Though I appear to be talking here, I’m actually reading an excerpt from See Jane Run! Were it not for the words on the page, I would have been speechless.
The See Jane Run! book launch party left me speechless. That’s saying something since I’m rarely at a loss for words of either the spoken or written variety.
Every time I sit down to write a post about it, a flood of emotions and memories of the day wash my words away. And yet, the day deserves to be shared. A record needs to be made. Now. So in lieu of paragraphs full of words, here are pictures and short captions to give you a flavor of the day.
The four of us became friends in ninth grade and remain friends to this day.
To my right is a former country school student, her daughter, and my student’s mother who was our son’s first day care provider.
She was in high school when we met. She helped in my third grade classroom a few hours every week for two years. Now she’s in education, too.
She’s been taking my author head shots since 2003.
A former third grade student who stopped by to buy the book for his wife, who loves to read.
This sweet woman was a one-on-one para in my classroom, but she was there for every child who needed assistance and calm during the day.
Do you know what it means when your former principal comes to you book party and says he’s proud of you?
These people made teaching at Boone Community Schools in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s an absolute joy.
When I left teaching, this high school English teacher volunteered to edit my first manuscript. She said I was a good writer. I held onto that statement through years of rejection letters!
She has prayed for my writing and ministry for years. What a blessing she remains to this day.
Meet my book launch party team. Their vision was the secret sauce for the party’s success.
My husband Hiram and me with Ann and Terry Stark, the owners of Chocolaterie Stam. The Stam proved to be a perfect venue and the Starks were perfect hosts. Fun fact: Hiram and Ann worked together at Mary Greeley Hospital for years.
The box of books showed up 7 hours late and were all sold before they arrived.
Now you can see why the See Jane Run! book launch party left me speechless.
I wish I could have been there! I thought about it several times, but the thought of driving through Chicago was too daunting. So glad it was a success!
Driving solo through Chicago is not for the faint of heart. I missed you and appreciate all your encouragement along the way.
Jolene, I’m so proud of you for getting your series launched. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first installment of See Jane Run! I’m not surprised that you have such a wonderful group of supporters. You’ve done so much to help writers like me at the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Work shop
That’s so kind of you Cherie. I’m reading your book now and enjoying it.