PAGE 2A
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 201 3
Fascination with
local history inspires
Georgia Gold series
Sautee
Shadows
INSPIRED TALES
Denise Weimer’s book, “Sautee Shadows,” is the first of a four-book series
inspired by the history of North Georgia.
This spring the release of Denise Weimer’s “Sautee Shadows,
the first of a four-book series that links ante
bellum Georgia’s coast and mountains from
the time of the Georgia Gold Rush through
The War Between the States, will hit the
bookstands.
The public is invited to meet the author,
the former Denise Short of Jackson County,
at Fort Hollingsworth-White’s A Day at the
Fort Celebration, Saturday, May 25, from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. Weimer will be on hand to
discuss the series and sign copies of the
novel. She will also be directing two demon
strations of mid-1800s dance.
During her residence in Habersham
County, Weimer became fascinated with the
historical buildings that surrounded her, and
when well-known regional historian and art
ist John Kollock offered his help with her
future research (after reading a novella she
had published), she eagerly accepted. She
then began crafting a story about “the summer people” like Kollock’s
ancestors, coastal tycoons who had in the 1800s built fanciful moun
tain retreats near Clarkesville. She wanted to show how their lives
mingled with those of the hardy pioneers and Cherokee Indians.
Weimer discovered that never before had a historical fiction novel
been written about the area.
In “Sautee Shadows,” the lives of four families intertwine through
romance, adventure and murder. The novel introduces three main
characters: Jack Randall, the son of a wealthy shipping magnate
who abhors slavery and longs to return to his original homeplace in
New York; Mahala Franklin, a beautiful young woman who endures
prejudice and rejection because she is half-white and half-Cherokee;
and Dev Rousseau, a true Southerner who plans to enter the military
if the perceived war between the North and South becomes reality.
When Jack purchases a hotel in Clarkesville, he enters into direct
competition with The Franklin Hotel and the spirited granddaughter
of the owner, whose life revolves around unraveling the mystery of
her father’s murder and missing gold.
Weimer hopes the series will appeal to men as well as women
since it details the business of the shipping industry of the coastal
southern states and the military action of the war. So far the reviews
have been very positive. C.T. French, of Midwest Reviews says,
“Chocked full of history, with dialogue true to the time, characters
that intrigue and beguile, and what promises to be an adventurous
and exciting journey this is certain to be an interesting, entertaining
series.” Paul Yarbrough of Southern Literary Review says, “An excit
ing historical novel, its roots in the forced emigration of southeastern
tribes and the story expanding into mystery as the Union divides.”
“Sautee Shadows” received a limited hardcover release as book
one of a trilogy in December 2010, under a different publisher.
Now under the auspices of Canterbury House Publishing, which
features quality Southeastern fiction and is distributed by John F.
Blair, the novel appears in soft cover. Book two of the Georgia Gold
Series, “The Gray Divide,” will be released September 1, 2013. “The
Crimson Bloom” and “Bright as Gold” will follow starting in 2014.
Kollock’s exclusive cover art will be featured throughout the series.
Weimer is a native resident of Georgia. She earned her journal
ism degree with a minor in history from Asbury University and
graduated magna cum laude. She is the author of romantic novella,
“Redeeming Grace,” and her magazine articles about Northeast
Georgia have appeared in numerous regional publications. Weimer
is also a wife and the mother of two young daughters, a life-long living
historian, and for many years directed a mid-1800s dance group, The
1860s Civilian Society of Georgia. She now resides in Watkinsville.
“Sautee Shadows,” book one of the Georgia Gold Series is avail
able nationally in bookstores and online retailers as of April 1, 2013.
