“Are you writing the sequel or, perchance, the love story of your parents?” They ask. “Or are you taking a rest, now that Sticks, Stones & Songs is done?”

Margaret Phenicie and Arthur Corey 1920s

After four years of researching, writing, editing, and publishing, it would seem right to sit back and bask in the accomplishment, or even to get started on the next one. “But alas,” I respond, “the more demanding task has just begun—the task of getting The Corey Story to more readers.”

“Not to mention,” I say to some inquirers, “I need to sell enough books from my closet inventory to make room for the coats.”

All jokes aside, I am grateful to those who are reading the book, telling friends, and inviting me to speak at events. If you too would like to purchase signed books for yourself or to give as gifts, or if your group would enjoy hearing more of the story, just contact me: eleanor@eleanorcorey.com. Travel is in our plans.

I have updated the Endorsements tab at www.eleanorcorey.com with recent comments, some quite humorous. Please take a moment to read them, and perhaps–if you’ve not done so already–add a note of your own. Meanwhile, here's one that just landed in my email.

“Sticks, Stones & Songs is an engaging lesson in how a positive attitude, strengthened by faith, encourages people to be creative with and thankful for what they have, rather than depressed about what they don't have. I was impressed that in describing how this family made do, the author also included some necessary asides for the existential questions and angst facing young people.” –Paul DeGroot, Principal Consultant, Pica Communications, and Author of “Microsoft Licensing Concepts.”

“I couldn’t quit laughing,” one person told me, “at the humor of your childhood tales.”

Another said, “I read until I finished the book after 1:00 AM because I was so engrossed in the mix of history and the family that lived it.”

A third commented, “As I read this book, I was warmed by the constancy of the parents’ faith in the midst of trials.”

These days I am reading, selling and signing at numerous events. Local book stores, historical societies, and libraries are ordering books because readers have encouraged them to do so.

It is truly rewarding to hear reports of those who are enjoying Sticks, Stones & Songs. Perhaps you, too, have been engaged with the story. If so, would you please write a commentary so others might be encouraged to get a copy of their own? Amazon welcomes reviews even if the book was not purchased there.  You may follow or copy/paste the amazon.com link from the buy or review now links on www.eleanorcorey.com. I would also welcome your personal notes and ask that you send them to eleanor@eleanorcorey.com rather than reply directly to this website generated message.

Photo: Signing books with sisters and nieces.

“You’ll never know how God used you to bring peace to my spirit.”

Pastor Greg Reynolds of Joyce Bible Church read this sentence from the book, Sticks, Stones & Songs, as he began the Sunday morning message.

Recorded on page 161, these were the words of gratitude spoken in 1952 by my mother to our neighbor. For several months Mother had fretted over being pregnant at the age of 47.  She didn’t know how she could face the raised eyebrows of the community, already dumbstruck by the size of the Corey clan. When she told Mrs. John Johnson how she felt, our elderly neighbor declared, “This child will be a blessing to you in old age.”

These words rang over and over in Mother’s ears until she came to realize God had spoken through Mrs. Johnson, and that this tenth baby was no accident.

Pastor Greg applied the phrase, “You’ll never know how God used you to …” as he reminded each listener of the importance of speaking into peoples’ lives now, even as Mrs. Johnson did for Mrs. Corey sixty-three years ago. He concluded his message with the book in hand and emotion ringing in his voice, “The words in this book spoke to me."

He paused, looked towards me, and said,  "And I believe God will use this book to speak to many others.”

Zaid holds the birthday gift from me and we all wait in silence. Will he like it, or will he not?  Zaid, at twelve, can be a hard one to please. But, as he opens the box, we watch a grin stretch across his cheeks.  He fumbles to the inside pages of the book, anxiously searching … searching. There it is—his name—in the very first sentence of the Prologue. He reads the words I had drafted three years earlier:  “In the living room, nine-year-old Zaid catches my attention. Rubbing his hands over gold-etched words, my grandson asks, ‘What’s a White Rotary, Abuela?’”

Then he looks up from the page and declares, “I can’t wait to show my friends!”

He had received the perfect gift—Sticks, Stones & Songs—a book written with him in mind.  

Have you obtained your copy? 

If not, you can discover how at             www.eleanorcorey.com, or you may contact eleanor@eleanorcorey.com

He was asked, “Would you like to buy a book?—it’s a good read.” And Leonard Kelly, Mayor of Stanwood Washington pulled a twenty from his pocket. It was a cash sale of Sticks, Stones & Songs, the first at a public event. There were other sales that day, thanks to Robert and Icle Crow who invited me to bring some copies to their Stanwood diplomat and neighborhood party. In the photo next to me is Fire Commissioner Jeff Sinker, and on the far right is Fire Chief John Cermak.

Sticks, Stones & Songs—the authorized edition—is now LIVE. You can buy printed or e-reader versions direct from Amazon click here or Barnes and Noble click here. (Note: Amazon may still have the wrong date on the description page. However, what they now sell is the updated Jan 23, 2015 edition.) Please understand that Eleanor has no control over the print or price, but she is confident you will find this tale worth its weight in coins. Enjoy the read.

PS. If you live within commuting distance of the author, you may personally collect a signed copy. For additional purchase options other than the internet, contact eleanor@eleanorcorey.com.

How do you fit the zany recollections of a family of twelve into a few pages? You don’t! Furthermore, that isn’t the only problem. How do you keep the page count down so the publisher won’t charge an arm, a leg, a back, and a torso to your reader? And how do you keep the font at a size that eyes older than a few decades can decipher?

A few months ago, agents reviewed the story and said, “It’s well written and engages the reader all the way to the end. However, first-time authors can only be sold in small packages. Cut some chapters, remove some stories, and we’ll consider selling your book to the traditional publishers.”

So I asked myself and a few involved protagonists, “Which sister do I leave out, or which year of my childhood do I cut?”

When the answer came back, “None, of course,” I realized I would need to head for a self-publishing option which would allow me to choose the edits, tighten the pages, and even squeeze the margins. Expect to discover a set of paperback pages chock-full of stories to entertain and photos to illustrate. Equally stuffed hard-cover copies and e-reader versions are also available.

To blog or not to blog. That is the question. The question over which I have mulled for weeks…well months…yup even years. For someone who loves words, what a chance to elocute. I can resist no longer. For I must grab this opportunity to share the experience of writing a memoir, before my memory of the memoir has gone the way of other aging memories and before the hard drive of my mind crashes into oblivion.