St. Mary of the Annunciation a Shining Signing Success!

 

Alesia and I met so many nice people at yesterday’s Sunday book signing at this beautiful old church on Hasell Street downtown. 

St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church dates to the 1830s and is the oldest Catholic church in America south of Virginia. 

The church recently received an exterior paint job. Inside, there are scaffolds behind the altar for work inside. 

“In the Arms of Angels” Magnolia Cemetery Book Delivery!

 

This day after Thanksgiving UPS delivery was a welcome sight (and placed inside my garage at that- glad the garage door happened to open on a rainy day).

 just in time for the holidays- 50 hot off the press copies of my 2014 book, “In the Arms of Angels: Magnolia Cemetery- Charleston’s Treasure of History, Mystery and Artistry.” 

I remain so proud of this book that pays tribute to Charleston’s premier Victorian necropolis that opened in 1850. Today Magnolia Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 30,000 souls. 

“In the Arms of Angels” can be ordered directly from me or through my Amazon author site. Either way, I will happily sign your copy. 

My email is birdseyeviewspublications@gmail.com. 

Many thanks to Charleston-based Palmetto Publishing and the company that printed my book, Integrated Book Tech in Dulles, Va., which is part of Books International. 

My books are always proudly Made in America! 

For more information on this book click here. 

My newest book, "Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston," was released in September 2022. Click here for more information on this book that explores Charleston's rich, interesting and diverse history through the prism of its religious burial grounds. 

VCU Recognition

 

As a proud mass communication graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University I am pleased to see a mention of my new book in the new issue of the school’s flagship magazine.

Here it is in the class notes section. 

This image may be a little easier to read. I heard from a long ago classmate and fellow VCU alum who sent me a photo of the blurb. 

Whenever in Richmond, I always like to stop by campus and look around. It was a pivotal time of my life here after transferring from Radford University. 

This photo is from the summer of 2017. 

Fine Fossil Find!

 

A Sunday afternoon bicycle ride was highlighted not by the frappuccinos at Starbucks but by a tiny treasure found on the way back home. 

Alesia suggested we stop and walk around a new construction site near the clubhouse and driving range at the Wescott Golf Course off Dorchester Road in North Charleston. 

We parked our bikes and walked around the small pond you see behind me. After 10-15 minutes, I spotted a shark’s tooth. It was flat on the ground and I knew right away what it was. 

Alesia snapped a couple nice photos. Click on this image to see the jagged edges of a fossil that may be, what, thousands of years old. 

I put the tooth in a small clear bag to tell it apart from the others in our collection. Most of these shark’s teeth and vertebrae were found by my sons and me years ago when we moved to Coosaw Creek. We were early settlers in this beautiful neighborhood and would go to the back of the property where new roads were being created. 

Finding fossils is fun and challenging. Sunday’s discover makes me want to get out and look for some more…soon! 

Update: November 24- Thanksgiving Day

Alesia and I returned to the Wescott site for a little pre-dinner exercise. We spotted another fossil hunter named Nathan who had been out here for about an hour. 

Wow, he found more than two dozen pieces, mostly shark’s teeth and some vertebrae parts. 

Nathan let me see what he had in his baggie. Click on the image for a better look! 

This was his biggest find so far today. Nathan told me how he and his father are experienced fossil finders, saying they have a “mini museum” of fossils. 

He found a tiny white tooth while I walked with him. 

This encounter encourages me to return to this site even though we struck out today. 

Big Book Signing Weekend!

 

Saturday was a fun one at my neighborhood’s annual fall arts and crafts fair. I had a table to peddle my books and am so appreciative of my Coosaw Creek neighbors’ interest and support. 

Jack, a retired U.S. Army general, purchased my new “Churchyards of Charleston” book. He grew up in Charleston so I know he will appreciate the Holy City tribute. 

I’m a sucker for holiday decorations. From Eloise, I bought this really cute little sled as well as a charming Christmas sleigh shown next. 

Association of Gravestone Studies Endorses New Book

It is nice to see this attention to my new “Churchyards of Charleston” book in the October 2022 newsletter of the Association for Gravestone Studies.

The Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) is an international organization of people like me, taphophiles, who are into researching and appreciating all things cemeteries and graveyards. AGS’s goals are four pronged: interpretation, conservation, preservation, education. AGS has approximately 1,000 members, including yours truly. It is headquartered in Greenfiield, Mass. 

A new book order came in today from Pittsburgh, Pa. More sales to come hopefully! 

Booked Weekend!

 

Alesia and I had a busy weekend that was booked with book signing events.

Yesterday we were in Orangeburg at Broughton Street Cafe and Ice Cream. That’s owner Greg Bennett in the background. 

Professor Tom Cassidy, a colleague from SC State University, stopped by and purchased a copy of my new “Churchyards of Charleston” book as a holiday gift for his wife- maybe I shouldn’t have revealed that!

I bring my older books to my signings. I realized at this one that I can adequately show all five of my books on a small table I have. 

The day before on Saturday in Charleston I used a long table from Second Presbyterian Church for a signing event there. 

New Book Coverage from Area Media!

I am excited to see some media coverage of my new book, "Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston." Such coverage is, of course, excellent publicity, and I am hopeful it will help attract people to my upcoming book signings. 

At SC State University where I teach communications courses I was interviewed for our BNN or Bulldog News Now program that aired Oct. 21.   Here's the report by Sydaija Smalls, one of our most talented students. Thanks also to my colleague Professor Justin Smith for the coverage. 

I just went to this week's Charleston City Paper online version and am thrilled to see myself right there on the "front page" and "above the fold" at that.

Here is a link to the full article.

Fun First Signing Event

Saturday, Oct. 8 was a beautiful fall day, perfect weather for a book signing outdoors. This was in my North Charleston neighborhood, Coosaw Creek. I received permission to have the event in the covered area near the pool. The spot is referred to as the cabana. 

New Book Arrives! "Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston"

 Click here to see the post announcing the release of my new book, "Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston"