Janet Elizabeth Croon's Blog

You've heard that phrase before, right?  I know I've SAID it often... and totally meant it.  And that's the case with this blog too.  A variation: "So much to do and so little time..."

Since I last left you, I finished up the amazing Georgia tour and am about to head back down there soon, taking a northward swing into Pennyslvania and Ohio before I get down there.

At all of these venues, and others, I've met new people with their own perspectives on the Civil War.  I've met other authors, park rangers, tourists from all over, and I even got to meet the great-great-grandson of Ulysses S. Grant!  He frequently is found at the Fredericksburg NPS site and you can see the resemblance.

I've met old friends and new, and look forward to more of the same!

Pamplin National Historical Park Fredericksburg National Battlefield ParkSo much time has flown by that I'm going to have to figure out how to describe what it was like to find my name on an article featured in Civil War Times!  The word "amazing" doesn't quite cover it, believe me.  And then at my book event at the book store at Gettysburg, I met Dana Shoaf, the editor, who was kind enough to come up and introduce himself!

And for every place I have gone, there has been the "place" as well.  Above left, I am at the sculpture outside of Pamplin National Historic Park.  It is a bit west of Petersburg, and is where the Union Army of Grant was able to break through Confederate lines held by Lee and make the last push that ended the Civil War at Appomattox Court House in April 1865.

The picture above right shows a stone wall across from where I was signing books.  That is THE Confederate Stone Wall on Marye's Heights that was such an important feature in the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862.  One of the people that LeRoy knew, T.R.R. Cobb, the leader of Cobb's Legion, died defending that stone wall, not too far from where I took this picture. 

Gettysburg National Battlefield Park
TWICEAnd then there's Gettysburg.  The photograph on the left was taken on Steinwehr Avenue, going into town.  I've done two events there now, and will go back up there on occasion.  A friend of mine passed through the area recently, and she's not into history too much, but went to see it when I suggested it.  She told me that when they were up at Little Round Top, she started crying -- hard -- and didn't understand why.  THAT is Gettysburg.  And probably Antietam, although I have not been there yet.  
There is so much more to update you all on -- and I hope to catch you all up as this week goes on!

The Georgia book tour was a whirlwind of excitement!  I've been catching up with mailing books, preparing for the next round of events, and keeping up with all kinds of exciting news!

We are working very hard to make LeRoy the youthful voice of the Old South, and he is getting notice in all kinds of wonderful places...

This is from Georgia Public Broadcasting: https://tinyurl.com/y8pfzy4s and includes me talking about LeRoy. I got to meet the interviewer, Sophie Peel, at the first event that we held in Macon, which was so nice of her to attend!

We don't know when it is going to be on their schedule, but my presentation will be on C-Span's American History programming.  I'll let you know when that happens.

But THIS is the latest:


LeRoy's diary has been selected by Amazon to be featured on its Flagship page and a Gold Box Kindle deal for ONE DAY!
You can download The War Outside My Window for a reduced price of $2.99 on their US site for this one day only!  This is a very significant honor for the book, and for spreading the word about LeRoy and his remarkable life!  Let your friends and family know that they can also get to know LeRoy and his family!
Interested in all kinds of history?  Well, LeRoy is being selected by the History Book Club as a new selection as well!

This is also a big honor for the book!
Both of these selections are difficult to achieve, and I am so pleased that The War Outside My Window is getting such superb publicity from all kinds of different sources!  Radio, print, C-Span, Amazon, book clubs... and I don't think we are quite done yet! 
Stay tuned... I still need to post the tour pictures...!  They're wonderful!

I Am Perhaps Dying: The Medical Backstory of Spinal Tuberculosis Hidden in the Civil War Diary of LeRoy Wiley Gresham by Dennis A. Rasbach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Totally enjoyed reading this -- it is an excellent companion piece to my edited work "The War Outside My Window: The Civil War Diaries of LeRoy Wiley Gresham, 1860-1865." It gives the reader a lot more information about the terminal illness that LeRoy was struggling with, and which he did not know he had. Dr. Rasbach's input added a great deal to my overall work!

