Saturday, September 22, 2012

Lessons Learned: Giveaway #2

In my last blog I mentioned that I have two more giveaways in store for my readers. Since then I have added one more so you have several opportunities to win wonderful books! Joyce Hostetter won Being Frank but today you have the chance to win Gretchen Griffith's new book, Lessons Learned





Gretchen Griffith's book is narrative nonfiction, full of children's stories, but geared towards adult readers. This blurb from her website summarizes it well:

Lessons Learned: The Story of Pilot Mountain School is a powerful history of struggling beyond survival and  a glimpse into a culture long since departed, the rural south of the mid-twentieth century.  In a compelling account, the children of the forties, fifties and sixties reveal secrets of lessons they learned  both inside and outside the school walls. 

This narrative nonfiction is a collective memoir of an era when moonshine and religion coexisted, when barefoot children didn’t know they were poor and when a flush toilet was heralded as the latest technology. Former students and teachers reveal a forgotten world as they look backward through their personal telescopes of time, wisdom and life successes showing Lessons Learned in the South Mountains of western North Carolina. 

As the contemporary world seeks to redefine school, Lessons Learned offers its own definition of education and lessons to learn even in this century.

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Gretchen's book launch is on Tuesday September 25 at from 9:30-2, at the refurbished Pilot Mountain school. A book reading will begin at 10 AM and refreshments will be served. Gretchen has been sharing many of the stories she uncovered on her blog. They are each so precious, I don't know how she chose which ones to use! 

Pilot Mountain School, 1956
Pilot Mountain School, 1990


For the record, there are eight Pilot Mountains in North Carolina and the one this school is named for straddles the Burke/McDowell county line.  It's not the more famous Andy Griffith (no relation) Mt. Pilot on interstate 77, the one from his Mayberry story.

Lessons Learned is available at Ridgetop Books, an imprint of Bright Mountain Books out of Fairview, NC.
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This book would make a great birthday or Christmas present for a special person in your life. Or, you can keep it for yourself! Either way, if you want to enter this giveaway, leave me a comment with your email address by 7 PM on September 24. Gretchen will be happy to autograph it for you!
Two views of Gretchen. She calls the one on the left the
 "Formal Me" and the one on the right the "Normal Me."
Before beginning her writing career, Gretchen taught every age imaginable from Head Start five year olds to college freshman at Appalachian State University and a ninety year old woman in my adult basic education classes at Caldwell Community College. She shares the story behind writing Lessons Learned here.

For more information contact:
Pilot Mountain School
4806 US Hwy 64
Morganton, NC 28655
828-584-6280
.
 

11 comments:

Linda A. said...

Carol,
How wonderful that you are featuring Gretchen Griffith and her Lessons Learned book on your blog. I've enjoyed reading Gretchen's blog posts as she researched and I'm definitely interested in owning a copy. Please enter my name in the giveaway. Thank you very much.
landersen74@yahoo.com

Joyce Moyer Hostetter said...

Formal and Normal I like that! Congrats! Gretchen. This is a terrific accomplishment. I love your commitment to this place and these people!

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, ladies. I'm pretty proud of Gretchen following through on her dream and commitment!

Anonymous said...

Dear Carol,
Thanks for posting a blog about Gretchen. Gretchen has a sense of people and place with these people. I'm proud that her book is coming out. Please enter my name in the running for a copy of it. Thanks for the giveaways of great information on your blog.

Do something fun for you today!
Joan Y. Edwards

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Carol,
Thanks for posting a blog about Gretchen. Gretchen has a sense of people and place with these people. I'm proud that her book is coming out. Please enter my name in the running for a copy of it. Thanks for the giveaways of great information on your blog.

Do something fun for you today!
Joan Y. Edwards

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks Joan. Your name is entered!

Linda Phillips said...

Carol,

As always you bring out the best on your blog and yes, enter me in the drawing. And congratulations, Gretchen. I think our paths may have crossed way back when i used to attend the SCBWI group, and I join Carol in being proud of your accomplishment.

Carol Baldwin said...

Not too late, Janet. Your name is in!

Anonymous said...

OOOOH! Add ME! I have a friend I need to share this with. So happy for you Gretchen!

Mary said...

Carol, thank you for letting us know about Gretchen's recent work. Gretchen,congratulations! "Lessons Learned" sounds like a wonderful book. Best wishes on its launch!

Mary Lash

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks for stopping by Mary & Donna. Entered both your names in the contest!

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