The Grannie Annie in the News

Grannie Annie, Vol. 5 News

• Click here for a photo album of the second annual Grannie Annie Gathering, held on June 5th in St. Louis. Once again Grannie Annie authors read to a standing-room-only crowd. If you would like to arrange a book signing in your area, we can help. Please contact us by e-mail or call us at 314-863-0775 or 1-888-641-5353.
• Grannie Annie is on TV! See (and hear) The Grannie Annie authors from Moldova, on Moldovan TV.
• Please join us for the second annual Grannie Annie Gathering, featuring an author reading, an art show, and a book signing. Everyone is invited! The event will be held at Left Bank Books, 321 N. 10th Street in St. Louis, on Saturday, June 5, at 2:00 p.m. Please note this is the downtown location of Left Bank Books. All storykeepers and artists will be recognized, and those who have had their work published in Grannie Annie will have an opportunity to take part in the program: Authors may read at least an excerpt from their work (or, if they prefer, have someone else read it for them). Artists may tell why they chose to illustrate the stories as they did (we'll give you a few questions to consider ahead of time). So we can plan the program, we need to know which published authors and artists are planning to attend. If you are expecting to join us for this event and you have not yet responded, please contact us by e-mail or call us at 314-863-0775 or 1-888-641-5353 by Monday, May 31. Let us know your name, story title, and the volume of Grannie Annie that includes your work. We look forward to meeting you!
• If you would like to arrange a book signing in your area, we are happy to help. Please contact us by e-mail or call us at 314-863-0775 or 1-888-641-5353.
• View the illustrations to be published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 5.
• Sneak a peek at Grannie Annie, Vol. 5.
• Read the Grannie Annie, Vol. 5 stories (as well as the other pages of The Grannie Annie website) in any of over 50 languages, thanks to our new Google Translate tool.
• Learn about these Volume 5 authors: Above, left: Grannie Annie authors from Ohio. Photo courtesy of The Mirror Newspaper. Above, right: A Grannie Annie author at her computer. Photo courtesy of Gazette.net. (Click links to read articles)
• Above, left and right: The Georgia author of "Grandpa's Saddle" is the star of "Family History Rides On," at forsythnews.com. Photos courtesy of Emily Saunders and Forsyth County News.

• Stories by Nebraska Grannie Annie authors Colin Oakley and Sydney Pfeifer appeared in the Silver Salute, a once-monthly special section of The Grand Island Independent.
• Several St. Louis-area Grannie Annie authors were honored in their Suburban Journal.
• Authors, please let us know if you have received recognition in an online or print newspaper. We want to celebrate with you! Send your news to celebrate@thegrannieannie.org.

• Click here to sneak a peek at Grannie Annie, Vol. 5

  Click here to see the illustrations in Grannie Annie, Vol. 5

  Click here to read the stories published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 5

  Click here for a list of Volume 5 story titles, and author and illustrator names

  Click here to order books

March 2010 Note to Storykeepers

For three weeks now, twenty judges have been reading and rereading your amazing stories. And there were so many stories – significantly more than ever before, from across the United States and from three additional countries!

Every story was read by at least three judges, and many stories were read by as many as seven judges. Stories were read over and over again, discussed and considered and enjoyed. But in the end, decisions had to be made.

What does a Grannie Annie judge look for?

• Did the author follow the guidelines?
• Is the story memorable?
• Is it well told?
• Does it provide a glimpse of life in times past?
  
• Does it take the reader to a specific place?
  
• Does it address a topic or depict a time and place that haven’t been part of an earlier volume?
  
• Will including the story in the book help create a pleasing collection?

Thank you for sharing your very important stories. We love them all, and we are happy to be able to share some of them with the world, through Grannie Annie, Vol. 5. One more point to keep in mind as you consider the list of stories selected for publication is that we received about three times as many stories from middle school students this year as from elementary school students.

Grannie Annie on the Radio, with StoryCorps:

Fran and Connie were delighted to spread the news about The Grannie Annie on KWMU radio, St. Louis's NPR affiliate, on the day before Thanksgiving, 2009. You can still listen to the show through the station's archives. It is an interesting and varied program, including a conversation with a StoryCorps representative and featuring a hair-raising story from Grannie Annie, Volume 4.

Grannie Annie, Vol. 4 News

The First-Ever Grannie Annie Family Gathering:

The Grannie Annie family gathered in St. Louis on June 6, 2009, to celebrate four successful years of sharing family stories. The standing-room-only crowd included Grannie Annie authors and illustrators, their family members and friends, and other members of The Grannie Annie family. Click here for a printable pdf photo album of the event. If you have suggestions for next year's event, please pass them along:

Gathering@TheGrannieAnnie.org

Grannie Annie in Ohio:

Grannie Annie authors from Fallen Timbers Middle School in Whitehouse, Ohio, were honored on April 30, 2009, in their local newspaper, the Anthony Wayne Mirror. Authors were interviewed and excerpts of the published stories were included. A notice also appeared in the school newsletter.

