Welcome Center Success

Yesterday was pretty successful as far as visitors coming to the Welcome Center and lots of comments on how nice the welcome center is and how friendly everyone is. The highlight was being next to McGee's Pub folks who brought in some homemade corn beef hash and some Irish cream (non alcoholic of course) coffee for the travelers. The hash was delicious; I could've easily eaten a whole plate of it without even blinking. The welcome center folks had put out some watermelon as well and that was very tasty. Sometime around noon, one of the local hotels' (as in Greenville local, since Anderson doesn't really have much going for it but it is growing and some new hotels have been added in the last couple of years or so) representative brought in some Dunkin Donuts donut holes, yum yum.

I had printed up 25 travel activity booklets and handed out about 10. I left five with Amos.

For a full report on sales, please stop over and check out my other blog and read today's This and That posting. Safe travels and Happy Mother's Day from Ma America - E :)

Travel and Tourism Week

Today is the beginning of Travel & Tourism week. Each year the Welcome Centers across the country have special events for travels. The first year I participated in the Fairplay SC Welcome Center's event, I met the real "Radio" and Coach Jones as well as my husband's aunt, uncle and cousin who were traveling from Florida to North Carolina to get the other cousin who had been staying with my sister-in-law and (who passed away last March, God Rest her Soul) helping her out. The freaky thing about knowing who she was (Aunt Toni) was that I had only met her 15 years prior to that at the memorial service for Bill's grandmother; the year I was pregnant with my youngest child.

I didn't get to participate last year secondary to no funds and a couple of conflicts in my schedule. This year, I do get to participate and will be at the Fairplay Welcome Center Saturday, May 12, from 10 AM to 1 PM.

This year, not only will I be representing the JGDS series but I'll also be promoting the SC Author Connection Group. This is a group of four authors at the moment who are trying to get in with the schools during their book fair weeks. At this time, we would like to limit to South Carolina schools and gradually move out to the other states. If you are a teacher or school librarian or any school or district authority figure, please stop by and pick up a flyer to see what each author has to offer. We are offering something for everyone from elementary through high school. We would love to hear back from you if you happen to be traveling in the great state of South Carolina or if you know teachers or school librarians in the state.

I'll have some travel related handouts for the kids, so make sure you stop by and say hello and receive your goodies. Travel safe. See you all in the postings - Ma America & the JGDS

Fairplay Welcome Center 05/15/2010

I'm kind of late posting this but sometimes, better late than never. I've been swamped at work and then when I do take some time off, I'm busy doing other things and keep forgetting to update my blog.

The setup was a bit different this year but I think the exposure was good. I sat next to a lady who paints quilt designs and she was representing the Quilting group in Oconee County - I think they are trying to get a similar project started like some other states have - a driving trail of quilters. The paintings are pretty awesome. At the other end of the table was a farmer who specializes in jams - boysenberry, muscadine grape, blueberries, et cetera. The couple I tried were deliciious although I was favoring one over the other, but I can't remember which one it was - lol.

Here are the pictures from the event - no Radio appearance again but it was fun. They had some folks outside. I even think I got a couple of orders from meeting some travelers this year.

My end of the table with some visitors checking me out. The bucket on the end contains mini foam gliders. There was a bus tour that had stopped and the adults were snatching up the gliders to play with on the bus. I thought it was funny - they were getting a bigger kick out of those little treats than the kids that had stopped by my table.

The quilters' group that was next to me. The big wooden painting is the one the lady who was manning the table did and this was her first display - at the Welcome Center.

This is Amos (the manager of the Welcome Center) talking with the man who had the jams. I wish I could remember which one I really liked. I know I didn't try the muscadine one because I'm not big on grape flavored anything and definitely don't like grape jellies or jams.

This young lady was visiting with her grandmother and was so excited to be able to go to another state and she got to meet an author and an artist and she got to take some bookmarks back to her classmates and tell them she had actually met me. She was just too adorable not to take her picture.

This is the staff at the Welcome Center and I hope they will let me come back next year - lol. I think Amos is really glad to have me there and this event has been fun so far the past two years. I'm looking forward to next year's event. See you all in the postings - Mrs. E :) & the JGDS

National Travel & Tourism week

It's that time of year - travel plans are being made and soon school will be out. This author will be busy for the next six weekends. The travel & tourism departments across the nation are kind enough to offer fun activities and businesses at various Welcome Centers. Elysabeth will be visiting the Fairplay Welcome Center on Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 10 to 12. If you are traveling I-85 from Georgia northward, stop by and speak. Grab a few goodies or try winning a prize.

