Toccoa Tuesday: Java Station

Hello, Everybody!

My corner of the book world is a bit soggy today. It is one of those droopy rainy Tuesdays in Toccoa, Georgia making this "Toccoa Tuesday" all about my local coffee shop! I am so thankful that my corner of the book world has a fantastic coffee shop: Java Station. After all, what better pair than coffee shop and a book publisher, right?!

An old gas station was remodeled to become 
the home of Java Station & Cafe.

So, Toccoa does not have a Dunkin Donuts, a Starbucks, or any super coffee shop chain; however, Toccoa does have a coffee shop! I like to think of the Java Station as a pivotal meeting place in the community. The Java Station is a host to parties, meetings, dates, networking, study groups, etc...


About a year ago, the Java Station expanded their kitchen services. Now, they serve a variety of sandwiches, salads, burgers, and an occasional grilled sandwich.  It has been nice to see the kitchen grow into producing full entree's at dinner time. Delicious!

Hot Drinks on a cold day!

The food and drinks are tasty, healthy, and original. The chefs do wonderful jobs in the kitchen! The baristas are in a class of their own. I stop in to the Java Station most every week. Most of the time I am accompanied by my younger brother. He has special needs and has been working to improve his social skills by ordering a drink for himself. The baristas are kind enough to not rush him when ordering. Instead, they treat him respectfully letting him get his order in. If my brother forgets to ask for the drink sugar free, the barista asks him if he would like the ordered drink sugar free. It is the extra step that counts. A friendly greeting when arriving and departing makes the Java Station & Cafe just the right fit for Toccoa, Georgia. Also, the background music is always something different. Sometimes it is classical music or 70's classic rock hits and everything in between. 

I feel like it is cliche to say that coffee or hot tea and a good book is all you need on a rainy day, but come on. Who craves something hot to drink on a cold and rainy winter day? I know I do! Go download Their Inheritance today to read with your cup of coffee or hot tea, whichever you fancy. :)

Believe.

Caitlin
Purple Butterfly Pages

Toccoa Tuesday: Going Postal

Hello, Everybody!

I hope you all had a love-filled Valentine's weekend. Did your sweetie gift you (or if you gifted yourself) a Their Inheritance ebook? I'd love to know. ;) So, today is Wednesday, and I know that the Toccoa Tuesday series' post was not posted yesterday. There has been a lot of cool events going on around Toccoa and my part of the book world! I still want to share about a piece of Toccoa this week. Sharing a part of my town where Purple Butterfly Pages & Publications is planted, gives you a feel of my surroundings that show up in my work! My local post office is one which exudes small town hospitality to its customers.

It seems like going to the post office of any town is just one of those daily errands that is necessary, yet kind of annoying because mailing a package and mail or picking up packaging supplies can take a chunk out of your errand-running time. Toccoa is a small town with its population being an estimated 8, 275 (as of 2014 census). One particular establishment and its employees who are full of small town hospitality is the Toccoa Post Office. No matter how long or short the line of patrons gets, the postmasters patiently help each person. An United States Post Office can be a good place or bad place, depending on your mailbox's contents! There can be a large number of unhappy patrons who don't like the rising costs of the shipping industry. Toccoa's Post Office's front desks staff takes on every attitude with positivity and courteous helpfulness.

The Toccoa United States Post Office has been a part of Purple Butterfly Pages since I started shipping books a few years ago. I counted on the United States Postal Service to deliver the first book I sold to readers nation wide! The packaged books wouldn't have made it to the readers without the help of the USPO of Toccoa, Georgia. 

What is your local post office like?!

Believe.

Caitlin

Proprietor & Publisher

Toccoa Tuesday: The Depot

Hello, Everybody!

How about that Super Bowl 50 game?! An incredible defensive game was played. Congratulations to both NFL teams for making it to the "big game". Congrats to the Denver Broncos for earning the Super Bowl 50 Championship title! Now, I await Opening Day. :) OK, that is my sports talk for this Toccoa Tuesday. I know you want to hear about Toccoa, the spot on the globe where I live.

Yes, Toccoa, Georgia is where I work my corner of the book world. My sales and customer service representative experience did not begin with Purple Butterfly Pages. It began a few years earlier when my uncle from England opened a British antiques store in downtown Toccoa. I was in my mid-teens and selling antiques from England when the opportunity came for me to volunteer with the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce. I did not realize the impact that the opportunity would have on my life.

