Libby Callaway

Recently, I got to hear Libby and Mike Wolfe talk about their new book, American Pickers Guide to Picking, published in September 2011 by Hyperion. The crowd at the Cleveland, TN museum topped 300 as Libby spoke first, acknowledging over two rows of Callaways and Easterlys in the audience. She told us how she met Mike Wolfe about four years ago at a photo shoot and  how she found herself really intrigued by what he did for a living.

Libby had been buying and selling antiques and collectibles since she as a little girl. “I learned the business from my mom who had a business, The Callaway Collection, many years ago in Cleveland,” she explained. By the age of five or six, Libby wandered flea markets and antique malls by herself, searching for treasures to resell. After receiving a master’s degree in Cultural Reporting and Criticism from New York University, Libby embarked on a career in journalism. But she never totally stopped picking and collecting, and eventually, that’s how she became friends with Mike Wolfe.

Mike Wolfe also started picking as a child. He was in kindergarten when an old bike caught his eye one day while on his way to school. After buying the bike, taking it home, and fixing up, Mike was hooked. His mom allowed him to use their garage for his new found hobby and he was soon on his way to his lifelong profession.

“I make my living buying and selling, but I don’t consider picking a job at all,” Mike told the audience. “It’s a fascinating journey. When I knock on a door and someone opens it, we already have a connection, the universal language of junk.”

Mike and Frank buy 1000s of items that aren’t shown on the show. “We just don’t have time to show all the picks,” Mike says. He and Frank help the show’s producers select the picked items for each show that are most interesting and important for viewers to see.

“I find it more difficult to find things in the South,” Mike admits. “But there’s stuff everywhere. Pick-wise though, I’ve made my living for the past few years mainly on the East coast.”

Still, Mike does like the South. He has a shop in Nashville and also has a “little house” outside Nashville that he shares with his girlfriend who is expecting a “little picker,” soon.

Mike Wolf and Libby Callaway at Cleveland TN Museum

Mike received many questions from young pickers at his Cleveland museum talk and says there is a “Kid Picker” show in the works. The current American Pickers show was the most successful reality show introduced on TV in 2010. I’m sure, judging from all the excited junior pickers at the museum, a young picker show would be a big hit.

Mike also talked about his partner in rusty gold on the show, Frank Fritz and their assistant, Danielle Colby. Frank joined Mike as a full time picker after being downsized from a long time job. Mike met Danielle at a yard sale several years ago when he bought something she had her eye on. Their disagreement quickly turned to friendship and when Mike succeeded in selling the American Pickers show to the History channel and needed an assistant to run the shop and help scout out picks, he thought of Danielle. Producers at first weren’t enthusiastic about the tattooed burlesque dancer. But after seeing her and watching her interact with Mike and Frank, they quickly agreed that she was a perfect addition to the show.

“If you can think of a purpose for something, it’s not junk,” Mike said, near the end of his talk. “It becomes a part of you.”

Mike’s show has already become a part of our family on Monday nights. His book is now in a treasured place on our bookshelf and we’re savoring every page of reading about hunting and picking “rusty gold.” Coming soon: a full review of American Pickers Guide to Picking, if I can stop picking long enough to write it!

For more information on the American Pickers show, go here. To read more about Libby Callaway and her new book, visit her website.

Linus believed in the Great Pumpkin in Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. Anyone passing by the huge display of pumpkins on the grounds of Winterville United Methodist Church near the depot on

Pumpkins in Winterville

N. Main Street can actually see the Great Pumpkin now through October 31. For church members, the annual “Pumpkins R Us” project is a fundraiser. Schools may schedule class field trips. All visitors can have their photos taken and will receive a free handout. On October 22, the church will sponsor a Fall Festival among the pumpkins. The festival will include baked goods for sale and other activities.

These pumpkins, which are perfect for carving or making into delicious pies and breads, are for sale. Miniature pumpkins go for just $.50 and many other sizes are available at various prices.

The Great Pumpkin and his/her minions rule right now in the little town of Winterville, Georgia. But only for the next few days. If you’re interested in staking your claim to the perfect pumpkin for the Halloween season, get to the WUMC pumpkin patch soon. This is a limited time invasion. Sometime between now and Halloween, the Great Pumpkin and all the other pumpkins will disappear!

Pumpkin Patch

For more information, visit the Winterville Pumpkin Patch page on their website.

To read more about the Great Pumpkin, go here!

