A Delightful Book Launch

A book launch is always a celebration of completion, of a goal achieved, and a book ready for the world.

21 Smithfield Drive is my goal achieved. I was ready to bring to the world, or at least, to my wonderful hometown community, Haliburton, Ontario.

21 Smthfield Drive is part family history, part memoir. Author M. Gail Stelter shares these stories across three sections: her parents' lives, leading up to and including World War II, her own childhood in the post-war years, and finally her young adult years when she met the love of her life, Peter. These stories are filled with vulnerability, humour and insights and illuminate the joys and challenges of the times, of family, and of love.

When is a book launch not a book launch?

When is it also a story-sharing afternoon…

So I welcomed the community and was pleased that 36 people told me ahead of the date that they were planning to attend. Life happens, and I always understand. I had about 30 come. Since the event, I have also had several more tell me they were planning to attend. I was pleased with the turnout and pleased to include my family in this number. Joy is children, grandchildren and cousins. Feeling blessed.

I structured the event so that each section of my book became a story starter to be shared in both a whole group and a small group format. I read a passage from each section beginning with “Before There Was Me” and prepared story prompt cards to facilitate the sharing. Then we moved on to a Baby Boomer Childhood (early years and teen years), and concluded with the last section: Young and In Love. I added a trivia quiz, lots of great food and even a song.

Thanks to all who attended and had fun sharing, and special thanks to Haliburton residents and friends: Jenny Reiger who shared the story of her mother’s amazing wartime escape from Singapore; Pat Barry who spoke of Chum charts and shared her wonderful musical memories of her and Jeff’s life of the people and times in the world Classic County Music; and, Betty and David Mills who pleasantly surprised us with a son in keeping with how they met - Betty on piano and David singing, and completed the moment by sharing their meeting on his front lawn where she was waiting for him to ask for a teaching job.. These are only a few of the stories shared as the room bounced with laughter and good times.

Thank you to my daughter, Nicole and my cousin, Margie, for taking some pictures.

Thank you to Nicole for arranging these into a video, attached here for you.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/d22fd6_41dc97de23f0411296277d7e69ebbb27/720p/mp4/file.mp4

If your book is a personal story or memoir, you may be hoping to have your stories resonate with your readers. You may wish to have your stories inspire them to share their stories of lives lived and loved. Our personal stories are our history, and collectively we are the stories of Canada