The deadline for applications is soon, so this is probably not a situation where you will see this as a chance to start a novel today and enter the contest (although anytime is a great time to start writing or work on your writing!).  Partnering again with the SC Arts Commission and Hub City Press (in Spartanburg, SC), are The Humanities CouncilSC and the South Carolina State Library.  Entries must be received by March 19, 2012.  Basic eligibility requirements are that the applicant must be a legal resident of the US and South Carolina with a permanent residence in South Carolina for twelve months prior to the application deadline.  Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of application and they cannot have published a novel before.   Applicants may have published a book of non-fiction, short stories, poetry, or children’s literature.  According to the guidelines, the novel may have been submitted to other publishers previously, but it is not eligible if it is currently under consideration by any publishing company.

This is the third First Novel Competition.  The winner of the first contest was Brian Ray.  Ray, who at the time lived in Columbia, SC, won with his book, “Through the Pale Door“, which was published in June 2009 and received favorable reviews across the Southeast.  Booklist gave it a starred review and called Ray “a talent to watch.”  His book also received an IPPY award for best novel in the Southeast by an independent press.  The second contest was won by Matt Matthews, of Greer, SC.  Matthews’ book “Mercy Creek” was published in 2011.  The book sold out two hardback editions and is being released as a paperback and in an e-book format.  Publishers Weekly called the book “an enticing full-blown whodunnit…a first-rate effort displaying skill, sensitivity, and grace.”

The winner of this third contest will be announced in October, 2012.  The distinguished judge is Josephine Humphreys, a Charleston novelist whose latest book is “Nowhere Else on Earth“.  (Applicants works are reviewed anonymously by panelists who make their judgements on the basis of artistic merit.  Six to eight novels will then be judged by Humphreys, who will select the winner).  

The winning author will receive a book contract with the Hub City Press, and award-winning independent press in Spartanburg, SC.  The winner will also receive a $500 advance against royalties, and the Hub City Press will publish at least 1500 paperback copies of the book.  The book will be distributed nationally through John F. Blair Co. of Winston-Salem, NC.

So if you are a South Carolinian with that just waiting to be published book, this may be your chance!  For all the information, guidelines, and eligibility requirements, visit http://www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/firstnovel   or call (803) 734-8696.  (Information for this article was taken from the Hub City Press website). 

     On Amazon.com, the Top 10 Bestselling Books, at the 8:00 pm hour (my Eastern Standard Time), was lead by Jeff Kinney’s newest book, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever”.  #2 is “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson, #3 is “The LEGO Ideas Book” by Daniel Lipkowitz, #4 is “Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini, and the top five is rounded out with “Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard.  #6 is a book that I have set aside as the next book I will read.  It is “11/22/63: A Novel” by the always prolific Stephen King.  The reviews I have read on this book have been good.  #7 is “The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set” by Suzanne Collins and #8 is one of the individual titles in the trilogy, “The Hunger Games”.  #9 on Amazon’s list is “Being George Washington: The Indispensible Man, as You’ve Never Seen Him” by Glenn Beck.  And the tenth best seller at this hour was a surprise to me.  It is “Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods and Heroes Pop-Up” by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda.

     I jumped over to BN.com, which is Barnes and Noble’s online store.  Their list is also updated hourly.  Leading their list is “The Elf on the Shelf” which is actually a boxed set with a book and a toy elf that likes to snoop around homes making sure kids are being good during the Christmas season.  “The Elf on the Shelf” is a creation of Carol V. Aebersold.  #2 at BN.com is Jeff Kinney’s latest Wimpy Kid book, “Cabin Fever” and #3 is “The LEGO Ideas Book”.  Another LEGOs book is at #4.  It is “LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia”.  “If You Give a Dog a Donut” by Laura Numeroff is the #5 bestseller and Paolini’s “Inheritance” is #6.  The “Steve Jobs” biography by Isaacson comes in at #7, followed by “The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus Series #2)” by Rick Riordan at #8, and then Stephen King’s “11/22/63: A Novel” at #9.  BN.com’s #10 bestseller is Shel Silverstein’s “Everything on It”.

