thoughts • images
A PIT STOP
fascinations • nuisances
Nook sale! "Signing Their Lives Away" ebook is just $2.99!
Our publisher just let us know that the bestselling book Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence —written with my husband and sometimes co-author Joseph D’Agnese—is on sale. The special Nook ebook price is $2.99, so if you’ve been meaning to check it out, now is the time.
The deal is supposed to run through Memorial Day weekend, and end late on 5/27. If you are traveling or have plans for the holiday weekend, don’t take a chance. Carpe that freaking diem.
Quick reminder: Signing Their Lives Away tells the often quirky stories of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. We think it pairs nicely with summer, frosty brews, a slab of ribs, a beach umbrella, and a red-white-and-blue muumuu. Get your patriot on.
Meanwhile—if you need another reminder: The Girls of Atomic City is still on sale for $3.99 through the end of June 2. Yay.
Colleen, I miss you.
Colleen making her NPR debut.
Into the lobby of Greenfield Assisted Living stepped a vision of sassy Christmas cheer. She was bedazzled in glitz, animal prints and smiles with a blinking holiday-light necklace draped around her neck and antlers sprouting from her head. Now burned into my memory like some nuclear-powered yule log, this was my first glimpse of the force of nature that was Colleen Black.
Colleen entered my life as a potential interview subject for the book I was writing at the time, The Girls of Atomic City. She was surprised I wanted to talk to her about her role in the Manhattan Project. After all, she assured me, she had no idea what she was working on at the time. While she couldn't imagine why I would want to hear about her adventures as an 18-year-old single gal living and working in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during World War II, I couldn't imagine this vibrant 80-something-year-old not having plenty to say once I'd sat with her for a bit. Boy, was I right.
Long after interviews were logged and the manuscript edited, Colleen and I stayed in touch. We wrote and called, and I often visited whenever I was in town for an event. If I didn't get a hold of her beforehand, I always knew I could find her holding court at Panera's after morning mass, where their old-timer's coffee klatch often turned into impromptu book signings for Colleen. Friends and strangers often approached and asked her to sign their copies of The Girls of Atomic City. Colleen would write to tell me about these and other "celebrity" experiences, as she called them. She was Skyping with book clubs across the country, speaking to school kids down the road, and charming everyone in her path with her ration tales, wartime songs and Irish country wit, all wrapped up in that Tennessee twang.
I have a collection of collages Colleen has sent me over the years, most of them given to me long after the work on my book was done. Photos casually snapped in her apartment showed up in my inbox and mailbox, draped with historic news clippings and photos of the other atomic city "girls." She was always there with a daily joke or up-by-your-bootstraps encouragement, with remembrances and prayers for my own mother, who is next to me as I type this, sleeping, waking and sleeping again, nearing the end of her own time with me. Colleen's daughter Suzanne called me earlier today to tell me that Colleen had died this morning. We had been in touch, Suzanne and I, two daughters waiting and watching as the mothers they loved began to move on from this world.
She is a collage all her own now, my Colleen. My mind today is a visual mish-mash of leopard-spotted, fuzzy-slippered, sing-songy snippets of chats—both on the record and off— and babblings over cheap wines with goofy or naughty names that gave her a giggle. (Fat Bastard was a house favorite.) Colleen died as she lived, surrounded by family and song and love, held close in the hearts of many of us who knew the joys of her friendship. I will lift a glass of Marilyn Merlot in her honor. I can almost hear her laughing.
Paperback Tour for "The Girls of Atomic City"
Yes, it’s about that time to hit the road. Here are the cities I’ll be visiting in the coming months. Check back for additional dates. Hope to see some of you out on the road!
Monday, February 24, 2014
New York, NY
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
*Event Closed
Saturday, March 1, 2014, 9:15 AM
Long Beach, CA
Long Beach Festival of Authors
Long Beach Convention Center, 110 Pine Ave.
Monday, March 3, 2014, 11:15 AM
Denver, CO
American Physical Society - Annual Meeting
Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street
*Registration Required
Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 7:00 PM
South Hadley, MA
Odyssey Books, 9 College Street
Thursday, March 13, 2014, 7:30 PM
Fredericksburg, VA
Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
1301 College Avenue
*Ticketed Event
Saturday, March 15, 2014, 5 PM
Asheville, NC
55 Haywood Street
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, Noon
Oak Ridge, TN
Oak Ridge High School
1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike
*Ticketed Event
Friday and Saturday, March 21 - 22, 2014, 2:00 PM
Charlottesville, VA
Monday, March 24, 2014, 7:00 PM
Austin, TX
603 N Lamar Boulevard
Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 7:00 PM
Houston, TX
2421 Bissonnet Street
Wednesday, March 26, 2014, 3:00 PM
Oxford, MS
Oxford Conference for the Book
Journalism Panel moderated by Curtis Wilkie
Overby Center at the University of Mississippi
555 Grove Loop, Suite 247
Tuesday, April 1, 2014, 7:00 PM
Ann Arbor, MI
2513 Jackson Ave. (in Westgate Shopping Center)
Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 PM
Cincinnati, OH
2692 Madison Road
Monday, April 7, 2014, 7:00 PM
Naperville, IL
123 W. Jefferson Avenue
Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 6:00 PM
Wichita, KS
4701 E. Douglas Avenue
Thursday and Friday, April 10 - 11, 2014
Boone and Hudson, NC
Caldwell Community College
Details forthcoming
A shielded dummy in a basement for atomic bomb testing in Nevada, March 1953.Photograph by Volkmar Wentzel, National Geographic
BOOK GIVEAWAY: Enter to win THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY by Denise Kiernan
Book giveaway over at Riffle! Three copies available. Only eight days left!
THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY was hailed by top media outlets as “fascinating” and “a phenomenal story” when it was first published earlier this year. It hit The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times Best Seller lists, made Amazon’s Top 100 Best Books of…
Autographed and Personalized Books for the Holidays
It’s gift-giving-buying season once again. I am, as always, working with my fantabulous independent bookstore Malaprop’s to offer personalized, autographed copies of The Girls of Atomic City and other titles. Signed books always make great gifts and autographing eReaders simply hasn’t taken off yet. I work with Malaprop’s year round, but during the holidays I get lots of questions about wrapping and shipping and so forth.
Here’s the skinny:
The easiest way to get an autographed book is to call Malaprop’s directly at 1-800-441-9829 or 828-254-6734. The store is chock full of helpful, cheerful folks. Once one of these charmers answers the phone, just tell them…
- Which book you want to order and the author’s name.
- How you want the book personalized. To you? To the mother-in-law you’re always trying to suck up to? Do you want it to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “For a history buff,” or nothing at all?
- Give them your payment information and shipping address.
That’s it! Malaprop’s will get me in to sign and will ship your book out to you or to the person of your choice, autographed and ready to go.
But what about gift wrapping?
Yes indeed, they gift wrap. I told you they were wonderful. So, you can have that autographed book gift-wrapped AND have a gift card slapped on it. That package of holiday reading cheer will be shipped wherever you want and will arrive ready to be shoved under a tree, stuck in a (larger than usual) stocking, placed next to the menorah, or swapped at an office party.
Can I order online?
Technically, yes, but calling is much more efficient and, in the long run, will take up much less of your time.
Which books of yours can I order?
Any of them, really. Here are some of the most popular titles. Others can be found on my website.
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
Signing Their Rights Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Constitution
Stuff Every American Should Know
The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed
Happy shopping, and thanks for supporting a local independent bookstore!
A friend sent this along knowing I’d love it.
"In 1951, A.C. Gilbert, inventor of the ERECTOR set, released the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab. Using real radioactive materials, one could witness mist trails created by particles of ionizing radiation.
The set included four Uranium-bearing ore samples, and originally sold for $49.50, and one could order replacement radioactive materials.
Note: Geiger Counter sold separately.”
"We'll Back Our Boys: The Southern Home Front During World War II"
Here’s the official release and invite to a symposium at the National Archives in Atlanta at which I’ll be speaking. I can’t say enough about the Archives and how important they are to our culture, our educational institutions and our society. If you’re going to be in the area or know someone who will, please stop by and do pass on the information.
• Denise Kiernan, author of the New York Times Best Seller “The Girls of Atomic City” featured on the PBS News Hour and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
• Fritz Hamer, University South Caroliniana Library curator and author of “Charleston Reborn: A Southern City, Its Navy Yard and World War II, 1940-1946”
• Courtney Tollison, Furman University professor, historian for the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, SC, and author of “We Just Did Everything We Could”
• Edward A. Hatfield, Emory University Ph.D. candidate with dissertation in progress: “The Too-Busy City: The Politics of Growth and Development in Atlanta, 1946-96”
• Nathan Jordan, NARA Atlanta archivist of military-related records
Dates set for " The Girls of Atomic City" National Tour
Girls of Atomic City — National Tour in May & June
I’m hitting the road in May and June to promote my book, The Girls of Atomic City. Here’s the list of cities, bookstores, and events. The first half is a driving tour through the Southeast; the second half will see me bopping around the U.S. to various bookstores and festivals. If our paths cross, stop by and say “hi”!
