Books, Bands, and Radio Broadcasts

My calendar tells me a month has passed since my book launch, so it must be true. But it's been such a whirlwind, it's difficult for me to believe we've reached mid-August. What have I been up to? Selling and signing books, attending band concerts, and basking in the glow of having a published book to show for my efforts of the past 12 years.

To help myself remember where I've been, here's a summary of the past month:

• July 16: Launch of Crackerjack Bands and Hometown Boosters: The Story of a Minnesota Music Man (Nodin Press) at the Grand Event Center in Northfield, Minn., a truly grand event attended by 100+ people! Biggest surprise: the debut of "The G. Oliver March," composed by recent Northfield High School graduate Sam Dwyer, and performed by a crackerjack band of student musicians.

#GandMe

• July 20: Book signing at Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery in Park Rapids, Minn., accompanied by my parents and sons Elias and Sebastian. Biggest surprise: former Northfield residents Rollie and Shar Jacobsen attended, and I learned that Rollie's dad, Bob, once played the cornet!

• Aug. 1: First day of the 2019 Vintage Band Festival. I sold books and enjoyed concerts in Bridge Square by FinnBrass (from Finland); À Râse dè têre (from Belgium); the Jack Brass Band; Mariachi Mi Tierra; and the McNasty Brass Band. Highlight: being off social media (except for posting band photos and videos) and spending all day immersed in music.

Thanks, Landry, for making my sign!

McNasty Brass concludes the first evening of entertainment

• Aug. 2: Second day of VBF. I attended the Historic Brass Society's Early Brass Festival in the morning, sold books, and enjoyed concerts in Bridge Square by the Territorial Brass: Arizona's Official Historical Brass Band; Kentucky Baroque Trumpets; the 1st Nebraska Volunteers Brass Band; the Independent Silver Band; Banda La Verdadera; Copper Street Brass; and Bend in the River Big Band. Highlight: watching people of all ages get up and dance to swinging tunes performed by Bend in the River Big Band.

Bend in the River Big Band making its VBF debut

• Aug. 3: Third day of VBF. I attended the Early Brass Festival in the morning, sold books, and enjoyed concerts in Bridge Square by Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble; the Imperial Cornet Band; the 1st Brigade Band; the 34th Infantry Division "Red Bull" Band; Newberry's Victorian Cornet Band; Metro Brass; Southside Aces; and Hornucopia. Highlight: attending an Early Brass Festival presentation by William Reynolds about his years in a circus band.

Hornucopia makes its VBF debut

• Aug. 4: Final day of VBF. I gave a presentation at the Early Brass Festival, "An Iowa Regimental Band's 1906 Trip to the South," I sold books, and I enjoyed concerts in Bridge Square by the Lake Wobegon ® Brass Band; the St. Cloud Municipal Band; Brio Brass; the Minnesota State Band; Brass Lassie; and Original Drachenfelser Musikanten (from Germany). Highlight: introducing the St. Cloud Municipal Band and hearing the band play a medley from Meredith Willson's The Music Man.

The St. Cloud Municipal Band making its debut at VBF

• Aug. 9: I talked about my book on Open Line, a long-running radio program on KXRA: Voice of Alexandria.

• Aug. 10: Book signing event at Cherry Street Books, in my hometown of Alexandria, Minn. Biggest surprise: selling out of books toward the end of the event (don't worry, the store has ordered more!).

It's hard to say which one of us most enjoyed the event. Even Giant G looks pleased!

• Aug. 15: I appeared on the KYMN Radio program The Wayne Eddy Affair in the morning (it's archived here), and, in the evening, I read an excerpt from my book before the St. Cloud Municipal Band Concert in Barden Park. Highlight: getting a photo of my dad and Giant G with Robbyn Wacker, president of St. Cloud State University, and Dave Kleis, mayor of St. Cloud.

SCSC President Robbyn Wacker; my dad; Giant G; St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis

That's been my life as an author for the past four weeks. What's up next? I have several book events lined up for the next few months, and I'm planning to add more soon. You can check out my website for an up-to-date list. Hope to see you this fall!

If you can't attend one of my events and want to buy my book online, I encourage you to order it from my friends at Content Bookstore (they'll ship it for only 99 cents, and if you request it, I'll personalize it for you). Copies are also available at the Northfield Historical Society Museum Store in Northfield, at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria, at Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery in Park Rapids, and at Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais. You can also contact the nearest independent bookstore near you (search IndieBound.org) or order it through online retailers Barnes and Noble and Amazon.