Wytheville Library Trip

I haven't accepted many author appearances this year because of my limited mobility, but on Saturday, I headed to Wytheville to be one of the Wytheville Library's "Authors on Monroe."

I figured I could make the trip without much trouble, because I wouldn't have to walk much and I'd be sitting down during both the driving as well as appearing part. Because of lane closures on I-81, I took Rt. 11 to Christiansburg and got onto Interstate there, so I had no problems with traffic.

The library was easy to find. Luckily, I was able to park close.

Just inside was a display showcasing some of the guest authors' books. I propped up my Ferradiddledumday poster for a photo op.

Some of the authors—such as Rhonda Caudill, Pam Newberry, Brenda C. Musick, and Dan Delby had arrived at 10. 

Scottie Pritchard and I were scheduled for noon. Brenda and Dan stayed for the afternoon, too. Other than us authors, very few folks were in the library. It was a beautiful day outside and some big events—such as an Easter egg hunt—were happening in town. So we authors made the most of it by sharing our writing experiences and doing readings. Using my Ida B. Peevish voice, I read from Peevish Advice.

Dan Delby, a writer-illustrator of comic books, read a short story about an energy-sucking vampire aboard a space ship.  

Brenda Musick read a selection from her Appalachian novel, One-Eyed Tom: The Trials of an Appalachian Family.

Scottie Prichard read from Under a Blue Bowl, her mother's memoir.

Some of us did a book swap. A big fan of Appalachian lit, I came away with two Appalachian memoirs and an Appalachian novel.

I was tired when I started for home and my legs were starting to swell, but I had no real problems. I stayed on I-81 north all the way to Salem, where I got off on 311 and took the back roads to 220. I'm glad I wasn't heading south! Just past Christiansburg, I saw a major traffic back-up in the southbound lanes that went on for miles. My camera was on the seat beside me, so I picked it up and snapped several pictures.

When I got off at the Salem exit, traffic was still backed up and barely moving. In fact, vehicles were backed up onto Rt. 311 waiting to get on Interstate. I'm glad I was heading the opposite way.

While I arrived home tired and achy, at least I hadn't been stuck in traffic for hours. And I'd had a good time at the Wytheville library.

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