The Writer October 2011 Issue

I’m a huge fan of The Writer, a monthly trade magazine for writers published by Kalmbach Publishing Company in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It was first established in April 1887 by William H. Hills and Robert Luce, two Boston Globe reporters, as

“a monthly magazine to interest and help all literary workers.” Until November 2000, The Writer was published in Boston. Packed with articles that inspire and instruct both aspiring and published writers, it’s the oldest magazine for writers currently being published. I’ve been reading it since the 1980s and feel very honored to see my own Breakthrough article in the pages of this magazine.

If you’ve ever wondered how I got my debut children’s middle grade novel, GONE FROM THESE WOODS, published, the story is here in the pages of The Writer. Pick up a copy at Barnes & Noble or any of the other locations that carry specialized magazines, or subscribe online on The Writer website.

I’ve presented this same workshop many times. Most recently, I taught “Finding Fiction” at the OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Georgia). Last summer, I flew to Frederick, Maryland, and presented “Finding Fiction,” at the MD/DE/WV region of SCBWI summer conference. OLLI is an organization for retired folks and SCBWI is an organization for writers of children’s literature. So, of course, this workshop is suitable for writers of books and stories for children and young adults, and also for writers of fiction for adults. One difference between previous presentations of Finding Fiction and the one I’ll do at the HAWC, is the length. I usually have l l/2 hours, but the version coming up in a few days will only be an hour long. Most writers will agree that condensing, tightening, and editing are good words, whether they’re connected with workshops or manuscripts.

Listen up. I’m going to tell you a secret. The three handouts for my “Finding Fiction in Your Own Backyard,” are already posted on my website. They’re in PDF format and you’re welcome to take a look and to print out a copy. But remember, the handouts are only a part of my workshop. I hope you’ll consider attending the workshop for the rest. If you’re interested in doing this, go register for the Harriette Austin Writers Conference here.

In addition to my workshop, there are other presenters and sessions that might be of interest to writers of children’s literature. Author Evelyn Coleman will be there, sharing her expertise and experience in the children’s book writing field and in the mystery genre. Mary Kole, an agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency, an agency that is consistently ranked #1 in juvenile sales in Publishers Marketplace, also will talk about children’s books. For writers in other genres, there is an excellent group of presenters, including authors like Terry Kay and Judy Iakvou, editors, and other agents. For more information on presenters, go here.

Okay. Enough said for now. Back to working on my upcoming HAWC workshop. If you have questions, email me or post a comment here. Otherwise, I hope to see you at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference July 23.

In the Athens, Georgia area where I live, Fail As Fast As You Can, or FAFAYC, is the name of a new program for children that teaches concepts such as creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship through fun classes in art, music, dance and foreign languages. Recently, I had a chance to interview the founder, Alexandru Muresan.

Donny: First, why did you pick the name, “Fail As Fast As You Can” for your program? I know creative projects involve many tries and failures, such as the numerous rewrites most authors must do before producing a publishable manuscript, and the many submissions we make to find the one editor or agent who says yes. But I am curious about your selection of FAFAYC as the name of your organization.

Alex: You basically guessed the reason for the name. Everyone fails at some point in their lives, but those who understand that failing is a good thing (as long as you learn from it, and never give up) become successful early on.

Donny: What led you to organize FAFAYC?

Alex: I wanted to create a company that would offer lessons to people; lessons that you’ve always wanted to take and things you’ve always wanted to learn, but never had a chance. In developing the idea, I realized children need exposure to such skills, classes and activities more than anyone else, since they have their whole lives ahead of them. I want every child to know what art is, how important it is to be creative and enjoy your work.

Donny: Tell me more about yourself and others who are involved in the organization.

First guitar lesson for Lily and Ben

Alex: I was born in Romania and moved to the US when I was 15. I competed internationally in ballroom dance growing up and continued dancing with an aerial contemporary company throughout college. I recently graduated from UGA with a BBA in Economics and a minor in Dance. I’ve been teaching dance at the University Recreational Sports Center for a couple of years. I started this company on January 1, 2011. I do everything myself, however I also have a very supportive set of instructors, all of them students at UGA. They are very talented and keep the FAFAYC program going. My girlfriend, Taisa, is getting her masters in Professional School Counseling at UGA and she helps me understand children better and is also the photographer for the company.

Donny: Who participates in your classes?

Alex: Right now, we have 11 kids enrolled in the program, and we just started May 2011. We hope to grow to 50 this fall, and expand to Atlanta next year. We’ve gotten a lot of comments and positive responses from particpants and members of the community.

Donny: Tell me about the July 29, 2011 FAFAYC picnic at Sandy Creek Park.

Alex: The picnic is open to the public. It starts at 4 and will end around 8 PM. We are hoping to get a nice group of kids, parents, artists and people interested in helping out, or just having a good time. We’ll have food, drinks, music, raffles, and a good time getting to know everyone. There will be some demos, some skill-building and most of the FAFAYC members and staff will be there.

Donny: Anything else you want readers to know about FAFAYC?

Alex: We’re launching a new product soon called FAFAYC Center. What this means is that we will offer the whole program including instructors, curriculum and materials to daycare centers, schools, and offices as an after-school/add-on program to enhance their ability to share the arts with their children. We’re really excited about this. We plan to expand our reach and once we get to 50 kids, we’ll strive to open new locations in other cities, as well as helping local communities that have no access to the arts. I urge all your readers to come meet us at the Sandy Creek Picnic and to join our FB group, www.facebook.com/fafayc and check out our website: www.fafayc.com.

For more information about the FAFAYC, contact Alex via email: alex@fafayc.com or phone: (478) 919-7323.

I’d never been to a four-hour movie before. Squirming in my seat next to Myrt, I felt special to be part of such a grown up activity. This wasn’t a kiddie movie, like I saw at the Palace Theater on Saturday mornings. These larger than life men and women were grownups and just being there that day, watching them dramatize Margaret Mitchell’s grown up book, made me feel grown up. So I tried to follow the story. But somewhere along the way, I fell asleep. When I awoke, it was intermission and then there was more movie. A lot more. I fell asleep again, waking up in time to see Bonnie Blue bite the dust. Back home, in my grandmother’s living room, she proudly showed me the GWTW book and boasted that she’d read every page and planned to read it all again. It’s the only book I ever remember her telling me she’d read.

Later on, I read the book, too, and admired every word, even the ones that seemed, well, extra in my teen aged mind. Sometime during my teen aged years, my aunt Judith and I (she’s only three years older than me, so we were more like sisters) visited Stone Mountain Park with my other grandparents (Judith’s parents). We met Butterfly McQueen there. The real “I don’t know nothin’ ’bout birthin’ no babies, Miz Scarlett, Butterfly McQueen. As I listened to her sweet, distinctive voice talk about the historic home she was leading us through, I had a flashback to the cool Georgia Theater and the larger-than-life Prissy character on the screen and I wished I hadn’t fallen asleep.

Flash forward, from the 1950s to 2007. My new editor, Michelle Poploff, of Random House, is talking to me about titles for my debut children’s middle grade novel. Why do we need a new title? I wondered. I liked my title, D-Man, my protagonist’s superhero nickname, given to him by Uncle Clay. I went into great detail, explaining why I had chosen D-Man as the title and what it meant to Daniel and the story, and to me.

“How about Mouse Creek Road?” Michelle suggested. There is a Mouse Creek Road in my book, named after the road with the same name that runs through Cleveland, Tennessee, where my mother lives. But my book wasn’t about Mouse Creek Road. It was about Daniel, or D-Man, as his uncle called him.

“I don’t think so,” I said.

“Well, then, let’s go with Gone From These Woods. The words are right in the book. And . . . ” As Michelle talked on about why Gone From These Woods was a good title for my novel, I found myself back in that cool Athens Theater again. Sitting next to my grandmother, trying to pay attention to the story on the big screen, admiring Butterfly and Hattie and Rhett and Scarlet and Melanie and all the other bigger-than-life characters and the magnificent, romantic story unfolding before me. Gone With the Wind. Gone From These Woods. Somehow, it seemed sacrilegious to call my book by a title so similar to Margaret Mitchell’s book. Was this even legal, I wondered? I knew you couldn’t copyright a title, but . . .

My book, Gone From These Woods, was published in 2009 by Random House and reissued as a Yearling paperback in 2011. My grandmother died long before I sold my first book, so she never even knew I was a novelist, much less that I’d someday hear one of those “Yankees” from New York tell me why Gone From These Woods was the perfect name for my book. Michelle didn’t tell me, but I suspect that she must have met GWTW in a dark, cool movie theater of her childhood, too, or maybe she met Scarlett, Rhett and company in the pages of the book.

I take in my movie theater movies these days at the Carmike on Lexington Road with daughter Jenny. It’s always cold in there, and warm, too, as I bask in the company of family, just as I did so long ago, sitting in the Georgia Theater with Myrt. And, yes, I still fall asleep, even during great movies like GWTW and anything Harry Potter. Some things never change.

