GEORGETOWN
The Georgetown Working League will hold its 101st annual fair on Saturday, August 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Georgetown school.
This year, a number of children’s authors and an illustrator will be at the fair reading from and signing copies of their books. All books will be available for purchase with a percentage going to The Working League.
The authors and their books are:
Betsey Anderson, author of Maggie Goes to Maine, is a native of Dixfield, Maine and lives with her husband in Chapel Hill North Carolina. She returns to Weld, Maine, where the story takes place, in the summertime. A graduate of Dana Hall School, Betsey attended Bradford Jr. College and Wheelock. She has been a wife (57 years), mother and grandmother and an active community volunteer. Her background in art and photography along with her observations of Maggie’s joy while running free led to the idea for Maggie’s story.
Baxter in the Blaine House author Paula Benoit is a small business owner. While owning Magnolia and Baby Magnolia on Front Street in Bath, Paula served in the Maine State Senate representing all of Sagadahoc County and Dresden. It was while she was employed as the director of the Blaine House in Augusta that she wrote and published the story of the governor’s Jack Russell Terrier named Baxter. Proceeds from the sales of this children’s book are donated to The Blaine House Preservation Committee. Paula Benoit is a native of Maine, and a long time resident of Phippsburg where she lives with her husband Joe and their two weimaraners, GG and Jamma.
Thomas Block retired as an art educator in coastal Maine after 37 years to pursue a career as an artist/illustrator. His recent books include Togus a Coon Cat Finds a Home by News Center 6’s Don Carrigan and Baxter in the Blaine House by Paula Benoit. Thomas has illustrated several young adult novels as well, including Patch Scratching by Steven Powell, The Black Ledge series and Star of Wonder by Paige W. Pendleton, and 2014 National Indie Publishing award winner Retsbol Rises by Jayne Jones.Thomas also creates fine art pieces in a variety of mediums. Thomas lives and works by the sea in Midcoast Maine.
Janet Doolittle Brodesser, author of Haulin’, has spent many summers on the Maine coast where her family continues to own a house. Her children became friends with the children in the local area. Because of those friendships, she was able to go out lobstering with eight year old Bryan Kelly and 15 year old Ira Pinkham of Georgetown. Janet’s lovely paintings of that day are collected in this picture book about lobstering, the Maine coast and two young boys.
Jane Freeburg lives in Georgetown and is a long time member of The Working League. The Scallop Christmas is based on a true story told to her by her friend Marcia, who lived most of the story. “It rattled around in my brain for 35 years, and when it came to mind, I’d think, “That’s a great story. I ought to write it down.’ “She said. “I’m so glad I did.
Francine McEwen, inspired by fond memories of a special-needs child, wrote Billy Big Ears and Bob the Bully based on her belief that all bullying starts with hurtful words. The story shows how bullying starts and how kids could work together to eliminate it. Francine received a personal note from Barbara Bush as well as acknowledgment from the White House on the receipt of her book and was interviewed on Good Day Maine during National Bully Awareness Week. Ms. McEwen is a retired manufacturing manager and training consultant who lives in Manchester, Maine.
Paige W. Pendleton grew up in southern New England exploring fields, wood, and rambling stone walls on on her pony, Jingles. She was active in 4-H and raised and showed Ayrshire and Holstein dairy heifers until she moved to Maine at the age of fourteen. Paige is the author of Star of Wonder as well as the Black Ledge series which includes The Keeper and the Rune Stone and The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice. She lives in Rockport, Maine with her husband Richard and daughters Ellie and Frances.
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