Postcards, life stories and the gift of gab

      I opened my presentation to the 35 plus attendees at the Marengo Methodist Church Women of Faith luncheon last week with a story about my dad.
        “My dad loved to visit and no one was a stranger to him,” I told the gathering.
        I went on to talk about a trip Dad and I took together in June 1989 to the Grand Canyon.
        “My dad would stop and talk to anyone,” I said.
        I said it used to drive me crazy that he could talk to a total stranger.
        “Now, I do the same thing,” I said. “No one is a stranger to me.”
      I was invited to the luncheon to talk about my postcard collection by a former co-worker at Marengo Publishing Company (MPC).
       It was a honor to be there. I ended up sharing a little bit about my life and how I met Debbie, all mixed with dos and don’ts of collecting postcards.
       This is the fourth time since March 2022 that I have shared about my postcard collection. I have spoken at the English Valleys History Center in North English, the Genealogical Society of Linn County in Cedar Rapids and the Poweshiek County Historical and Genealogical Society in Montezuma.
        This was by far the largest group I have spoken to about postcards.
        After I mentioned my name, several of the ladies indicated that they knew me.
       I am sure it is because of my newspaper column, which is published in newspapers in Iowa and Benton counties along with the Poweshiek County CR.
      After my one-hour presentation, several asked questions. I also brought 10 of my three-ring binders of postcards for attendees to check out.
        One lady wanted to have her photo taken with me, saying I was a celebrity.
I don’t consider myself a celebrity, but I do appreciate the attention and give God the honor for pulling me out of my shell and opening the door to life’s wonderful possibilities.
       Another lady said she enjoyed listening to me and that it would have been OK if I had talked for another hour.
       I definitely have the gift of gab.
      I also shared about the four books that Debbie and I have self-published – “An ABC Photo Album of the Iowa State Fair,” “Family Reunion – Midwest Old Threshers,” and Debbie’s two novels in the Hope Series, “The Auctioneer,” and “Moving On.”
    I announced that Debbie, who was with me in Marengo, had just ordered a proof of book three, “Attempting Redemption.” She did all the work on book three, except for proofreading, including designing her own cover. For the first two books, we hired a cover designer.
      Once she approves the book, she will order copies to sell. Her goal is to have the book out by the end of June or early July. She also has a novella she has written entitled “Mister Christmas.” Plans are to release that book in the fall and hopes are to release book four in the Hope Series in the fall as well.
      We will announce the release of book three and have plans in the works to hold a book signing event in Montezuma.
      And thinking about books and writing, we plan to host the All-Iowa Writers’ Conference on Sept. 16 in Brooklyn. This will be our 11th conference and the first since 2019 due to Covid.
        Debbie is busy working on the lineup and for those who plan to attend, it will be a day filled with lots of wit and wisdom.
        I’m thankful for every opportunity and open door. I love sharing stories, covering and writing community news and talking about God and life.
        Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always.