Grand Opening of Madibelle Blue

Harrodsburg has a new business - Madibelle Blue, an upscale retail store - and they will be having their Grand Opening - Open House this weekend. You are personally invited to Madibelle Blue's Grand Opening this Saturday, December 10th, from 9:00 AM until 12:00 Noon. Here are just a few of the events going on:

Breakfast with Santa Claus - Children can get their pictures taken with Santa. There is no charge, but donations are appreciated.

Warm beverages and yummy treats

Special entry to win door prize drawings

10% off discount for all in-store purchases

Ribbon cutting ceremony starts at 10:30

Taking orders for Rebecca Ruth Bourbon Balls and Candleberry Candles (also have some available at the store)

Avon's Debbie Butler will be on hand with holiday catelogs for ordering

2 Acre's Shy's Cheri Kuhn will be showcasing their natural and herbal products

Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer will be signing her book, co-authored by Anna Armstrong, "Images of America: Harrodsburg"

Kentucky Monthly Magazine

When I received the October issue of Kentucky Monthly Magazine in the mail yesterday, not only did one of my book reviews make the cut, but there was a mention of my book, Harrodsburg (Images of America)!
Bookends:

Bobbi Dawnn Rightmyer and Anna Armstrong, members of the James Harrod Trust preservation committee, have worked together to creat a photographic tribute to the people, land and ancestors of Harrodsburg. Founded by James Harrod in 177r, Harrodsburg, the seat of Mercer County, is the oldest permanent settlement wet of the Allegheny Mountains. The lastest entry in Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series features more than 220 images dating from the late 1700s to the early 1960s.

Salvisa Ruritan Days

What an wonderful, beautiful day we've had today! Keith and I had a booth where we were selling the new book, Harrodsburg (Images of America), as well as my chapbooks of poetry and short stories. It was great!

We sold several books, but more importantly, we made many new contacts with people who have old photographs or negatives of Salvisa. These will be wonderful when we do a Mercer County Book.

I think our booth looked pretty good, if I do say so myself! My hubby was such a sweetheart for helping me set everything up and then helping with manning the booth. Love you, sweetheart!

Our next event will be September 22nd - a radio interview with JD in the Morning at the Rooster radio station (WHBN). After that we will be at the Pioneer Classic Car Show at Anderson-Dean Park on September 3oth and October 1st, so come on out and see us.

In November we will be doing a book signing at the Beehive Gift Shop and Beaumont Inn - the dates have not been determined yet, but I will keep you updated.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has been so supportive of the book; we really appreciate it. If this book sells well, we will be able to do a book on Mercer County - featuring Salvisa, McAfee and Burgin.

Book Mention

The Bluegrass Bookshelf from the Lexington Herald-Leader on Sunday, August 21st, gave us a shout out. Thanks everyone!!

Seeing My First First Book Display

I was so shocked to walk into the Harrodsburg Herald office this afternoon, only to be greeted by a display of my new book with co-author Anna Armstrong. I know my jaw dropped to the ground!

So, like a total geek, I went back out to the car for my camera and had to take a few pictures. There's just something about see your name on the cover of a book you are so proud of!

And I'm sorry Beverly and the young man selling papers - I had to have my little girl, squeelie moment!

(My uploading computer is in the shop, ut I'll post pictures soon!)

From Press Release Distribution

From Press Release Distribution (PROLOG):

PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 01, 2011

"The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Harrodsburg from local authors Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer and Anna Armstrong. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by."

A Blurb from Outskirts Press

Here is a blurb from Outskirts Press

Soon to be released from Arcadia Publishing is Images of America: Harrodsburg, written by Harrodsburg’s Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer (writer) and Anna Armstrong (photography).

A Blurb on World News

From the World News website:

"Soon to be released from Arcadia Publishing is Images of America: Harrodsburg, written by Harrodsburg’s Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer (writer) and Anna Armstrong.(photography). The book will be released the week of August 8th, but is already up for pre-order on several different websites: Amazon Barnes and Noble Arcadia
As of this moment, we are not sure when the book launch and signing will be, but we will keep you up-to-date. The book will also be for sell in several local
business, as well as Lexington and surrounding areas."

Featured in Danville Advocate

I would like to give a big shout out to Jennifer Brummett at the Danville Advocate for doing such a nice job with the release of our new book. All information in this article is copyright Danville Advocate and Jennifer Brummett.

Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer and Anna Armstrong traveled a circuitous route to get to the publication of their first book together, “Images of America: Harrodsburg.” The pictorial history of Harrodsburg will be released Monday from Arcadia Publishing, which is based out of Mount Pleasant, S.C., outside of Charleston.

Rightmyer’s daughter was friends with the acquisitions editor for Arcadia Publishing, who approached Rightmyer for a book about Owen County. Rightmyer said she didn’t know anything about Owen County but she knew Harrodsburg. That started her on the path to developing a book about Harrodsburg.

Rightmyer said she’d known Armstrong all her life and was aware of her extensive collection of photos of Harrodsburg that date from the 1930s, with some older ones, as well. She sent an e-mail to Armstrong — an e-mail Armstrong never received. So Rightmyer went ahead and signed a contract with Arcadia to do the historical book, figuring she’d get photos from the local historical society. “I signed the contract with no idea of how to write a history book,” Rightmyer explained. In the meantime, Armstrong had been in contact with Arcadia about a postcard she was interested in creating.

“I have a huge archive of photos from my father (Andrew Armstrong), my aunt (Jesta Bell Armstrong Matherly, who also was an artist) and my work,” Armstrong said. She found out about Rightmyer’s work on a book about Harrodsburg, and wondered what she was using for the photographic element, since her own collection of Harrodsburg photos is unparalleled. Rightmyer said she was thrilled when Armstrong called, and the two got together to discuss the book, which was when they figured out Rightmyer’s e-mail hadn’t made it to its recipient.

“I decided to offer the photographs in order for the book to happen,” Armstrong said. She also had experience with writing historical descriptions, as she’d provided the text for a number of historical markers. Rightmyer said she found that experience invaluable, as she considers herself to be more of a “long writer,” focusing more on essays and longer written works.

Armstrong described “Images of America: Harrodsburg” as a “show-andtell” type of a book. The co-authors indicated such a work was needed in Harrodsburg, since the city lacked a recent, updated history-type book. Armstrong said the tome will be a good companion for people who are touring the city.

“It’s one of the first things I look for (when visiting a new place),” Rightmyer added. “It gives me an idea of where I’m at and what I’m doing.”

She added she hopes “Images of America: Harrodsburg” will inspire others “to get this history out there.”

Armstrong said the postcard pictorial history of Harrodsburg and Mercer County should be released about this time next year. The vintage postcards she will use will date through the 1960s.

Tomorrow's the Day!!

Finding it hard to sleep tonight because the book is being released tomorrow. I am so excited and scared all at the same time! I'm excited that a full year's worth of work has finally come to fruition and scared because I'm afraid people won't like it. This must be the way most authors feel on the eve of the birth of their "baby."

Harrodsburg has needed a new history book for many years. The last one was Col. Chinn's book in 1974, which was released on Harrodsburg's 200th birthday.

I'm going to try and close my eyes now, listening to Dark Shadows on the TV - my comfort noise at night. See everyone in the morning when I know how the book is doing.

