New Geographic Alliances (to me at least) and Book Updates

Okay, I know I should have been working but when you come across some interesting postings in your yahoo forums (one from elementary-lesson-share, which is cross posted on abc-usa) and you get to finding some new sources for the series, you just can't help playing around and exploring.

One of the postings on the forum that came in the daily digest listing of all the postings was for a "toolbox for teaching geography" by the North Carolina Geographic Alliance. I explored, signed up for membership, which of course led to another road - the National Geographic EdNet, which led to exploring states around me for ohter geographic alliances and lo and behold, Georgia did a Geofest this past April (hoping it is about the same time next year and that they allow vendors to come participate) that is similar to the South Carolina's Alliance Geofest. So now I have three states in my driving range (South Carolina held in Columbia about 2 hours from where I live, North Carolina looks to have workshops up near where my folks live and if that is the case, I have a place to stay and that is only about 3 hours from where I live, a bit further to Boone though; and Georgia's Geofest, held in Athens but could possibly be held in different locations and this is about 3 hours from here) to participate as a vendor - exposure, exposure, exposure. It only takes one really good link to get the ball rolling.

An update on State of Heights - it had been released earlier this month but while I was reading through it trying to come up with some questions for the study guide last week or the week before, I found some problems in the words - like when Heather had copy and pasted from the original document, some things got double wording or some lines got a little messed up. I took it off the market, had her fix those few things I noticed and ordered a second proof copy and found a place where I had made a parenthentical to her that got in the book - ooops - nothing bad but it wasn't part of the story, so will be ordering a third proof copy Wednesday and hopefully when I return from my parents' for the Christmas holiday will be able to really officially release State of Heights to the public. This is really book 5 in the series, so anyone who has the first three in the series and needs book 4 or 5, let me know. We are on schedule, otherwise, so far to release the next 5 books within the next year (the plan is 5 a year so that by November of 2019 book 50th will be released along with a supplement to check to make sure you have all the books in the series which will include the silly law and the bonus clue along with which territory the bonus clue was for).

Also, State of Wilderness will go out of publication with 4RV Publishing June of 2011, but will be re-released as a second edition, with a new cover and new illustrations to fit the books that Heather is illustrating. Hopefully, there won't be much lag time between it going out of publication with 4RV and me having it available to the public again. State of Quarries will be re-released in April or May of 2012 and State of Reservations will be re-released in June of 2013. These will all be in addition to the five new titles coming out each of those years. As it is right now, the 2011 schedule is as follows: State of Nature (#6) is slated for February; State of Acceleration (#7) is slated for April, State of Wilderness (#1) to be rereleased in June, State of Imagination (#8) is slated for about July, State of ?? (#9 - as of yet is untilted as I haven't completely put all the clues in place) to be released in September and State of Production (#10) to be released in November.

Also, check the website for updates on upcoming events. My Calendar is starting to look full as I have something scheduled almost every month so far. I also have added some info on school/class/homeschool co-ops purchasing large quantities of any title and as soon as I figure out what direction to go with a "unit study" I plan to have that available to schools and/or teachers and/or homeschooling co-ops or parents. This is something that will pull the supplemental study guide a step further and will combine the creative writing side of things with the geography and mystery of the states. I will keep you posted on this.

Hope you all have a blessed holiday no matter what you are celebrating and that your new year is blessedly wonderful and that all your goals come true. Mrs. E :)