'Their Inheritance' Thursday: Prayer

Hello, Everybody!

It is another fantastic Thursday to talk about the capital of my book world: Their Inheritance. Today is also National Prayer Day. The dictionary definitions of prayer are 1: words spoken to God 2: the act of praying to God 3: a strong hope or wish. James, Alexandra, Christine, and Lee all prayed. They leaned on God for wisdom.  

The first chapter of Their Inheritance begins with Alexandra praying by her parents' graves. 

“Forgive me, Lord. Make me strong and guide me. I don’t understand, but Ma always said you don’t give us more than we can handle. I hope I don’t disappoint you. Be patient with me. I promise to try harder to be courageous.  Amen,” she whispered.

She asked for strength and guidance and wisdom in understanding. In chapter three, Alexandra prayed for forgiveness when her thoughts wander to distrust or lose faith.

"Forgive me, Lord, for my weakness. I know you are taking care of things. Help me to stop worrying so. Even if I must lug that tub of water, I believe you can give me the strength to do it. Amen."

Alexandra prayed for her marriage when considering a marriage proposal.  

"Dear God, please guide me in the direction you want my life to go. Help my thoughts be pure, and please help me get some sleep. Amen."

Alexandra Williams spoke to God and depended on Him to get her through many life-changing circumstances! I was inspired to depend on prayer more after reading 'Their Inheritance' for the first time. I hope you all will check out 'Their Inheritance' ebook if you haven't already. My prayer for you, as a reader, is that you are encouraged and inspired by 'Their Inheritance' in some way!

Believe.
Caitlin A.

Exercise Your Mind. Read!

Hello, Everyone!

I hope everyone is having a beautiful and hopeful spring. It has been awhile since I updated you all on what is new at Purple Butterfly Publications.

Did you know there is a Summer Reading Program for ADULTS starting this May! If you do not live in Toccoa, there is a good chance this is happening at your local library as well. Anyone over the age of nineteen years-old can register for the summer reading program. Each book you read counts as an entry to win the GRAND PRIZE Basket that the Toccoa-Stephens County Public Library will be giving away at the end of the program. Hard copy books, ebooks, and audio books are all included as part of the program and count as entries! There is no minimum or maximum amount of books you need to read to take part of the program.

When Toccoa-Stephens County Public Library's Adult Program Coordinator, Sarah Edmonds, asked me to be a part of the library's first ever Adult Summer Reading Program, I was SO excited! I am happy to encourage reading and community involvement by partnering with the Toccoa-Stephens County Public Library this summer. This summer's theme is "Exercise Your Mind. Read!" to encourage health and fitness in your community.

As Proprietor & Publisher at Purple Butterfly Publications, I am proud to have added a copy of PBP's featured ebook, Their Inheritance, to the Grand Prize Basket which will be given away at the end of the Summer Reading Program!!!

I will personally be taking part in this program. It is the challenge I need to make more time for reading. I am now taking reading suggestions*. I will keep you updated on what I am reading once the program gets started in May!

*Leave book suggestions in the comments below.

Who says the reading programs at the library have to be just for kids? Join me this summer and let's get our reading on!!!!

Believe.
Caitlin Ayers
www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

Toccoa (not taco) Tuesdays

Hello, Everybody!

It snowed in Georgia last week! Yes, I survived winter storm Jonas. Fortunately, the amount of ice that fell was less than estimated and I did not suffer through power outages. I was blessed to be able to spend time in the snow and living in northeast Georgia, I had hills to sled down! I also engaged in intense snowball battles against siblings. They were packed so hard, those snowballs hurt! My fur baby enjoyed the snow (not as much as I did, though).

Merry Mae a.k.a. furry baby

Toccoa's January 23, 2015 snowfall

January 22, 2015 snowfall in Toccoa, GA

Enough about the magically wonderful and rare snow that Georgia received! Moving on...I am introducing a new weekly blog post theme: Toccoa Tuesday. Not to be confused with Taco Tuesday, Toccoa Tuesday is a series of posts about the town where I live and work in Georgia. Toccoa means "Beautiful". Toccoa is full of history and natural beauty. I look forward to virtually sharing parts of my town with you!

I will continue to post about the book world and everyday life that it accompanies. Just showing a bit of love to Toccoa! Another weekly topic will be Their Inheritance Thursdays.

Believe.

Caitlin
Purple Butterfly Pages & Publications

Yesteryear's Winter

Hello, Everybody!

I am at my desk listening to the radio as rain falls on the tin roof sings in the background. I am awaiting the snow side of 2016 winter storm Jonas. I am a bit of a weather nerd. The power that God put into the weather fascinates me so much. As I was busy preparing for some winter weather this weekend, I was thinking back a little bit. Ok, a lot back, to the late 1800's. What were their winters like?

Winter has not changed that much over time, but there have been changes to society's knowledge and preparation of winter weather. Could you imagine going to bed with  grey skies above and then waking up to head to work or hang out the wash and finding a foot or more of snow; or, watching an afternoon snowfall turn into a week-long blizzard? Winter happened yesteryear just as it is happening today. They were more dependent on the Farmer's Almanac and weather patterns and we are more dependent on The Weather Channel and our local meteorologists to tell us when to expect bad weather. They had little time to prepare their lives for the disruptions that a winter storm brings. Today, meteorologists work to inform citizens of severe weather weeks in advance.

Back then, the families had very little time before a blizzard hit to get their livestock taken care of, food from the cellar, trees chopped for firewood, and few had healthy winter clothing to protect them from the bitter cold temperatures that accompanied big snowfalls and ice storms. In preparation for winter weather on its way today, I made a pot of chili, my younger sisters made a batch of cookies and Momma made a gnocchi and potato soup. Daddy made the grocery store stop for bread and milk....we will not starve this weekend! All the food can be heated over the grill. :) I stocked up on batteries for my radio/cd player. Yes, I still listen to am/fm radio and prefer to own CDs rather than digital music. That discussion is for another blog! SO, I am feeling as prepared for winter storm Jonas as a northeast Georgian can be.


If you are not in the path of 2016 winter storm Jonas, enjoy your winter weekend and make the most of it! To everyone in the path of winter storm Jonas, make the most of it. Embrace the magical snowfall and the powerful layered ice. If you lose electricity, embrace the unplugged pause. It is not always a bad thing to have to reschedule the weekend's plans. Use the "unplugged" winter storm time to get some work done or items crossed off your "to-do" list. There is no time like the present. Everyone, have a safe weekend! Share your wintery pix with me and other readers on my Facebook page: Purple Butterfly Pages! I want to see some snow. I will share my winter storm pix in my next post.

Believe.

Caitlin 
Purple Butterfly Pages

Mrs. Dianne Lawson

Hello Everyone!

I had a different post drafted out for July. However, I learned of the passing of a friend this week. I want to share about someone who inspired me as a friend and business woman. 

I'd like to this time to share about a woman who supported and inspired me when I started Purple Butterfly Pages, Mrs. Dianne Lawson.

I met Mrs. Dianne in 2007 when my family opened a British antique store in downtown Toccoa, GA. Mrs. Dianne owned Dream Giver's Art Gallery which was located a few stores down from ours. I was fifteen-years-old at the time and I loved browsing through her store and admiring the different art forms from the local artists. Mrs. Dianne would usually have a background story to tell me about the artists.

A couple of years later, when I needed to interview local entrepreneurs for a college assignment, Mrs. Dianne was happy to help and graciously answered my questions. Her advice to me was to always listen to my customers' needs. When I started PBPages at the beginning of school, she was excited for me and so supportive! Even after the British antique store closed and Dream Giver's Art Gallery relocated to another location in Toccoa, I still visited with her there. Mrs. Dianne kept a beautiful shop with a warm atmosphere! My parents gave me a beautiful sterling silver cross necklace from Dream Giver's Art Gallery as a gift when I graduated college. Mrs. Dianne would always ask about my family if they were not shopping with me and she would always want to know the latest with my business. She was a huge supporter of shopping local and supported many small businesses as well as mine.

Late last year, 2014, Mrs. Dianne closed Dream Giver's Art Gallery due to an illness. Other than a couple of emails, I haven't kept in touch since then. Mrs. Dianne has passed away on Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Mrs. Dianne could have chosen to ignore the teenagers who came into her store several years ago. Instead, she chose to listen to them, encourage them, and share her knowledge with them. I am so glad she gave me her time. I will miss our chats and cherish her advice. She was one of a kind.

     Rest in peace, Mrs. Dianne.

Caitlin Ayers,Proprietor & Publisher

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

Happy Birthday, Purple Butterfly Pages!

Hello everyone! 

Since June marks five years since I stated Purple Butterfly Pages, I wanted to answer some questions in this month's post that you have had about my book retail business, Purple Butterfly Pages, and recap the journey so far!

