A Then Comes Winter Road Trip

Wilsonville, OR with Natalie Richards

Then Comes Winter has arrived in Wilsonville, Oregon! This is its penultimate stop in its trip around the world and back. Its next stop will be its permanent new residence. Before that, however, we are paying a visit to one of my favorite places: the local library.

As well as being filled with books, the library is surrounded by interesting artwork, like this butterfly carrying a heart.

And here we are hanging out with Aslan, who guards the children’s room.

A locally-made lace headband is my contribution to the collection of goodies. It reminded me of something Marianne Dashwood or Emma Woodhouse might wear.

Natalie Richards is a blogger, singer, and writer. She started her book review blog, Songs & Stories, in late 2010 after falling in love with Jane Austen fan-fiction. Her writing can also be found on Figment and in TeenInk magazine. Midsummer Madness, included in the Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer anthology is her first published short story. A Man Whom I Can Really Love is her contribution to Then Comes Winter. 

And now where will Then Comes Winter make it's final stop?

Cambridgeshire, UK with Mira, who is the winner of the drawing and who gets this unique copy of the book with a complete set of author autographs and so many goodies from along the way.

Portland, OR with Beau North

Portland, the home of weird, eccentric, different is the next stop as the Then Comes Winter road trip arrives in the Willamette Valley in the Pacific Northwest. We're just a hop away from coming full circle.

Portland celebrates being different, whether it's a fashion statement, a life philosophy, or artistic trend.  Once a hub of racketeering, Portland is now the bastion of counterculture. This is also one of the most green and environmentally conscious places in the country.

 Beau North, southern transplant to the Pacific Northwest, co-wrote Holiday Mix-Tape with Brooke West included in Then Comes Winter. Her debut novel, Longbourn's Songbird set in the post war South has become a fan favorite. Beau also creates the #JaffCast podcast on Rhymes With Nerdy. The latest episode can be found here.

Sacramento, CA with Anngela Schroeder

Welcome to Northern California, one of the last stops on the TCW book adventure. Today Anngela Schroeder, author of Winter's Awakening, shares a few locations from her home city of the State's Capitol, Sacramento, home to the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

California is not only filled with beaches and celebrities, it's also one of the leading agricultural states in the country. Sacramento is surrounded by open farm land and dairies.

 

 

In 1924, Sacramento became the #1 Agriculture state with the introduction of refrigerated train cars. The California State Railroad Museum is a special field trip for every 2nd grader in the county.

 

In N Out Burger is a California favorite with locations in only 6 states in the country. It is often the first stop for those who have moved out of state to help them feel right back at home.

Anngela Schroeder lives in California with her husband of 15 years and her three rambunctious sons.  She has a degree in English with a concentration on British Literature and a Masters of Education. She has a slight obsession with Jane Austen and all things British. Visit her blog at https://anngela-schroeder.blogspot.com.

Erin Lopez in Silicon Valley

Do you know the way to San Jose? Come on, sing it with us as Then Comes Winter visits Erin Lopez in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Also known as the Santa Clara Valley, this is the birthplace of that technology that makes geeky gadgets possible and is home to too many technological companies and startups to count.

Perhaps one of the most famous denizens of the Valley is Apple Inc., with it's awesomely punny address.

One Infinite Loop.

So what is more appropriate than to include an Apple Inc. pen as a souvenir? Sorry, an iPad would have been too hard to bundle.

Erin Lopez is a reader, writer, wife and mother—although not in any particular order. While she reads and writes in a variety of genres, she has a special place in her heart for Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice fan fiction. Her story, The Unexpected Gift, is included in this anthology. Erin shares what it's like to be a stay-at-home writer in this blog post.

Maureen Lee in So Cal

Every road tripper dreams of ending up in a paradise of warm sands and palm trees and Then Comes Winter is no exception. It's a little ironic to see this book basking in the sun, kind of like a penguin on tropical island, but who can say no to an invitation to visit Maureen Lee who happens to have such a paradise in her back yard.

Here we are at Maureen's favorite beach spot in Redondo Beach, CA--a major surf hang-out in Los Angeles County. With this visit to the beach, Then Comes Winter has travelled from the Pacific Northwest coast, to the Mid-Atlantic shore, and back to the warm Pacific touched sands of Southern California.

The Point Vicente Lighthouse in Palos Verdes, CA stands as a sentinel over the northernmost point of the Catalina Channel. Catalina Island sits on the horizon.

At Terranea Resort lookout point in Palos Verdes, CA.

And so we are left with warm thoughts in the middle of Winter.

Maureen Lee wrote The Food of Love included in this anthology. She has written for Turner Classic Movies, Ms. InThe Biz, @ This Stage magazine, and more. You can find her previous holiday romance story, “From Keats with Love” in a Christmas Nookies anthology.

Brooke West in Columbia, SC

A turn south brings Then Comes Winter to Columbia. Maybe it was the call of Southern comfort food, or the prospect of warmer temperatures that called for a visit with Brooke West.

This is the South Carolina state house which has a long history.

