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OLD AGE IS NOT FOR SISSIES

NOTHING IN LIFE IS TO BE FEARED

The Footsteps of St. Paul in Thessalonica and Berea

by Filed Under: Following Old Trails, Travel

I discovered I did not post this part of my trip to Greece and Turkey. In our “In the Footsteps of Paul” series, my daughter and I also traveled to Thessalonika and Berea. We were not alone, though. On this week-long Collette tour, we joined a larger group from San Angelo, TX, from a Catholic diocese there. We were the only protestants in the group, but they treated us with open arms. They were a fun group of people.

Tracy & Father Ryan

To retrace the steps of St. Paul in Thessaloniki, you can visit several key sites. The Vlatadon Monastery is believed to be built on the site where St. Paul preached here. Near the monastery, a spring is a pilgrimage site, connected with the tradition that Paul escaped through a nearby city gate. There is also the city’s Roman Forum, the ruins of the ancient city market where St. Paul would have been present during his ministry here.

Vlatadon Monastery, Wikipedia Photo

In Acts, we know Timothy stayed in Thessalonica, probably on instructions from Paul, while the Apostle and his companion Silas made their way to the town of Beroea, about forty miles to the west.

Now those (in Beroea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the Word with all readiness of mind and examined the Scriptures (the Old Testament) daily to see if these things were so. As a result, a great number of them believed, including not a few of the honorable (upper class) Greek women and men (Acts 17:11 – 12) 

The first convert of Beroea was Sosipatros, who is a saint in the Greek Orthodox Church. Sosipatros is called Sopater in the Authorized Version of the New Testament. Paul was with him in Corinth when he wrote the Epistle to the Romans, as his name, spelt Sosipater, appears in that letter.

In Berea today you can see The Altar of the Apostle Paul, a modern monument the Bereans erected to remind them of Paul’s visit to their city nearly 2,000 years ago. This “Triptych monument” includes three steps (in the center) believed to be from the ancient synagogue where Paul taught, and it depicts scenes related to Paul’s work in Berea, such as the Macedonian man vision and his address to the Bereans which was from the Bema in Beroea, a type of raised platform. 

The Alter of the Apostle Paul. Notice the Iconography.

We also learned a lot about the Greek Orthodox and what makes them different from the Catholics and Protestants. One major difference is they refrain from using figurines, but use iconography. We visited a state-funded place where they still teach this and observed a demonstration.

Demonstrating Iconography (how it is done and what they use)

In the Footsteps of Paul to Phillipi

by Filed Under: Following Old Trails, Travel

Today, we traveled from Thessalonika to Phillipi, where St. Paul first planted the seeds of Christianity in Europe. We are on a highway that looks similar to our US interstates. It is the Via Egnatia, which was built on the Roman road used by St. Paul to travel between Phillipi and Thessalonika.

Screenshot

When modern-day Greeks built this road, they uncovered cobblestones and mile markers used by the Romans. Initially, the Romans built it as a military road. 

So we are on our way to the ruins of Phillipi. We are driving east across the region called Macedonia (Macedonika) birthplace of Alexander the Great. This is not to be confused with the country North Macedonia,which is a Balkan country made up of Slavic people. 

The suffix ika added to a place or noun means lesser, such as a smaller city or lesser area, such as a region. 

We first went to the ruins of Phillipi, the first community of Christians in Europe. And the conversion and baptism of Lydia, the first European baptized. 

They named Phillipi after King Phillip, who restored internal peace to his country and, by 339 BC, had gained control over all of Greece through military and diplomatic means, thus laying the foundations for its expansion under his son Alexander the Great.

People know this mountainous region for its gold. After the Ottoman conquest, people abandoned the city in the 14th century AD.

At the ruins of Phillipi, we saw the place where Paul and Silas were imprisoned, and we saw the ruins of an early basilica, a Christian church in Philippi, showing later evidence of the seeds that he planted west for Christianity. 

Saint Paul, it appears, was the Johnny Appleseed of Christianity for Europe. 

This imprisonment was for a short time. According to the Bible, they prayed, and an earthquake freed them. The guard feared their release, so he was going to kill himself, but Paul and Silas told him, “Don’t harm yourself. We are here.“

St. Paul’s Imprisonment at Phillipi

Then they informed him they were Roman citizens and that Roman law had led to their illegal imprisonment. In the end, they were let go, and they went back to the home of Lydia.

We visited the prison where guards held them. 

We also visited another round Christian basilica; they built it for a martyr or someone special to the church. It has amazing mosaics on its floors. There is also a mosaic with an inscription, which says that a certain bishop in memory of Saint Paul built the church. They know this Bishop lived in the fourth century A.D. It is the earliest known church dedicated to Paul. 

