The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash

Earlier this year, I impatiently looked forward to the next novel by Wiley Cash. So you can imagine my excitement to hear that he would be the keynote speaker at the NC Writers Network 2017 Fall Conference. The fact that his next book would be published right before the conference made it even more of a reason not to miss his keynote address. I really enjoyed the conference, learned a lot, and met some amazing writers. I ordered "The Last Ballad" from my local bookstore, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest. We all need to support our local bookstores. They are so valuable and important to our communities. Wiley Cash was kind enough to sign it and I was thrilled to hear his address to the conference, a win-win. 

The novel portrays the life of Ella Mae Wiggins based on true accounts of her life. Ella Mae was a special woman who was ahead of her time. She fought for many rights including the right to be home with her children when they were sick and to make a fair wage in her job at the local mill. She was not a radical communist as some parts of society portrayed her at the time of the Loray Mill strike which took place in Gastonia, North Carolina in 1929. The fact that I, a native North Carolinian, have never heard of this strike and social unrest in the early 1900's seems unbelievable to me. No state likes to advertise their messy history, so these type of events seem to be swept under the table of history and not widely discussed.

Ella Mae was a poor young woman working in Tennessee with her parents when they both died and left her with no one at the age of 16. With a small amount of money in her pocket, she drew the interest of a swindler who took her money and her virginity. After she became pregnant they moved to find work at the textile mills in South Carolina. Struggling with her loss and uneducated she found work in several mills, but was left alone to provide for herself and her children. Living in a shack, working 70 hours a week at her job, she took a chance and went to hear a union organizer. From there she would become one of the most influential people in the struggle to organize the workers, both white and black. She wrote and performed songs, organized her fellow workers and attended rallies. The mill owners and their minions did not like the largely Northern group of union organizers who came down South to stir up trouble and they fought hard to put down the organizer's ideas by using fists, clubs, guns and other ruthless tactics. 

Ella Mae's story, while true, is a fictional account written by the wonderful storyteller, Wiley Cash. His novel, as usual, provide a vivid picture of life in North Carolina when this was taking place. You can feel Ella Mae's pain and we mourn along with her losses. You can't go wrong reading any of Wiley Cash's books. The stories they tell and characters you meet will stay with you long after the last page is turned. A solid 5 stars!  

Love this Local Bookstore! Page 158 Books

I know this is for book reviews but it's a new year and there is so much reading time ahead for us all! Mostly I am reading my Book club choice this month, "Nobody's Fool" by Richard Russo. Even though I read it quite a few years ago and saw the adorable movie, I wanted to re-read it again. I try to do that as long as it's been a few years since I've had my eyes on it. Now that Christmas is behind us, there should be lots of time to indulge ourselves in the wonderful world of reading. I hope so at least. It may take another ice storm to give me the time I want, between my family, our store, Signarama/Raleigh, writing and oh, yeah, life. 

Living in Wake Forest, I love to support the local businesses as often as possible. The local restaurants seem to get the larger piece of my spending pie, but downtown is so lovely I try to get there as often as I can. I had been in Page 158 Books a few times but had not had the chance to talk with the owners. At a recent author book talk, I was fortunate enough to hear two wonderful authors discuss their books and many other things with owner, Sue Lucey. Sue does a great job with the interview and asked the questions that I wanted to hear answered, and many I had not thought of but also wanted to know. She had a community TV show at one time before moving here and it shows. She runs the author visits like the pro she is. 

But don't get the wrong idea, this is not a big, cold operation. When you enter the small store, you will get it. There are more books than you can shake a stick it, and Sue and Dave will help you find whatever you are looking for and more. When I went in that night in November for the book talk, I had only planned to buy Pat Conroy's last book, "A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life." I am supposed to be on restrictions until I read some of my previous purchases. But after listening to the talk, and then talking to both Sue and Dave, I walked out the door with around 6 or 7 books! Don't judge, some of the books were gifts for Christmas and they had awesome suggestions. 

Sue escaped, like me, into reading at a young age and started and joined book clubs her adult life. When she and Dave moved to Wake Forest in 2007, she wanted to start a literary festival. When the Renaissance Center opened, she approached them and came up with Author Interviews once a month. At that time, she worked with Storytellers Bookstore to coordinate some of the events. One day she mentioned to the owner that she would love to own a bookstore one day and two days later the owner emailed Sue with an offer she and Dave couldn't resist - Page 158 Books was born. 

The name was suggested to them by a good friend, Andy Ellis, who owns a marketing firm in Wake Forest. You can visit them at 158 South White Street, Wake Forest! Can you figure out where the name came from? They are open on Monday - Wednesday from 10am - 6pm, on Thursday - Friday from 10am - 7pm and on Saturday from 10am - 6pm. They are closed on Sundays. They continue to use their name to promote the store by having their visiting authors sign their books on Page 158 which usually turns out to hold a turning point in their story Sue told me. And have they hosted some amazing authors, from Diane Chamberlain, to Vivian Howard and Ashley Christiansen. Check out their full calendar on their website or Facebook page. Sue recommended some of her favorite books for this blog, "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck and "The Bright Edge of the World" by Eowyn Ivey. I added that one to my To-Read List!  

Even though they love their location, a larger building across the street has caught their eye. Plans to refurbish it with a soda fountain and large upstairs room for author visits is on their wish list. But for now, they love being at 158 S White St. With bookclubs, adult coloring events, cookbook clubs, and author visits, there is lots to see and do at Page 158 Books. If you don't have time to get in, they can special order just about anything. Check out their amazing online store or call with requests. You can find them on Facebook, @Page158Books or on the web, page158books.com. Whatever you are looking for Sue and Dave can handle it. But more than anything after you meet them, you will know why they are a big success from the warm feeling and love for books and people that you will feel yourself when you walk away. Visit them today!