Alva in Port Henry and Roberta, Henderson, and Waldman


Heard from Alva. Told me she’d decided to leave Albany to check out the real world. Seems she’d heard the bridge at Crown Point was completed and was a sight for sore eyes–I guess hers. So she and a friend who had joined her in Albany to rattle political cages about extending the Millionaire’s Tax had taken a run up to see the new bridge and walk across it.

According to Alva, the view from the bridge over Lake Champlain is simply stunning in both North and South directions so they have decided to bunk down in Port Henry for a few days.

Oh, and just a bit ago, Alva called me again to say the Bridge at Crown Point at night from Port Henry is just magical to behold; not only the walkways over the bridge, but also the road leading up to it are beautifully lit.

Also, according to Alva, she and an acquaintance named Zeta have already decided to walk the span again in the morning, but this time, as the sun comes up–because the Green Mountains with the sun rising over them and the thought of arriving mid-Bridge as it does so is just too exciting for her to resist.

In view of Alva’s anticipation, it just didn’t seem to be the time to talk of mundane things like Alva Press and our PR campaign. So I never got to mention the fact that Kristen Henderson’s book of poetry, Drum Machine, will be released in January.

Also I did not mention that last night I met Carl Waldman, well-know author of some ten or more other books on explorers, Elvis, and American Indians–including the Encyclopedia of Native Americans! Or that he’s asked me to read his yet to be published newest novel–a mystery.

Can’t help it. Life is so lop-sided: Alva’s all in a tizzy about Crown Point Bridge being done and right now all I can think about is reading Waldman’s mystery.

Still, next week I think I’ll take a run to Port Henry just to take a look at the Bridge myself. I love Port Henry–used to live there–and was pretty devastated a couple of years ago when they imploded the old Crown Point Bridge due to its weakened state.

And believe me, I was not the only one.

Roberta in Po-Town, Ready to run four hours north

Alva Not Coming Home; Not Yet


Last night Alva called. She’s still in Albany. Went on about how if all the millionaires have not left the state now while they still have a tax on them, they are certainly not going to leave the state if the Legislature and Andrew Cuomo decide to extend it. Says the State needs it. The people need it. The millionaires’ don’t. Tried to at least get her to come back home. Told her she could use my cell to call the governor. No good. She wasn’t coming.

Next I tried to explain that we really need her here at ALVA Press, Inc. I told her how we were trying to navigate the social media and get the word out about Jolt: a rural noir–now an eBook, and Kristen Henderson’s soon-to-be-released book of poems, Drum Machine. All to no avail. She would have nothing of it.

All I could do at best was to get her to agree to follow my posts here and at http://alvapressinc.com and to return home if the snow flies–although this latter promise I can’t say is to be relied upon as it was offered so grudgingly. Mumbled something like, saving her energy for the spring.

Meantime, here at Alva Press, she’s left everything to Chelsea and me. If you recall, it had been Alva who was in charge of newsletter distribution. And newspaper contacts. Now how are we to improve Jolt: a rural noir sales without Alva here? So we just keep our fingers crossed that Alva’ll be back in time to help with the PR for the Henderson book. But who knows?

Also hoping my friends will give us a boost in the interim. Maybe they’ll just post lots of comments about Jolt on GoodReads.com–and give it five stars.

In other, if you haven’t picked up a copy yet of Jolt: a rural noir, do order it though http://alvapressinc.com. where with sending costs included, for $11.95 you can order copy of Jolt: a rural noir as an eBook. (Traditional formats are a bit more expensive and do include shipping.)

Roberta in Po-Town, Still Missing Alva