     I checked the bestseller lists of three other general booksellers that I am familiar with and found a huge variety of titles on their lists.  Powells.com, a bookseller with several stores in the Portland, Oregon area and with an online store,  has the book “Super Natural Every Day:  Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen” by Heidi Swanson as their #1 bestseller.  “Wildwood” by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis is at #2, followed by “Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Verghese at #3.  Some titles on their list that I did not find on the other lists were “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot (#6), ”The Tiger’s Wife” by Tea Obreht (#7), “Go the F**k to Sleep” by Adam Mansbach (#9), and “1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus” by Charles Mann (#10). 

     The Strand, a gigantic bookstore in New York City, had several titles that were not on other lists I reviewed.  Their #1 is “1Q84″ by Haruki Murakami.  “Blue Nights” a new book from Joan Didion is at #2, Suzanne Collins’ “Catching Fire” at #3, and “Everything Matters” by Ron Currie, Jr. at #5.  “Just Kids” by Patti Smith came in at #6, “Lucky Peach Issue 2″ by David Chang is #7, and another Suzanne Collins book, “Mockingjay” is at #8.  Ernest Hemingway hits the bestseller list at The Strand with his book “Moveable Feast” at #9 and then another Joan Didion title, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” rounds out the list as the #10 bestseller.

    Malaprops, a large bookstore in Asheville, NC, was another website I looked at.  To my knowledge Malaprops is not a major online seller, but did have their store’s bestseller list on their website.  None of the books on Malaprops list showed up on any of the other lists that I reviewed.  #1 is “Nightwoods” by Charles Frazier, an author from North Carolina.  The author Silas House has four titles on Malaprops list.  “Eli, the Good” is #2, “Clay’s Quilt” is #5, “A Parchment of Leaves” is #6, and “The Coal Tattoo” is #7.   “Mayhem in Mayberry: Misadventures of a P.I. in Southern Appalachia” by Brian Lee Knopp is at #3 at Malaprops, “Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom” is at #4, “Under the Mercy Trees” by Heather Newton is #8, and “Mudbound” by Hillary Jordan is at #9.  The current #10 bestseller at Malaprops is “That is All” by John Hodgman.

     Finally, I took a look at the bestseller list of LifeWay.com.  LifeWay is a Christian bookseller and I thought it would be interesting to see what they are selling during the Christian Christmas holiday season.   One of the most famous Christian preachers and authors leads their list, with Billy Graham’s latest book, “Nearing Home: Thoughts on Life, Faith, and Finishing Well”.  #2 is “Heaven is for Real, Kids Edition” by Colton Burpo and Sonja Burpo, followed by “Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids” by Tama Fortner and Sarah Young at #3.  “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman is #4, with “Longing” by popular Christian fiction writer Karen Kingsbury is at #5.  Two books that seem to go together are at #6 and #7.  “The Resolution for Men” by Randy Alcorn and Alex Kendrick is the #6 bestseller, followed by “The Resolution for Women” by Priscilla Shirer and Alex Kendrick at #7.  “A Call to Courageous Living Booklet” is LifeWay’s #8 bestseller and “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream” by David Platt is at #9.  LifeWay’s list is rounded out with a fun looking novel, “Christmas at Harrington’s” by Melody Carlson at #10.

     It is fun to see the variety of books that are selling as the Christmas selling season is well underway now.  I hope lots of shoppers find their way into bookstores and onto bookselling websites as they look for that special gift for a special person this Christmas!

Novels for Adults:

     The Litigators     the latest from bestselling author John Grisham    

     11/22/63 : A Novel       new, and getting great reviews, from Stephen King

     The Christmas Wedding   yet another new book from James Patterson (with Richard DiLallo)

     The Drop                           new from Michael Connelly, another “Harry Bosch” novel

     Zero Day                            David Baldacci’s latest bestseller

     Longing                              Karen Kingsbury’s newest Christian fiction title

Non-Fiction

     1,000 Places to See Before You Die (2nd Edition)       Completely Revised, 200 New Places!

     Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo                   Betty White just keeps entertaining us

     StandOut                                              The latest motivational book from Marcus Buckingham

     Gabby : A Story of Courage and Hope     The story from Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

For the cook in your life…

     Illustrated Step by Step Baking           A DK Illustrated Cookbook

     The Neelys’ Celebration Cookbook: Down Home Meals for Every Occasion   Pat & Gina Neely

     The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia        Newly released Fall 2011

Devotional/Inspirational

     How Great is Our God: Timeless Daily Readings on the Nature of God      new from NavPress

     The Lucado Inspirational Reader: Hope and Encouragement for Your Everyday Life

                       newly released devotional from bestselling Christian writer Max Lucado

     Daily Guideposts 2012         the classic daily devotional book

     Love Out Loud: 365 Devotions for Loving God, Loving Yourself, and Loving Others

                        new this fall from Joyce Meyer

Children and Teens

     If You Give a Dog a Donut                          Has gotten good reviews     Ages 3 and up

     Heaven is for Real for Kids: A Little Boys Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

                       Kid’s edition of the new classic

     Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever          Jeff Kinney’s latest is now available!

     The LEGO Ideas Book                   Unlock your imagination!  For ages 7 and up

     Guiness World Records 2012         Kids always love the latest Guiness World Records book

     TIME for Kids BIG Book of Why: 1001 Facts Kids Want to Know     The title says it all!

     Liar’s Moon                         New fromElizabeth C. Bunce   for ages 12 and up

     The Genius Wars                Catherine Jinks    for ages 12 and up

     Every You, Every Me          by David Levithan     looks like a good read for teen boys

For your Post Office Delivery Person, Yard Care Worker, Handyman, Neighbor, etc….

      Life’s Little Instruction Book: 511 Suggestions, Observations, and Reminders on How to Live

      a Happy and Rewarding Life   by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.      This is not a new book, but is

      timeless and makes a great little gift for just about everyone!

Without a doubt, you can find the perfect book for the people in your life.  These are just a few suggestions.  Visit a local bookstore or shop the Internet, and you will find thousands and thousands of books…there are many to choose from for each special person.   Make it your goal this Christmas to put a book in the hands of each of your family members, friends, co-workers, etc.  There’s no better gift!

So, after finishing “The Last Child” I was excited to learn that John Hart’s newest book, “Iron House” was being released in mid-July.  I bought it fairly soon after it was released but it took me a little while to getting around to reading it.  But once I started it, it was hard to put down.  The main character, Michael, is deeply involved in the organized crime scene in New York.  But, having fallen in love, and seeing that he can never have a normal life if he doesn’t change his lifestyle, he decides to leave the world of organized crime.  But that is easier said than done.  Michael does make an escape of sorts with his lover, Elena, who really has no idea that Michael is involved in the world of crime.  But she quickly finds out.

Michael and Elena make a journey from New York to North Carolina to try to track down Michael’s brother, who was adopted as a child by a U.S. Senator from North Carolina and his wife.  The story becomes complex as Michael makes the connection with his brother Julian, and gets involved with a series of murders that have taken place on the huge estate of Senator Vane and his wife, Abigail.  Not only are they trying to sort through the crimes that have taken place on the Estate, which is set in Chatham County in the Piedmont of North Carolina, but Michael is also being hunted down by members of the N.Y. crime group he has tried to escape.

The story has twists and turns followed by more twists and turns.  Hart does a good job of developing the book’s characters and yet hits with you surprise after surprise involving the characters, too.  The book is definitely suspenseful, and it can definitely be called a thriller.  But, it is also very graphically violent.  People are killed right and left, and several of the murders are very explicitly described.  There are scenes of torture that are almost difficult to read they are so vivid.  So, if do not like graphically written violence, the book would not be for you.  It was more graphic than most books I have read, but I did find it to be a good read.  Another page turner from John Hart.  I did not enjoy it as much as his book, “The Last Child“, but it was well written.  I will read more of John Hart’s writings.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being great, columbiabookseller gives “Iron House” a 4.

Iron House

John Hart

Thomas Dunne Books (An Imprint of St. Martin’s Press)

ISBN 978-0-312-38034-2

My son is now 9 years old.  While I have been reading to him all of his life, he has not really been an enthusiastic reader himself.  He likes for me to read to him and that is great with me.  It has been a good bond for us.  But the lack of interest from him in reading on his own has always been a challenge for me.

But I have seen some new interest from him in reading this school year and that is exciting.  Fourth grade is about two months along for him now.  I have definitely noticed a new spark of interest in reading from him.  The question that is there for those of us who have kids who are reluctant readers is how to encourage them to read and to build enthusiasm about it.

