece and her husband, find slave graves from the Civil War era, hear ghostly voices in the basement, and see a demon shaped like a black panther. But they come to realize running away won’t help, because the haunting will follow them.

“Wadmalaw” is Bare’s third published novel. The others are “Satan’s Bargain” and “Girl: A Novel,” which was awarded a High Country Writers Book of the Year Award. The author is a retired psychology professor who taught for 27 years.

Today, Bare lives on Grandfather Mountain, just outside of Blowing Rock, N.C., but has visited Wadmalaw several times. His niece’s house on the island is the basis for the house described in the novel, and yes, it is haunted.

“The basement has been converted into a pub,” Bare said. “There are graves of slaves on the property that have tabby caps to keep the bodies from floating in high water. They’ve found seven of them.”

Photos of the slave graveyard have orbs in them, Bare said. Orbs are believed by some people to indicate a spirit is in the area.

Bare and his wife often traveled to Wadmalaw for Thanksgiving. One night, Bare had trouble falling asleep. He heard voices coming from the basement, so he went down there, hoping to find someone to play a game of pool with. “The lights were out, and there was no one there,” Bare said. “I told my niece about it and she said they’d heard the voices, too.”

The book incorporates the history of the island, including parts about the local tea plantation, the only tea plantation in the United States. “The book flashes back and forth from present day to the Civil War era,” Bare said.

“There is no development on the island,” he said. “It’s all forest, marsh and swamp. People there made a tea-flavored vodka called ‘Firefly.’ The Firefly Distillery is still there at the vineyard.”

Bare began writing 10 years ago after retiring from teaching. “Three years before I retired, I was casting about for something to do,” he said. “My colleague, a professor of literature, said, ‘Why don’t you write?’ and I said, ‘Because I’m not a writer.’ He said, ‘Yes, you are.’”

Although he didn’t consider himself a writer, Bare had a story in mind. “My colleague said, ‘Humor me and write a chapter.’ I wrote it, and he said, ‘This is great!’”

When writing, Bare pens the types of books he likes to read. “I’ve always liked reading,” he said.

Although Bare’s first book wasn’t published, it’s going to be published soon. He’s also writing a science fiction book that will be published next summer.

“All my ideas come from the same question — what if?” Bare said. “I include personal experiences and people I know, and there it goes.”

IF YOU GO

What: Book signing of “Wardmalaw: A Ghost Story,” by Bart Bare

When: 1-4 p.m. July 22

Where: Books-A-Million, 8108 Abercorn St.

UNC Chapel Hill, Favorably Reviews "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree"

2011-07-19T16:33:25-04:00

July 19, 2011
UNC-Chapel Hill's Guide to Novels Set in NC

Clarinda Darningbush enters the world at the turn of the 19th century, the youngest in a large family rooted in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Absent parents and dangerous surroundings means she grows up quickly, learning from her older siblings how to thrive in the unforgiving mountain environment. One day, she stops with her brother to speak with a handsome, blue-eyed stranger, and her whole world does a “dipsy-doodle.” Rufus McCloud is just as smitten as Clarinda, and soon they are happily married. Seventeen children and Rufus’ banjo music fill their joyful home on Levi’s Mountain to the brim, but tragedy comes to call. Left without her dearest love, Clarinda must weather life as a widow and single mother, struggling through the Great Depression and World War II with the help of her devoted children. Hooking rag rugs for trade, fighting off panthers and bears, and even building a new house when a devastating fire destroys their old home, Clarinda is the epitome of strength and courage. Throughout this bittersweet life of toil, she sometimes sees and hears her winsome husband, although she tells no one. Clarinda is sure that one bright day they will be reunited, and as spry as they were in youth, dance off together on the air.

A Boone, North Carolina native, Carolyn Guy has put forth what many readers are calling one of the most accurate depictions of North Carolina mountain life during the 1930s and 1940s that they’ve ever read. Bursting with Appalachian dialect, music, and customs, readers will find Clarinda’s resourcefulness and faith an inspiration as much as they will enjoy the humorous scrapes and stories of her large, warm family.

Check this title’s availability in the UNC-Chapel Hill Library Catalog.

"Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" Article in The Laurel of Asheville Magazine

2011-07-05T15:33:41-04:00

The Laurel of Asheville is a beautiful magazine that features Southern Literature and the arts and events in and around Asheville, North Carolina. In their recently released July issue they have listed a nice write up about Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree by Carolyn Guy. Click here to read the article.