2015 has been a whirlwind with the release of Shelterbelts, the marketing events and next project. What fun to meet readers from across the country. Keith and I spent a wonderful March in Arizona where I spoke to libraries and a Sons of Norway group. Thanks to the Sun City Lodge for great hospitality and warm friendship. While in Arizona, I reconnected with cousins and extended family, attended the Tucson Book Festival and attended a WWA gala at a dude ranch. What fun!
The book release party for Shelterbelts is a special memory I will always cherish. Thank you to each of you who attended and helped me celebrate. Also special thanks to the Five Wings Arts Council for an amazing grant that allowed me to spend three weeks on a personal writing retreat to work on my next project. The dear sisters at Annunciation Monastery (Bismarck, ND) provided private writing space, peace and quiet, prayer support and friendship as I spent long days working on a YA novel with the working title of Escape to Fort Abercrombie. It’s nearly completed and hopefully will be published soon.
We traveled to Lacrosse, Wisconsin for a great Scandinavian convention, visited many Sons of Norway lodges across the region and did a poetry reading at the St. Cloud Diocesan Rural Life Celebration in Morris, MN. The highlight of every year is the Minot Hostfest. Besides these larger events were book clubs, senior groups, libraries, a writing retreat that I led in Lanesboro, and a couple of workshops my sister (Angela Foster) and I did together. Whew! No wonder I’m tired. You can check my event page for a full list of future and past events.
Thanks to each of you for enriching my life, reading my books and inviting me to speak to your groups. This writing journey has been a wonderful adventure. THANKS!
A very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2016 to you and your families. Mange takk!
14 Responses
Wonderful.
Sorry we were not able to be at EB Sr. Ctr last thursday night. We had a ministry engagement. Our daughter just finished Shelterbelts.. She enjoyed it very much just all of us!
Truly an amazing year! Very happy for you that you’re having so many wonderful experiences!!
It’s been an adventure!
That’s awesome, Candace! Can’t wait for that upcoming book. Loved Shelterbelts……as well as all previous ones. Have a great Christmas.
You have had a wonderful and busy time! I am so glad to call you my friend! Merry Christmas to you and Kieth from warm and humid Florida!
Yeah Candace-so deserving of all the attention
Thanks, Sue. Wish we were visiting you in Tuscon this year!
Proud of you
thanks, Sunna. Miss you!
What a great book “Shelterbelts” is! Loved seeing you at the Hostliest and can’t wait to see you next year!
Thanks Judy, it was great fun visiting your beautiful home in Minot.
Hi Candace, I just finished Shelterbelts. You wrote about my Prickett-Huebner-Dyer-Holslin relatives in Stevens County in 1945-47. Almost all my cousins attended the Morris Ag School. We lived over Junior Hall (now Pine Hall) on campus where Dad (Glenn Prickett) taught history, debate, and coached football.
We were all in 4H. Then moved to St Paul where Dad became state 4H club leader.
I still own 80 acres by Donnelly that Grandpa Ole Erickson bought in 1898. Deciding whether to plant flax or wheat in our crop rotation was my Mom’s decision.
In the 1930s and early ’40s Dad was recruiting your relatives from Otter Tail, Douglas, Stevens, Pope, Traverse, and Grant County to attend the 6-month program, a residential school. We had older cousins back from the War.
-Gordon Prickett
thanks for reading Shelterbelts and taking the time to comment. I’m glad you could relate to my characters. Merry christmas!