Peevish Pen: Books with Heart

A couple of Saturdays ago, I was one of the regional authors at Binding Time Cafe's Fall Bookfest in Martinsville. I've been to Binding Time's fest before and really enjoyed it. While I'm still having mobility problems, I figured I could handle the short drive, and I knew I wouldn't have to do much walking.

The weather was great (with occasional breezes) and I sold many books. The previous night had been cold, so Binding Time provided the authors with both a heater and great coffee. As the day got warmer, we didn't need the heater—but it was nice to have the coffee. In the picture, I'm enjoying one of several cups I consumed.

I noticed that many children's books were available at this fest—and some of them had something in common. Do you see what it is?

Yep—all these books have something to do with hearts. If you look at the cover of my small press-published novel, Stuck, you can see the heart on the cover. (Print copy is here; e-book is here.)

In Stuck, hearts are used as motifs throughout the book, and the main character—Jacie—is given a heart-shaped locket that plays a significant part in helping her solve a problem.

To my left was a non-fiction book, Horses Who See With Their Hearts, self-published by Dr. Emilie Storch who wasn't at the bookfest; her mother sold the books. The book is about blind horses that Dr. Storch has rescued.

To my right was former Martinsville resident and current Richmond resident, Graham Gardner with The Santa Beacon, inspired by a question once asked by his daughter Ava (who was with him): "How will Santa know how to find me if I'm not home?" The answer has to do with hearts, and the book's page numbers are contained within small red hearts—plus there's a pop-out heart Christmas ornament on the cover.

Here's a closer look:

Across from my display, Franklin County resident Lisa Chitwood had both paperback and hardback copies of her picture book, Hunt With Your Heart, a book in which a boy relies upon his heart to help him make a decision.

A few tables down from me, Martinsville native Dr. Mary Helen Hensley had her new book, The Chakra Fairies, a Magical Mantra for Children. A collection of poems about the different chakra fairies and their colors, the book had a prominent pink heart on its cover. The author wore wings.

Speaking of fairies, Avis Turner was there with her In the Land Where Fairies Cried Tears of Stone, not a children's book but a memoir of Avis's grandmother who grew up in the area now covered by Fairystone Park and Philpott Lake—where a lot of fairystones can be found. Her grandmother Mattie Turner, widowed at a young age, certainly had heart as she raised her children alone. In the picture below, Avis is shown with Bonnie Hale, who—with her husband John—owns Binding Time.