When I found out that Momma's book was going to be published in the summer of 2010 I was proud and ecstatic for my mother, but I did not know God was going to use me to get the book to readers worldwide. As a college freshman majoring in Applied Business at the time, I knew I could sell my mom's books. I knew her and her work, 'Alexandra: A Williams Family Journal', better than any other book retailer. My niche was knowing the personal side of 'Alexandra' and its author. I had a sales angle that nobody else had. I started Purple Butterfly Pages. I was not in any place to open a store front so I started a website. With a printed book, I realized I wanted to give its readers the opportunity to do more than purchase the book online and wait for it to arrive in the mail. Momma was willing to travel for book signings; so we set up dates around her home state of North Carolina and locally, in Georgia. For the next couple of years, I focused mainly on school while I continued to sell books.

"When I found out that Momma's book was going to be published I was proud and ecstatic for my mother. I did not know God was going to use me to get the book to readers worldwide."

Time to Grow

After the adverse ending of Momma's contract, I knew I could make her work as an author more than it had been. In deciding whether or not to reprint 'Alexandra' or to go straight to ebook, I decided to rerelease under a new title and published the book electronically. I expanded Purple Butterfly Pages with Purple Butterfly Publications and 'Their Inheritance' was born. I was going to publish Momma's book in ebook form! That publishing process involved finding the best ebook market for 'Their Inheritance'. I chose Amazon's Kindle. I found it the best fit for my company. The publishing process has been a learning experience as is any time of risk and growth. (Just like a caterpillar's transformation into a butterfly). By becoming a publisher, I added editing, layout designing, and a whole new level of marketing and promotions to my responsibilities.
I love doing it all. 

  For the Author

   I wanted to publish books because I saw the lack of control that an author can have over their     "child". Most publishing companies allow very little, if any, author involvement in the layout and  creative design of their books. I chose not to close out the author from her work. I believe in the vision of artists. To truly get the entire story and most beautiful results, I believe the author needs to be involved in most every aspect of their "child's" life changes. Momma was involved in the publishing process of her 'baby'. I am glad she was. I believe the readers of 'Their Inheritance' can feel a stronger connection and relate more to the story because the author was more involved in the creative processes.

To the Next Five years!

As I continue to work to spread 'Their Inheritance' to its worldwide market, I want to let everyone know what is coming up next. More books are in the works for Purple Butterfly Publications! The future of PBPublications will contain more stories from Stephanie Townsend Ayers a.k.a. Momma and other authors being added to the list of featured authors over the next several years.

"THANK YOU!" 

I thank you all for supporting me and my "featured author", Momma! To all of you I met at festivals, book signings, speaking events: Thank you! To everyone who has bought a book through Purple Butterfly Pages: Thank you! I could not attempt to make a difference in this world without the support of you all. Thank you for being a part of my Butterfly journey.

If I did not answer your question, so sorry! Ask me anytime!

Caitlin Ayers
Proprietor & Publisher
Purple Butterfly Pages & Purple Butterfly Publications
www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

Behind the Blog - March 2015

Hello, Everyone!

First off, my apologies for not getting a blog out in February. I did not make it a priority. So sorry! Secondly, I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day whether single or spoken for. :) I spent this year's day of love with some lovely little ladies whom I share a last name with!

Family Valentine's Day Party 2015

Now, down to business.

You will find this blog post a little different from the others. Hope you don't mind! I wanted to open up a little bit about myself and let you all know who is behind the blog and why I added blogging to my "must do" list at work. You can read a bit about how I got to be an independent book seller and publisher on my business' website; and here, I am going to add to that information!

The woman behind the blog...

...I do not want to sit here and blog about my childhood, and preteen and teen years, although I was blessed with earlier years worth writing about. Instead, I'll start with more recent years'  randomness. I have a dog, Merry, a three-year-old chihuahua. She is my best friend beside my sisters! I might Instagram her a bit much. Maybe. On top of being a furry mum, I spend a lot of time with younger siblings and three nephews (the youngest was born last month!). I guess you could say I am pretty much a family-oriented person. I'm an encourager! Hopefully it shows in my blog posts. I love helping people get through tough stuff. I think that if you believe you can than you will. I also enjoy being involved in what is going on in my community. As is mentioned on my website bio, I am a Chamber of Commerce member (probably one of the youngest in my county, but I love it!). I am lucky to be able to learn from the business owners in my community. Besides being a publisher, I like to sew. Momma taught me to sew when I was ten and I eventually learned to sew full dresses. I got out of the habit during teen years and college. This year, I challenged myself to make birthday gifts for my siblings (those of them who like handmade stuff that is) this year! So far, I've done a t-shirt pillow and a child's bathrobe. I am about to make myself a bathrobe because I liked my little sister's so much! Who knows, I might make an Easter dress as well. Last year, I became a part of my parents' auction company! I was raised going to auctions. I love the different atmospheres and the differences in each auction house. You never know what will be on the auction block next! Quick plug: if you are looking for a great deal on estate auction or collectible items or looking for a specific item, let me know in an email: rememberwhenestateauctions@yahoo.com! I am fortunate to get to spend after school time with my special needs younger brother, and helping him reach life goals that he sets. Well, there are a few random things about me. Oh, and when I was a kid, I never dreamed of being an online book publisher. 

