National Columnists Day

Today is National Columnists Day, which recognizes the importance and value of newspaper columnists. It was established in memory of the day columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner Ernie Pyle was killed in World War II.

I grew up reading Dave Barry (just going to his website makes me laugh out loud), the late Erma Bombeck and Bob Greene (whose career had a tragic twist). The columns were funny, moving, candid, and I could never get enough of them.

At one point in my newspaper career, I was given the opportunity to have my own column, which I called “Off the Cuff,” a recommendation from my father. It allowed me to write on most any topic. I enjoyed that freedom.

Columnist Nancy Wright Beasley, who writes a monthly column for Richmond Magazine also enjoys having the opportunity to choose her subjects. She says. “It is a privilege to be a columnist because you have the opportunity to shed light on special people who do wonderful things and are often not covered by the daily media.”

Another columnist, Ann Allen notes, “I love being a columnist. It’s more creative than reporting the who, why how, when and where.”

In later years, I was drawn to the columnists at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. My friend Julie Campbell reminded me of those great writers, who included Steve Clark, Betty Booker and Jann Malone. When I was at the Roanoke Times & World-News I enjoyed reading Ben Beagle. In researching this column, I found The World I Never Made, which is a collection of his columns.

My tastes and genres have evolved. And thanks to blogging, opportunities are everywhere for reading about issues that matter to me and sometimes just reading good writing. I asked my Facebook friends who they are reading. Here’s a sampling:

Why not make time today to read your favorite columnist? And while you’re at it, add a comment to this blog letting us know who you are reading.

Tough Cop Writes About Teddy Bears

As a cop, John Lamb admits he had a reputation for being “the coldest human being on the planet.”

Then he met his future wife Joyce, who said to him, “You’re nothing but a big teddy bear.”

John Lamb is a tough cop who writes a teddy bear mystery series. (Photo by Cynthia Price)

Teddy bears would become a key character in a series of mysteries he would write. Lamb is the author of the “Bear Collector” mystery series. He also is a retired cop with 22 years of service with a Southern California police department. During his career he served as a patrol officer, hostage negotiator, homicide investigator and patrol sergeant.

The first gift he gave his future wife, naturally, was a teddy bear. The two started collecting handmade bears. “They are original, and they’re amazing,” Lamb said.

As a cop, Lamb said he often held a dim view of the human race. The beauty of teddy bear collecting is “There aren’t any teddy bear jerks.”

After retiring to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, Lamb’s publisher told him they were looking for a new line of cozies – mysteries in which there is no blood and no guts. Lamb realized, “I’m living a cozy” as he sat on his front porch and thought about the hundreds of teddy bears he and his wife had collected and their comfortable home with six cats and two golden retrievers.

He wrote the first few chapters of the first book, The Mournful Teddy, and within 24 hours had a three-book deal.

He would go on to write four more books in the series, all with the word “teddy” in the title. “You have to have a word you can hang your series on,” Lamb said.

His most recent work is a suspense thriller, which he is working to get published. The publishing world is much more challenging today, Lamb said. “We no longer build or grow an audience,” Lamb said. “If it’s not a homerun, they don’t sell them.”

Despite such obstacles, Lamb said, “I love writing. I’m going to keep writing.”

Celebrate National Library Week

How do you read? Perhaps, I should be asking whether you still read.

It’s an interesting question and one I wanted to pose given that this week is National Library Week. One of my favorite authors, Ellen Crosby, posted a survey on her Facebook page asking people how they read. The choices were – they buy the book, they read on an e-reader or they go to the library. The winner was real books that are owned, followed by library books.

Of course, this was a small survey and is not scientific, but I started thinking about how I consume books. I’ve moved a lot in my adult years so I’ve always tried to keep my collection of books manageable. Despite that, if I moved today I would easily fill 15 to 20 boxes with books – and those are only my favorites that I’ve kept. And then there are all the business and leadership books that I have at work.