[Note: Press releases were sent to the area newspapers of each published author and illustrator. If you do have a Grannie Annie article to share, please send it to us via an e-mail so we can post it.]

Grannie Annie in Nebraska:

The April 23, 2009 issue of The Greeley Citizen highlighted two area Grannie Annie, Vol. 4 authors and another local storykeeper whose story was chosen for Honorable Mention. All three are students of the Greeley-Wolbach Public Schools. A similar article appeared on the same date in The Wolbach Messenger, which followed up in their next issue with photos of the three.

[Note: We would love to hear about Grannie Annie media coverage in other parts of the country, so please send an e-mail to let us know what appeared in your area.]

April 2009 Note to Storykeepers:

Congratulations, 2008/2009 storykeepers! What wonderful stories you have saved for your families. Our thanks to you for sharing them with The Grannie Annie, and we urge you to find other ways to share them as well.

Again this year, stories came to us from all parts of the country. A special welcome to those of you who joined in our celebration for the first time this year, including the storykeepers from states we hadn’t heard from before: Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Virginia.

In past years we received nearly the same number of stories from both age groups. This year we were surprised to receive twice as many middle school entries as elementary. You’ll see that difference reflected in the distribution of the 26 stories chosen for publication this year. Those story titles and author names are posted on our page titled “The Stories.” Illustrations chosen to accompany the stories will be announced later in April, after the book design is finalized. In May, authors of the published stories will receive two complimentary copies of Grannie Annie, Vol. 4.

Journey back in time, even to another continent. Be educated or entertained — laugh, cry, find yourself on the edge of your seat. As always, the stories to be published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 4 are a treasure. Bring your Grannie Annie collection up to date by placing your order for Vol. 4 now. Or start your collection with a multi-volume set. You’re excited about The Grannie Annie and want to spread the word? We have a special low price for an order of 10 or more books.

See Grannie Annie, Vol. 4 story titles, and author and illustrator names

Read Vol. 4 stories

Sneak a peek at Vol. 4, the book

Order earlier volumes of Grannie Annie

Grannie Annie, Vol. 3 News

April 1, 2008 Note to Storykeepers:

Congratulations to the participants in the 2007/2008 Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration — you are now Official Grannie Annie Storykeepers! Thanks to you, an important story from your family’s history has been saved. We encourage you to share your story with your extended family, your school, and your community.

The stories that appeared in The Grannie Annie post office box this year arrived from all parts of the country — from California and Maryland, Indiana and Texas, Alabama and Colorado, and many other states. In addition, the twenty-six stories selected to represent this year’s celebration include stories that took place in Asia, Europe, and South America, as well as many locations in North America. In fact, some took place on the waters that connect our continents!

You can access this year's selected story titles, author and illustrator names, and the stories themselves from our page titled "The Stories." Illustrations chosen for publication will be announced late in April, after the book design is finalized. In May, authors of the chosen stories will receive two complimentary copies of Grannie Annie, Vol. 3.

The stories published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 3 are an exciting complement to those in Vol. 2, and are equally entertaining, inspiring, and thought-provoking. In addition, they are likely to spark readers’ memories of other family stories — stories that students might want to submit to The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration next year. The stories also bring history to life, giving readers an insider’s perspective on events that may seem abstract and impersonal when described in a textbook. To be sure you get your copies of Vol. 3, order by April 30. A limited number of Vol. 2 books are still available. (Vol. 1 is now sold out.) Take advantage of discount pricing — order the new 2-volume set or a quantity of 10 books.

See Grannie Annie, Vol. 3 story titles, and author and illustrator names

Read Vol. 3 stories

Sneak a peek at Vol. 3, the book

Order Grannie Annie, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3

Learn more about the Vol. 2 authors and illustrators, read the stories, and sneak a peek at the book

Order the books

December 2007 Update — Grannie Annie on the Air . . . again!

On December 20, 2007, Fran Hamilton and Connie McIntyre enjoyed sharing some stories from Grannie Annie, Volume 2, live on St. Louis on the Air, a program of KWMU-FM, the St. Louis NPR (National Public Radio) station. This was our third invitation to share The Grannie Annie on KWMU — perhaps this is becoming a new tradition? You can listen to the archived show via the link on the KWMU website.

Grannie Annie, Vol. 2 News

April 2, 2007 Note to Storykeepers:

Sincere congratulations to every participant in the 2007 Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration! The Grannie Annie has grown: Nearly twice as many stories were submitted this year as in our inaugural year. We encourage each of you to creatively explore ways to share your story with your family, school, and community.

When a submission arrives at The Grannie Annie, it is assigned an entry number. The entry form is then set aside, and the story is copied for the judges. In other words, the judges know nothing about the authors. It is exciting to see that the twenty-six stories selected to represent this year’s celebration come from authors across the United States — from Idaho to New Jersey. In addition, the stories themselves took place on four continents!

This year's selected story titles and author names are now posted. In May, authors of the chosen stories will receive two complimentary copies of Grannie Annie, Vol. 2. Illustrations chosen for publication will be announced later in April, after the book design is finalized.