Probably the first thing to do is to be sure your kids see you reading.  When you are reading they notice!  And if you read something that you think your child will find interesting, share it with them.  My son is a big fan of the University of South Carolina sports teams.  When I read something about one of their teams that I think he would be interested in, I regularly share that with him.  Another simple key is to be sure there are lots of appropriate reading materials around your home.  Have books, magazines, and newspapers for your child to see and pick up.  Think about your child’s interests and have books related to them available.  Subscribe to a magazine for your child.  Many child oriented magazines are available, such as “National Geographic for Kids”, “Ranger Rick”, “Highlights”, and ”Sports Illustrated for Kids.”

Show your child that reading is something that many people enjoy.  They do not often see good examples of individuals reading on TV, but when you take them to your local library they will not only see the great variety of reading material available there, but hopefully will notice people of all ages at the library reading and checking out items.  If your child meets your library’s age requirement, get him or her a library card.  Kids love to have a card that is THEIRS.  Bookstores are obviously a fun place to explore, too.  When I take my son to a bookstore, I talk with him beforehand about the limit on how much we can plan to spend.  Or, I tell him we are going to make a wishlist, and write down titles of books we would like to get later.

Back to the school topic.  Many teachers give an assignment for students to read for a designated length of time each evening.  I recently read an article which recommended that if your child is reluctant about reading for the assigned period, say 20 or 30 minutes, etc., that you break the period up into two parts with an odd number of minutes.  This writer, whom I failed to note their name when I read the article, said kids love the odd number periods.  Have them read for 17 minutes, take a break, and then read for 13 minutes to complete their 30 minute assignment.  The article also said that if your child is not assigned a certain book to read and is being hesitant about reading. allow them to research a topic on the computer and read that.  Reading is reading!

My 4th grader has been more enthusiastic about reading this fall and I give credit to his school.  His teacher has given the students a list of award winning books to read.  When they finish one of the books on that list, they must pass a short test on the book.  When they have completed 14 of the books on the list, they get a trophy.  Trophies are great motivators for 4th graders, especially for boys!  Another plan has also created reading excitement for my son.  The media specialist (i.e. librarian) is having an optional book club for 4th graders.  It meets after school every few weeks.  They are reading assigned books and discussing them.  I can’t believe how enthusiastic my son has been about the book club.  Luckily, the county recreation center next door to the school is where many of the students at his school go for after-school care.  If the student normally goes to the rec center after school, the school has made arrangements with parents to walk their students there after each book club meeting.  So even those kids who are not “car riders” after school can participate in this club.

We certainly cannot make our children be passionate about reading.  But there are so many easy ways to expose them to reading and when we stop and think, there are many ways to peak their interest and build on this highly important life skill and hobby. Here’s to raising a reader!

I enjoyed the first book, but felt it was not really outstanding.  On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being great, I had given it a 3.  But I do remember thinking after finishing the book that I would probably read the sequel when it came out.  The second book was released on April 5, 2011 and I have just had a chance to read it.  To me, the second book is considerably better than the first.  As the book opens, Alan is in a hospital recovering from an attack.  The story proceeds from there.  In this book, “Miles to Go“, there seem to be many more characters involved in the story than in the first book, and the development of the characters is better.

I found myself truly enjoying the book and enjoying the relationships that developed.  While there are difficult times and sad times in the sequel, one can find much inspiration from Richard Paul Evans’ writing.  Evans has written seventeen books plus five books specifically for children.  He is probably best known for his #1 Bestseller “The Christmas Box”.   In “Miles to Go: The Second Journal of The Walk Series“, you read about several people whose lives are transformed in various ways.  The book ends with a definite question that can only be answered by reading the next book in the series.  I will read it, but it is not scheduled for release until April 2012.

On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being GREAT), columbiabookseller gives “Miles to Go: The Second Journal of The Walk Series” a 5

We welcome your comments and feedback!!

