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Benjamin Goldberg, development officer for the Williamsburg Regional Library.
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Williamsburg is home to hundreds of authors — some who set their books in their historical backyard, some connected to the College of William & Mary, still others who simply come because of our rich history.
About 10 years ago, a librarian at the Williamsburg Regional Library noticed how many local authors were coming in to request that their books be added to the library’s collection.
That’s how the Local Authors Project was born — a program that invites local authors in the Williamsburg area to donate their published works to the library. And over the past decade about 400 authors have contributed everything from novels and history books to cookbooks and self-help books.
Williamsburg is home to hundreds of authors — some who set their books in their historical backyard, some connected to the College of William & Mary, still others who simply come because of our rich history.
“We have a very literate community — people who really like to write,” says Benjamin Goldberg, the development officer for the Williamsburg Regional Library. “It doesn’t hurt that we have great museums and a spectacular college in town.”
Books by local authors are mixed into the regular collection by topic. Each gets a special bookplate, noting that it was donated by a local author.
Some local authors who hail from Williamsburg are well known — such as non-fiction writer L. B. Taylor Jr., who penned the popular series of books “The Ghosts of Virginia.” Taylor published some 50 books before his death in 2014.
Some authors have had success with local publishers, others have chosen to self-publish. One, science fiction writer Will McIntosh, has had books optioned by Hollywood producers and is on the verge of seeing one make it to television.
McIntosh was a psychology professor at Georgia Southern University when he started writing science fiction short stories. One night, he had a cool dream, so he decided to write about it. Then he kept going.
He had 88 straight rejections before he sold his first story for a mere $20.
That first story, titled “A Flea Market Seller Finds Love in an Age of Sleeplessness,” published in a glossy science fiction/fantasy magazine, was the start of something great for McIntosh.
When McIntosh’s wife got a teaching job at William & Mary, they moved to Williamsburg and he began to write full time. McIntosh devotes about eight hours a day, five days a week, to his craft, working in his home office.
He writes to the driving beats of heavy metal and Goth music, such as Ozzy Osborne and Led Zeppelin. It’s got to be loud. “It distracts me enough that it helps me from writing in a clichéd manner,” he explains.
McIntosh, 55, says he’s loved science fiction, his chosen genre, since the age of 4, when he saw King Kong on TV. He calls what he writes “soft” science fiction, mostly staying away from heavy science and focusing on society and culture in the future. To date, he’s published about 50 short stories, six novels and won a coveted Hugo award, which recognizes the best in science fiction writing.
It’s an exciting time for McIntosh, who is awaiting word on a book that may be turned into a television series. Meanwhile, Watchdog is set to come out this spring from Random House, and will be his first middle-grades book, written to appeal to ages 8 to 12 — one he looks forward to reading to his own 8-year-old twins.
New Jersey native Feather Schwartz Foster was dragged “kicking and screaming,” on a family vacation to Williamsburg as a teenager and ended up enchanted by everything about it. She moved here in 2008.
Foster started collecting books about the American presidents early on. Once a songwriter, she had always loved to write but spent 35 years working in advertising and public relations before deciding to try her hand at a book.
She initially considered writing about presidents, but figured she’d have to take them too seriously. So she decided to write about the First Ladies instead.
“I can have more fun with them,” she says. Her first book, published in 2002 by a Baltimore publisher, is a collection of fictional stories about the First Ladies from Martha Washington to Mamie Eisenhower. Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities is a light-hearted look at who the First Ladies were, rooted in historical fact.
Her latest book, "Mary Lincoln’s Flannel Pajamas and Other Stories From the First Ladies’ Closet," came out in 2016. The real-life stories are based on items of clothing that belonged to the First Ladies, such as a gown, a pair of shoes, or a hat. The book will be featured in this year’s annual Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville.
Foster, who also speaks to groups about First Ladies and writes a blog, has one rule about the women she focuses on: No one after Eisenhower.
“If you think Jackie Kennedy needs me, think again,” she says. “The old gals need me. I always feel the old First Ladies are collective great-grandmothers. They have much to teach us.”
For years, Sharon Dillon was a writer, but she didn’t publish her first book until the age of 70.
Dillon’s blog is called “Thoughts to Ponder,” where she offers her comments on ordinary life. Her readers kept telling her she should write a book, so slowly, she headed in that direction. She joined writing groups, such as the Chesapeake Bay Writers, began attending a monthly critique group and went to publishing workshops.
Eventually, she found a local publisher
Daniel Wetta, who agreed to help her publish a collection of her blog posts. “Echoes of Your Choices: Laughter, Peace, and Joy,” came out in July 2016. Dillon calls the collection an inspirational, or motivational, type of book.
Take the entry “Wrong Road,” which begins with Robert Frost’s quote on taking the road less traveled.
“It is never too late to change your direction,” Dillon writes. “I’m now looking for other ways to expand my life and new roads to travel. If I don’t fly among the stars, I’m still a lot further than if I’d never started this journey.”
It’s not easy to publish a book and Dillon had to spend some of her own money on two printings of her book, but sees it as money well spent.
Living in a community full of writers, it’s hard not to think of what everyone else is doing, she says. “But it’s not a competition. There’s something for everyone to be interested in.”
For more information about the Williamsburg Regional Library, or to make a donation, go to wrl.org.
Inspired by All of Williamsburg’s Authors? Are you a writer and want to publish a book, too?
by Kim O’Brien Root
While it’s not easy to immediately get signed with a big name publisher – the “big four,” of Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins and Hatchette Livre – there are many opportunities to try and get your story in print, including self-publishing.
First off, as author Feather Schwartz Foster said, “Have something to say, and say it well.” Then write! Carve out some time every day, as sci-fi writer Will McIntosh does.
For those who need some prodding, consider taking part in the National Novel Writing Month each November. NaNoWriMo challenges participants to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month. Kimberly Renner, 42, of Williamsburg, took part for the first time last year.
Renner had wanted to write a novel since she was a child. After a month of writing daily, she completed her hand-written novel, the Thunder Bird Diary, at 50,011 words. It’s a young adult fantasy novel that she hopes to one day publish.
“It teaches the habit of writing daily,” Renner said. “During my best days of writing, I wrote a little at breakfast, during lunch, and my best writing time is at night.”
The NaNoWriMo website – nanowrimo.org – also offers tips, inspiration and gives writers a chance to connect with others. Similarly, there are writing groups all over the internet and on Facebook where writers can connect. Locally, there’s the Chesapeake Bay Writers and Hampton Roads Writers. Both offer networking, workshops and critique groups.
“Get a lot of feedback,” even if it’s negative, McIntosh said. “You need to have thick skin.”
