A week after the film "The Amish: Shunned" premiered on American Experience, and also a week after Bonnet Strings was released, my new agent, Heidi Ihrig, and I are busily scheduling for the cross-country book tour that David and I would like to make to promote Bonnet Strings and its prequel Why I Left the Amish. There is so much of this country David and I have yet to see. As we enter the early autumn of our lives, it is a good time to go and see our land "from sea to shining sea."
So, here is where you all come in, my dear readers. If you can suggest a place near you that might host David and me for a book talk, I would love it if you will please email me that suggestion. My new email address is saloma@salomafurlong.com. If you want to name several places, that's great. Here are some suggestions for suitable venues:
Colleges and Universities
Libraries
Churches
Clubs
Community Centers
Retirement Centers
Conferences (Subjects could be: Women, Multi-cultural, Interfaith, Religious and Spiritual, Writers, you name it.)
Bookstores
High Schools
I am offering that anyone whose suggestion leads to a paid venue will earn a set of signed copies of my books: Why I Left the Amish and Bonnet Strings: An Amish Woman's Ties to Two Worlds. If we end up with two or more paid venues from your suggestions, David and I will offer to meet with you when we are in your area for afternoon tea or coffee hour. You may choose the spot where we meet, and you may bring friends. In fact, if you wanted us to meet with your book club over afternoon tea, we'll be happy to do that.
Within 24 hours after you send me an email with your suggestions, I will respond with a thank you, so you know that I've received your email. If you don't receive my email, please let me know via the blog that you sent it. I have a strong spam filter on my email account.
I thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have.
I would like to thank Peggy Pitcher for being the first person to successfully post an Amazon review of Bonnet Strings. Peggy, you have been a loyal and appreciative reader back when my blog was my venue for writing. I know that Henry Troyer has made numerous attempts to add an Amazon review, and it's as if gremlins are gobbling it up or something. If anyone else has trouble with posting a review, please let me know. I may need to be in touch with Amazon if there is a problem.
And last, but not least…. There is a wonderful new set of videos about Katie Troyer, who writes the blog Pinecraft-Sarasota. The videos are just delightful. I knew they would be: Katie is such a delightful person and Callie Wiser, the producer of the film "The Amish: Shunned" directed and produced these videos. Callie is such a skillful filmmaker, I just knew whatever she produced would be exquisite, and I was right. The first one is called I Had to Give up Absolutely Everything and the second one is called Finding Home. You'll also want to read Callie's biography of Katie Troyer here.
David and I want to visit Sarasota when we go on tour. We both have wanted to meet Katie for a long time. Hopefully this will be our chance.
Hi, Saloma!
Amazon was tricky to maneuver as they didn’t have a link for a comment on the website for “Bonnet Strings”; only “Why I Left the Amish.” I clicked on “Bonnet Strings” as if I wanted to see inside and it offered an option to review my purchase – well, I didn’t purchase your book from Amazon, but it was still a purchase so I filled it out :-) Perhaps Henry and others could try this as well. Maybe now that there is one review, there will be a link? I haven’t checked back to see.
A cross-country tour would be so awesome for you, two, and I just know you will share pictures and stories with us. May God continue to bless you on this wonderful literary and cross-country journey!
Hello Peggy. Many thanks for going through all that to leave a review… you are such a loyal reader.
The funny thing is, there is a link for me, when I go to Bonnet Strings on Amazon. I will need to look into why it’s not showing up for everyone.
Yes, we will certainly take lots of photos to share along our way.
Many thanks, Peggy!
Oh my goodness, I sure hope you find somewhere in Northern Ohio so I can attend!
Someone else wants me to come to my old stomping grounds, Geauga County. So who knows… I just may make it there. Thank you for your interest.
I think you’re already scheduled to come to the Albion District Library in Albion, MI… so, I guess that takes me out of the running. :(
No, Karen, it sure doesn’t take you out of the running. It has not escaped my notice just how supportive you are being with my new book. Please let me know if you would like the books inscribed to you or your library patrons, and I’ll send you a set. And I want to have afternoon tea or a meal with you when we come to Albion. Thank you so much for hosting us!
Try the Marshall District Library, Battle Creek Public Library and Kalamazoo Public Library. Hm… let’s see there’s Albion College, Kalamazoo Community College, what about the University of Michigan? We’ve also got the Albion and Jackson Business and Professional Women’s Groups here, too.
Wow, Karen, these are great suggestions. I might owe you more than I thought. I’ll have Heidi send my info to these places.
Many thanks!
Saloma, You sure are a lady on the move, GREAT! My wife and daughters attend “Women of Faith” each year when it comes to Rochester, NY. Try a web search to find out about “WOF”, you could become one of their regulars. Good luck.
Tom The Backroads Traveller
Tom, thank you very much for this suggestion. They look like an inspiring organization. Whether or not one of their events coincides with my travel schedule, I don’t know. Thank you again for this suggestion.
How about Holmes County, at the Gospel Bookstore in Berlin. They have many signings throughout the year!
Many thanks, Bonnie, for that suggestion. I am in conversation with the owner of the Gospel Bookstore in Berlin about doing something there in June.
Do you live in that area? I would love to meet you, if so.
While I do not live in that area, I visit the area often! I will definitely be in Berlin if you are there. I am not Amish but I know about shunning firsthand. Sometime, I would like to share my experience with you. If it is a year from now that would be just fine. Hope to see you in June.
Maybe I will meet with you twice, once in Sarasota and the second time in Ohio. I am thinking of being in Ohio in June, although there are no concrete plans yet.
That would be fabulous! Though I don’t have definite plans yet, either. How did you know I was planning on being in Ohio in June… you have sources, don’t you?
Hello Saloma,
I read your new book by flashlight during last week’s ice storm that left my home without power for two days. It was so interesting that I nearly forgot my circumstances. What surprised me was how you and your husband were able to get back in touch with your much younger selves. It was so authentic. I didn’t expect to enjoy David’s chapters, but I loved them. You really found a prize at the YWCA in Burlington! The book tells such a great story; someone has to make it into a movie.
Theresa, thank you so much for your kind words. it is so gratifying to hear when people like our story. And I’m so glad you liked David’s perspective. I would be so grateful if you were to post this as a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. And we would love it if someone decided to make a movie of our story. Finding a movie maker interested is like finding a needle in a haystack, though. Thank you again, Theresa, for leaving these kind messages. It means more than you can know.
One more thing, I saw the PBS special after I read the book and your home is beautiful!
Thank you, Theresa. There was something about seeing it on television that made me appreciate our home all the more. We’ve put a lot of TLC into our house and feel very fortunate to live in a comfortable and well-built 1920s home.