The Covid Book

 

I feel like I have been underground for the past few months.   Cape Fear Voices is publishing a book about 2020, specifically, how Covid affected the world.  I have been glued to the computer researching the international impact,  Very recently, I meet with one of the owners/editors to put picture collages together and gather additional information about the year in general.  I found a lot of material in the way of political cartoons that I think will add a great deal to the content. 

Today, the press release about the book came out:

PRESS RELEASE

 The Great Lockdown of 2020: “How I Survived” - published by Cape Fear Voices

Someone on Facebook recently stated that they didn’t want to set their clock back one hour this Fall, as we do every year, because they didn’t want to give 2020 another hour. Another wanted to know if that offer from Momma to knock me into next year was still on the table. It’s been that kind of year for everyone.

From local earthquakes (that’s right, we had one of those in the Cape Fear region in 2020), to a record number of hurricanes, to uncontrollable forest fires out West, locust swarms in Africa, a massive bomb blast in Beirut, political discord and division on a grand scale, to the type of pandemic we haven’t seen in over 100 years – it’s been a year for the record books. Whew! And there’s more to come.  No one today wants to remember 2020. But one day, your grandchildren will want to know, “What did you do during the Great Lockdown of 2020?” (To steal a famous, rhetorical, question from the movie, “Patton.”) Well, you won’t be able to tell them you went out to eat or to a movie. You won’t have a story to tell about that great vacation you took. Maybe you could tell them how clean the house, garage, and yard look these days.

Gerald Decker and Eric Mens, co-owners of  Teen Scene Inc, which publishes a free monthly publication in the Cape Fear region called Cape Fear Voices, have collected individual stories from around the world, across the nation, and possibly even your neighborhood.  They have also garnered the support of local writers such as Bev Haedrich and Lon Anderson. Several North Carolina writers have joined the effort, including Artie Kamiya, Don Lucas, and Bruce Manicelli. Additionally, the National VFW and nationally known writer, Andrew Carroll (“War Letters” and “Behind the Lines”) have granted permission to include some of their articles about life during the pandemic. Helping with research, writing, and editing are Ken Formalarie and Jan Morgan-Swegle. 

The book will attempt to capture, for posterity, the year in glimpses from individuals. It is not our story to tell. It is the story of the nearly 100 people from around the world who submitted personal stories for this publication. Eric Mens commented that the book is “our attempt to document history for the next generation.” He also stated that while the book is still in production, we have already started getting book pre-orders from our writers and loyal readers of Cape Fear Voices.  

We are a nonprofit 501 (c) (3).  All operating funds come from donations or ad sales. Book sale proceeds will cover the cost to continue publishing Cape Fear Voices and our teen publication, The Teen Scene. If you would like to order a copy of “The Great Lockdown,” please email editorcfv@gmail.com or editorteenscene@gmail.com. 

I was very surprised and pleased to see my name in the release.  I certainly did not expect that.  

This has been such a good experience for me.  I have worked with very talented people and I have learned a great deal.  I continue to write for the paper (I missed the November issue due to the research work) and I hope that one of my articles, "The Distance Between Us," will be published in the book.  The story is about Tony and I going to Cleveland to see Jenna's children and how we had to keep our distance and not hug or have any type of contact.  That's the visit where I cried so hard I didn't think I had any tears left in me.  

I am also working the the Advisory Board on ways to generate revenue for the paper.  The Plain Dealer used to publish personal events under the heading of "Celebrations."  I pitched the idea to the Board and they thought it was a good idea so I will be working with the web designer to get it up and running.  

In other news, we are on our way to Charlotte the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  We missed Anthony's birthday in October, so we are taking his gift and having a very small party.  It will be good to see everyone and get out of the house.  

It has been an odd and difficult year.  The high's and low's were incredible.  I so hope that 2021 is better for  us all. 

From our home to  yours, Happy Thanksgiving.   🦃