SOUTHERN DRIVING TOUR
Charlotte, NC
Thursday, May 2
Park Road Books 7 pm
4139 Park Rd.
Charlotte, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Greenville, SC
Friday, May 10
Fiction Addiction 12 pm
Venue: City Range Restaurant
615 Haywood Rd.
Greenville, SC
*Lunch Event & Signing
Nashville, TN
Tuesday, May 14
Parnassus Books 6:30 pm
3900 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville, TN
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Raleigh, NC
Thursday, May 16
Quail Ridge Books 7:30 pm
3522 Wade Ave.
Raleigh, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Southern Pines, NC
Friday, May 17
Country Bookshop 4:30 pm
140 NW Broad St.
Southern Pines, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Chapel Hill, NC
Saturday, May 18
Flyleaf Books Noon
752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Knoxville, TN
Tuesday, May 21
Union Ave Books 6 pm
Venue: The East Tennessee History Center Auditorium
601 Gay St.
Knoxville TN
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, June 4
A Cappella Books 7 pm
Venue: Carter Presidential Library
441 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
August 30 - September 1, 2013
Decatur Festival of Books
Details TBD
Sylva, NC
Saturday, June 29
City Lights Bookstore 6:30 pm
3 East Jackson St.
Sylva, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
* * *
*NATIONAL TOUR
Milwaukee, WI
Saturday, June 8
Boswell Books 2 pm
2559 N Downer Ave.
Milwaukee, WI
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Chicago, IL
Sunday, June 9
Chicago Tribune Printers Row Festival
Solo Presentation
Details TBD
Lexington, KY
Wednesday, June 12
Joseph-Beth Booksellers 7 pm
161 Lexington Green Circle
Lexington KY
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Denver, CO
Friday, June 14
Tattered Cover 7:30 pm
2526 East Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, June 15
Vroman’s Bookstore 4 pm
695 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
San Francisco, CA
Monday, June 17
Book Passage 6 pm
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Seattle, WA
Wednesday, June 19
Elliot Bay Book Company 7pm
1521 Tenth Ave.
Seattle, WA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Albuquerque, NM
Friday, June 21
Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM
Venue: National Atomic Museum
Omnivoracious: How I Wrote It: Denise Kiernan on "The Girls of Atomic City"
Sharing a blog post here that I did for Omnivoracious over at Amazon about writing “The Girls of Atomic City.”
You can hear my wife Denise Kiernan talking about her new book The Girls of Atomic City via this link from this interview which aired this morning on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
Denise was interviewed along with two of the women she profiles in the book.
The article accompanying the audio link also includes a free chapter of the book.
* * *
Geez, I hope this post comes through okay. Been having problems. More stuff has been going on, too. Will post about it soon.
Thanks, baby! Homemade pizza for you later!
Love that one of my atomic “girls” made this promo for NPR’s Weekend Edition: Colleen Black, 88 years young. Tune in this Sunday, March 3, from 8 to 10 AM to hear more from Colleen, Celia Klemski, and me as we talk about the Manhattan Project and The Girls of Atomic City.
Here I am talking about my latest book, The Girls of Atomic City. I love these old Ed Westcott photos. Thanks to Touchstone and Simon & Schuster for putting this together.
Goodreads | Book giveaway for The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
Thanks Touchstone Books and Joseph D’Agnese for setting up this giveaway of my upcoming book over at Goodreads.
Manhattan Project National Park Round-Up
“This is a major chapter of American and world history. We should preserve what’s left.”
—Cindy Kelly, Atomic Heritage Foundation
As the 112th Congress prepares to wrap up, supporters of an effort to preserve sites associated with the Manhattan Project—in Los Alamos, NM, Hanford, WA, and Oak Ridge, TN— are hoping for another vote on a measure to create a national park that would commemorate work done at all three sites.
The New York Times, Boston Globe, and International Business Times have recently weighed in. Read more at the links below.
A survivor of the United States’ atomic attack on Hiroshima, still hospitalized two years later, shows the damage to his hands, 1947 by Carl Mydans
(After Hiroshima: Portraits of Survivors)
This just in!
My wife and sometimes co-author Denise Kiernan just got the cover of her next book, The Girls of Atomic City, about the women who unknowingly worked to create the fuel for the first bomb.
It’s a true story—a narrative nonfiction title that will be published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster in March 2013.
I’m proud of her. It’s a project she’s been working on, in various ways, for the last seven years or so.
To find out more, you can check out Denise’s website…
Sign up for the newsletter at the book site…
Check out her old-timey WWII-era images on her Tumblr blog.
You can pre-order via Amazon.
Or pre-order a signed copy via our indie bookstore, Malaprops.
I’ll post again about this when she gets a trailer together.
Thanks to my hubby for posting this. I can take no credit for designing this cover, but I am so very happy with it. Book is finally feeling real after all these years…
Ceremonies mark 67th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bomb attack
Top Photo: Kimimasa Mayama / EPA
Bottom Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP - Getty ImagesArata Yamamoto, NBC News reports from Tokyo — As dignitaries from 71 countries joined a crowd of 50,000 on Monday to mark the 67th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb attack, Japanese officials vowed to revamp energy policies in the wake of the devastating Fukushima nuclear accident.
Ceremonies mark 67th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bomb attack
Top Photo: Kimimasa Mayama / EPA
Bottom Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP - Getty ImagesArata Yamamoto, NBC News reports from Tokyo — As dignitaries from 71 countries joined a crowd of 50,000 on Monday to mark the 67th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb attack, Japanese officials vowed to revamp energy policies in the wake of the devastating Fukushima nuclear accident.