We left the ruins and not too far away; we visited the place where Lydia was baptized. She was the first European baptized by Paul. The Book of Acts describes Paul’s encounter with Lydia. The stream where it happened is a cold mountain stream. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous. 

They built a church at the site and there is a small amphitheater by the stream for local baptisms.

On our way back to Thessaloniki, we stopped in the port city of Neapolis, now known as Kavala. This is where Paul first set foot in Europe. It is an old city where the ruins of a city wall and Roman aqueduct still stand. 

This is also where there is an original section of the Via Egnatia, the Roman road mentioned earlier, that still exists. He used this road to travel to Phillipi. 

The Footsteps of Paul in Ephesus

by Filed Under: Following Old Trails, Uncategorized

When Paul came to Ephesus, he came from Corinth. He may have come because the city was ripe for spreading the gospel. 

Here, the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana by the Romans) was at the height of its fame. Thousands of pagans came here to worship every year in May. 

The temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, many times larger than the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It had 120 columns. Today, one can only see a part of one column standing. Today, a bog of silt covers the temple ruins. 

Wikipedia, Site of Temple of Artemis

The ruins of Ephesus, a mile away, were a wealthy city and a major trading port in Asia Minor, now Turkey. Marble paved its streets. 

Today, if one were alone, Ephesus would have a surreal, haunted look. But I am not alone. There are people everywhere. Archaeological digs have uncovered about 20% of the overall city.

Paul arrived in the city during his third mission. He had come across Asia Minor from Antioch in Syria to Anatolia, now known as Turkey. Taurus, his birthplace, was also in Anatolia. Today, by Turkey’s citizens, he is Turkish. 

These three arches below frame the main gates coming into the city, so Paul definitely walked through these arches. 

And he also walked on this main street. 

He taught in the Ephesus synagogue for three months, but the same opposition that had driven him from Pisidian Antioch, from Iconium, from Philippi, from Berea and from Corinth, soon contrived to close the doors of the synagogue against him here, too. It was the same story over again: the Jewish authorities worried when he converted many of their flock. They would not accept the Gospel of Christ.

Despite his hardship, though, Paul seems to have prospered in Ephesus. When the usual opposition of the Jews was moving towards a breach of the peace, he quietly left them and took his preaching to a lecture-hall of a teacher named Tyrannus.

There he opened his doors to Jews and Greeks alike, to any man or woman who cared to listen. He stayed longer in Ephesus than in any other place, except for Rome. His teaching in the hall of Tyrannus continued for two years, and during that time he came into inevitable conflict. 

While here, he learned of the trouble in the Church at Corinth, which inspired his First Epistle to the Corinthians. 

At the end of his mission here, there occurred a singularly dramatic event which ended his ministry in the city. He had intended to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, until the end of May. 

And the end is obvious. This month held the Artemisia, the annual festival of Diana of the Ephesians, filling the city with strangers from every part of the Aegean and the Mediterranean. What better opportunity could a missionary have had of reaching many countries in one sermon?

Paul preached the Gospel of Christ and told all men to forsake false gods (ie. idols). These teachings became an unconscious tribute to the power of his preaching when the riot of Diana’s silversmiths occurred. Their one thought was to drive Paul from the city, or to imprison him, in order that he should not spoil their trade at the forthcoming festival. Their trade was to sell idols to the festival crowds.

The several-hours-long riot, which took place in the theater, worried both the Jewish authorities and the city’s authorities before a city leader quelled it. 

It would have been pointless for Paul to have remained in Ephesus after this spontaneous outburst of fury. Persuaded, no doubt, by his friends, the Asiarchs, wealthy and powerful Asians, he said goodbye to the city which had sheltered him for nearly three of the most triumphant and momentous years in the history of Christianity and his missionary life.

I stood on a street of Ephesus imagining this theater scene, shining in its glory and thronged with excited crowds, shouting over and over, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Paul stayed out of sight and left for better ground in which to spread the seeds of Christianity. 

Scholars accept that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians from Rome near the end of his life while awaiting his trial before Caesar. He wrote the following letters: the Epistle to the Colossians, the Epistle to the Phillimon, and the Epistle to the Philippians. However, some theories challenge the Rome theory, suggesting that Paul was imprisoned in Ephesus and wrote the letters from here. 

Paul was not the only apostle to come here. There were others. St. John the Divine lived and died at Ephesus and Christian tradition says he brought Mary, the mother of Jesus, here for her safety. According to a bedridden German nun’s vision, this below is Mary’s home. 