Canterbury House Publishing, ISBN: 978-0-9829054-8-7, trade soft
cover, $15.95. For more information about the Georgia Gold Series
visit http://deniseweimerbooks.webs.com and www.canterbury-
housepublishing.com. Locally, the novel may be purchased at Books
With A’Peal in Cornelia. Copies will be $15 at Fort Hollingsworth,
which is located just off Highway 441 between Cornelia and Homer,
2307 Wynn Lake Road, Alto.
Mark your calendar:
Banks Relay for Life
coming up May 18
The annual Banks County
Relay for Life will be held on
Saturday, May 18, in down
town Homer on the square
in front of the historic court
house.
The Relay for Life this year
is a one-day event being held
on Saturday, May 18, begin
ning at 10 a.m. and ending
at 11 p.m. on the square in
Homer in front of the historic
courthouse.
A parade and street dance
are planned as part of this
year’s Relay for Life. The
parade will be held at 10 a.m.
on Saturday, May 18. Anyone
that would like to participate is
asked to meet at the elemen
tary school parking lot by 9:30
a.m. The committee is look
ing for a variety of people to
be a part of this special event.
Because Relay for Life is
a family-friendly event, youth
of all ages are invited to ride
their Big Wheels, tricycles,
bicycles and four-wheelers in
the parade. Participants are
also invited to decorate their
rides. This group is asked to
meet at the parking lot at Tiny
Town. They will lead off the
parade. Those who are under
age 18 must submit a parental
permission slip to participate.
Antique cars, horse riders,
bands, beauty queens, twirl-
ers, tractors will also be a
part of the race. Those who
plan to participate are asked
to email the relay commit
tee at keri.rowe@cancer.org.
For more information, call
Tim Harper, 706-677-4230;
Charlotte Maxwell, 706-335-
6948; Joan Cochran, 706-335-
6250; or Keri Rowe, 678-858-
3430.
A street dance will begin at
6 p.m. with live bands playing
a variety of music. Everyone
is invited to bring a lawn chair
and enjoy the entertainment.
The Relay for Life com
mittee is inviting all cancer
survivors and their caregiv
ers to attend the ceremonies.
Cancer survivors are invited
to join the other survivors
at the hospitality area at 7
p.m. prior to the inspirational
Survivors’ Lap. The celebra
tion stand area, which is locat
ed next to the historic Homer
courthouse, is reserved for
survivors and their families.
The Luminaria Ceremony
will begin at sundown and pay
tribute to loved ones who are
courageously fighting against
cancer and remembers those
who have died. After the
touching ceremony Relayers
take a silent lap around the
track as the luminary bags
light their path reminding all
that cancer affects real people
in their community every day.
Luminaries are paper bags
filled with sand with a can
dle in the middle. Names to
honor or to remember are
written on each one. Each
luminary is $5 and there is
no limit to purchase. Contact
Maxwell at 706-335-6948 or
go by Honeysuckle Gifts and
Such/Tangles Salon in Homer
to reserve a luminaria.
The 2013 honorary chair
man for the Banks County
Relay for Life this year is
unique in the fact that both
the wife and husband are
each survivors of cancer.
Their families have been
strongly and emotionally
touched by a situation, which
no one ever hopes to affect
them and their lives. Swayne
and Wynnell Aaron have both
battled cancer.
FOOD CHECK OUT WEEK
Recently, the Banks County Farm Bureau celebrated Food Check-Out Week by col
lecting donations and disbursing half of the donations to the Ronald McDonald House
in Atlanta and the other half to the local food bank in Banks County. Ann Gordon,
BCFB Women’s Committee Chair, presented Robin Trotter with the $75 collected for
the local food bank. Pictured (L to R) are: Ann Gordon, Women’s Committee Chair,
and Robin Trotter, Banks County Community Resource Association. Food Check-
Out Week places emphasis on America’s safe, abundant and affordable food supply,
made possible by America’s farmers.
Car show planned of Fort Hollingsworth
A car show will be held at Fort Hollingsworth Registration will be from 10 a.m. to noon. The
- White House, located at 2307 Wynn Lake Road, entry fee is 20. Awards will be given.
Alto, on Saturday, May 25. For more information, call 706-968-3220.
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