Local Author Festival at Avon Library

Here is a page from the Arts section of this Sunday’s Hartford Courant depicting the Local Author Festival at the Avon Public Library on Tuesday, July 26th. I will be talking about my book, Strapped into an American Dream, and there will be four other travel authors.

Derby Public Library Up Next

I will be speaking and signing books at the Derby Public Library on Monday, July 18th at 6:30 PM. Had a nice crowd at the Enfield Public Library on Tuesday, and looking forward to sharing my travel stories in Derby. Details regarding this event and more on the links below:

http://derbypubliclibrary.org/

http://www.glennmaynard.weebly.com/

 

Travel Show at Avon Public Library July 26th

Here is a link to Avon Public Library’s Summer Events, including my participation with four other Travel Authors on July 26th. Check out all of the authors that will be participating. Check out my website as well for upcoming events, including appearances at the Enfield Public Library and the Derby Public Library.

http://www.avonctlibrary.info/localauthorfest.html

http://www.glennmaynard.weebly.com/

Michigan Strikes Again

If you’re interested in entering a Goodreads giveaway for a free book, and you live in Michigan, then your odds of winning are increased exponentially. I’m not sure what it is about Michigan, but that state always surprises me. Even while traveling through the state during my one-year journey through America in an RV, I found something extra special about Michigan. Whether it was the people we met or the places we navigated through, we left with an unexpected satisfaction. Maybe it was the friendly  people or the friendly police we ran into a couple of times at campgrounds. Maybe it was the Upper Peninsula and our side trip to Mackinac Island. Perhaps it was the beautiful Pictured Rocks, the Soo Locks train ride to Canada, or Lake Huron. This was quite a combination.

Then comes my Goodreads Giveaway. I decided to give away a copy of my three books. My two paranormal books were offered worldwide, and my travel book was offered just to readers in the United States. The paranormal books went to Canada and Michigan. My travel book, Strapped into an American Dream, also went to Michigan. I sent it off today. Amazing odds for Michigan, considering that over 4,300 people entered the contests. The contest ended this week, and the book was mailed today.

Note to Winner: After sealing the envelope, I looked and saw my personalized note on the table. I had to force open one side and slide in the folded note, then tape it shut. Enjoy my books Michigan!

http://www.glennmaynard.weebly.com/

The (RV) Show Must Go On

The Northeast CT RV & Camping Show at the CT Convention Center is this weekend and Storm Jonas (brothers) is not going to ruin it! We’re only expecting 1-5 inches of snow in the Hartford area. Hopefully it misses us completely because this is my favorite show of the year. I’ll be speaking and signing copies of my book, Strapped Into An American Dream. Come on out to the show and start thinking about warmer times and travelling by land. I will also be doing a book signing at the Worcester RV Show in the DCU Center in Worcester MA on Sunday,  February 21st from 11-5PM. Come on down and step into one of these American dreams.

http://www.glennmaynard.weebly.com/

http://www.ctrvshow.com/pages/welcome.asp

http://www.worcestershows.com/RV/index.html

Strapped Into A Better CT clip

Here is a clip from the Channel 3 website of my Better CT show appearance this afternoon discussing my one year journey through the 48 continental states in an RV. It was a wonderful experience to see the behind the scenes of this television show with Scot Haney and Kara Sundlun moving around the studio from set to set with the cameraman shouting out how much time before each scene goes live. My shot was inside an RV provided by Van’s RV. This is all in preparation for this weekend’s CT RV Show at the CT Convention Center, and hopefully winter storm Jonas pushes out to sea.

http://www.wfsb.com/clip/12152562/see-how-one-man-traveled-the-country-in-his-rv

http://www.glennmaynard.weebly.com/

 

Think of Spring with the Northeast Connecticut RV & Camping Show coming this Weekend

I will be doing a book signing at the Northeast Recreational Vehicle & Camping Show at the Connecticut Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday (January 24th and 25th) from 10 AM to 4 PM. I will be signing copies of my book, “Strapped Into An American Dream,” which details my one year journey through the 48 continental states in an RV. I will also have copies of my latest book, “Desert Son,” available for purchase. This signing was announced in The Hartford Courant and The Glastonbury Citizen last week, and Mike Cameron will announce my appearance on Channel 3 News (WFSB) this coming Saturday. Attached is a link to the RV Show as well as my website for further details of my books. Let’s get thinking about spring in the middle of winter and get out of hibernation and into dreams of warmer weather. One month from today Spring Training starts for Major League Baseball, so I can almost smell it!

http://www.ctrvshow.com/pages/welcome.asp

http://www.glennmaynard.weebly.com/

Interview with Author of “Strapped Into An American Dream”

Click here for full interview!

Glenn Maynard – Strapped into an American Dream
by Cathy B Stucker

What is your most recent book? Tell us a bit about it.

Strapped into an American Dream captures America, whirling readers along a 35,000-mile trek through the 48 contiguous states in a rebuilt RV. I married, and my wife and I quit our jobs, sold our cars, put all of our belongings in storage and hit the road. We risked our future to satisfy the present, and now we have memories for a lifetime. I wrote about the great times as well as the brushes with death along this risky path.

Tell us something about yourself.

I was born in Glastonbury, CT and went to school at UCONN in Storrs, CT. My summer vacations were at the beach in RI every summer growing up, so I hadn’t been west of NY at the time of my journey. I had always wanted to have my name on the cover of a book, and I received my English degree and my desire to travel in my early twenties. I needed to build credibility, so I decided to travel and write about it as a travel correspondant in the local papers as I made my way through the country. I got two papers interested, which resulted in 20 published articles. I now had the credibility I would need to eventually get my book published.