New Book to be Released August 8th

BY JENNIFER BRUMMETT
jenb@amnews.com

12:24 p.m. EDT, August 7, 2011
HARRODSBURG — Bobbie Dawn Rightmyer and Anna Armstrong traveled a circuitous route to get to the publication of their first book together, “Images of America: Harrodsburg.” The pictorial history of Harrodsburg will be released Monday from Arcadia Publishing, which is based out of Mount Pleasant, S.C., outside of Charleston.
Rightmyer’s daughter was friends with the acquisitions editor for Arcadia Publishing, who approached Rightmyer for a book about Owen County. Rightmyer said she didn’t know anything about Owen County but she knew Harrodsburg. That started her on the path to developing a book about Harrodsburg.
Rightmyer said she’d known Armstrong all her life and was aware of her extensive collection of photos of Harrodsburg that day from the 1930s, with some older ones, as well. She sent an e-mail to Armstrong ? an e-mail Armstrong never received. So Rightmyer went ahead and signed a contract with Arcadia to do the historical book, figuring she’d get photos from the local historical society.
“I signed the contract with no idea of how to write a history book,” Rightmyer explained. In the meantime, Armstrong had been in contact with Arcadia about a postcard she was interested in creating.
“I have a huge archive of photos from my father (Andrew Armstrong), my aunt (Jesta Bell Armstrong Matherly, who also was an artist) and my work,” Armstrong said.
She found out about Rightmyer’s work on a book about Harrodsburg, and wondered what she was using for the photographic element, since her own collection of Harrodsburg photos is unparalleled. Rightmyer said she was thrilled when Armstrong called, and the two got together to discuss the book, which was when they figured out Rightmyer’s e-mail hadn’t made it to its recipient.
“I decided to offer the photographs in order for the book to happen,” Armstrong said.
She also had experience with writing historical descriptions, as she’d provided the text for a number of historical markers.Rightmyer said she found that experience invaluable, as she considers herself to be more of a “long writer,” focusing more on essays and longer written works.
Armstrong described “Images of America: Harrodsburg” as a “show-and-tell” type of a book. The co-authors indicated such a work was needed in Harrodsburg, since the city lacked a recent, updated history-type book. Armstrong said the tome will be a good companion for people who are touring the city.
“It’s one of the first things I look for (when visiting a new place),” Rightmyer added. “It gives me an idea of where I’m at and what I’m doing.”
She added she hopes “Images of America: Harrodsburg” will inspire others “to get this history out there.”
Armstrong said the postcard pictorial history of Harrodsburg and Mercer County should be released about this time next year. The vintage postcards she will use will date through the 1960s.
SO YOU KNOW
”Images of America: Harrodsburg,” written by Bobbie Dawn Rightmyer and Anna Armstrong, will be released Monday. It is available at www.amazon.com, www.powells.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.arcadiapublishing.com. It also will be available at Old Fort Harrod State Park, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill and Beaumont Inn, as well as other TBA businesses in Harrodsburg. The cost is $21.99.

Images of America: Harrodsburg

Soon to be released from Arcadia Publishing is Images of America: Harrodsburg, written by Harrodsburg’s Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer (writer) and Anna Armstrong (photography). The book will be released the week of August 8th, but is already up for pre-order on several different websites:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Arcadia

As of this moment, we are not sure when the book launch and signing will be, but we will keep you up-to-date.

Here is an excerpt from Images of America: Harrodsburg:

“Harrodsburg is the oldest permanent settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains and was founded in 1774 by James Harrod. Images of America: Harrodsburg covers the city limits from the late 1770s to the early 1960s and provides over 220 images from the Armstrong Collection, the Harrodsburg Historical Society, the Mercer County Public Library and the Kentucky Historical Society. Within these pages, experience and explore Harrodsburg during the pivotal era at the beginning of the great commonwealth – from the settlement of Old Fort Harrod to the “Saratoga of the West” mineral springs and spas. Follow the growth, hard times, and recovery of Harrodsburg, including government and growing businesses, advancements in education, the rise of religious institutions, and local and visiting celebrities. These well-preserved photographs from the entrepreneurs, grand openings, and expert news reporting all the reader to step back in time.”

Sorry for the shameless promotion, but this is a wonderful book about Harrodsburg - the oldest permanent settlement in Kentucky. Please try to buy a copy! This will also be great for tourist who will be visiting our area on vacations.