Appalachian Journey Series | Brown Mountain Lights Series - by CC Tillery
Blog
Indie Book Award Nominee
We wanted to share the good news that Top Shelf Magazine has nominated Through the Brown Mountain Lights for their 2019 Indie Book Awards! Below is the badge they forwarded along with a link to the certificate of nomination we received. Woo-hoo!
1st Place in 2018 TopShelf Indie Book Awards!
We're late in announcing this but wanted to take a moment to share the good news that Through the Brown Mountain Lights won 1st place in the 2018 TopShelf Indie Book Awards under the category Regional Fiction! I've copied the page from their magazine below announcing us as winner. As always, we couldn't have done it without our beloved readers. Y'all continue to encourage and inspire us in so many ways. We always love hearing from you and want to assure you book #3 is almost finished and hopefully will be released in the very near future.
Regional Fiction Finalist!
Our book Through the Brown Mountain Lights has been awarded Regional Fiction Finalist in the 2018 Indie Book Awards!
We say it a lot, but we truly mean it. We have the best readers in the world. Thank you all for your continual encouragement and inspiration. We are blessed to share this journey with you.
Granny Woman or Granny Witch is an Appalachian term applied to women who were healers and diviners, usually of Celt and Cherokee blood. Since Bessie definitely qualified, we felt it an apt name for the book.
This was an interesting book to write due to the history and subject, and much research went into coal mining and miners. Although we initially didn’t think we would write about this simply because it was a dark year in Bessie’s and Fletch’s lives, we are glad we did because it gave us a chance to illustrate the hardships and dangers of coal mining while extolling the miners who risk their lives in order to ensure our every day comfort.
We hope you enjoy spending time with Bessie and Fletch as well as meeting a host of new characters and circumstances. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or comments. We love hearing from our readers.
We say it a lot, but we truly mean it. We have the best readers in the world. Thank you all for your continual encouragement and inspiration. We are blessed to share this journey with you.
Granny Woman or Granny Witch is an Appalachian term applied to women who were healers and diviners, usually of Celt and Cherokee blood. Since Bessie definitely qualified, we felt it an apt name for the book.
This was an interesting book to write due to the history and subject, and much research went into coal mining and miners. Although we initially didn’t think we would write about this simply because it was a dark year in Bessie’s and Fletch’s lives, we are glad we did because it gave us a chance to illustrate the hardships and dangers of coal mining while extolling the miners who risk their lives in order to ensure our every day comfort.
We hope you enjoy spending time with Bessie and Fletch as well as meeting a host of new characters and circumstances. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or comments. We love hearing from our readers.
Free Audiobook!
Good day, lovely readers! We wanted to let you know that the audiobook of Seeking the Brown Mountain Lights is now available at Audible.com. We have a limited number of free download codes, so those that are interested, please email Christy at
ctfrench252@aol.com for the download code and instructions.
Singer/songwriter Reagan Boggs, who narrated Through the Brown Mountain Lights, did the honors with this book and we think you'll find her voice as lovely as we do. It's amazing how she can so easily change her voice and accent to relay each character's persona.
We're hard at work on book #3 (untitled as of yet) and will make further announcements as it progresses through publication.
As always we cannot thank you all enough for your continued encouragement and support. We are truly blessed to share this journey with you.
ctfrench252@aol.com for the download code and instructions.
Singer/songwriter Reagan Boggs, who narrated Through the Brown Mountain Lights, did the honors with this book and we think you'll find her voice as lovely as we do. It's amazing how she can so easily change her voice and accent to relay each character's persona.
We're hard at work on book #3 (untitled as of yet) and will make further announcements as it progresses through publication.
As always we cannot thank you all enough for your continued encouragement and support. We are truly blessed to share this journey with you.
Restoring the Old...
We received a wonderful email the other day from one of our awesome readers, Gail Strong who lives in South Carolina. Along with some really lovely words about our Appalachian Journey series. Gail, who does restoration on old pictures, she was nice enough to include four of the pictures we have on our Meet the Characters page which she had restored. They are absolutely gorgeous and seeing them just blew me away. I've included a copy of the business card she sent and want to encourage all of our readers to contact her if you have any pictures to be restored (just click on the pic and it should give you a larger version). We can honestly say Gail does impressive work!