Following In the Footsteps of St. Paul to Corinth

by Filed Under: Following Old Trails, Uncategorized

If you’ve read much of this blog, you are probably familiar with my “Following Old Trails” section. I’ve blogged from several locations on trails all over America—from a cattle drive in Florida to the Lewis and Clark Trail across America’s west and many more.

Today, I am in Greece following some of the missionary travels of St. Paul the Apostle. Mostly over the next few days, I’ll describe his Grecian sojourn, but we’ll also spend one day in Ephesus in Turkey and another in Crete.

Our journey today began in Athens (no Bryce, not Athens, Georgia.) We drove by bus from Athens to the ancient city of Corinth, which is not in the same location as current-day Corinth. We traveled on the Lechaeum Road, an ancient highway paved with marble, which was used for those traveling by land between Athens and Corinth. Today, it is a modern asphalt road with views of Greece’s seaside and mountains.

In Paul’s day, he probably made the trip by ship, but this road was there. If he went by ship, they probably had to portage the four plus miles between the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea and the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. The canal was not there in his time, even though the cutting of it first began in 7 B.C.

Screenshot of Wikipedia’s Map of the Corinth Canal Area

We stopped to see the 84-foot-wide Corinth Canal. Completed in 1893, it cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and “separates” the Peloponnese peninsula from the rest of the Greek mainland. The two-hundred-mile detour initially forced ships sailing between those seas to portage; later, however, ships used the canal.

Corinth Canal

Whether Paul went to Corinth by sea or land, we know he passed through this area either by the road or by the Diolkos, a paved trackway built by the Romans for portaging ships.

Afterward, we drove straight to the ruins. This is the ancient city of Corinth, where Paul came to preach the good news. Ancient Corinth was one of the largest and most important cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans demolished Corinth in 146 BC and built a new city in its place in 44 BC, so when Paul came, it was still a fairly new city.

The New Testament mentions Corinth many times, largely in connection with Paul the Apostle’s mission there. He first visited the city in AD 49 or 50, and he lived here for eighteen months.

He came here after his attempts to preach to the intellectually motivated Athenians proved unsuccessful. Athens was an academic city of critical thinkers who criticized much but did not do much otherwise.

The wealthy and more important Corinth was renowned for its pagan rituals, especially the temple of Aphrodite and its thousand temple prostitutes. People knew of its vices, and isn’t it interesting that God chose it to become an important place for the spread of Christianity?

On another note, unluckily, we arrived on May 1, a day set aside so all Greece’s workers can take a “strike day.” The park was closed, but we could get some great photos from the viewing platforms.

The first is a temple that always survived, even the Roman conquest, when they destroyed the city. They made each of these columns from one large piece of marble, each weighing over 23 tons. They couldn’t tear them down. Also notice that they are Doric columns. We could see no Corinthian columns anywhere in the city.

In the next photo, this is the main Roman road coming into the city. By the way, Julius Caesar was the one who rebuilt the city after an earlier ruler destroyed it. Imagine, Paul walked down this road many times during the year and a half he first lived here.

Paul probably preached in several places here, including this theater, which seated 15,000. Tradition says he preached here.

In this next photo, in the distance, you can see a raised platform with white statues on it. This is the Bema where they held Paul’s trial. This large elevated rostrum is where the city’s officials addressed the public. He was on trial after teaching the word of God and baptizing believers, which angered the city’s Jewish leaders. Thus, Paul turned to speaking to the Gentiles afterwards.

The Bible and tradition tell us that Paul visited Corinth twice more, and the church he started here would do much to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ across the world.


It’s Not How Old You Are, It’s How You Are Old!

by Filed Under: Family Life, It's Not For Sissies, Opinion

Jules Renard once said, “It’s not how old you are, it’s how you are old.” I am a believer in this quote. 

The other day I ran across a photo of myself in my 20s. At first, I was unsure of my age in the photo, until I noticed I wasn’t wearing a wedding band. I married young in my sophomore year of college, but I had skipped twelfth grade and left for college at 17. I was married by the time I was 19 and divorced by 21. I remembered how old I was when the picture was taken. I was 21.

I put the photo next to one made a couple of weeks ago. I am now 71, and the two photos cover a period of a half a century. Goodness, time just slips away!

Old age brings with it many challenges—most notably, the decline of our health. As a result, we increasingly rely on the support of younger generations.

Pope Francis, who we just lost, acknowledged this reality, and the well-being of older people was close to his heart. He consistently expressed the importance and value of the elderly. One example was his establishment of the World Day for Grandparents and Older Persons. By doing this, he emphasized our value within families and society.

He believed the family was the most natural and nurturing environment, and he saw the elderly as ‘guardians’ of roots and values. He encouraged intergenerational dialogue and affirmed the vital role of older people in the life and mission of the Church, too.

How We Worship

In my church, which is Presbyterian, we are a small congregation of people over 50 years of age. We have no children who attend regularly. Parents and children today look for fast-paced worship services with sound stages, drums, and other instruments. It is what attracts them. What attracts many of us is tradition and reverence.

My church is traditional. The building itself is over 158 years old. Our ancestral members completed construction two years after the Civil War. We sing traditional hymns and complain bitterly when we do not know the hymns chosen for us. While our worship remains reverent, we cherish the passing of the peace — a moment like the tradition of old, when we leave our pews and spend nearly ten minutes greeting one another, reconnecting with friends and neighbors we may not have seen all week.

We take care of each other, praying for ourselves and our community, the world, and our country. We bring each other food when we get down. We thank God a lot, because we feel so blessed.

Our worship is a sacred rhythm — quiet, reverent, familiar. For many of us, it feels like home. We gather with those who share our season of life, exchanging peace not just in words, but in long hellos and warm reconnections.

Lately, though, I’ve been wondering: Is this enough? Are we, in choosing to worship where we feel most comfortable, missing the chance to show up where we’re most needed?

What if part of our worship included occasionally stepping into a different rhythm — one that pulses with drums or laughter or iPad Bibles — not because it speaks to us, but because it speaks to our grandchildren? What if we sat beside them, not to critique, but to bless — with our presence, our patience, and our open hearts?

It’s not about giving up what we love. It’s about expanding love. Worship doesn’t have to be the same for every generation, but it can still bring us together.

So maybe we keep our place of peace… and also visit theirs now and then. Maybe we show our grandkids that faith isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we show up for.

My Youngest Grandchild at His Church

We Are Important to Society

Pope Francis tells us we offer memories—memories of people, events, and things that, in a sense, lay the foundation for the present and future of humanity. This wealth of experience, accumulated over many years, is a treasure belonging to all who have lived long lives.

Our past, our roots, our long-loved ways — these aren’t just nostalgic remnants of another era, nor should they be a ball and chain keeping us from the present. They are deep wells we draw from, not walls that trap us. When we carry them forward with open hands and open hearts, they become gifts — to share, not to guard. We should instead see them as fixed points from which we grow and meet new challenges.

Because I am a woman of faith, I thank God for this ‘time of grace’–this season of reflection, gratitude, and taking stock of my journey. Years of wisdom have shaped most of us. Life is better if we understand our importance in society, and the dignity and value of our old age.

 

 

 

 

 

A One-Year Anniversary Update for “Palmetto Pioneers: From Harmony to Hostility”

by Filed Under: Books, Family History Writing, Genealogy, Palmetto Pioneers

Palmetto Pioneers: From Harmony to Hostility was published on March 22, 2024 on Amazon and several months later on other sites such as Barnes and Nobles.  As of this today, it has been available more than a year. In the fall, Amazon allowed me to rename the e-version of the book for better sales. In the fall, I renamed it, Palmetto Pioneers: A Historical Biography About Florida’s Path to the Civil War. It has been a successful year.

It was chosen as a Nonfiction Regional Finalist in the 27th annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. They’ll announce the winners in June. 

As of March 22, on Amazon, the book held a sales rank of 762,184 in the Kindle Store out of the millions of books provided. It ranked 269 in History of the U.S. Confederacy. On Amazon, 67% of those who rated it gave it 5-stars for an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5. 

Book 2 in the Palmetto Pioneers Series

Here’s what others are saying about the book, including in a professional review.

Theme(s):

The book’s central themes include: 

1. Resilience Amidst Frontier Challenges: The book showcases the Andrews family’s endurance as they confront the hardships of mid-1800’s life in Florida, including economic fluctuations and societal changes. 

2. Impact of Socio-Political Turmoil: The story delves into the effects of political events, such as Florida’s secession and the Civil War, on the family’s dynamics and their community.  

3. Strength of Family Bonds: Throughout the upheavals, the family’s unity and support for one another are emphasized, highlighting the importance of familial relationships during turbulent times.

These themes are interwoven to depict the family’s journey through a transformative period in Florida’s history, illustrating their resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. 

Characters:

This historical narrative follows the lives of William H. Andrews and Mary Adeline Walker and their children during this transformative period in Florida’s history.  

The Book’s Back Cover

Plot and Characters:

The story begins in the later 1840s, portraying the couple’s seemingly idyllic life in Florida. William, a refined gentleman from Washington, D.C., marries Mary, the illiterate daughter of a Florida pioneer cattleman from South Carolina. Their union symbolizes the merging of different worlds, setting the stage for the challenges they will face together.  

As Florida transitions from statehood to secession, the Andrews family encounters many trials, including economic hardships, societal upheavals, and the looming threat of the Civil War. 

William’s roles as a lawman, railroad agent, politician, and soldier pull him away from home, leaving Mary to manage the household and their children amidst the uncertainties of the frontier.  

The narrative delves into Mary’s resilience as she confronts economic challenges, multiple pregnancies, and illiteracy, all while coping with the absence of her husband and sons who are scattered across battlefields from Memphis to South Carolina and from Florida to Ohio. Her steadfastness highlights the often-overlooked strength of women during this tumultuous era.  

Through the lens of the Andrews family’s experiences, the book offers a vivid portrayal of early Florida’s harsh frontier life, the impact of national conflicts on local communities, and the enduring power of familial bonds in the face of adversity.  

Setting:

The setting of Palmetto Pioneers: From Harmony to Hostility is Florida during the mid-19th century, spanning the years leading up to and during the American Civil War. The story follows the Andrews family as they navigate life on the Florida frontier, a time of economic struggles, societal shifts, and increasing political tension.

Key elements of the setting include:

• Florida’s rural frontier: The novel portrays the hardships of pioneering life, including managing land, cattle, and household responsibilities in an evolving but still largely untamed environment. 

The first quarter of the book is set in the rural community of Elizabeth in Jefferson County, Florida. The final 3/4 of the book is set in Monticello, the county seat. It is a small rural city 8 miles south of the Georgia line and 26 miles east of Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee. 

The Road to the Elizabeth Baptist Church Cemetery

• Southern society before secession: The book captures the dynamics of class, gender roles, and literacy disparities in the South, particularly as seen in the marriage of William H. Andrews (a well-educated man from Washington, D.C.) and Mary Adeline Walker (the daughter of a cattleman, who was illiterate).

• The Civil War’s impact on Florida: The setting shifts to various battlefields across the South as the Andrews men become involved in the war, while Mary struggles to maintain the family home in Florida amidst uncertainty.

This historical backdrop provides a vivid portrayal of Florida’s transformation from a developing state to a battleground of shifting allegiances and hardships.

An Excerpt From the Book:

“Monticello boomed throughout the 1850s and remained so for a dozen or more years. Through the “Family Friend”, several stores advertised every item imaginable. 

At Johnson, Williams, & Co’s “Railroad Store” for staple goods, Mary and her closest friend and Uncle Joel’s widow Betsy sought a “new style of bustle, made entirely of steel and so light.” 

The stores had goods for men, and William may have shopped in them for “cutlery, saddlery … woodware, tinware, trunks” and maybe even “an umbrella.” Whether at John S. Divine’s or Budd’s store on the courthouse square (in the building that today says ‘Bank’), William, as a politician in the county, probably shopped at all Monticello stores. 

Obviously, people still had money to spend, and William remained gainfully employed with at least four known jobs during the 1850s—constable, census enumerator, sheriff, and railroad agent. His ability to read, write, and cipher was still important in providing for his family.

— Palmetto Pioneers: From Harmony to Hostility by Cindy Roe Littlejohn

https://a.co/6WVGJQp

Photo is Budd’s Store on the Courthouse Square (now Cowhaus Coffee), Florida Memory Collection

How to Bring a Book In for a Publishing Landing

by Filed Under: Family History Writing, Palmetto Pioneers

A few weeks ago, I officially began working to finish Book 3 of the Palmetto Pioneers series. Though I hadn’t planned to begin editing until March, I started early because I had new material which needed to be incorporated into the story.

Because people have asked about the steps needed to bring it all into a landing, I thought I would share my formula.

The Palmetto Pioneers Series

This award-winning series of three books, and there will only be three in this series, is based on historical evidence; and because it was so long ago when all of this happened, that evidence continues to surface as people digitize their resources. The new information I found did not change the story, but it expands on happenings within the story.

For those who have read none of the series, it is the life of Mary Adeline Walker. It is nonfiction. She came to this area of North Florida in 1829 as a seven-year-old girl. The series follows her life until 1871, six years after the Civil War. All three books follow Mary’s life in Florida’s history, and she, through her husband, has a front-row seat.

The Third Book in the Series—Yankees in the Courthouse

The time period for this book is 1862-1871. The Civil War began in 1861, and Florida was the third state to secede from the nation and join the Confederacy. Eighteen seventy-one is six years after the war. The story follows Mary and her husband William as they try to hold their family and community together throughout the rest of the Civil War and through reconstruction afterward.

I titled this book “Yankees in the Courthouse” because Monticello with its large freedman population, became militarily occupied after the war.

Editing

Editing is a problem for me because my biggest weakness is my overuse of words. I use superfluous words—sometimes, more than a thousand per chapter. But there is much more editing to be done than this. And there are different editors that help me.

Overall Editing – I do this myself using online help from apps such as Grammarly, ProWritingAid, etc. But mainly this is when I fix my biggest weakness. I weed out all the extra words. I fix my sentence structure, and I look for awkward sentences which need to be rewritten. I take my time and give myself a full week for each chapter. I read and reread each chapter eight or ten times. I do this before anyone else gets to see my writing.

Content Editing—This is where I ask myself—how do I know my information is correct? And I like to turn to experts for this answer.

A Family Editor—Because this is a family story with lots of family still living in or near this county, I used a family editor. I chose a distant cousin who is in his 90s and who still lives in the county where our family first settled. In fact, my family editor is now 99 years old. I chose him because he had done some of our family genealogy himself. I figured he would find the mistakes I made in recalling our family’s lore.

A Local Editor—I looked for someone who knew the local history, and our county’s local historian offered to help with the first two books in the series. She once owned the local newspaper with her husband, so she was perfect. Sadly, though, for this book, I will have to find someone else. She passed away just before Christmas.

A State History Editor—Because the first book in the series centered on our state’s earliest history, I asked a historian friend from Tallahassee to read and edit it. The second book, though, centered on the Civil War, secession, and the first year of the war. So I knew I needed a Civil War Editor for Book 2, instead of an overall state history editor.

A Civil War Editor—I asked a friend who I’ve known since we were young to help. He has written many books on the Civil War, including Florida in the Civil War, and many consider him an expert on the subject. I knew if I made a mistake, he would let me know. Incidentally, he found some in Book 2.

Full Read Through—After these editors finish and I incorporate their suggestions, I do a full read through – from cover to cover out loud. I did Book 1 in Thomasville, and it took me three days. Book 2, I did at the coast. No plans yet for where I will do Book 3, but I will go off somewhere alone.

Final Editor—I pay for this one. I pay a friend who charges 2 cents a word. This edit is for final printing, so you need someone who understands the printing process, too. She likes to work in the Chicago Style, so I follow her lead. Chicago Style follows guidelines such as 1-inch margins on all sides, double-spaced texts, indention of new paragraphs by 1/2 inch, etc.

Making the Final Manuscript 

After I incorporate my final editor’s changes, I set the manuscript in a Word document. I clean it up, making sure all pictures are set correctly on the page and making sure I follow standard publishing guidelines. Then I convert it to a PDF format.

All these software companies want as many of us as possible to use their products, so there are all kinds of online tutorials to teach you how to use Word and PDF software. And most make it as simple as possible, because they don’t want you to leave and take your business elsewhere.

KDP Amazon 

Once I have a perfect PDF formatted document, I go online to KDP Amazon (Kindle Direct Publishing), which is the site for authors to publish on Amazon. By the way, when someone asks me who my publisher is, I learned I am it, not Amazon. In that blank, I write “self-published”. If they ask who I self-published with, the answer is Amazon.

After I download my manuscript, I have to download my cover.

Book 2 Front Cover

Cover Design 

Sometime around June, I will ask my two cover experts (an artist and a graphic designer) to work on this part. One will give me a small painting for the scenery on the front cover. The other will take that painting, photograph it, and then use it to design Book 3’s cover (front, back, and spine) using KDP Amazon’s template. When I get the final cover back, after I’ve approved it, I download it on KDP Amazon. There are other parts to setting this up, but it will be too much detail for this blog post.

Order a Proof Copy—When I get the proof copy from Amazon (a copy of the book with a sash that says NOT FOR SALE), I do another full read-through. I try to do this read through like I read a novel. I just try to relax and enjoy it. Believe it or not, I will still find minor problems. After any changes made, I like to have one more person behind me do a final read through.

Last Read Through—This is the last time anyone sees it from cover to cover before the final print copy is approved. My high school English Composition teacher is that person. I know if she approves; it is perfect.

Publishing

I used Amazon but I have also used Lulu and there are many more out there that publish on demand. This means you can make a book and ask them to publish just one copy if you like. Or you can let your family know so they can order their copies directly. In short, Amazon is super simple to use, and you will not have a lot invested in books that people may or may not buy.

The book publishing part was easier than I ever imagined. Initially, I didn’t have a clue how to do it, but thank goodness I had Geechie Roe for a father. He was simply fearless in trying something new. He always said, “Can’t never could.” I believe Amazon is the easiest publishing platform of them all.

Also, thank goodness for Google. I googled the question, “How to publish my own book?” It provided blog posts and YouTube videos that showed me how.

Amazon offers several versions of my books. The first two books are now in audio, paperback, hardback, and ebook. However, I use other distributors, such as Barnes and Nobles Nook, Kobo, Ingram Distributors, and much more. Draft2Digital is a great service.

And I use local distributors, too. One can buy an autographed paperback copy at my local Chamber of Commerce, at local antique stores, in the Florida History Shops, and in several bookstores throughout the North Florida area. The autographed copies can only be bought at these retail shops.

Why did I Self-Publish Instead of Going Through a Publishing House?

I self-published because I wanted control over what I wrote. I did not want anyone creating problems for me from the politically correct crowd, which basically controls most of the publishing world. Even with that goal, it surprised me to find my grammar check’s repeated questions asking me if I wanted my pronouns to be gender neutral. Somehow, I don’t think it was a problem in the early 1800s.

So that is it. Now you know what my timeline will be throughout the remainder of this year. I am hoping to launch this book before Christmas.

13 Christmas Gift Ideas For Your Older Adults

by Filed Under: Family Life, It's Not For Sissies

With Christmas just around the corner, there’s still time to skip the holiday rush and find the perfect gift for the over-60-year-olds on your list! Here’s a curated list of thoughtful, unique gifts at various price points—all deliverable straight to your door. Make this season truly memorable with something special!

Links with gift ideas are included!

For Her

A warm, cozy long-sleeve zip robe. Most of us don’t need a robe that ties. It’s drafty in the winter, and mine made me look fat. A zip-up robe is more slimming.

https://amzn.to/4hvQdgW

Some of us also like a lighter robe. This one is sold as a nightgown, but it buttons up the front and can be used as a housecoat. I personally like this housecoat so much that I have two.

https://amzn.to/48Ed7iv

A nice cardigan. We ladies with grey hair have found that pastels look best on us. Try a pastel cardigan, but make sure it is long enough to cover the rump.

https://amzn.to/3C8Tcfe

Throw Pillows. Here is one last idea for the ladies. Look closely the next time you visit her. Do her throw pillows need replacing? Take note of what colors she has in her home and gift her a new throw pillow or two. Someone sent me this one, but with the letter “L”. I loved it.

https://amzn.to/4fvF2mP

For Everyone

A New Kind of Charger. My sweetheart has trouble charging his iPhone. With dementia, he thinks any charging cord will work, but sometimes, none will. He frequently has difficulty doing the simplest things, but simply placing a phone on a charging surface may suffice.

https://amzn.to/4fj3NCQ

A Warm Throw for the Bed. I’m a napper, but I hate to mess up my bed. So I have a throw that stays in my bedroom and I use it to take my nap. This cotton throw is perfect.

https://amzn.to/4fxmnqP

A good warm scarf is great for those blustery days, but it is also great to take into a drafty restaurant, like when they seat you near the door. We get chilled so easily. A blanket scarf is wonderful, too.

https://amzn.to/4hHFeBx

Comfortable and Stable Bedroom Shoes. These are by far my favorite bedroom shoes. And in a pinch, I can wear them outdoors.

https://amzn.to/3YmpvP6

A massage gun. I bought a massage gun a year ago. I love it, but this one may help me reach some of the hard-to-reach areas that cramp up near my shoulders.

https://amzn.to/3AnD6Oe

A Coffee Warmer. Chuck loves a hot cup of coffee and is always in the kitchen microwaving his cup. What a splendid gift for his desk!

https://amzn.to/4fo6P8H

A good book. Give a gift of a good book! You might find out what genre they love, but if it is nonfiction, try this.

https://amzn.to/3C917JD

For Him

A Warm Puffer Vest. Chuck has a puffer vest that comes in handy in the winter.

https://amzn.to/3NP8kB6

A Fleece Sweater. He also loves his fleece sweaters. He has three, and Lord Help Me if I forget to pack one for a trip in the winter.

https://amzn.to/3YHTl21

That’s It! I hope this helps you to shop for us because we realize that shopping for old-timers is not for sissies!

How to Market Your Book for Christmas

by Filed Under: Family History Writing, Palmetto Pioneers

I’ve used this blog to teach or share with others how I taught myself a project, such as the genealogy posts with “how to” and “step-by-step” instructions. In the realm of family history writing, I’ve shared a lot of my research tips. So today, this post will be about book publishing and marketing.