Caitlin Ayers, Publisher at Purple Butterfly Publications

On a social level,

you will find me using media that is not really social, Twitter, tweeting about my favorite sports teams. In baseball it is the Atlanta Braves, who have my sports-loving heart. I go to a game at least once a year with my Dad and sisters and/or brothers whoever is able to go. Sporting events are always fun! Like a lot of other women in their early twenties, I also love football. I enjoy college and pro with my teams being the Georgia Buldawgs and East Carolina Pirates, and I'm fan of the Atlanta Falcons. Don't boo me too hard for being a Falcons' fan. With Coach Quinn, we are going to be big this year. I also will tweet all kinds of music and song related stuff; devotionals; and really random things that nobody probably cares about. I will tweet on anyways! 

Why do I blog you ask?

I started blogging over a year ago. I felt it necessary to let buyers, readers, and others know who they were buying from or communicating with. You can tell a lot about someone's blog! I also wanted a way to connect with other publishers, book readers, bloggers, and professionals in general. So, I started blogging about different topics that have something to do with my publishing world somehow. So, that's me and why I started blogging!

I'd love to know why you read blogs. Leave a comment anywhere! Let me know any other topics you would like to read about in my blog! Until next time, you can find me on Twitter: @PBPages or @GaPeach291! :)

Believe.

Caitlin Ayers, Publisher

Purple Butterfly Publications

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

Christmas Celebration: Parade Memories

Hello everybody!

December has proved to be a diligent week so far. Earlier this month, I excitedly announced that my business was going to have a float in my town's parade! A lot of thought, creativity, and preparation has gone into the making of the Christmas parade float.

The Toccoa Christmas Parade has been an event that my family attends each year and we always talked about participating, but we never did. My sister owns a baking/catering business, Dazzling Sweet Treats. My parents have recently started an estate auction company, Remember When Estate Auctions LLC. This fall, an email describing the 2014 parade information and application was sent out to all local Chamber of Commerce members. After reading through the rules and information, I determined that this year was the year for us to be a bigger part of our town's Christmas festivities; and not just as local citizens celebrating Christmas, but as local businesses who want to share a special Christmas message.

This year's parade theme is 'Christmas Miracle'. There are many miracle's surrounding Christ's birth. My first thought after reading the theme info, was a child's first Christmas with their forever family! Foster care and adoption is very familiar to me and my family. My parents were house parents at a children's home in the early '90s and my family served as a foster home for many babies and young children in the early 2000s. A few of those young children and babies became my brothers and sisters! Not my "adopted siblings" but my siblings. Christmas has always been a special festive time to me, but one Christmas I will never forget: when a little red headed seven-year-old foster child spent her first Christmas with her soon-to-be forever family. I had met "Red" when she spent Thanksgiving with my family one year. No other home was open for her to spend the holiday with. At seven-years-old she had been through many foster homes already and was legally waiting to be adopted. With prayer and love, my family decided that "Red" was supposed to be a part of our family. So, she spent Christmas holiday with us instead of her current foster family. Her reaction to Christmas Eve and Christmas morning were unforgettable. She had so many questions and had no idea what it was like to feel such love. The next summer, she officially became my younger sister! It is nothing short of a miracle when God puts a family into the life of a broken child; or a child into the life of a loving family. So, there is a doubtless personal meaning for our float theme choice!

“There are no unwanted children, just unfound families.”
The National Adoption Center

I presented my idea of our float theme to be centered around a child's first Christmas with their forever family. We did a bit of brainstorming to tie it to the parade's theme. We discovered that there was an adoption story right int the middle of the Christmas Story. Joseph took Jesus to raise, and love and care for even though the Child was not biologically his. I encourage you to listen to "Raise Him Up" sung by Randy Travis. This is the PERFECT song for our float's theme! I will be posting photos from the parade later this month in the "recap" blog.

I also encourage you to be accepting, loving, and understanding of any adoption miracles happening in your life!

Make it a peaceful and joyful December.

Caitlin Ayers, Publisher
Purple Butterfly Publications

**Visit downtown Toccoa Georgia on Saturday, December 6th. The parade starts at 4PM. Come early to visit the local shops and even some brand new businesses; and share in the celebration of the Christ's birth!**

It is Almost Thanksgiving!