It's a beautiful old building that survived a shelling by Sherman. He set up his cannons across the river and used the Statehouse for target practice to see how far his cannons would fire.

Brooke is standing feet away from the spot where the Confederate flag was taken down in 2015. "I was at the rally when it came down and it was one of the most thrilling moments of my life. I wanted to share our Statehouse with the readers because it's a symbol of how far we have come in this country towards creating a healthy, equal society, and a reminder that the fight for civil rights is never over."

One lucky winner of this special book giveaway will also get a South Carolina cookbook and a Carolina wren magnet along with all the rest of the goodies from each stop so far.

Brooke co-authored Holiday Mix Tape with Beau North. While writing fiction always has been her life's passion, Brooke also finds joy in silversmithing, sculpting, and costuming.

Denise Stout in Baltimore, MD

Then Comes Winter hit the east coast at Baltimore, MD where it took in views of the Inner Harbor as it visited with Denise. It sits on the Chesapeake Bay and was once the second largest landing place for immigrants. Now it's the home of Johns Hopkins University and the largest city in Maryland.

Denise also gives us a glimpse of what's she's added to the stash. Some lucky winner is going to get a yummy Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake recipe.

  Denise Stout is the author of Christmas Miracle on Oyster Bay included in Then Comes Winter. She is also a frequent contributor to FindSubscriptionBoxes.com and reviews books, movies, and products. 

Sophia Rose in Detroit, MI

Sophia and Then Comes Winter hung around Monroe, MI where they braved 9 degree F weather as winter has indeed finally come.

Here they are with the General George Armstrong Custer Statue in Monroe, MI (Home of Custer)

TCW at the 1812 River Raisin Battlefield Nat'l Park in Monroe, MI

A picture of a sled cannon from the River Raisin Battlefield in Monroe, MI

Sophia Rose is the author of North for the New Year included in this collection. She also had a winning submission printed in Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer. Sophia is also known for her blogging and reviews of Romance and Jane Austen related books at Delighted Reader. 

Lory Lilian in Bucharest, Romania

Between Canada and the US, let's hop over for a quick holiday to Romania with Lory Lilian who is from Bucharest.

This is the Parliament House built by the last dictator of Romania back in the 80's.  It is the second largest building in the world, only beat by the Pentagon.

This Neoclassical architectural gem is the Romanian Atheneum opened in 1888. It is the main concert hall and home of the Philharmonic. It is also the place where in 1919 Greater Romania was voted into existence when Bessarabia, Transylvania, and Bukovina united with the Romanian Old Kingdom.

This is the University of Bucharest founded in 1864 from what was the Saint Sava Academy with roots going back to 1694. In 1989, it was the site of many riots and protests against communism and the dictatorial government. Today it has 19 faculties with a broad spectrum of fields like natural sciences, humanities, and 3 kinds of theology.

This lovely tree is located in Transylvania, land that foreigners often think of as a mythical home of vampires, but as you see is much like every other home that celebrates the holidays.

And yes, we realize that the copy of Then Comes Winter Lory is holding is just a twin of the traveling book due to traveling logistical concerns, but rest assured, her autograph will be in the book.

Lory Lilian is the author of The Perfect Choice included in the Then Comes Winter collection. Lory has also written other popular variations of Pride and Prejudice including Remembrance of the Past, Rainy Days, His Uncle's Favorite, and Sketching Mr. Darcy (currently on a special sale at Amazon).

Linda Gonschior in Dunnville ON, Canada

Then Comes Winter made its way east and reached Dunnville, Ontario just before Christmas.

Dunnville is the home of Muddy, the mudcat. Read below to learn more about the mudcat traditions of Dunnville.

Linda Gonschior is the author of The Clock Doesn't Lie included in the Then Comes Winter collection. Linda has also written the popular Reflections series.

Melanie Stanford in Calgary AB, Canada

Then Comes Winter overlooking the Calgary skyline- you can see the Saddledome (where the hockey team the Calgary Flames play) as well as the Calgary tower.

Just outside the stampede grounds in front of a chuckwagon. The Calgary Stampede is a famous rodeo that happens every summer.

Melanie Stanford is the author of Becoming Fanny and has a recently published novel, Sway. 

Somewhere in Alberta

The Traveling Tales from Then Comes Winter has arrived at it's next stop. Stay tuned to see where and who's backyard it's visiting.

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Suzan Lauder in Victoria, BC, Canada

"Then Comes Winter" stops at Mile Zero of the Trans-Canada Highway on November 28, 2015 as part of the "Flat Stanley" book tour. Author Suzan Lauder, with the strait of Georgia in the background.

Author Suzan Lauder and "Then Comes Winter" anthology at the Terry Fox memorial statue in Victoria, BC, Canada on November 28, 2015 for the Flat Stanley book tour.

 

A Victoria, BC postcard, a bookmark for "Alias Thomas Bennet" by Suzan Lauder, and an embroidered handkerchief in honour of the Thrift Shop Regency Costume Experiment are tucked into "Then Comes Winter" at Suzan Lauder's "Delivery Boy" for the Flat Stanley Book Tour.