Day: October 2, 2014

The story of Bedlam Farm and my own hero journey continues, the farm is back on the market, as of today. If you wish, you can see the listing here.   I can’t talk about sale details any more. I’m glad Rose is sitting dutifully in the real estate photo online, she always got things done. Truthfully, I don’t know what else I can say about this beautiful farmhouse. It was built at the beginning of the Civil War, overlooks a picturesque and tiny upstate village, and stood the test of time and weather – countless blizzards and storms and life – with great dignity and pride.  My neighbors were so impressed that even the great storm Irene didn’t get one drop into the basement. I came alive there, fell apart there, wrote a whole bunch of books there, and met Maria there, and my life changed there. It is, in most ways, the most important place in my life, the destination and departure point of my hero journey.

Hero journeys are not, of course, heroic, nor are they about heroes, they are mostly about ordinary folk like me who set out into the unfamiliar, wander into dark places, and are aided by magical helpers in the form of animals or people. If they are lucky, they return and share their learned knowledge with the world. If they are not lucky, they vanish and are not heard from again.

I met magical helpers and nearly vanished, and I work every day to share what I learned in that wondrous and beautiful space. I took all the money I had and fixed up the beautiful house and the barns – new foundations, wiring, plumbing, etc. I thought I would sell the farm for a million dollars and built a spanking arts center where writers and artists could come for encouragement and support.

Life is amazing, it has it’s own plan, ours can often feel foolish and slight. I will never regret buying Bedlam Farm or living there, but it is time for me to let it go, in more ways than one. It is in the hands of Kristen Preble and a bank that is eager to find a buyer. Every morning, I stop and think of the farm, and in my own way, pray for it. It will yield it’s magic now to someone else, I did the best I could for it, and it did well by me.

The peak leaf season has hit much of Vermont, coming here this week. On my walk the other, a bunch of red leaves fell to the ground in the late afternoon, the sun came and stung their cheeks.

Every one of the first 2,000 people who order a copy of my new book, “Saving Simon: How A Rescue Donkey Taught Me The Meaning Of Compassion” will received a free signed photo postcard (above) of Simon in his famous Red Hat. They will also be eligible to win a free book, potholders, Fromm dog food, notecards or photos.

“Saving Simon” is my 27th book, my last book with Random House, you can read one of the first reviews here. The book is available everywhere books are sold, but in recent years, we have linked the book closely to a wonderful independent bookstore, my bookstore, Battenkill Books in Cambridge, N.Y. Two years ago, we sold 1,000 copies of “Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die,” last year we sold !,500 copies of “Second Chance Dog,” and this year we’re shooting for 2,000 copies of “Saving Simon.” I will sign and personalize any book ordered from Battenkill.

As happened last year, many people chose to buy my book as a Christmas present, and I think this story – heartwarming and uplifting I believe – is a good choice for Christmas. So we are upping the give-a-ways, as is the trend in publishing. Instead of Ipads, we’re offering signed photo postcards, notecards, potholders, dog and cat food, good stuff.

Every one of the first 2,000 buyers will get a photo postcards, we can’t offer the other incentives to everyone, they will be chosen by the bookstore staff as the orders come in. You can order the books  online. Publishers don’t do much promotion for authors anymore, especially when they are moving on to other publishers, so my blog and Facebook pages are pretty much it for me and Simon. I am up to the challenge, and more determined than ever to use the book to support the idea of local business, of the independent bookstore, and to support the idea of the individual in American life. This has become a big tradition in my writing life.

You can also call the store at 518 677-2515, e-mail Connie Brooks at [email protected]. The store takes Paypal and ships anywhere in the world.

The book is important to me. There is much talk of animal abuse these days, but Simon reminds us what real abuse is, and how animals survive it and forgive, and move on to rich and loving lives. Simon is an inspiration to me every day, donkeys and strange men have been wandering around together for centuries, that is our story. Simon will be at the Bedlam Farm Open House on Columbus Day Weekend (Saturday 11 to 4 and Sunday noon to 5). The famed photographer George Forss will be at the farm to take portraits of people who wish that, and Maria and her fellow artists will be selling some wonderful and inexpensive art in the Schoolhouse Studio. Details on Maria’s events page.

Come and meet Maria and me, Simon, see Red herd sheep, visit our wonderful town of Cambridge: Battenkill Books, the Round House Cafe, the Cambridge Diner, the funky Over The Moon Bead Shop, George Forss’s Ginofor Gallery. I am also planning a book signing at Battenkill Books at 7 p.m., October 7, pub date, and then Sunday, October 12th at 9 a.m. for people coming to the Open House. I’m excited to show the publishing world what a blog can do to support a book. And a noble donkey.