The pictures she restored for us are below. The first one is of Bessie's parents, Lucinda and John Daniels, and Bessie as a baby. The second is of Lucinda. In both these pictures, you can really see Lucida's Cherokee heritage. The third picture is of Bessie and Fletch on their wedding day and the fourth is Bessie and Fletcher many years later.
The pictures she restored for us are below. The first one is of Bessie's parents, Lucinda and John Daniels, and Bessie as a baby. The second is of Lucinda. In both these pictures, you can really see Lucida's Cherokee heritage. The third picture is of Bessie and Fletch on their wedding day and the fourth is Bessie and Fletcher many years later.
Bluff Mountain Festival
Well, the creek did rise last week and we didn't attend the Gold Festival in Old Fort last Saturday, but tomorrow looks promising for the 23rd Bluff Mountain Music Festival in Hot Springs, NC from 10 am - 5 pm.
Did you know that the Bluff Mountain Music Festival first took place in 1996 to raise funds and awareness to save Bluff Mountain, part of the Pisgah National Forest, from a destructive logging and road-building plan? A compromise was eventually reached with the timber industry and now hiking trails and a public parking area have been built where logging roads were once planned. We feel connected to this festival, as we wrote about the damage inflicted on the Appalachian Mountains by timber companies and Bessie's efforts to save her mountain from their assault.
This is one of our favorite festivals, with the best bluegrass music throughout the day, a silent auction (to which we always donate a book), lots of artists and craftsmen selling their wares, and great food. It looks to be a beautiful day, and we hope if you attend, you'll drop by and visit.
Did you know that the Bluff Mountain Music Festival first took place in 1996 to raise funds and awareness to save Bluff Mountain, part of the Pisgah National Forest, from a destructive logging and road-building plan? A compromise was eventually reached with the timber industry and now hiking trails and a public parking area have been built where logging roads were once planned. We feel connected to this festival, as we wrote about the damage inflicted on the Appalachian Mountains by timber companies and Bessie's efforts to save her mountain from their assault.
This is one of our favorite festivals, with the best bluegrass music throughout the day, a silent auction (to which we always donate a book), lots of artists and craftsmen selling their wares, and great food. It looks to be a beautiful day, and we hope if you attend, you'll drop by and visit.
Gold Festival!
Did you know that in the 1800s, North Carolina was the biggest gold producer in the country until gold was discovered in California in 1848? Not many people are aware but gold was one of the reasons the US government wanted to move the Cherokee and other Native Americans out of the mountains so they could claim the land and poach the gold.
There are actually two Gold Festivals this year, and we'll be attending the official one in Old Fort on the banks of Mill Creek at the Mountain Gateway Museum on Saturday, June 2nd, from 10-4. Activities include live music, gold and gem panning contests, gold vendors and a display by the Reed Gold Mine, a Bechtler Gold Coin exhibit and Bechtler Museum House exhibit, along with artisans and food vendors selling their wares. And for country music fans, comedian Cledus T. Judd will take the stage at 2 pm.
The other Gold Festival will be held at the Lucky Strike Gem Mine in the Vein Mountain region of McDowell County, near Marion, NC on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2 from 10-6. There will be a variety of vendors, including the latest in gold mining equipment, and a lapidarist will demonstrate gem faceting. Other activities include live music, BBQ, nugget races, horseshoes, and artisans and food vendors selling their wares. At the mine, attendees can learn to sluice and crevice the river or pan for gold at the flume. The Thermal City gold mine is only two miles away.
The two festivals are within half an hour of each other, making it easy for those who would like to attend both in the same day. There is no entry fee for either festival, and as participants in past Gold Festivals, we can attest that it will be a fun day for all.
There are actually two Gold Festivals this year, and we'll be attending the official one in Old Fort on the banks of Mill Creek at the Mountain Gateway Museum on Saturday, June 2nd, from 10-4. Activities include live music, gold and gem panning contests, gold vendors and a display by the Reed Gold Mine, a Bechtler Gold Coin exhibit and Bechtler Museum House exhibit, along with artisans and food vendors selling their wares. And for country music fans, comedian Cledus T. Judd will take the stage at 2 pm.