“Miles to Go: The Second Journal of The Walk Series”

Richard Paul Evans

Published by Simon & Schuster April 2011

ISBN 978-1-4391-9137-8 

“Books had instant replay long before televised sports.” Bern Williams

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”  attributed to Mark Twain

“The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.”  James Bryce

“When I get a little money, I buy books; if any is left I buy food and clothes.”  Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)

“There is nothing to match curling up with a good book when there’s a repair job to be done around the house.”  Joe Ryan 

“I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.” Anna Quindlen

“I find television very educational.  Every time someone turns it on, I go in the other room and read a book.”  Groucho Marx

“Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.”  PJ O’Rourke

In this new book, Ponder’s life has changed again.  His beloved wife of forty-nine years has died.  It has been eight months since her death, but Ponder continues to grieve deeply.  Ellen’s death had been sudden and unexpected.  David Ponder is having a very difficult time dealing with the routines of daily life.  In fact, he no longer has the desire to live.  But he decided that he had to live, since he felt that killing himself would not honor his late wife’s memory and he knew that such an act would likely be harmful to the charitable organizations he supports or had created.

One evening as Ponder is feeling overwhelmed by grief, he gets out the old tobacco pouch in which he stores each of the seven items he received as part of each individual decision that he had received on his unbelievable time travel trip many years before.  Each item had a special significance to him.  Breaking down that evening, “David reached for the tobacco pouch and the Seven Decisions and drew them into a pile.  Placing his arms around the items and his head on top of his arms, he wept in great, agonizing sobs.”   The writer continues Ponder’s dilemma, writing, “After a time, with his head still on his desk and his tears spent, he said aloud, ‘I don’t know what to do.  I just don’t know what to do.’”  ” And you are not alone in that sentiment,’ a voice replied.  ‘Perhaps that is why I am here.’”  Then, continuing, Andrews writes, “Startled, David jerked his head up and stared open-mouthed into a face he had not seen in twenty-eight years - the archangel Gabriel.”

Yes, the archangel Gabriel, who had appeared to David many years before as he traveled through time, has come back to visit him.  The two get “reacquainted again” as best as a human and an archangel can, and then Gabriel tells David Ponder why he has come to visit him again.  He has an assignment for David, and it is quite an assignment.  Essentially the archangel Gabriel tells David that the human race is at a turning point - at a place where God is not pleased - and that there is going to be a meeting of fellow Travelers like David Ponder and the time travelers he had previously met.  Only this time there will be many more Travelers than just the seven Ponder had met.  And this will be no ordinary meeting.  Gabriel bills it as “The Final Summit.”  The hundreds of fellow Travelers will meet to try to discover the one solution to the question of what humans need to do to save the fate of humanity.

Not only is Ponder shocked to find out that he will be part of this unparalled summit, but he is dismayed when it is revealed by Gabriel that Ponder will be the leader of the summit.  He will be in charge.  Before he can fully comprehend what is going to happen,  the archangel Gabriel takes Ponder away.  Away to the mysterious, strange place where the all important summit will take place.  After arriving, the other Travelers begin to arrive, too.  David immediately sees many historical figures that he recognizes and some who look familiar but he cannot identify.  Gabriel lays out the rules of the summit and explains that the group basically has five opportunities to come up with the correct answer to what humans must do to be saved.  To make the challenge of finding the answer even greater, there is a time limit.  Gabriel points out a huge hourglass timepiece which already has sand moving through it.

As is typical with Andy Andrews’ books, the chapters of this book are short and are easy to read.  The storyline is interesting and it did tend to pull me in as I read.  I wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next.  While the desire to read on and see what happens is certainly an important element of a good book, I do feel that Andrews could have done a lot more to develop the characters and the discussions that the characters had.  I learned things about several different historical characters that I did not already know.  One of the main characters was a World War II hero who most of us would never know about if we did not read this book.  The story of that character was fascinating.  But, in general, the book was underdeveloped.  Andrews likes to write his books to both entertain and motivate.  This book has elements of both of those concepts, but not enough, especially of the motivational element.

“The Traveler’s Gift,” the predecessor to this book, was very motivational.  Each of the seven decisions presented in that book were very practical and yet inspirational.  At the end of  ”The Traveler’s Gift” Andrews includes a plan for re-reading each of the seven decisions and applying them to your daily life.  In this new book, we are challenged by the ideas the Traveler’s toss around as they seek to find the one answer to the question of what will save humanity, but I did not finish the book with the feeling of inspiration that I have found in other Andy Andrews books.  I wish the story had been developed more and had been deeper.   On the back of the book’s dust jacket, PGA Champion Hal Sutton compares Andy Andrews to a mixture of C.S. Lewis, Alfred Hitchcock, and Tony Robbins.  To me that comparison is quite a stretch.  QUITE a stretch.  An enjoyable book, but not on the caliber of C.S. Lewis’s works.

On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being great), columbiabookseller gives “The Final Summit” a  3

“The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity”

Andy Andrews, author

Thomas Nelson, Inc.    2010

ISBN 978-0-7852-3120-2

All quotes are taken directly from the book or from the promotions on the book’s dust jacket.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

BOOKSNEEZE:  http://booksneeze.com/blogger/request

     I spend too much time in bookstores looking at books and I see so many that I think I want to read.  I really don’t end up buying that many and I must admit that I read even fewer than I buy!  I do not really know what caught my eye with this small book by John Kralik, but I remember noticing it in a store several months ago.  On several trips to various bookstores, I picked up “365 Thank Yous…”, and finally a few weeks ago bought a copy.  I guess it was the idea that is conveyed in the title of how a “simple act of daily gratitude changed my life” that was so interesting.

     As the title makes pretty obvious, the author of this book, John Kralik, decided to write a thank you note every day over the course of the year to different people in his life.  What led to this decision?  Kralik, a 53 year old attorney who owned his own struggling law firm, was at a very low point in his life: emotionally, financially, physically, and in his relationships.  On New Year’s Day 2008, Kralik had planned to go on a hike on the Echo Mountain trail above Pasadena, California with Grace, a young woman with whom he had recently begun a new relationship.  But on Christmas Eve, Grace had broken up with him.  So New Year’s Day arrived and Kralik was as depressed as he had ever been.  But, hats off to him, he decided to go on the hike, anyway.  To go on the walk all by himself.

     On the hike, his mind was consummed with how desperate he felt.  Wanting to be alone, he wandered off the main path and was soon completely lost.  He thought about the fact that it was New Year’s Day and it was a time of new beginnings and of making resolutions.  He continued to ramble along and became more lost.  Kralik writes, “Still not finding the path, I began to slip and stumble in the rough.  As I became more lost and tired, I began to despair of getting home before dark, much less finishing something I started in the new year.”  Making a new years resolution was not a reality for him.  Kralik writes that as he wandered, tired and alone, he “…heard a voice: ‘Until you learn to be grateful for the things you have,’ it said, ‘you will not receive the things you want.’ “  Kralik could not understand this voice or the message, feeling like it made no sense to the thoughts going on his head.

     But the words he had “heard” did not go away.  He traveled on, knowing he had to push on and try to find his way off of the mountain.  He thought of his grandfather for some reason.  He thought of his grandfather who had been an extremely successful  businessman.  Maybe he was thinking of his successful grandfather with some bitterness, but he was reminded of how his grandfather had given his grandchildren silver dollars from time to time.  Kralik received his first silver dollar from his grandfather when he was about five.  His grandfather eventually had twenty-four grandchildren and would share silver dollars with each.  He would tell the children upon giving them a silver dollar that if they wrote him a thank-you letter, he would send them another one.  He told Kralik that “that was the way thank-you letters worked…”  John Kralik remembered that after receiving the first silver dollar he did write a thank-you note and that he promptly received a second silver dollar.  However, he never wrote that second thank you note, and he never received another silver dollar from his grandfather.  So Kralik, alone in the mountains on a quickly fading day, thought of the words he had heard in his mind about gratitude, and then of the thoughts of his grandfather and the silver dollars.  And, he remembered how two years earlier he had his office manager order several hundred note cards, boldly thinking that he would be writing lots of notes in his new law firm.  He knew the note cards had hardly been touched.  He had the idea.  Kralik writes with inspiration that “I would try to find one person to thank each day.  One person to whom I would write a thank-you note.  By the end of the year, I would have used up the stationery.  I would have written 365 thank yous.”

