Thanks to all who support authors

So many things to be thankful for this time of year (did someone say pie?). But the weekend before Thanksgiving underscored something for which I’m particularly grateful.

I went to Seeley Lake, about an hour northeast of Missoula, for a reading sponsored by the Alpine Artisans group, my second time there. Now, Seeley is a town of only about 1,600 people, and yet Alpine Artisans routinely turns out a wonderfully large, sharp and appreciative crowd for readings and other events.

Readings are held at Grizzly Claw Trading Co., run by Dee and Susan Baker, a store filled with work by local artists and craftspeople, and books by regional authors—and a great coffee shop, too.

The town is sandwiched between its eponymous lake and the Mission Mountains, claiming one of Montana’s most jaw-dropping settings, in a state that shrugs at the merely spectacular.

The event capped a string of readings and book signings for Silent Hearts, occasions that underscore yet again how fortunate I am to live in a place whose people, even in the smallest communities, are so supportive of writers and artists.

I hope all of those people had a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with art and books (and pie!) and the kind of fellowship that warms the heart in this cold time of year.