Stop reading here if you are not interested in publishing or marketing a book.

I just completed a Marketing Plan for my books. It has seven sections, from ‘Planning My Promotion on Amazon to Begin in October’ to ‘A List of Blurbs to Use in Ads.’ I’ll begin with the latter.

I’ve collected possible blurbs to add to my advertisements. For example, “Ebooks are great for last-minute gifts because no shipping is involved and delivery is instant!” Here are more:

  • Give the Gift of a Good Book
  • Escape Reality. Travel Back in Time
  • The Perfect Gift for Bookshelf Browsers
  • A Gift for Your Older Florida Teenagers
  • A Love Story for the Ladies and a War for the Men
  • Give a book instead of a box of biscuits
  • Finished Your Shopping List? Don’t forget yourself!
  • Packed with fascinating stories from Old Florida!
  • A Unique Insight into Our Past
  • Books Make Great Gifts
  • For That Hard to Buy for Person
  • For the Person who has Everything!
  • Twas’ the night before Christmas, and all through Florida, Not a cocktail stirred, not even a colada; The flipflops hung on the palm tree with care. In hope that Santa brought books this year!
  • A Book is a Christmas Gift you can Open Again and Again
  • Local Ad – Give a Signed Copy of Palmetto Pioneers this Christmas!
  • Black Friday Ad — On Sale Palmetto Pioneers: The Emigrants Ebook or Kindle Edition $1.99 TODAY ONLY!

In the first section, I set up promos for each book. My graphic designer made me one ad, which I duplicated in different sizes for different platforms. One is for Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Amazon, etc.” The one below was done for Facebook. For example, detail iii says, “Send teasers to inform everyone there’s a price promotion coming (Black Friday). “Detail v. says, “Set up a KDP discount of Book 1 for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”

I entitled the second section “Timeline of Times to Sell.” For example, detail c says, “Thanksgiving Weekend—For those traveling, suggest an ebook for their family holiday.” Another is detail e, which says, “Two Days Before Christmas means last-minute gift and a suggestion that an ebook makes a perfect last-minute gift because no shipping is needed and the gift is instant.”

The third section is for Kindle Gifts. I directed myself to optimize my book’s final pages. It directs the reader to purchase either Book 1 or Book 2, as either the prequel or sequel to what they just finished. Amazon will allow you to make a small change to the book, even after it is published.

Section four tells me to “Start Early on Social Media.” For example, detail a) directs me to get set up for advertising on Facebook. Whereas detail b) directs me to be creative and not depend on paid advertising. For example, I need to brainstorm about all the right reasons for buying my books. Detail f) gives me a boost by directing me to make sure all my visuals are eye-catching. Some of these are simply items on a checklist, to make sure my ad or creative is checking all the boxes needed.

Section five is to write a blog post on Christmas gift ideas and include my books. It also reminds me to include a direct link to purchase my book.

Section six simply asks me a question. Are my ads from last year and the year before last usable/ Can they be reused? How successful were they? Did I even measure their success?

So that is an explanation of my Christmas Marketing Plan. If you would like a copy, subscribe and leave a comment below asking for it. I’ll look up your subscriber’s email address and send you an email with my plan attached.

Happy Marketing!

I Like Meat

by Filed Under: Food & Drink, Nutrition & Diet

I am a meat eater and have never understood why people stop eating meat. I have a friend who said that we are omnivores. We would have teeth like a rabbit if we ate nothing but vegetables. Makes sense to me.

I don’t know anybody in my family who doesn’t eat meat. And like my dad, I love a juicy steak, a rare juicy steak. I like my steaks rare, but not my chicken.

Occasionally, I get a waitress who questions me about my order for a rare steak. She will ask me if I understand that it will have a cool center or that blood may come out of it. Always, I tell her I know that. 

One time, my dad ordered a rare steak and a waitress treated him the same way. She replied with another question as he answered each. Finally, Daddy looked her straight in the eyes and said., “Honey, I don’t think you understand. Just tell the chef to knock his horns off, wipe his ass, and pass him quickly over the coals.” She looked at him stricken, and my mama said, “William.” in the same way she did when she scolded us.

Having said this, though, I am 70 years old and my digestive tract does not work as well as it used to. So I never eat red meat more than once every four days. I have to give my system a chance to rest. I believe red meat is harder to digest than other meats. 

So is everyone else having trouble with eating red meat? Or is it just me?

I can’t eat shrimp either, but that is another story. 

All of this is a reminder. Getting old ain’t for sissies!