Away With the Manger

 Quick, before you pack it up, go check your manger scene. Is the Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes like the one on the back cover of my children's book, When Christmas Feels Like Home?

Or is Baby Jesus lying in a manger with His arms splayed outward and legs crossed at the ankles, like in this one I found at the chapel of our church?

There's a reason for both. The first comes from scripture, the second chapter of Luke in the seventh verse, "...she wrapped him in swaddling clothes..." That's how I pictured a manger. I never looked deeper into the nearest nativity scene or creche to pay attention. That is, until I became a docent at author Jan Karon's Mitford Museum. We (I use the pronoun "we" because everyone involved with the museum feels like it is a part of them) walk visitors through the galleries, offering details about the items on display. 

My favorite of all is the gigantic nativity scene under a Christmas tree adorned with ornaments fans gave Jan. But on the floor beneath the tree is the real show stopper - a beautiful creche, hand painted and restored from the decrepit condition Jan found it in when she first laid eyes on it in the window of an antique store in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. She located a person to research the origins of creches and the significance of the colors of each character's clothing, someone who would restore it to its original magnificence. And there it lays, year-round for all to enjoy.

It's the baby that I point out. (I snipped this photo from the Mitford facebook site.)

Notice anything different from the swaddling clothes? 

There this Holy Baby is, his arms splayed, his ankles crossed. There's a deep intentional purpose here. This figure shows not only the birth of the Christ Child, but also the death. He is in the crucifix position. There in the manger is the child/man, fully God, fully man, foreshadowing what we know is to come for him. We can't celebrate the manger without remembering the real reason for the season.

So, now, go check the creche in your home. Look at the Christmas cards you received. Let me know if you discover anything special. 

Do away with the manger and think of the cross.

Catch of the day,

Gretchen

Part Four of How to Have a Successful Book Launch

Here I am again, finding yet another successful book launch to write home about. 

Did I say successful? Yes, and of course, success comes only after the hard work of writing an excellent book and creating a cover that fits the tone of the story. Mysterious. Cozy. 

The Lake Norman Writers Guild accomplished that in their newly released Auras of Deceit: A Trivolity Cozy Mystery. It was written by a group of authors, each with writing credits of their own, by the way.

Since I didn't know them personally to identify,
I'm listing them in alphabetical order:
Annette Larkin, James W Salkeld, John Stickney
Sandra Warren and E Jax Willoughby

Planning the launch was no easy task, I'm sure, but they did everything right. They picked a date and a time when people were generally free to attend...and arrive home before dark, thank you very much. They procured a site, the event center in their community. They invited people personally. They advertised in the neighborhood newsletter. They autographed each copy of the book ahead of time so they wouldn't be tied to an ink pen instead of enjoying the moment with the guests. They had simple but appropriate refreshments, and therein I found the first of new ideas for a launch. Serve a cake with the cover embedded in the icing:

There it is, surrounded by an array of smaller cakes decorated with open-book cupcake toppers. (It's the small things that add a creative uniqueness to a launch!)

They utilized friends like me to free themselves to enjoy the crowd. Here I am, cutting the cake, while my husband greets people at the door, passing out the welcome fliers. Rest assured that I pointed out the cake for everyone to marvel at before I cut it.

Speaking of food, they also passed out gummy bears, of all things. The imaginative thing about that? We have to read the book to find out why.

Another unique part of this launch was that the authors devised a skit where they introduced the characters in the book by becoming that character. It sure made us want to read about them. Of course, they read enough of the actual book to tantalize us even more.

They were sure to videotape the event. It will be a great tool for future advertising.

Even the way the book could be purchased was well organized: two tables, one for cash, one for alternatives to cash; both covered in stacks of books... (that they had to keep replenishing from the boxes of copies on hand!!!) Inserted in each copy was a note with a QR code for the reader to connect directly to Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble in order to write a review. How cool is that! How convenient is that!

Like I say, it's the little things, like Christmas decorations in the background that were already in place, making one less preparation to worry about. And the welcome at the door with a gifted poinsettia beside the poster about an upcoming event.

As the guests arrived, my husband and I passed out the printed thank-you notes. These were also invitations for people to yet another opportunity where the book will be: The Trilogy Author Showcase.

Auras of Deceit will still be offered at the release special price. The difference between this launch and that event is that each author will also bring additional books they have published. I've read some of them. Wow, what a guild of authors this is!

But this launch afternoon was all about one book. I have it at the top of my TBR stack. I can't wait to dive in!

Catch of the day,

Gretchen