     And so the stage is set.  But still Kralik is doubtful about this resolution.  He wonders if he even has anything to be grateful for.  He did not go straight home and start writing thank you notes.  By the end of the next day, he was apparently as discouraged as ever.  He got home to his apartment complex and struggled with whether or not to even check his mailbox.  If there was anything in the mailbox it would just be bills or junkmail, he thought to himself.  But he decided to check it.  And to his surprise he found that he had a handwritten note.  It was a note from his friend Grace, thanking him for the Christmas gifts he had given her.  She also thanked him for the special time they had spent together on Christmas Eve.  It seemed to be the perfect sign.  He writes, “…it seemed uncanny that Grace had written this note just before I’d determined thank-you notes to be my way out of despair.  By thanking me for a Christmas present, she awakened me to something in my life, however small, for which I could be grateful.  Her note was showing me the first step.  And I was going to take it.”

     John did begin his newly set goal of writing 365 thank-you notes in a year.  On January 3rd, 2008, he wrote his first note and it was to his son, thanking him for the Christmas gift he had given him.  He was on his way.  Through the book, John Kralik writes about the events of his life during the year 2008 and beyond.  He shares the ups and the downs.  He shares about who he would write thank-you notes to and about the reactions he would sometimes get.  It was not an easy thing to write that many notes.  Just thinking of who to write next was not always easy.  But he continued with his project and it really began to bring about positive changes in his life.  It didn’t happen at once, but John’s life began to improve financially, in his health, with his friendships and family, and with his career.  The flyleaf of the book’s dust jacket has this quote, “While John wrote his notes, the economy collapsed, the bank across the street from his office failed, but thank-you note by thank-you note, John’s whole life turned around.

     “365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life” is easy to read, yet is interesting.  It is also challenging, offering a simple idea that brought great change to a struggling man’s life.  I know I have heard many times that if we will take our focus off of ourselves and focus on others, our attitudes and our moods will likely be lifted.  While writing a thank-you note to someone every day may not be a solution for you, it should help you think.  Is there a need in your life to express more gratitude to people who you are involved with in different ways?  No doubt, we all should make a much better effort at sharing thankfulness, for things big and small.

     This is an interesting, thought provoking story.  Kralik will keep your attention with the short chapters he writes about his life’s adventures during the year 2008 and how things in his life took a turn for the good.  It won’t take long to read and it will be worth the time.

     On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being great) columbiabookseller gives “365 Thank Yous….” a  4       Pick up a copy at a bookstore or local library.

365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life

John Kralik, author

Hyperion        2010

ISBN 978-1-4013-2405-6

All quotes are taken directly from the book or from the promotions on the book’s dust jacket.

I read a letter from Columbia, South Carolina’s mayor, Steve Benjamin, in the March 14, 2011 edition of midlandsbiz.com in which he outlines an exciting community reading event for the people of the city of Columbia.  Mayor Benjamin writes, “If you’re like me, then you’re always on the lookout for a great book to read.  Imagine for a moment that you and all your neighbors and friends found such a book and were reading it at the same time.  What interesting conversations and discussions might take place in our city!”

 Mayor Benjamin goes on to tell about “One Book, One Columbia”, which is being held in April 2011 and is being jointly promoted by the City of Columbia, the Richland County Public Library, and the Columbia Council of Neighborhoods.  And the big question is “what book is going to be featured?”  The book to be read is “Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years” by Amy Hill Hearth.  The former New York Times bestseller is the story of Sadie and Bessie Delany.  Quoting from Mayor Benjamin’s letter, he says that the sisters were … “two remarkable women who lived groundbreaking and inspiring lives.  Told as a captivating oral history, the story is rich in themes of family, faith, education, and social justice

And how does a city have a community book club?  The Richland County Public Library and other partnering organizations have a full agenda of activities planned for those who are reading the book.  The planned events include a screening of the movie based on the book, a family history workshop, a panel discussion which will include Mayor Steve Benjamin, different events for children, and a program focusing on the first 100 years of the city of Columbia.  Go to www.myRCPL.com/onebook for the full calendar of events.  At that website there will also be blog posts by community readers and additional information.  And not to leave out the Facebook friends, there will be a “One Book, One Columbia” Facebook page for social media interaction on the book.

The Richland County Library has copies of the book available, and arrangements have been made with the Barnes & Noble bookstores in Columbia so that customers can purchase the book at a discounted price. 

This sounds like a great idea to promote reading and to promote community.  Hats off to the City of Columbia and the community of readers who participate in “One Book, One Columbia.”  Let’s hope it is a great success and that this reading promotion will only be the first of many in Columbia, and that other cities will follow Columbia’s lead!  Let’s READ!