The other Gold Festival will be held at the Lucky Strike Gem Mine in the Vein Mountain region of McDowell County, near Marion, NC on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2 from 10-6. There will be a variety of vendors, including the latest in gold mining equipment, and a lapidarist will demonstrate gem faceting. Other activities include live music, BBQ, nugget races, horseshoes, and artisans and food vendors selling their wares. At the mine, attendees can learn to sluice and crevice the river or pan for gold at the flume. The Thermal City gold mine is only two miles away.
The two festivals are within half an hour of each other, making it easy for those who would like to attend both in the same day. There is no entry fee for either festival, and as participants in past Gold Festivals, we can attest that it will be a fun day for all.
Busy, busy, busy!
We had a wonderful time at the Old Fort Pioneer Day this past Saturday. This is one of our favorite, have-to-attend festivals and this year was no exception. Along with seeing bunches of our readers and a few family members, we just love the atmosphere in Old Fort. Like in Hot Springs, we always feel closer to Aunt Bessie and Uncle Fletch when we're there. The train station where they arrived when they moved from Hot Springs is right down the road from the museum grounds where the festival is held.
The pictures she restored for us are below. The first one is of Bessie's parents, Lucinda and John Daniels, and Bessie as a baby. The second is of Lucinda. In both these pictures, you can really see Lucida's Cherokee heritage. The third picture is of Bessie and Fletch on their wedding day and the fourth is Bessie and Fletcher many years later.
The pictures she restored for us are below. The first one is of Bessie's parents, Lucinda and John Daniels, and Bessie as a baby. The second is of Lucinda. In both these pictures, you can really see Lucida's Cherokee heritage. The third picture is of Bessie and Fletch on their wedding day and the fourth is Bessie and Fletcher many years later.
It turned into a picture-perfect spring day after a rather chilly morning. We enjoyed the lively music and seeing all the craftspeople demonstrating their skills, from milling corn to quilting to weaving. Like every year, we also enjoyed all the people dressed in period costumes and wondered how they could stand wearing all those layers back then, especially the Confederate and Union troops, with their wool uniforms. To top it off, it was a record-breaking day for us and kept us so busy the time just flew by.
This Friday and Saturday, we'll be in Townsend, TN for the Townsend Spring Festival from 10-6 both days. This is a new one for us and we'd love to see some familiar faces if you're in the area!
Meanwhile, enjoy some more pictures of Pioneer Day in Old Fort.
And finally, can anyone tell us what this plant is? We meant to ask but forgot. My guess was some kind of rhododendron, possibly wild. I know they grow here in the mountains but I don't think I've ever seen one this pretty orange color.
Another Great Festival Down and What's Next
This year's Donut Festival in Marion is in the books and one we've decided we want to attend each year. This was a relatively small festival last year, but this year the organizers extended the festival area, and we were amazed at the number of people attending. We had a fantastic time meeting and talking to readers--both old and new--, signing books, listening to some really great music, seeing all the exhibits and eating some delicious food including scrumptious ice cream. And, of course, there was the lovely drive to and from Marion. You just can't beat spring in the western North Carolina mountains!
It was wonderful to see our dear friend and awesome reader, Carole Markum, and to
meet another of our beloved readers, Rita Jones. We also had the good fortune to meet the great-great-great (I think I got that right) granddaughter of Keith and Malinda Blalock, whose story we hope to include in the next Brown Mountain Lights book (don't know why neither of us thought to get her name!). And finally, we really enjoyed chatting with readers who came just to see us and/or check to see if we had a new book this year. Thanks to all of you for your interest and support. You inspire us in so many ways and we are so blessed!
Next up, Pioneer Day in Old Fort, this Saturday, May 28, from 10 - 4. We'd love to see you if you're in the area.
meet another of our beloved readers, Rita Jones. We also had the good fortune to meet the great-great-great (I think I got that right) granddaughter of Keith and Malinda Blalock, whose story we hope to include in the next Brown Mountain Lights book (don't know why neither of us thought to get her name!). And finally, we really enjoyed chatting with readers who came just to see us and/or check to see if we had a new book this year. Thanks to all of you for your interest and support. You inspire us in so many ways and we are so blessed!
Next up, Pioneer Day in Old Fort, this Saturday, May 28, from 10 - 4. We'd love to see you if you're in the area.