* * Reading and signing books in Bluefield

Last week, I traveled to Bluefield, WV, to do a book reading/signing at Gary Bowling’s House of Art.  It was a great opportunity to see several old friends, meet several new ones, and sell some books.  I read mostly from my new non-fiction, The Spine of the Virginias, but also from my novel, Union, WV. 

Lou Stoker, mayor of Bramwell, attended.  She and her daughter Dana are featured in the book and I read from the chapter about them.

Fred Powers, a retired coal miner who I interviewed but was unable to feature in the book, also attended.

Stuart McGehee, to whom the book is dedicated, died last January from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he learned he had terminal pancreatic cancer.  His son, Joe, who is 17 and a high school senior, attended.  It was my first opportunity to meet him.

And of course, Gary Bowling was my host, along with Terry Rowe who put the event together. 

I was already underway when a man entered wearing a crisp dark suit, white shirt, and dark tie.  He looked immediately familiar but I couldn’t place him.  Afterwards, when he had me sign the books he’d bought, he said he was Pete Richardson, a Bluefield lawyer.  He’d graduated from VT with me 34 years earlier!  After his engineering degree, he’d gone to law school and now practiced law.  Amazing! 

Terry had also set up an interview by local television personality Vain Colby, which is now on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLe7wcEjf-U.  Please take a look.

I also met William Paine, a radio personality who has a show called Radio-Active in Bluefield.  He’s going to feature me on his show on September 9 at 9:30 a.m. on 1440 WHIS and 1470 WTZE on AM frequencies.

On my way home, I sold several books to Ron Kime at the Big Walker General Store in Bland County and delivered a book to Buzz Scanland who manages the Mountain Lake Hotel. 

The books continue to delight readers.  Have you bought your copies?