Hello, everybody!

With the leaves at their peak colors of the newest season and the wind swirling them around,  I find myself wishing for more time to sit in my favorite chair, sip a warm brew from a mug, and read. Today, I am inspired to share a few words of gratitude with you.

In fact, as I walked out of the house this morning I was thrown into a state of Thanksgiving… the crisp mountain air was filled with the scent of a neighbor's wood burning stove. The autumn breeze was rustling the last of the crispy fading leaves. I felt that if I were to walk back into the house, I would find the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the television providing a background for the day's festivities; half the family bustling in the kitchen preparing some sort of food for us to savor as we gather around a full table of loved ones; and the other half of the family split between actually watching the parade and catching up with each others' lives. Of course when you are twenty-three years-old and have nine siblings (two of which serve in the military), it is a rare holiday occasion to have the entire gang and all the cousins present on such days of celebration. However, I have no doubts that the house will be full of bustling, parade-watching, and talking with whichever family members can make it home this year!

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." ~H.U. Westermayer

I believe that today, we all are just like the Pilgrims and Indians in 1621 and the Americans in 1977, when President Washington declared a day of thanksgiving after multiple victories in the Revolutionary war. No matter what we have all been through this year; this week; and even today; we have something to be thankful for. Whatever or whomever is in front of you today, be thankful!
Lastly, be thankful for the hard times because they make the good times even better.

Excuse me, for the interruption of your day with gratitude, but I am certainly grateful for all of you who take time to connect and read The Purple Butterfly Purpose each month!

Be sure to like Purple Butterfly Pages on Facebook for a few Thanksgiving-related book excerpts from 'Their Inheritance'!

Happy Thanksgiving month to you all!

Caitlin Ayers, Publisher

Purple Butterfly Publications

1940s Flashback!

Hello Everyone!

Although October is almost over for this year, it is finally fall in my corner of the world. Pumpkin and cinnamon everything is everywhere it seems. However, I don't want to add to the pumpkin spice craze. Instead, I want to share about an event that takes place in my town during the first weekend of every October: Currahee Military Weekend. I was blessed to have taken part in the festivities celebrating the paratroopers who trained during WWII at Camp Toccoa, just a few miles from where I live now.

The annual Currahee Military Weekend took place October 3 - 5, 2014. The Vintage Hangar Dance took place on Friday evening at the Stephens County Airport. Purple Butterfly Publications' featured author, Stephanie Townsend Ayers, and I attended the 1940s themed hangar dance. Mrs. Ayers and I both dressed up in our best '40s attire for the evening. I even got a surprise delivery of flowers from a thoughtful friend to wear to the dance! I had an absolutely fantastic time participating in the Costume Contest during the evening where I finished as a semi-finalist. Great competition in the hangar! We all had a swell time of dancing (yes, I learned a few steps), fantastic live music, learning, and seeing new faces from all around the globe including from France and Texas! After the fun evening, I couldn't help but think of the brave men and women who were a part of our nation's defenses during World War II. The hangar dances must have meant so much to them.  

Featured author, Stephanie Townsend Ayers, and I ready for the Vintage Hangar Dance

Had a blast!

On Saturday evening, we returned to Camp Toccoa at Currahee for the Currahee Military Weekend Banquet. The guest speaker was Jim “Pee Wee’ Martin, 506th G. Company PIR.,
a Camp Toccoa veteran. Mr. Martin shared with us his jump into Normandy in 1944 and recently this year, 2014, during D-Day Events in Normandy. It was a special honor to hear Mr. Martin speak about his life experiences during and after the war. If you don't know who he is already,  please look him up and watch his experience in video. You won't regret it! After listening to Mr. Jim "Pee Wee" Martin speak, I got to help a local auctioneer, Christopher Ayers of Remember When Estate Auctions, with the live auction to raise money for the Currahee Military Museum and the veterans attending the Currahee Military Weekend. Haha! Happy to help look for bids! A memorable night indeed. 

Playing "Vanna White"

It is so important to remember and respect the sacrifices of America's history makers: our veterans and their families. I'd like to take a moment and encourage you all reading this blog to learn more about your local veterans. Learn from them. Also, learn about YOUR local history. You just might be surprised at what part your town has played in history making moments. Without the preservation of our history, Christian historical-fiction novels like Their Inheritance would not be written! 

Check out Currahee Military Museum for more information about the 2015 Currahee Military Weekend. I hope to see you there!

**Look for an early November blog with exciting first-ever holiday news from Purple Butterfly Publications!** 

Remember. Preserve. Read.

Caitlin Ayers, Publisher
Purple Butterfly Publications