Currahee Military Weekend 2015

Hello everyone!

Here in northeast Georgia, fall is in the air! Football season is underway. So far, my teams have all played well and have winning records (I know it is early in the season!). Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. Not only is the weather breezily perfect but the small town festivals and outdoor events are beginning to happen. One of my favorite events happening the very first weekend in October is Currahee Military Weekend. I am so excited to be participating in this weekend long event taking place in Toccoa, Georgia!

Currahee Military Weekend

Currahee Military Weekend has occurred during the first weekend of October for the last fourteen years and this year will be no different. Currahee Military Weekend honors the men of Camp Toccoa; shows appreciation for the sacrifices they made; and celebrates their commitment to America! The Paratrooper Infantry Regiment that trained at Camp Toccoa in the early 1940's. E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne is one of the most famous regiments to train at Camp Toccoa. The HBO mini-series produced by Tom Hanks called The Band of Brothers was based on the Band of Brothers who trained at Camp Toccoa.

1940's

2014 CMW Hangar Dance costume

During the war, hangar dances were held to boost morale of communities and troops. A 1940's inspired hangar dance is part of the Currahee Military Weekend. One of my favorite events. Families come out to the RG LeTourneau Field Airport to enjoy 1940's swing music; red white and blue; vintage aircraft; WWII re-enactors; costume contests; and pretty much just a really good time. 

Currahee Mountain

Bright and early on Saturday morning, runners from all over the country (even some foreign countries) will take on the Currahee Challenge! The Currahee Challenge is the 3 miles up and 3 miles down route on Currahee Mountain that the paratroopers trained on during World War II. I will looking forward to being a volunteer on this race day! Look for me cheering all the runners on and passing out water on the mountain.

 

Visit the following for more info:

http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/506/506.html  http://www.toccoahistory.com  http://www.toccoagachamber.com/cmw

History

History of our country's involvement in wars is so important to record and never forget. Whether you agree or disagree with our country's military actions, pause a moment in your day to remember the sacrifices made for the United States of America's freedoms.

I hope to see you in Toccoa in October!

Caitlin Ayers, Proprietor & Publisher

Purple Butterfly Pages & Publications

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

Filling the Gap

Hello, everyone!

If you are like me, you are kind of scooting out of a summer schedule and getting into a better routine for the next season of the year. As summer drifts away, I wanted to blog about the gap between the generation of students and their parents and grandparents and how Their Inheritance can help bridge that gap.

Students,

I hope you all are settling into your new school routines and adjusting well to your new schedules. Whether you are in middle school; high school; college; or grad school, starting the next chapter tends to pull you away from your priorities and focus away from your family and onto your future in the work force. Don't forget to make time for your parents!

Parents,

as your student or students head off to a new school, keep in mind that they know that you are still at home and that wherever you are will always be "home". Find new ways to connect with your "student". For instance, reading.

Grandparents,

students may be spending more time with their friends or at their after school jobs and less time with you. This does not mean that your grandchild loves you any less. Maybe you can join in on the reading with your child and your grandchild!

The Gap

When different generations read Their Inheritance it opens up a channel of communication within the generation gaps of your family. In Their Inheritance we see the impact Charles and Grace Williams had on their children, James, Alexandra, Christine, and Lee. The elder members of the community helped the Williams children in the wake of their parents' death. The Williams teens, James and Alexandra, had to step up and fulfill their parents' responsibilities.

God was with them all, every generation, through everything they went through. Nobody was alone.

Remember that as you go into this new season and school year!

Fill in the generation gap by reading the same book. Of course, I suggest Their Inheritance ebook! While reading Their Inheritance you see each generation and their struggles and how they all help each other with those struggles. So, here is to a great school year to all generations involved in the success of each student in our lives.

Fill that gap!

Caitlin Ayers, Proprietor & Publisher
www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

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

Proud to Join the Fight Against Child Abuse

Hello everyone!
As I announced on the Purple Butterfly Pages Facebook page, I am happy to be a sponsor for the 4th Annual Power House for Kids Race! It is a harsh reality that child abuse even exists, but it does. When I was thirteen-years-old, my parents were foster parents to many children under the ages of five-years-old. During my time as a foster sister, I saw several abused children come into our foster home. The sad faces and broken souls were in need of love and healing. That is why I am proud to be a sponsor for the Power House's annual race for the second year. I will also be running in the 5k race this year! I often think of those children and wonder who they are now, ten years later. Those sweet souls and the thousands like them are my motivation for race day!

