Lenora's Book Blog

Thank You!

I wish to extend my deepest appreciation to all of you who purchased my book and took the time to read it and send me an email and/or book review.  In 2007, approximately 200+ copies of my book were sold at Xlibris, Amazon.com or from my personal copies. I did not expect to get rich by publishing this book and it definitely served its purpose: catharsis and moving on with my life after the military.

I have been busy caring for my Alzheimer mother (who is now in a nursing home), doing my other computer stuff and have not added much to this blog, but decided to get back to keeping this site running.  I still have about 100 copies of my book statched at my house and will try to continue selling it during 2008.  You can email me if you wish to buy my book from my collection.

In the meantime, I am working on Book 2 which will continue with my life after the military--the spiritual journey is never ending.  I am contemplating combining Book 1 and 2 together (having more than 100 pages,and a  larger font so we oldies can read the darn thing).  Now that my life is less stressful, I am spending time planning and organizing my chapters in hopes of completing my next book in the very near future.  I want very much to include in my next book all the book reviews and comments I received from classmates and friends (with your approval, of course).  If you have not sent me a review, please do such so I can add it to this blog.

I am also working on devising a chapter on BHS reunions and the experiences I've had with all of you during the past 11 years at the annual reunions (these are dear memories of old classmates from the past, new folks I met, and unfortunately of classmates that passed away during this timeframe--I've attended a lot of wakes during these past years).

I learned that self-publishing can be very expensive and was not pleased with the way Xlibris Corporation did their job in handling my first book.  So I am researching about ways to publish and will be seeking a new outlet for my next book. Regardless of the publishing cost, I continue to feel that "your life as a story" is a unique way to express what you've experienced, what you feel, what you remember, what you understand, who you are, what you believe and why, in a way that someone else would enjoy reading. I view "telling your story" as self-discovery rather than self-promotion and we all indeed have a story to share with others.  Wow, to think of all the stories I've heard during the 11 years from BHS classmates and their lives--this could be a complete book in itself!  So many classmates have done so many things that should be recorded in some way or another...we are getting older with each passing moment and tomorrow is not promised.  Your life is important.

Thanks again for your encouragement and support.   Luv,  Lenora

Thank you classmates!

 During our annual Brownsville high school reunion held on August 3-5th, my daughter, Chantay drove in from Alexandria, Virginia to help me with my first book sales/signing campaign.  She set up a table at the West Brownsville American Legion pavillion during Friday's picnic with a poster of my book cover and sold books to classmates. We tried to keep a complete list of names of those who bought the book so I could personally thank you on this blog, but by Saturday's reunion events we lost track of who bought the book.

While I video taped 160 of the classmates, spouses and guests who attended this yearly reunion, Chantay sold approximately 60 of my books on Friday and Saturday, which I autographed during the gathering. I sincerely want to thank all of you who bought my book and do hope that you enjoy it.

Ron Paglia, a free lance writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper, who wrote an article about my book for my college magazine at CUP also is writing one for the newspaper.  He also attended the reunion and interviewed my daughter and cousin, Willie Byrd, who drove in from Baltimore to visit my mother and attend the reunion.  It appears that my personal marketing book campaign is doing much better that my publishing company, Xlibris, which has not delivered much for me and my book sales based on the amount of money I paid them for marketing.  Another lesson learned about self publishing...this company did not deliver what they said they would!!!!

Any way, I do want to thank all of you who bought my book and hope you will email me a book review once you have finished reading the book.  Thank you again for your inspiration and support.

Luv ya'll...........Lenora

Eunice Wright, COL (Ret)

 

My dear loving friend Eunice has arranged with me to send out 20 copies of my book to her friends as a gift.  She wants to inspire other WAC and army comrades to read my book.  Now is this something precious or what?   I sincerely appreciate her thoughtfulness and hope her friends who receive the gift realize how much she cares for me and them as well.   Thank you Eunice for being a blessful part of my life!

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So many WACs remember serving with Colonel Wright and she is loved and respected by all.  She was a pillar of strength during our times at WAC Center and was a professional that we all looked up to.  She now resides in Rincon, Georgia with her dog, Comet...we all know that she always had a pet to cherish.  I am so blessed to have her as a family friend and to have served with her during the WAC era.  Please send her an email when you have the time to let her know you are thinking of her.  I am sure she would appreciate hearing from you.   

Eunice Wright email: Cometfive97mf@aol.com

Book Reviews

Friends are beginning to receive my book they ordered and are contacting me by email and phone and giving me feedback.  It does not take long to read my 100 page book....short, sweet and to the point!

Again, I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who wished me well with this project and support me by purchasing the book.  As I said, I will not be getting rich from this book. When you order online, I get royalities of $2.50 for a soft back and $5.00 for a hard back.

When my book gets to Amazon, Borders, etc., my understanding is that I will not make any royalties at all, but if I do, it may be 10%...have to wait and see! I just received my personal bulk book orders that I will use for book signings in my hometown area (I will be charging a little more than Xlibris does)...have to try to get some of my $6,000 spent thus far on self-publishing. Any of my local friends who wish to purchase my book from me personally can simply email me and I will find a way to get the book to you.

I went to my dentist yesterday and sold a book to my 1958 high school classmate, Judy Dolobach...so now I'm riding in my SUV with my books in the back! Hey, I just went to the post office this morning and sold another book to a classmate, Nancy Willson Komacek!  "A girl has to do what she has to do."   Sam Loy, high school classmate, from Arizona mailed his book for me to autograph with a photo of the two of us pasted in it (taken at 2005 high school reunion) and I will send it back to him ASAP--Sam is a riot and I love him to death.   I am indeed blessed with so many friends and associates!

I have to enter a humorous piece here about my dear friends Barbel and Mike in Germany, who wrote me about their efforts to purchase my book on line from Xlibris.

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They tried to order a $8.50 paperback from Xlibris with the following remarks from Xlibris:  The shipping cost for a copy of the book entitled “WAC Major: Herstory” is $81.28.  This computation is based on the delivery to Hessisch Oldendorf with postal code 31840.  Thus, the total amount for 1 copy of the book in paperback is $89.78.   Is this ridiculous or what???  Have to laugh about it.  Needless to say, I am sending my German friends a book from my copies I purchased.

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Now I request that you give me feedback on my book (positive or negative) so I can post them in this blog for all to read.  You can make your personal comments in this posting below or send me your longer book review by email and I will post it as a separate subject in this blog (whichever you wish to do will be fine with me---simply appreciate your feedback).  NOTE:  I will only post Book Reviews in this blog and not my other 2 blogs; thus you will have to check here for future reviews. OK, here goes the first book review received from my dear friend, Pat Dreifort from Florida.

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I hope I am the first to give your book a review. I just got finished reading your book and it was an easy read. Once I started I didn't want to stop. I think you did an excellent job of showing how women were treated, all too often, in the Army back in the "old days". Because of women like you who stood their ground and wouldn't let the good old boys bring you down, women in the military have much to be thankful for today. Your on-going fight to be respected as a peer, I am sure you changed many minds as to what and how a women solider should be treated.  Reading how you turned to a greater power and believed in Him to help guide you through all the prejudices, lies, and deceit made you become a stronger power within yourself. It is reflected through your writings. I am honored to have met you and become a friend.  You have written a book to be proud of.   Pat

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Thanks Pat.  My dear friend, Eunice Wright called me last night and gave me her feedback and well wishes.  I hope more of you take the time to send me reviews that will give me feedback and ideas for writing my second book. 

Love ya'll. Lenora, Lee, Tweety Byrd