Life as a Writer – Page 6

Reflections of a first-time author

When I signed a contract with History Press, I lost control of my book. I‘m exaggerating, of course. I had plenty to say about publication of the book. But I also had a partner, a majority partner, according to the contract, with plenty of experience and a set way of doing things. For example, the…
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Jim Hall

September 6, 2016

Archive, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

first-time author, History Press, The 1910 Slocum Massacre, The Last Lynching in Northern Virginia, The Virginia Plan
For this old reporter, lynch coverage was embarrassing

Shedrick Thompson’s attack on the Baxleys and the discovery of his body hanging from an apple tree were big news in Fauquier County in 1932. The Fauquier Democrat, the county weekly, followed the case closely, as did daily newspapers in nearby Strasburg, Winchester, Front Royal and throughout Virginia. I found 29 stories about the Thompson…
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Jim Hall

August 30, 2016

Archive, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Fauquier County, Fauquier Democrat, Front Royal, Lynching, Negro, Shedrick Thompson, Strasburg, Winchester, Winchester Evening Star
Proud of my book, but do I want to buy 200 copies?

In addition to being a partner with History Press in the publication of my book, I am also a customer. I ordered copies of my book from them recently, after refusing several earlier sales pitches. Their first sales offer arrived a few days after I signed their contract. ‘I’m excited to share some information with…
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Jim Hall

August 23, 2016

Archive, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

author discount, History Press, Melvin Poe
Klan story stirs reaction and memory of rally in Caroline

A friend said she was surprised to read last week’s blog post about the Ku Klux Klan parade and rally in Warrenton. She is in her 50s, grew up in Fauquier County, graduated from high school in Warrenton, and knew of the Benner Farm where the cross-burning took place. Yet she had never heard of…
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Jim Hall

August 16, 2016

Archive, Fauquier County, Va. History, Fredericksburg, VA, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Uncategorized, Virginia History, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Benner Farm, Caroline County Virginia, Fauquier County Virginia, Fry Town, Haiti Street, Ku Klux Klan, Maryland, Port Royal Virginia, Sheriff O.J. Moore, Warrenton
Making room for a late arrival

One of the great things about writing for a newspaper is that you can make changes to your story right up to the last minute. That’s not to say that the editors will be happy when you do. But you can, and I did many times. Writing a book is very different, as I learned…
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Jim Hall

August 9, 2016

Archive, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Alexandria Pike, Benner Farm, Fauquier County Virginia, Fauquier Democrat, History Press, Ku Klux Klan, Old Jail Museum, Shawn Nicholls, Tom Davenport, Warrenton
Preparing to launch

A sales specialist from History Press sent me an email yesterday titled “Getting your book into the market.” It’s the type of correspondence that I’ve been receiving from the company lately and an indication that it’s time to resume posting here about my book. Publication of The Last Lynching in Northern Virginia is still scheduled for Sept.…
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Jim Hall

August 2, 2016

Archive, Fauquier County, Va. History, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Virginia History, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Barnes & Noble, Fauquier County Virginia, History Press, Howard Owen, Sherrie’s Stuff, The Town Duck, Warrenton
Let’s pause now for a short intermission

I started this blog in January with the goal of describing what it was like to write this book and get it published. One question that I faced immediately was how often to post. I hoped to develop interest in the book before publication, but I didn’t want to turn off potential readers with too…
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Jim Hall

May 3, 2016

Archive, Fauquier County, Va. History, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Virginia History, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Alex Green, Cash and Carry, Charleston, History Press, The Last Lynching in Northern Virginia
Launch date will be Sept. 12

The notice I received last week reminded me of the “save-the-date” card that I got for my colleague’s wedding. This time, however, it was an email from one of the sales managers at History Press. It said: “I am very pleased to inform you that we have scheduled the publication of The Last Lynching in Northern…
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Jim Hall

April 26, 2016

Archive, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Virginia History, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, book signing, History Press, The Last Lynching in Northern Virginia
‘He was wrong what he did’

I remember how excited I was when I first saw this video by Dylan Nicholls. Dylan created it in 2014 as part of a successful Kickstarter campaign to help fund a film about the Shedrick Thompson case. Dylan is a student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., who works part time with Fauquier County…
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Jim Hall

April 19, 2016

Archive, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Virginia History, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Dylan Nicholls, Fauquier County, Kickstarter, Lynching, Shawn Nicholls, Shedrick Thompson, The Last Lynching in Northern Virginia, Tom Davenport, Zach Nicholls
He walked among them but was not of them

One of the first things I had to figure out when working on this book was Shedrick Thompson’s correct name. Thompson is one of the key characters in the story, the man accused of attacking the Baxleys and the man lynched on Rattlesnake Mountain. Yet in news accounts and legal documents, I found nine different…
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Jim Hall

April 12, 2016

Archive, Fauquier County, Va. History, Fredericksburg, VA, Getting Published, Life as a Writer, Lynching, Race Relations, Rattlesnake Mountain the Book, Virginia History, Writing the Book Rattlesnake Mountain

Baxleys, Fauquier County, Rattlesnake Mountain, Shedrick Thompson, Stanley Woolf