The stories published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 2 are an exciting complement to those in Vol. 1, and are equally entertaining, inspiring, and thought-provoking. In addition, they are likely to spark readers' memories of other family stories — stories that you might want to submit to The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration next year. The stories also bring history to life, giving readers an insider’s perspective on events that may seem abstract and impersonal when described in a textbook. To be sure you get your copies of Vol. 2, order by April 30. A limited number of Vol. 1 books are still available. Order now so you can have a complete set.

Grannie Annie, Vol. 2 story titles, and author and illustrator names

The stories to be published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 2

Sneak a peek at the Grannie Annie, Vol. 2 cover and a portion of the book, including two illustrations.

December 2006 Update — Grannie Annie on the Air and on Main Street

Have you begun preparing for the 2006/2007 Grannie Annie celebration? Two December events have been scheduled to help inspire and inform you, as well as to entertain you!

The Grannie Annie cosponsors, Connie McIntyre of Thumbprint Press and Fran Hamilton of Portico Books, will be featured on KWMU's broadcast of St. Louis on the Air on Thursday, December 7, at 11:00 a.m. (90.7 FM). The topic is, of course, "Family Stories," and we plan to share several of the stories from Grannie Annie, Vol. 1. You may want to call in and share a family story of your own.

On December 16, from 1-3 p.m., Connie and Fran will be at Main Street Books, 307 South Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri. We hope you'll come by to talk about the story you plan to write this year, about how to coordinate your students' submissions, or about any other aspect of The Grannie Annie. Your questions and comments are always welcome. If you cannot be with us in St. Charles, please feel free to e-mail us.

August 2006 Update — Grannie Annie in New Jersey

The feature story in the August 13 New Jersey Sunday Herald honored the dedication and foresight of the original Grannie Annie, Ann Guirreri Cutler. "Family History Project Spawns Children's Writing Contest" detailed Ann's commitment to saving her family's stories, her commitment to sharing them, and her role in inspiring The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration.

In the late 1990s Ann worked with Thumbprint Press publisher (and future Grannie Annie cosponsor) Connie McIntyre to capture her mother's family stories in a series of handmade books. Ann also creatively arranged for three of the books to be republished and shared with the surrounding community. Thank you again, Ann, for your inspiration and encouragement!

Have you shared your family stories recently?

Grannie Annie, Vol. 1 News

June 2006 Update — Grannie Annie in Florida

Celie Halzel, whose story was told by her grandson in Grannie Annie, Vol. 1, was featured in the June 28 issue of south Florida's Sun-Sentinel, her local paper. In "From Tragedy to Triumph" Matan Halzel of Memphis, Tennessee, had described his grandmother's experiences as a child in Romania during the Holocaust. "Grandson relates story of Holocaust" tells more about Mrs. Halzel's triumph and the importance of sharing family stories.

Grannie Annie on the Air

Grannie Annie cosponsors, Connie McIntyre of Thumbprint Press and Fran Hamilton of Portico Books, have been featured in several radio interviews, during which they have given suggestions for capturing and preserving family stories:

• St. Louis on the Air, KWMU-FM, December 19, 2005
• Homeschool Talk Radio, January 9, 2006
• Authors on the Air, WGNU-AM 920, June 2, 2006

June 15, 2006 Update — The Grannie Annie in Nebraska!

Central Nebraska Grannie Annie authors are being honored this week in their area newspaper, The Grand Island Independent. The article is to appear in "The Silver Salute," a special section that addresses subjects of interest to senior citizens. Congratulations, central Nebraska authors, for being published . . . again!

Have you contacted your local or area newspapers to share your family story? The Grannie Annie would be delighted to be involved — just ask. (Send an e-mail with your name, story title, and newspaper's contact information, including reporter's name if you can, to FamilyStories@thegrannieannie.org)

April 3, 2006 Note to Storykeepers:

Sincere congratulations to every participant in the 2006 Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration! We encourage each of you to creatively explore ways to share your story with your family, school, and community.

The Grannie Annie judges enjoyed reading your stories and were faced with many difficult decisions. In the end, they selected twenty-four stories that they believe best represent the stories received. The selected story titles are now posted on this website. In May, authors of the chosen stories will receive two complimentary copies of Grannie Annie, Vol. 1. Illustrations chosen for publication will be announced later in April, after the book design is finalized.

The stories published in Grannie Annie, Vol. 1 are entertaining, inspiring, and thought-provoking. In addition, they are likely to spark readers' memories of other family stories — stories that you might want to submit to The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration next year. The stories also bring history to life, giving readers an insider's perspective on events that may seem abstract and impersonal when described in a textbook.

Grannie Annie, Vol. 1 story titles, and author and illustrator names

The stories from Grannie Annie, Vol. 1

Sneak a peek at the Grannie Annie, Vol. 1 cover and a portion of the book, including two illustrations.

Please feel free to contact us with questions, compliments, or suggestions:

Hello@TheGrannieAnnie.org