World's Best Readers

Hi Folks,

   All writers think they have the world's greatest readers.

   And in this particular case, all writers happen to be right.

   First, I thank all my readers who take the time to write book reviews--always much obliged as good reader reviews help grow my audience. I also learned to be thankful for the occasional bad review.* You folks are great!

    But I have another category of wonderful readers, too--those who often take images taken from (or places or pics inspired by) the Ryland Creek saga, and either painted, sewn, drawn, or framed in stained glass!  All are my favorite, and below are some of samples (not all inclusive) that readers have given me over the years.

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First up: A needlepoint inspired by one of the About the Author photos used in my books.  A good, longtime friend of the family, Flora, made this, and if memory serves, it won a blue ribbon at the Steuben County Fair several years ago. (Original photo taken by Brendalyn Crance.)

Next is a stain-glass window of my first book's cover (The Last Coon Hunter) by a very good friend and talented author who wishes to go anonymous but I can say her initials are AVR . . . (smile). (Original photo taken by Brendalyn Crance.)

Next up is a water color painted by talented local author Lee O'Connell (I'm her "Joe #2 . . . short but hilarious story behind that nickname) inspired by the cover to book two of the Ryland Creek Saga: An Exceptional Hound. (Original photo taken by Brendalyn Crance.)

Finally, another water color from local, talented cozy mystery author (who's been touted as the next Agatha Christie in some reader reviews), Michelle Pointis Burns, her painting inspired from a real spot on the real creek that inspired the fictional Ryland Creek. (Photo on left taken by me!)

* As one book marketing guru put it (paraphrased), No mortal author will have universal appeal, and if those bad reviews keep those like-minded folks away, that's actually a good thing!