Power House for Kids

The Power House for Kids is a non-profit organization who makes a huge impact in the lives of the abused children and teens in the communities around them. The following is an excerpt from The Power House's website:

From our environment to the services we offer, our focus is on the child and his/her non-offending caregiver(s).  FAITH's Power House is able to offer a "kid-focused" coordinated team response to allegations of abuse by bringing together agencies and professionals involved in the investigation and intervention system.  The multidisciplinary approach means that FAITH's Power House brings Law Enforcement, Child Protective Services, Medical Professionals, Forensic Interviewers, Mental Health Professionals and Advocates into one location, reducing the need for children and families to navigate a sometimes difficult and confusing system.

Power House for Kids also provides child abuse prevention classes such as Darkness 2 Light in its community to ensure that all citizens are informed and can recognize and react responsibly to reality of child sexual abuse.The sacrifices that each team member of the Power House for Kids makes on a daily basis, is phenomenal. They all do an incredible job to make an impact on the lives of America's future! Learn more about the Power House for Kids here.

Your Turn!

Please take a few minutes to learn more about what YOU can do to help prevent chid abuse. Be educated and informed. Find child abuse prevention programs in your local area and get involved in the fight against child abuse! Your support for child advocacy centers is a helping hand in the prevention of and fight against child abuse. Every little bit counts ESPECIALLY in the lives of children, America's future. If you would like to join me on race day, you can register for the race at active.com! Any encouragement and support for the Power House for Kids is much appreciated!

Believe.
Caitlin Ayers, Proprietor & Publisher

Purple Butterfly PagesPurple butterfly Publications

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com

And That Is Why It Is Butterfly

Hello all!

Happy Spring! 

Easter sunrise at Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds on Lake Chatuge

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter and spring break! Maybe you spent the spring break reading Their Inheritance? Hope so! I have had a lot on my mind the last couple of weeks and unsure what to write about and share with you all this month. For some reason the dawn of a new season brings with it a bundle of new things to try, do, and dominate. I have been blessed to be able to spend some office time working outdoors (thankful for my MacBook Pro) which led me to open up and share with you all in this blog the purpose of my choice in using "Butterfly" in my business' name . Out of all of the characters in the stories of spring, butterflies are my favorite.

Do I publish books about purple butterflies?

I have been asked many times why I named my book selling business Purple Butterfly Pages and my publishing company Purple Butterfly Publications. I chose butterfly to represent my business, clients, and products because I simply love butterflies, and I believe that butterflies are very similar to books in the way they come to life. From a pen and paper lying around to a manuscript to the publisher to the readers' lives, a book parallels a butterfly. A caterpillar is moving around for awhile, gets to the dirty cocoon stage, and magically turns into a beautiful entity to be seen throughout nature. Beautiful!

Every time I see a butterfly, it takes my breath away. A refreshing reminder of beauty and freedom and peacefulness in a moment. No matter what is happening in the office, if there is a butterfly fluttering by the window, I am reminded of the endless possibilities that lie before me. Like a butterfly drifting through nature, I believe a book is the same way. A book is able to be read by readers worldwide.

When a butterfly goes flying by, it is a drifting kind of way that is sure to catch your eye. No matter the size or how many different colors on a butterfly, you are gonna see it flying out of the corner of your eye. Once the butterfly has your eye, it draws you into its peaceful beauty. Butterflies have a stillness that persuades you to stop whatever you may be doing as it flutters by and just look at it and wonder. Wonder how something so beautiful came from a dark and dirty cocoon to a thing of beauty. When you stop and think about a butterfly's life, its freedoms are endless. The form is no longer bound to the ground as a caterpillar or bound to entombment by a cocoon. Instead, a butterfly is free to fly, explore, and BE wherever it wants to go while completely trusting its Creator to guide its path.

It is okay to have butterflies.

Whatever you are facing today, take a minute to step outside and look for that glimpse of color fluttering by! You might be reminded that after being through so much, the butterfly comes out the other side prettier, more peaceful, and more trusting than it ever was before. Ready to face endless possibilities and reach endless goals, the butterfly confidently flutters by. Believe in yourself and you can do the same. So the next time someone asks, "Do you have butterflies? Are you feeling nervous?", remember everything a butterfly is and know that having "butterflies" can be a good thing!

Every time my logo is seen whether online or on a book's spine, I hope it serves as a reminder of all that a butterfly is!

Believe.

Caitlin Ayers, Publisher

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