To cut down on books, though, I’ve become a huge fan of my library. I can walk to it and pick up a few books. I also volunteer with the Friends group of my library. We hold two books sales each year. This is great because I can buy books, read them and then contribute to the sale. I also coordinate our Writer Wednesday series where authors come in and speak about their books. Topics have included mysteries, remodeling, history and anything else that will interest our patrons. The wonderful part is that the topic almost doesn’t matter because readers love to meet authors.

Books and more books

E-readers, library books and purchased books -- I read them all! (Photo by Cynthia Price)

I also have succumbed to the e-reader. Last fall I traveled to Indonesia, which is a 30+-hour journey. I needed some variety in my reading choices and not much weight in the suitcase. So I bought a Nook. I love it for traveling and enjoy reading on it. I have some friends who even have abandoned a physical book for their e-readers. Apparently, we’re not alone. A Pew Research Center survey showed that one in five American adults read an electronic book in the last year.

For me, though, at the end of the day, I still want to hold a book, preferably new, so I can sniff the ink on the page and hear the sound of the pages crinkling and the spine slightly cracking as I open it to explore.

Would you take the time to share how you consume books by posting a comment this week as part of National Library Week?

Cash Mob Strikes Wichita

NFPW member Jill Miller is known for great ideas and providing businesses with what they need to thrive.

Jill Milller organized a Cash Mob in Wichita, KS.

She took that to the next level when she organized Wichita’s participation in international cash mob day. Cash Mobs are similar to Flash Mobs, but instead of dancing people go to predetermined businesses on a specific day and spend a little money to help support locally owned businesses.

Wichita joined 200 other cities around the world participating in the first International Cash Mob Day on March 24. Jill was inspired by stories she read about how small businesses were being impacted by Cash Mobs in other cities. “One night I asked my Facebook friends if they thought the Cash Mob would go over in Wichita,” she said. “The response was enthusiastic!”

At midnight she started a Facebook group and within 36 hours, more than 1,500 people were ready to go shopping at stores that were selected because they had been open less than one year, sell products for men and women, give back to the community and agreed to be mobbed.

Jill was tired of seeing local businesses “that were awesome” go out of business. After talking with a client about it, she was more encouraged to spearhead the effort. “I just had to go for it and do it,” she said.

She leveraged her social media network. “That really helped me pull it off,” Jill said.

Cash mobs were started by Buffalo, NY, blogger and engineer Chris Smith in 2011 to bring financial relief to small, struggling local businesses and to bring communities together. That is exactly what happened in Wichita March 24. “I found that people want to support local businesses but they aren’t sure what they should do,” Jill said. “And there is a lot of pent up demand to go out and buy stuff.”

That’s a good thing because Jill already is planning the next Cash Mob for April 21.

Making Lemonade

Lemons

A morning wait led to a day of lemonade.

Yesterday I showed up at a TV studio to tape a segment. I was told to arrive at 8:30 a.m. and did so only to find out I would not be interviewed until closer to 10. At first I was highly annoyed thinking about the work that was piled on my desk and my inbox that had mentioned to explode in the past week.

Then I decided to see it as an opportunity to enjoy the time and chat with the other individuals who also would be on the show.

There is a saying that says, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” That’s what I did. Here’s what happened:

1)      I caught an interview on the CBS Morning Show with my friend and author Adriana Trigiani. I would never have caught that if I were at work. Even better, she was talking about the tours she offers and I just happen to be taking one later this year.

2)      A few moments after sitting down, another woman walked into the room. She was coordinating an interview for her workplace. We were colleagues from another time so it was great to catch up.

3)      I also met Mrs. Virginia, Brandi Pope. She has a great story and is using her Mrs. Virginia title to help tell it. (That’s another blog.)

4)      Also in the room was novelist Rita Mae Brown. I’m a big fan of her mysteries and learned she has a new one out, The Big Cat Nap. Although we all had plenty of questions for her, she managed to do most of the interviewing!

By the time I had returned to the office, I’d had a good interview, made some new contacts, caught up with old friends and even developed some blogs.

That’s a lot of lemonade!