"She Done What She Could"

I am thrilled and honored that the International Reading Association chose my new Running Out of Night as one of their "2014 Best Chapter Books."

Dear Friends,

I am overwhelmed by your many kindnesses. You're the best (as is my husband). I couldn't keep limping along without your support.

Are you wondering about the bad English in my title? I love to visit old graveyards and read the tombstones. I conjure up images of families of olden times, lives lived on the sea, or in the case of my title, a mother's life raising nine children.

Jeff and I were traveling through Maine and stopped at a graveyard on Deer Isle, Maine. One tombstone spoke to me; it was as if I were reading my own headstone. I remember that her last name was Eaton and that she'd somehow managed to birth and raise nine kids. The tombstone had her name and then those words, "She Done What She Could." Isn't that all that most of us can aspire to, doing what we can do in the best way we know how? That's what I do. I know that there are always so many more talented people, but I keep going.

For my birthday the year we stumbled on Mrs. Eaton's telling tombstone, Jeff ordered a headstone cake from Linn's in Cambria, California. They were flummoxed, but they made the cake in the shape of the stone and inscribed it with the words I so loved. "She done what she could." I am still working and still trying to approach life half as steadfastly as Mrs. Eaton and all the other unnamed and forgotten women before me. Salute!

My First Book Club

This is a trial run of what is an upcoming SKYPE book club interview. If you have a book club in my area I will be happy to participate, but if you're far away, SKYPE works beautifully.

January has been a month of scheduling and work. Jeff is accepting requests for talks, for Skype hook-ups with book clubs, with school visits, and so much more. I will let you know all that is going on as soon as I have an updated schedule. I am looking forward to an upcoming Skype interview with a book club for children in Washington, D.C. that chose Running Out of Night as their book for January.

The girls and their mothers will speak to me via Skype and ask pertinent questions about the book and about writing books. They'll be serving food too that goes along with my book. Beef Jerky, apple slices, just the foods I mention. It will be so much fun.

The Dave Congalton Show on KVEC 920 AM

Dave Congalton welcomed me to his lively local radio show last Friday. (Link is to the podcast. Sharon's segment starts at 36:33) He did an incredible job of making me feel welcome and at ease. We talked for an hour on live radio (daunting), answered two calls that came in, and had a great time. Thank you, Dave, for what you do for our central coast.

Into the Garden AGAIN!

Can you believe that my dwarf peach is already blooming?

Then again, can you believe that this dwarf 'Pink Lady' apple is still on the tree?

Join Me on a Garden Walk

Hurrah! I can walk, bend, and work again and I am loving every second on my feet. 

Join me for a quick walk through the garden and glean a bit of wisdom about gardening in your nightgown!

Who Won the Double Give-Away?

This is a short, short posting, but I did want to catch up with you and also let you know that having a separate e-mail address for our give-aways is working well, especially for people who are not bloggers and can't leave a comment, or don't want to sign up with Google, etc..We had over 100 entries in the give away of my old book A Blessing of Toads, which was purchased by Down East Books and was just released. FYI, they updated the cover, but now the interior illustrations are in black and white. Still the same words though.

We also offered this wonderful, solid copper rain chain from Rain Chains Direct (valued at $129.95). The LUCKY winner is one of my Facebook friends, Kris Lech in Nebraska. Maybe this should be an ice chain? 

Congratulations, Kris, lucky girl!

Signing off now, but hoping to hear from you on Facebook, my new Sharon Lovejoy Home, Gardens, Books Facebook page, by e-mail, or on this blog posting.

This month I am offering another copy of A Blessing of Toads and the fabulous Beach: A Book of Treasures by Josie Iselin.

This is a magnificent book. Good luck! Please leave a comment on this posting (I love them), but to enter the drawing, send an email to sharonsgiveaway@icloud.com (sharonsgiveaway@icloud.com).

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon