Book Project Update
It's been a while since I checked in and updated the loyal followers of this project, The Brass Bell. The book was held in "exclusivity" by a university press for well over a year. Time passes and things change. What happened in this case, the executive editor who loved the project left the press. Her replacement finally decided to pass on the book. That didn't degrade its value to me or to others, but it sure broke my heart and set us back a year, needlessly. Lesson learned.
Onward and forward, tuck and roll, a small independent press in Oregon is publishing the book. Sahalie Publishing has brought on-board the best of the best to work on The Brass Bell, including Ali McCart of Indigo Editing, Holly Franko, former Copy Desk Chief at The Oregonian; an award-winning magazine and book designer, J. Kiehle, and other literary notables who have come together to help Sahalie produce a stand-out treasure for all who have waited so patiently. This book will be a treasure, not only for those who attended Cherry Road School, who knew Miss Parsons, or lived in Central New York, it will be a must-have for those who love historical fiction and non-fiction, love to read stories about people's lives...for history buffs, for educators, and everyone who has a soft-spot for the one-room schoolhouse and its inhabitants.
The Brass Bell covers a time period from the late nineteenth century through post-WWII. It contains the voices of those who were there, from Marion's journal, from newspaper accounts, and the memories of a little girl who begged her great aunt for "stories out of her think, stories about the olden days." My Aunt Marion would begin her stories with "Jack hitched up the horse and buggy..." I would curl up and drift through a time I could imagine as though I had been there, thanks to Marion's story-telling ability.
The book will go to press sometime this spring and Sahalie will make pre-sales available for anyone wanting to ensure they get enough copies, or who simply want to help this small press with this enormous project. (Sahalie is a non-profit press making donations tax-deductable.)
I want to thank all who have helped, tirelessly, who have encouraged me to keep going. I want to thank the many who contributed their memories of days gone by. It saddens me that some have not survived to enjoy the finished product. The book is for them especially. Their legacy will endure, as will my Aunt Marion Parsons'.
If you want to be added to the mailing list, contact me at: schoolhouse2@comcast.net
I will continue to post updates on this site,
Nancy "Camille" Cole
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