The Fairplay Welcome Center is located 1 mile inside South Carolina on I-85 Northbound. So come on over and see what local businesses have to offer you. Welcome to South Carolina ya'll.

For a complete list of Elysabeth's whereabouts over the next six weeks, stop by Elysabeth's booktour page and check out her upcoming events.

If you all remember last year's posting, I met up with my husband's Aunt Toni and Uncle Jerry and their daughter Joanna, whom I'd only met once and that was 16 years ago. I don't expect to run into these relatives again this year due to surgery for Aunt Toni, but you never know who will show up. I'll definitely take pictures and post when I can. Looking forward to meeting you all and showing you what I'm about as well as welcome you to South Carolina - safe travels to all - Mrs. E & the JGDS

Fair Play Welcome Center slide show

This was fun and I'm looking forward to being there in August for the "Cool it in South Carolina" themed month along with Katie Hines and hopefully other authors from the area. The authors will be themed - "Cool it with a good book in South Carolina" and hopefully we can serve some homemade peach ice cream during our time there. See you in the postings - E :)

Radio and relatives?

The Welcome Center promotional event went well. Katie Hines and I have been asked to come participate in the August themed event (every month the staff at Fair Play Welcome Center have a theme they present to travelers). By then, State of Reservations should be out and book #4 (tentatively titled State of Heights) will be close to out or out. Just have to see how far I get in the next few days writing wise. The staff are already trying to predict what South Carolina's book will be titled - and have suggested State of Rebellion - but I don't work off titles since my titles are reflective of the clues inside the book and Batya helps come up with my titles. So I will refer my clues to her when I get them in place for that book and let her come up with a title - lol.

I did get to meet Radio and Coach Jones and they will be here in Honea Path in July doing an event for the Outdoor Dream Foundation (similar to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, in that they do things for the kids). For more information, check out The Outdoor Dream Foundation and see what all they have coming up.

Now for the most awesome thing that happened to me - I was standing at my table talking a gentleman. I probably had been talking for 3 or 4 minutes when he says, "I'm traveling with two women who are teachers. You should talk to my wife about your books and schools." I said okay, then his wife came out and he called her over to the table and started telling her what I was doing. She looked at my cover of State of Quarries, and looked at me and asked, "You're an Eldering?" and I said yes. She pointed at me and stammered, "You're... you're.... you're..." and I was going, yes I am and replied, "Oh my gosh." She continues with "You're Bill's wife and I'm..." and I was like "Yeah, you're" and she says, "I'm Aunt Toni." They live in Florida. I have met them one time in my 20 years of marriage and that was 15 years ago when I was pregnant with my youngest child. They were traveling with one of their daughters, Joanna, who is a teacher in, get this of all places, Gwinnett County Georgia, which is only about 2-1/2 hours from Honea Path, to visit with Bill's youngest sister who lives in North Carolina, this side of Charlotte. So my most awesome experience was running into relatives of my husband's on their way to get their other daughter and visit with one of his sisters.

Overall, I do believe the contacts will hopefully get me into the schools nearby and then move out from there. They say you have to start at home or close to home so hopefully this will be the leg up I need - Pictures to come soon (daughter has to download them from her camera to a CD so I can put in my computer (I'm having printer problems again). Will post when I can - E :)

Hobknobbing with stars

Saturday, May 16th, 2009, I will get to hang with a couple of stars. I'll be at the Welcome Center promoting my books during the tail end of the National Travel & Tourism week. I will be handing out goodies, state related, of course and have some activity booklets and a few other things to hand out.

If you're traveling Northbound I-85 from Georgia, the Welcome Center is in Fair Play, South Carolina. I will be inside with a table set up and ready to receive visitors.

Which stars, you may ask, will I be hobknobbing with? Well, if you saw the movie "Radio", it seems that the real Coach Jones and the real Radio will be at the Welcome Center welcoming visitors as well. It looks to be a good weekend. There were will be some B&B's available with info and hopefully "Skin's Hot Dogs" will be there. Be sure and stop by and say hello and come get some goodies for the kids.