What inspired you to write this book?

When my wife and I decided to travel, I knew it would be the inspiration behind a book. I wanted to fill the book with great stories of living on the road. The only problem was that there were so many stories I had to cut a lot out, but I knew it was the best it could be.

How did you choose the title?

The title just came to me as I was thinking about sitting in the RV ready to take off on our journey. My family was around us, we were about to live the American dream, and we could hear the simultaneous click of our seatbelts; we were strapped into an American dream.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them?

When I divorced after 5 years, I had to take the book back from my agent, rewrite it to make it more of a travel book and less of a honeymoon book, rename it, and start the publishing quest all over again.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

Ever since I was in First Grade I was writing creative stories that stuck out to my teachers. I began writing longer stories about events in my life. When I went to college I would get cash sent from home, and started writing funny poems of thanks. The cash began coming faster, and from more family members, wanting a good laugh. I was an English major, and knew I had to do something with it.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

I heard that publishing a book is hard, but marketing it is the hardest part. That is the truth. I am constantly working at marketing my book even after two years. I learned a lot from the signing of the contract to the first time I held a copy of my book in my hand. I felt that I had been a part of every step in the publishing of my book.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

It would be an easy answer for me to say that I would go with a bigger publisher who promised more marketing, but being a first-time author and already having too much time pass, I decided to sign the contract with the small publisher. Next time I would do it differently, but I couldn’t do it differently the first time.

Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?

I have a fiction book about the paranormal, including an out-of-body experience, hypnosis and reincarnation. It is with an agent and she has submitted to publishers for consideration.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

If you want to write a book…write it. Be very careful before signing a contract, and be very ready to promote your own book. The only person truly interested in your book is you (unless you’re Stephen King or Oprah).

Who is the perfect reader for your book?

My book is perfect for Rvers, campers, retirees, anybody who likes to travel, or anybody who ever had the desire to chuck it all and hit the open road.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

Publisher’s website:
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/StrappedIntoAnAmericanDream.html

Amazon.com

About Glenn Maynard

6 Author booksigning in Vernon, CT

Glenn Maynard to Take Part in The Book Rack’s ‘Authors Slam’ on May 14, 2011 in Vernon

Glenn Maynard, author of Strapped into an American Dream, will join 5 other writers to participate in an ‘Authors Slam’ event, held at The Book Rack at the Shops at 30 Plaza, 435 Hartford Tpk., Vernon, CT, 06066, on Saturday May 14, from 10 to 2.

Strapped Into an American Dream
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – May 09, 2011 – Vernon, CT – Glenn Maynard, author of Strapped into an American Dream, will join five other writers to participate in an ‘Authors Slam’ event, held at The Book Rack at the Shops at 30 Plaza, 435 Hartford Tpk., Vernon, CT, 06066, on Saturday May 14, from 10am to 2pm. The authors will sign books and discuss their work; seating and light refreshments will be available.

Maynard’s memoir captures America, whirling readers along a 35,000-mile trek through the 48 contiguous states in a rebuilt RV. One week after their wedding, Glenn and his wife quit their jobs, sold their cars, and set out to find America. This book details how they were able to realize this dream, and then introduces the reader to the unique people they met and the places they visited along the path.

Travel with them through 23 National Parks, Las Vegas, Mardi Gras, and dusty ghost towns. Feel the rushing wind of tornadoes and the rocking of an earthquake. Sleep on roadsides and in truck stops, shifting from state to state, risking danger in favor of a limited bank account.

It is the dream of many Americans, in all walks of life, to travel the country, but few realize this dream. Now they may do so vicariously in the reading of these adventures. Laugh along the way. Share the terror, sorrow, and humor — strapped into an American dream.

STRAPPED INTO AN AMERICAN DREAM (ISBN: 978-1-60976-030-4) is available for $16.99 and can be ordered through the publisher’s website: http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/StrappedIntoAnAme …
Or at http://www.amazon.com or http://search.barnesandnoble.com
Wholesalers please email BookOrder@AEG-Online-Store.com

About the Author: Glenn Maynard has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Connecticut, and a degree in Communications. After spending 4 years living in Denver, Colorado, he returned home to Connecticut and now resides in Wethersfield. Glenn has a 9 year-old son named Andrew. As a travel correspondent for three newspapers while exploring the United States, Canada and Mexico during his one-year journey, Glenn published a total of twenty newspaper articles. His story was captured on the NBC local news upon his return.

Strategic Book Group, LLC
http://www.StrategicBookGroup.com http://www.StrategicBookClub.com
http://www.StrategicBookPublishing.com http://www.SBPRA.com http://www.StrategicBookMarketing.com http://www.StrategicBookAgency

ABOUT: Strategic Book Group provides book publishing, book marketing, and e-book services to over 10,000 writers around the world, employing 150 people who live throughout the US and work virtually through telecommunication. Strategic Book Group is experiencing over 30% growth per year, having published approximately 3,000 authors with almost 100 new releases -843287368 per month. Our books are available through Ingram, the largest book distributor in the world, as well as in bookstores, through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all online channels. Strategic Book Group attends and exhibits at the major book expositions in London, New York, China, and Germany each year.

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Strategic Book Group specializes in promoting the works of new and previously undiscovered writers. We make books available to bookstores and Internet distributors throughout the United States and Europe. SBG is aggressively seeking new talent.

http://www.prlog.org/11480915-glenn-maynard-to-take-part-in-the-book-racks-authors-slam-on-may-14-2011-in-vernon.html

Review of “Strapped Into An American Dream”