It has been a crazy but fun year since the release of believe. The overwhelming success of my first novel was much more than I anticipated and I have you to thank for that! It has inspired me to continue to write and paint and blend the two together.
My second novel, pieces, has officially launched. This story is centered around nearby Minerva, Ohio. The tale involves two young boys who find an ancient Indian burial mound just off The Great Trail. They find remains of a child decorated with intricate necklace beads. The pieces have ominous powers that affect not only the boys, but the lives of eight others. It is a page-turning mystery that is meant to haunt and teach some basic life lessons that many seem to have forgotten, or misplaced - all through the eyes of an eleven-year-old. Its a tale you will enjoy.
I have always been interested in history and the unexplained. Burial mounds are at the top of the list. I remember standing before Stonehenge in England, listening to the audio tour. The guide told us to look in the distance in all directions and there they were - mounds...lots of them. Did you know we have over 70 known mounds in Ohio alone? In the 1930's, in NE Ohio, one of those said mounds was excavated and the Hopewell artifacts were put on display at various museums.
Some of us view that history daily. Whether it is the possibility of having the legendary treasure of The Great Trail buried on your property, or wondering about the centuries of knowledge held in that out-of-place mound of dirt. I recently had a very rare opportunity to visit a proposed mound site on private property. I can't begin to tell you how I was filled with awe in that place of silence. Beneath my feet was history, untouched, unearthed, and forever revered. Thank you to those who were willing to share their history with me. I will always cherish the experience. Check out the photo on the Home page.
We celebrated the launch of pieces at the Hart Mansion in Minerva, Ohio. We ended the evening with a reading on the 33rd stair of the garden staircase. Thank you Vicki and Richard for a wonderful start . You are gracious hosts. The novel features the Hart Mansion, but if you want to experience the fine cuisine and atmosphere in person visit www.hartmansionrestaurant.com for more information.
It is very easy to get caught up in the new, but I am blessed to be filled by your continuing comments about believe. Goldie Bell Taylor has had many visitors over the past year. Her flowers are constantly changing. I recently was told about her black-cloaked visitor by a woman who lives close to the cemetery. Now isn't that crazy? Could it be Elam? Did I peak your interest? You may visit Goldie Bell Taylor in historic Hope Cemetery in Salem, Ohio. Be sure to have a flower to present to her, but be open to the possibilities if you do.
I will have both novels (believe and pieces) at the signing events. Check your mailbox, newspapers, TV stations, emails and this web site for all of the upcoming events. Or Click on the Buy A Book page for home delivery of the novels. believe and pieces may also be found at the list below:
The Salem Historical Society Gift Shop
Friends Bookstore at the Poland Public Library
The Flower Loft in Salem, OH
The Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton, OH
The Look Nook at Salem Community Hospital
Moore & Moore in Portersville, PA
Alliance Community Hospital Gift Shop
Marco Island Art League Gift Shop on Marco Island, FL
In the Light - Marco Island, FL - Historic "Olde" Marco
OR ask for it by name at your local bookstore or on line. And proudly, as of Feb 14th...Kindle for both titles!
We are also very excited about our S/NLE (signed/numbered limited edition). A Certificate of Authenticity accompanies each hard cover. Only one hundred originals are available. The editions are available for $100.00. To purchase, click on the Buy a Book page and click on Limited Edition. Remember quantities are extremely limited! As a footnote here, for those of you who don't know, I created and painted the covers for both novels. All of the interior artwork was drawn by me also. So in each Limited Edition every drawing on every chapter, as well as each chapter break are hand painted by me. As hard as I try to keep them the same each one turns out a bit different. If you are a Limited Edition collector, this is for you.
We celebrated the launch of believe with many exciting events. Our first event was held Friday evening, September 25, 2009, at the Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton, Ohio. This historic landmark played an important role in the novel and I felt it was the perfect place for our debut. We had well over 100 people come to the event. It was a very exciting start. We will be visiting The Spread Eagle Tavern again so be sure to check out my Home page for specifics. For directions or other information on the tavern, please visit www.spreadeagletavern.com.
Stan Boney and camera expert, Jim Bowser, taped a television interview that aired in October on Channel 33 - WYTV. The response at Hope Cemetery was amazing. We had many people come for the special reading at Goldie's feet and were able to squeeze in an unexpected reading in the Chapel earlier that evening. If you missed Stan's piece, log onto http://www.wytv.com/content/news/local/story/The-Mystery-of-Goldies-Flowers/EqrryB6Xz0CIubRJoshXiA.cspx Thank you, Stan and Jim. In addition to WYTV, Mike Case at the noon news on WFMJ interviewed me live and Kathy Vogel aired a radio interview on MIX 94.1 We received notification from Barnes and Noble in November that believe had been approved to be stocked. We also were honored to have a "Meet the Author" event held this February at the Marco Island Art League. I am very proud to tell you...the novels have been sold in 30 states and 6 countries (just added Australia)! This is only the beginning....
Our believe 'traveling novel' has been moving around the globe! It started in Ft. Myers, Florida and has been read in Pittsburgh, PA, Atlanta, GA, Marco Island, FL, flew across the pond to England and back again to the US! As of mid-summer, it's been to Long Island, NY, Williamsport, PA, Ontario, CA, Lyme, NH, Chicago, IL and off to San Francisco and Sonoma Valley. (How was wine country?). Keep those comments and cities coming by emailing me at karen@karenbiery.com. I'll update the list as I hear from you. Thank you to all the participants. It has been fun traveling with you.
Our pieces 'traveling novels' are moving nicely around the states. We have heard several great comments from Massachussetts and reviews are coming in from PA, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, California and Alaska. Our official press release was launched on February 23rd by the Jenkins Group. We are looking forward to spreading the word about the novel to far away places! Have you told a friend? Remember - pass that traveling novel along, but don't forget to sign it, and email your thoughts. I truly enjoy YOUR feedback.
If you are you a member of a book club why not add this novel to your read list? As a footnote, if my schedule permits, I would be available for your after-read discussion either in person or by telephone.
For those of you that have an interest in history, Salem has much to offer. From the Quaker movement to Anti-Slavery to The Women's Rights, historical manufacturing, and much more, please visit www.salemhistoricalsociety.org. The Historical Society has a multitude of facets that will surprise and educate you. They also have a wide variety of books available, many by Dale Shaffer, our own town historian. Your visit will be well spent.
To contact me, send to: Karen Biery
PO Box 279
Damascus, OH 44619
karen@karenbiery.com