People we meet along the way

First off I want to thank everyone that took the time to read the extremly long story in the previous post. This was a little story that has been rolling around my head for many years. It, like so many others are being compiled for a short story collection. You have probably read Traffic Light, Fifth Grade Hitler and Triangle Trees. The Hang up is from that era and is even more fun to read after you have read the other three. Long winded stories are tough to put on the blog because of the length of time and the effort that is required to read it. I just couldn't think of a way of telling the story in less then 4,500 words, its original version was over 6,000 words.

I have began my journey on writing the novel that will be my quest for the year. I contacted a gentleman, Ron Fowler who had authored four books and self-published them. I was a little interestd in how you self-published so I contacted him via email from the inside cover of his book, "Valsetz Star".

Blaze had given me the book for Christmas and I had shelved it and planned to read it later. The book is about a young elementary-aged girl prior to WWII who published a monthly newsletter from the small logging town, Valsetz. She became an international celebrity. Her subscription list included Eleanor Roosevelt most of the large newspapers around the nation carried excerpts from her monthly publication. Then in December 1941 her family moved from Valsetz and she ceased publication. Interesting thing is she then moved to Salem with her fmily and attended the same school as my children have. I never knew her or any of her family. My grandmother did but no one else I know ever met her. Ron Fowler was not from Valsetz. He had heard of the newsletter and the young girl and decided to write a book about her and the newsletter.

Well anyway I contacted Mr. Fowler and he was overjoyed to meet with me. Since the last book he has since retired and is enjoying the life as a grandparent. But he wanted me to have something. We got together and he gave me a box full of material he used to assist in writing his Valsetz Star book. The material was unbelievable. there were hours and hours of interviews, pictures dating back to the 1920 up until the mid 1980s. I even found a photo of my younger brother when he was 18. There were newspaper clippings and a copy of every Valsetz Star newsletter. He was even nice enough to give me abook he had penned about self-publishing and all the ups and downs you could experience publishing. We spent several hours discussing Valsetz, writing and the art of story telling.

I put this meeting up there with the chicken eating session I had with Hoss. These meetings are so valuable in a life.