Mohawk Valley Reads

     When I thought about my experience with my previous blog that was about local authors, the one thing that I found was that the blog took on a whole other meaning than what was initially intended.

     Because of that, I had to reevaluate the direction and purpose of the blog.  What I discovered was that not only had the focus changed, but the title was not appropriate for the purpose.  So I thought long and hard about what I wanted you to know about the blog from its title.

     I came up with Mohawk Valley Reads.

     This seems to serve the threefold purpose that is part of the new focus. For me, and hopefully you, the title says:

1.  "Hey, this is what kinds of things local authors are writing" 
2.  We are a community who likes to read
3.  We support our own authors in a variety of ways

How this blog will communicate is just as important as the title

Like Friends and Words, we will have a monthly contest so that you can have lots of chances to win prizes donated by local authors. 

Like Friends and Words, much of the focus will be about local authors that work with Herkimer's Basloe Library.  After all, that is my personal connection as a current board member.  

However, feel free to use this blog as an announcement portal to a local event that involves a local author/writer.  You won't earn an entry in the monthly contest for your information, but you can support Mohawk Valley authors/writers.

And finally, like Friends and Words, you will have to do something in order to be entered (keep reading for the details)!

But unlike Friends and Words, all communication will take place on this blog.

Instead of the local author and I having private emails and me serving as the middleman to you, the questions will be posted here and the author will answer them here.  

How, you the reader will be included in the conversation:

Feel free to post appropriate comments on the writer's/author's answers and ask your own questions about the publication, or seek advice from the writer/author on a writing or publishing question you may have.

In fact, in order to be entered into the drawing for the monthly drawing, you MUST post in this blog at least once!  

Facebook comments on Basloe's FB page will no longer be accepted as entry.

Every time you post a comment on the blog, you will be entered into the drawing.  There is no limit to how many times you can post in any given month, but on the first day of every month, the count goes back to zero and we start all over again with a new author/writer.

You can also earn an extra two entries if Basloe Library hosts an event with the monthly featured author/writer.

Here's your chance to earn two entries in April:

This Saturday, April 6th, our featured author of the month, Susanne Newton, will be at Basloe Library from 10 am to 2pm signing copies of her debut novel.

All you have to do is go to Basloe Library tomorrow, attend the book signing event, and leave a comment ON THIS BLOG POST that you attended and I will give you TWO ENTRIES. It's that simple!

Over the weekend, the conversation with Susanne Newton will begin and you can start earning even more entries all month long.  The prize is a signed copy of Newton's Where You Are to be drawn May 1st.