Margaret Mitchell

Fans of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind are celebrating the book’s 75th anniversary in 2011. My book will be two in August (the published version – I first began writing GFTW around 2005 and carried the idea for the book for many more years). Now, when I hear the title, Gone From These Woods, I remember Margaret Mitchell’s book, proudly displayed in my grandmother’s house, and I feel the cool air of the theater and hear the voices and see the character’s faces on the big screen. My book isn’t a movie (yet), and it’s not nearly as big, in any way, as Margaret’s Mitchell’s classic. But both books are southern and written by southern authors. I’m proud to have the privilege to carry on the tradition and proud to have a book title that reminds me of the book my grandmother loved.

Happy 75th anniversary, Gone With the Wind! And thanks, Margaret Mitchell. What a gift you gave the world.

Authors Evelyn Coleman and Donny Seagraves at the 2009 HAWC

My association with the Harriette Austin conference goes way back to the beginning. A call went out to present and former students asking us to contribute writing for a fund-raising calendar that helped finance the first HAWC. I contributed a short story, “Dear Delores,” to that calendar and also attended the first conference. “Dear Delores” has been published and republished many times in magazines, including Seek and The Roswell (NM) Literary Review.  I’ve attended many of the HAWCs, served on a nonfiction panel at an early conference and presented two workshops at the 2009 HAC, which took place about the same time as the publication of my debut novel, Gone From These Woods.

I’ve learned much from HAWC presenters and even acquired my literary agent at a Harriette Austin conference. I’ve also enjoyed seeing Harriette herself, a quiet, encouraging presence at the conference with her name. This inspiring teacher is now celebrating over 90 years of living, writing, encouraging, teaching, guiding, helping, and enjoying the publication success of a growing number of students in her writing classes at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and attendees at 16 Harriette Austin Writers Conferences.  All the pertinent conference information is here. Check it out. Sign up. Submit your manuscript. Who knows. You might be the next HAWC success story. See you there.

Mary now lives about 15 miles away from Winterville, but she’s still very much a part of our town. If I close my eyes and let my mind drift back to scenes of Winterville in years past, I see Mary in many of my memories. Her distinctive piano playing is the sound track as she plays hymns in the Winterville Methodist’s sanctuary on a Sunday morning. I see her fingers tapping the ivories of a piano in the park gazebo on a hot June day, playing Dixieland songs with the Merry Makers at an early Marigold festival. And who could forget Mary riding in festival parades, beside her husband, the late Wesley Whitehead, our mayor for 23 years, and more recently as parade Grand Marshall in our newly-revived festival?

There are many other women, and men, who can tap the keys of a piano and make it sing and create instant feelings of happiness in those who listen. But I’ve never met anyone else who has the charm and the by-ear natural gift for music that Mary Whitehead possesses and who shares her gifts so graciously. There is music and there is Mary Whitehead. Put them together and you have pure joy.

Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog, Winterville Writer, Feb. 28, 2011.

Christmas in Winterville begins at 6 PM in Pittard Park and on the town square. The event is sponsored by The Commercial Bank, with contributions by other community groups and individuals. Visitors to Christmas in Winterville will enjoy free cookies, candy, hot dogs, hot cocoa and cider. The Winterville Express train will provide free rides to children (with adult supervision). Santa will arrive on the Marigold Express just after 6 PM and will then be under the gazebo in the park for pictures. Bring your cameras! Other Christmas happenings in Winterville include The Mayor’s Christmas Motorcade 52nd Anniversary Celebration to East Central Regional Hospital in Augusta, Thursday, December 9, 2010. Winterville also will collect Toys for Tots. For more information on supporting these programs, call city hall: 706-742-8600.

Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog, Winterville Writer, Nov. 28, 2010.

But the food sure comes in second on Thanksgiving day. Especially, the dressing. In my humble opinion, dressing, or stuffing, if you feel inclined to stuff the bird, is the star of this holiday meal. While I’m making my dressing, from cornbread I cook before I begin, I always think about my grandmothers’ dressing from Thanksgivings past. Both contained cornbread, both were Southern recipes, but they were so different. Grandmother Coile made her dressing in a big metal pan. It was greasy and featured a golden brown chicken in the middle of it, and it tasted heavenly. Grandmother Bailey made little dressing patties. First she mixed the ingredients, which included bell pepper. Then she carefully patted out each mound of dressing. Her dressing patties were to die for.

I’m lucky to make dressing at all (after looking up a recipe via Google). But I make it and somehow, it always turns out okay. At least the family gathered in my Winterville dining room tells me the dressing is okay. And I’m thankful for that — and my family. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I wish you a Thanksgiving holiday full of dressing and love.

Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog, Winterville Writer, Nov. 22, 2010.