EP Senior Center Book Club

Sandy is in front wearing seafoam green sweater and scarf

Sandy and I are both over 55 years old.  So we felt very at home at the EP Senior Center book club meeting.  The organizer of the group is super professional and efficient.  She did her best to keep us on track!

This is an intelligent, vibrant group of women who asked excellent questions and were a pleasure to meet.  We love doing book clubs. (please note this is a direct hint!)  

They read TIMBER and I think the consensus was that they appreciated Sandy's research because they learned so much.  Hurray for lifelong learners!!

We were also invited to stay for their annual potluck lunch which was super good as expected from this group.  They do some fun events.  As an example, one month they see a movie after they have read the book.

We felt privledged to meet with the group and hope to be invited back again!  Thank you ladies.  

Silent Aution Fall Book Club

This was a very hectic summer in which both Sandy and I spent our time being "grandma's"!   But now we're gearing up again to talk about our books.  

We donated 10 books to an Eden Prairie organization called Taste of Eden Prairie for their silent auction that raises money for the schools in their area.  In October, the book club that won read TIMBER!

Sandy and I loved meeting with the diverse group of women who asked great questions and if fact sort of stumped Sandy on one question. These are critical readers and we love them for their attention to details.

Mostly it was just a lot of fun that night and all for a great cause! Besides having a beautiful home and being a gracious host, the hostess had the most awesome Halloween decorations I've ever seen outside and around her home.   

Won First Award! NEMBA May 2014

NEMBA Program May 22, 2014

Sponsored by the University of Minnesota Duluth and The Lake Superior Writers Group for over 20 years, this award celebrates books written about the unique and particular region of Northeastern Minnesota.  We were nominated in February for both Timber; Fire in the Pines and The Last Dance.  Both are historical fiction novels.  There are five judges who read selections in each of the five genres.

The nominees in the Fiction Category included eight other talented authors: William Kent Krueger for Tamarack County, Dean Hovey for Whistling Sousa, Cary J.Griffith for Wolves, Jim Northrup for Walking the Rez Road, Pat McGauley for The Sons of Marella Windsong, Jim Herschbach for Seven Graves Two Harbors, Vidar Sundstol for The Land of Dreams, and T.K. O'Neill for Jack Pine Savages: A Carter Brown Novel.  

Cathy Wurzer, MPR

Cathy Wurzer spoke and is articulate and smart but also was entertaining and funny.  She's an author and wrote a book about Hwy 61.  After the program I spoke with her briefly and asked if she would consider doing a spot about Sandy.  Cross your fingers fans and family!

If I admit it was a surpise when they announced Timber; Fire in the Pines for the Honorable Mention Nominee it sounds like I didn't think Sandy should win.  Nothing is further  from the truth.  But it is a little intimidating to be amongst some pretty distinguished and popular writers. They bestow two awards for each genre-- the Winner and an Honorable Mention.  Since February Sandy has been saying she doesn't expect an award.  Kind of how she's been known to say "no one wants to read my books".  Well anywho…I thought she had a right to win.  

But then there's authors like our fellow author presenter Dean Hovey,  William Kent Krueger and Cary J. Griffith.  Mr. Hovey has written five popular mysteries.  Mr. Krueger has won many awards including his latest-- the prestigious Edgar Award for Ordinary Grace.  Mr. Griffith recently won the esteemed Midwest Book Award for Wolves, he was also included in the list of Star Tribune's Summer Reads 2014 for his ebook Savage Reads.  I haven't read Wolves yet but I intend to.   I enjoyed Ordinary Grace and other novels by Mr. Krueger.  Hence the apprehension Sandy would get lost in the list of serious contenders.

Our congratulations to Mr. Krueger who was the 2014 NEMBA Award winner in the Fiction category.  Not bad for Sandy's debut novel to come in SECOND PLACE!  Check out all the NEMBA nominees, we just finished Farm Girls and really enjoyed it.  Try and buy from an Indepedent bookstore!   We need to support these stores because they provide author's badly needed exposure and help introduce new authors and books.  

North Branch Library Book Signing April 2013

This was our second event at this library, the staff and The Friends at the North Branch Library are so friendly and accommodating.   We shared The Last Dance.  Dean Hovey also spoke about his books, his most recent (also a nominee for the NEMBA award) is Whistling Sousa.  He writes mysteries so was a good author to have speak, it's nice to have two genres to discuss.  Dean is a sweet guy too.

We enjoyed all the thoughtful questions; a few patrons had already read TIMBER; Fire in the Pines.   We love doing library events, thank you for having us back North Branch Library and The Friends of the North Branch Library!

Family Support and Traditions

Barb Pfankuch hosted the Rosemary Woods/Tuckaway book club event we were invited to attend again this March.  She's been such a wonderful supporter of Sandy's; she also happens to be her daughter in law!   Not only has she hosted two book club events, she organized a Health Partners book signing event this year as well.  Thank you Barb!

It means the world to Sandy and I to have such strong family support.  Sandy's husband Bob passed in 2010 but I know he would be proud and happy knowing his family helps to promote her books and allows her to continue doing something she feels is so rewarding. 

The ladies in the book club are great, interesting and we always have a lot of fun visiting with them.  They read "The Last Dance" and shared their favorite parts comparing and contrasting this book with "Timber".  A few ladies with strong farm connections commented that they especially loved this book because of the farm scenes.  I agree, being a native Minnesotan I love the culture of small towns and family farms.  

Sandy made her special homemade sticky buns (or cinnamon rolls as I call them) for the ladies to enjoy and to thank Barb for all her efforts.  For "Last Dance" readers, this gesture will remind you of Martha.  She was partially fashioned after Sandy's mom Frieda.  My grandma Frieda was a farm girl and learned to cook wonderful homestyle comfort food on the farm.  She made us this special treat when we were growing up.  Now my daughter and I both make these rolls carrying on the tradition and making new memories for our families. 

Spring, Events and Publicity, hooray!

Dear Readers:
I feel like we've all been in hibernation too long this winter in Minnesota!  Today is the first day of spring and a great day to celebrate getting back outside and out to talk about our books with people.  The Last Dance continues to touch people's hearts!  Everyday I hear from someone who says they can't decide which Pine Crescent novel they like best!

Next week we return to the Rosemary/Tuckaweye neighborhood bookclub for a book discussion and cinnamon rolls!  This is a fun group of women, we were there last year with TIMBER; Fire in the Pines.

Also, we will be in Cambridge, MN at Mill Ridge Terrace to share Sandy's inspiring writer's journey, as well as her books.  Everyone is invited!

Isanti News 3/19/2014

Nominated (Twice) for the 26th Annual NEMBA award!

Last May I wrote about being a NEMBA wannabe.  Wow, we recently received a letter from the NEMBA committee informing us that both TIMBER; Fire in the Pines and The Last Dance have both been nominated for an award in the fiction category.  

The awards will be held in Duluth in May.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!  What a thrill it would be to win for either book.  There are 10 other books nominated in the fiction category including some very distinguished authors such as William Kent Krueger.  

NEMBA was established in 1988 to recognize books that substantially represent northeastern Minnesota in the areas of history, culture, heritage, or lifestyle.  Prizes are currently awarded in six categories: (1) General Nonfiction (2) Fiction (3) Art, Photography (4) Children's Literature (5) Poetry, and (6) Memoir and Creative Nonfiction.

You can check out more information here: http://www.d.umn.edu/lib/nemba/award.htm