The Depot: home to Stephens County Chamber of Commerce
Welcome Center, Currahee Military Museum, and Amtrak Station

Once or twice a week, I would be dropped off at the old Train Depot which had recently been remodeled to house the Chamber of Commerce, the Welcome Center, and the Historical Society and Currahee Military Museum, and Amtrak Station. I learned to professionally answer the telephones, send emails, interact with visitors and Chamber members as well as restocking rack cards. Looking back, I believe the biggest task I did as an intern, was learn.


A few years later, when I was a college student and a new small business owner as an independent book seller, I would attend an occasional Chamber of Commerce event. The current staff at the time was the same that I had interned with as a teen. I eventually became a proud member of the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce!

Last week, I met with current TSC Chamber of Commerce President, Julie Paysen, at the Depot and I was honored when she asked me to be an ambassador for my Chamber of Commerce. I excitedly accepted the enjoyable and challenging volunteer position! Happy to be part of the team at Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce.

So, encourage your family members, your friends, and your classmates to seize opportunity! I am so grateful I had the opportunity to be an intern when I was a teenager! Learn more about the historic Depot. :)

Believe.

Caitlin

Proprietor & Publisher

'Their Inheritance' Thursday

Hello, Everybody!

Today, I am introducing  you to a big part of my book world: Their Inheritance. Many of you may already know about and have read my first ebook publication, Their Inheritance, but I am going to be [SPOTLIGHTING]  the ebook even more right here! Starting today, and every Thursday, I will be focusing on a different topic found in Their Inheritance. Download your copy from PBP, and we can discuss the different topics together!

First Synopsis

It is the winter of 1889. Seventeen-year-old James and sixteen-year-old Alexandra Williams have lost both their parents to illness. James and Alexandra are left to raise their two younger siblings while mourning and trying to manage the family farm. 
Through trials and triumphs, the children face their inheritance with the values their parents taught them and their personal faith.

I can't wait to feature more about Their Inheritance here every Thursday! Thanks for reading and being a part of my book world.

Believe.

Caitlin
Purple Butterfly Pages

Those Twelve Months

Hello, Everybody!

Happy New Year's Eve! I had a wonderful Christmas with family. I hope you did as well! I've spent the week so far reflecting on the last twelve months. I am not sure how the year has come to an end so abruptly! Thanks for counting down my #TOP5 posts of 2015 with me! Without you reading the blog I wouldn't have the fun of putting together the countdown. 

#1 Stepping Away With Lack of Words

#2 Hello, New Year

#3 Mrs. Dianne Lawson

#4 Proud to Join the Fight Against Child Abuse

#5 Filling the Gap TIED with CMW 2015

2015 was about embracing the accomplishments and realizing (and learning from) the mishaps. Here are a few honest final thoughts on the past professional and personal year.

Professionally

I'll start by saying I did not reach every goal that I set for Purple Butterfly Pages this year, however, I find success in the unmet goals by realizing harder work is what it will take to meet those goals! I worked to accomplish things this year such as sponsoring and participating in the Power House for Kids 5k/10k; guest blogging for Stephens County's Chamber of Commerce blog; and watching Their Inheritance climb to #12 on the Top 100 Free Christian Historical-Fiction ebooks list during March! Woo-hoo!! 

Personally

Part of connecting with readers, customers and future clients is being more open. This is why I started to blog! In my journey to being a better business owner and blogger I want to let you all know what is happening by letting you know more about myself. About the last twelve months...I can honestly say it was a good, but not for reasons you might think. I didn't have fun every day. I wasn't always happy with how situations turned out. I had angry and confused days. I did not reach all of my goals I set for the year. Watched family and friends go through really difficult times But....

I made unforgettable memories. LEARNED a lot about myself. Made new and existing relationships stronger through personal changes. I gained confidence. I accepted more people and situations for who/what they were instead of wishing they were different. I sought God in more situations and in life more this year...and He was always there. 

Onto 2016!

The upcoming year holds plenty of opportunities. I aspire to connect more with you readers on levels of social media and through this blogging. On top of blogging more, I will be entering into the next stages of the publishing process with my current "project" in 2016! Can not wait to share more of that process with every one of you. I am so excited to be a more actively involved member of the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce during the new year as well!

Wishing you all a safe, prosperous, happy, and healthy NEW YEAR! Go work for it! 

Believe.

Caitlin

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com