Friday, March 25, 2016

Does your book have a Video Book Trailer?


Does your book have a Video Book Trailer? 


Here are two examples to consider... have you viewed them?

This one is for my first novel in this series, "Back to the Homeplace."

http://youtu.be/77uQ8qGG8jY - if you haven't seen it, please take a look, and leave a comment.


The second example is for the latest novel in the series, "Christmas at the Homeplace."

http://youtu.be/pnilAflMESg - I've used this one on a lot of my Hubpages...

If you haven't taken the time to view it, this is a great opportunity... it is short, too!

I appreciate comments on either or both. Will you try one? Are they useful, in your opinion?


See you next Friday! ;-)



http://www.amazon.com/Back-Homeplace-William-Leverne-Smith/dp/1451560400/


www.amazon.com/Christmas-Homeplace-William-Leverne-Smith/dp/1493510401/

Thursday, March 17, 2016

While we are on hiatus...


While we are on hiatus...


Click on one or more of the tabs, above, start with "About..." Thank you! ;-)

Comments appreciated...

Friday, March 11, 2016

Episode 24 - January 1999 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace


Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace
January 1999


This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began.

Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We are now in January of 1999, in episodic serial format…




Episode 24 - Christopher, in his office, Thursday morning, with Bruce
(Part II, continued from Part I)

[From the end of Episode 23:

Christopher: Really. Do you know how much she had ‘accumulated?’

Bruce: It was something in excess of $10,000 at the time of her death.

Christopher: Interesting. She must have gotten some pretty good roles. Did she work other than acting?

Bruce: Not that I ever heard of. [End of Part I] ]


Christopher: Were there any other markings on the box?

Bruce: Yes, there was one. There was a Masonic logo on the top.

Christopher: I was pretty sure you would say that, Bruce. Here is something we learned, about that box. Ethel’s grandfather, William, kept a personal journal that recently came into the hands of the family. His notations on farming and the weather were often detailed. His comments about family were generally pretty cryptic. From what we have learned, from the journal, and talking to a elderly friend, still living, William referred to Ethel as “Snooki.” He apparently thought a great deal of her. There is some evidence they exchanged letters over the years, but none seemed to have survived. However, one entry in his journal referenced a box, about the time she left for New York: “Took care of Snooki. Sent with her in Mason box, to remember me by.” William was an active Mason.

Bruce: Did it say what was in the box?

Christopher: No, not in the journal. However, it seemed he was the only one in the family who was willing to offer her support to follow her dream. My grandfather was a young lawyer in town at the time, the only one in town. It seemed logical to me that if William ‘took care of’ her, there might have been a legal consultation and perhaps a record. Before my father died, he made me aware that there were legal records of the firm dating back into the 1920s in the bank vault, for safekeeping. He said they might still come in handy one day… he had used them a couple of times.

Knowing the approximate date, and the parties, I was able to retrieve a copy of the document that was in that box that went to New York with Ethel. It is short. I’ll let you read it.

Bruce: [after reading the document] He sent along ten thousand dollars in government bonds. He actually said, ‘This is your inheritance.’ [Bruce paused for a moment.] They would have survived the Great Depression. He recommended she only spend the interest as needed, and save the principle for ‘a rainy day.’ That was the money Carlos had for me.

Christopher: That is how I read it, as well. A few days after you were born, Ethel wrote him a letter. He noted, “Snookie has great news.” But then, she died. Several days later, he noted, “Haven’t heard from Snooki.” He died a few days after that, of an apparent heart attack. 

Bruce: And that is why you all knew nothing of this relationship.

Christopher. It certainly appears that way.

Bruce: It also appears I already got my inheritance, didn’t I?

Christopher: Yes. You were very fortunate there was one to receive. You were able to make the most of it, from what you said earlier.

Bruce: Yes I was. I certainly was. This is a bit of a relief. Thank you.

Christopher: By the way, Bruce, welcome to the family. I think we have clearly shown that you are a McDonald, even though your name is Randolph.

Bruce: That is very nice to know.

Christopher: Let’s arrange to have you meet the rest of the family.

Bruce: I’d like that.

…and that is what they did.



[This Friday series of posts will now go on Hiatus for a bit. Thank you for your support!]

Follow earlier stories of William and his extended family and friends at:

…as well as related stories at: http://hubpages.com/@drbill-wml-smith


"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."


Dr. Bill  ;-)


Friday, March 4, 2016

Episode 23 - January 1999 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace


Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace
January 1999


This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began.

Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We are now in January of 1999, in episodic serial format…




Episode 23 - Christopher, in his office, Thursday morning, with Bruce

Bruce: Here is the Birth Certificate I promised to show you.

Christopher: Thank you. [Paused, as he read it] This says your mother was Ethel Randolph, and your name is Bruce William Randolph. Her parents’ name spaces are blank as well as the father space. What can you tell me about that? Also, a Carlos Chevez provided the information? Who is that?

Bruce: Well, you certainly asked the pertinent questions. Let me tell you what I know. I suppose I should say ‘what I’ve been told.’ I know of no one living today who was there. Carlos Chevez was the father of my mother’s roommate during the years she lived in New York City. The roommate’s name was Bernice. Her mother was Maria. Carlos and Maria raised me. Virtually all I know is information they told me, as I was growing up, before they each died, in the 1970s. Bernice died in the late 1950s. I don’t recall ever seeing her. [He paused… reflecting.]

Christopher: OK, tell me more.

Bruce: They told me that my mother called herself Ethel Randolph from the day she arrived in New York City. It was not until fairly recently that I even questioned that. The only physical thing they gave me that they said was hers, that she wanted me to have, was a wooden box with some of her scarves, and some small costume jewelry, in it. I kept it on a shelf. A couple of years ago, I picked it up, and for the first time, apparently, I looked at the bottom. There were the words: “McDonald - Missouri.” I initially assumed that was the maker of the box, or where she had purchased it. I gave it no further thought, but the words apparently stuck in my head. When I say the newspaper article about the McDonald Conservancy grant from the State of Missouri - “McDonald - Missouri” rang up in my mind.  

Christopher: We didn’t even know about Ethel. How did you make the connection?

Bruce: The Conservancy story gave the family names and location. I knew from the stories about when she came, so it was the 1920 census information that confirmed for me her name, when I got to that. It did take some searching, many dead ends along the way.

Christopher: How did the Chevez couple happen to take you in? What happened to your mother? To Bernice?

Bruce: Ethel, my mother, died just a few days after I was born, they said. Complications from childbirth, it says on her death certificate.

Christopher: Do you have a copy of that, as well?

Bruce: Yes, I do. Here is a copy.

Christopher: May 1st, 1939. Most interesting. Carlos was the informant on this document, as well?

Bruce: Yes. The way I understand it, my mother had actually gotten closer to Carlos and Maria than their own daughter. Especially after she got pregnant and was going to have a baby. Bernice really didn’t want anything to do with it. It seems she pulled clear away from the situation. At the same time, it seemed her parents became very protective of my mother. We’ll never know all the details, of course. Carlos was an accountant. Very respected in the Cuban-American community they lived in. I think he looked after the money my mother had accumulated, as well. She actually left more than I would have expected. Carlos kept it invested. By the time I was of age, it actually got me started in my own brokerage business.

Christopher: Really. Do you know how much she had ‘accumulated?’

Bruce: It was something in excess of $10,000 at the time of her death.

Christopher: Interesting. She must have gotten some pretty good roles. Did she work other than acting?

Bruce: Not that I ever heard of. [End of Part I]



[To be continued - next Friday]



"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."


Dr. Bill  ;-)