On November 1, millions of people celebrate authors and the books that they write on National Author’s Day.
Books have a mind of their own. They take time to develop, research, draft, edit, revise, and rewrite. We devour stories. We indulge in them as we drift off to sleep or travel. And sometimes, we allow them to collect dust on several flat surfaces in our homes. Those stories may take years to reach a publisher and just as long to reach a bookshelf. We may have only one favorite author or many collected works with which we cannot part. Whether we prefer fiction, non-fiction, or a mix of both, authors have been telling stories to fill our heads for thousands of years.
Authors also keep a record of history through their stories. They mark time through their observations. Their tales create remarkable memories of a place, sealing it between the pages of the binding. Their books allow us to keep coming back to visit again and again.
After her grandmother’s death in 1968, Sue Cole promoted the observance of National Authors Day. She urged people to write a note to their favorite author on November 1, to “brighten up the sometimes lonely business of being a writer.” She also suggested flying the American flag as another way of showing appreciation for the writers who have created American literature.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalAuthorsDay
Purchase some books by your favorite author to support them. Share your favorite novels online while encouraging an aspiring author. Use #NationalAuthorsDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL AUTHOR’S DAY HISTORY
In 1928, Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, president of the Bement, Illinois Women’s Club, had an idea of setting aside a day to celebrate American authors. McPherson was a teacher, and throughout her life, an avid reader. While she was recuperating in the hospital during World War I, she wrote a fan letter to fiction writer, Irving Bacheller. She told him how much she enjoyed reading his story Eben Holden’s Last Day A’ Fishin.
Upon receiving her letter, Bacheller sent her an autographed copy of another story. It was then that McPherson realized she would never be able to thank him adequately for his gift. McPherson decided to show her appreciation by submitting an idea for a National Author’s Day to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. In May of 1929, the club endorsed a resolution for National Author’s Day to be observed honoring American writers. The United States Department of Commerce recognized this day in 1949.
I know my favorite author’s
Jacquelin Thomas– is an award winning, best selling author with 50+ titles published. Her books have garnered several awards, including two EMMA awards, the Romance In Color Reviewers Award, Readers Choice Award and the Atlanta Choice Award in the Religious & Spiritual category. Jacquelin was a 2005 honoree at the Houston Black Film Festival for the movie adaptation of her novel, Hidden Blessings. She was the first recipient to receive the Writers Achievement Award at the North Carolina Book Festival in Winston-Salem. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine.
Reshonda Tate Billingsley has written a series-has kept people enthralled for years. Her style of writing keeps you tuned in
Sienna Mynx, the author of what I would consider to be the best modern day gangster anthology does not get the credit and accolades she deserves. I think she is afar better writer E.L.James. I think the mass-market is missing out on the Battaglia Series.
Karen Kingsbury may be the most successful Christian writer of all time. If you have not read her Baxter Family series, you are missing out on great storytelling.
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