View all my reviews

LeRoy's journals are an important piece of the historical record of not just the Civil War, although they are exactly that.  But they also add a great deal of depth to the history of 19th century medicine, and without Dr. Rasbach's contribution to the completed work, we probably still would not know what the truth was behind LeRoy's early passing.

**spoiler alert**

While working on transcription and with Ted adding his very valuable contributions to the footnotes, we discussed LeRoy's illness frequently.  We never could come to an agreement, but he changed the ambiguity by asking one of his other authors to help with this mystery.  Dr. Dennis Rasbach has an extensive medical background and has a great deal of interest in the medical profession of the 19th century as well.  Ted had me prepare what I like to call "LeRoy's Medical Records" for him; it included his compliants, doctor visits, medications, treatments, everything that could be related to his health.

What he came back with was stunning, and is provided in depth in his book.  LeRoy died of what today is an obscure form of spinal tuberculosis, known as Pott's Disease.  Basically, he contracted the disease which became active, and attacked his body so thoroughly that his spine was involved.

I had no idea such a thing existed!  In my reading, tuberculosis patients would cough, usually with bloody discharge, and get sent off to a sanitorium to recover.  Or they would die.  I had no idea that it had other forms, although at a doctor's appointment of my own recently I found out that this disease is not uncommon at all in what we used to call "Third World" countries, like the doctor's home country of Pakistan.  He said it was not uncommon at all to see someone with Pott's Disesase, due to their spinal malformities.

LeRoy did not know from what he was ailing.  And we don't know the degree to which his spine was bent, just that it impacted his ability to walk, sit upright, and do some things on his own that he would have preferred to do by himself.  I can understand the perspective of his parents, however, and I do not condemn them for their choice.  They wanted their brilliant, spirited, loving son to live his life to the fullest possible, and to tell him he had a terminal illness would likely have extinguished his sparkle.

When my older daughter was very young, she had chronic/severe asthma that her doctors could not figure out.  Children do not test reliably for allergies until 7 or 8, so when she was 3-1/2 and had a severe episode less than 24 hours after an appointment when she was breathing totally clear was a mystery.  There is nothing more horrifying to the soul of a parent to be told that "someday we may not be able to help her."  And that was in 1990.  In LeRoy's era, medicine was still working without an understanding of germ theory or contagion, and the percentage of people that Dr. Rasbach estimates to have had dormant tuberculosis is simply hard to wrap my head around!  I can put myself in Mary Gresham's shoes... and from LeRoy's writing, I know deep down that she and John Gresham made the right choice.  They allowed their son to remain hopeful, even though they were not.  It was a gift that we can all learn from, I think... and I am grateful to have been able to take part in bringing LeRoy's story to others.

There is no such thing as doing too many of them!

I've done some radio (which still make me nervous) and some with newspaper journalists (which are much more relaxed).  Both kinds are fun, because I get to talk about a subject that I really believe in, and the response I have gotten has been amazing.

http://www.macon.com/news/local/artic... This is what I posted on the book's Facebook page today.  It's a wonderful article from the Macon Telegraph with a video with a local Macon historian to provide some visual context.  This kind of exposure will give LeRoy's story more prominence, and bring the book to new audiences.

I think a part of our hard work -- and the staff at Savas Beatie has been so creative in thinking of new ways to get this book coverage and exposure! -- has begun to really pay off! 

The hardcover version is the #1 new release in the "U.S. Civil War Confederate History" category!  This version releases in less than a week, and you can still pre-order.  Just follow the directions in the previous post.

The Kindle version is the #1 new release in "19th Century World History"!  This version is available now!

Also new to the market is Dr. Dennis Rasbach's ebook I Am Perhaps Dying, which goes into the medical aspect of LeRoy's story.  It is FREE on Kindle right now and will be also available in paperback in October.  His contribution to LeRoy's story is pivotal, as he used his extensive medical background to clearly identify the terminal illness from which LeRoy suffered throughout his journal writing. 

I am so grateful for all of the amazing support I have gotten during this journey!  In one year, Ted Savas, Dr. Rasbach, and I have gone from concept to published book.  I'm now learning about the process of marketing -- something I've never done before, if you exclude selling Girl Scout cookies! -- and will soon begin my first book tour.  In the background of the photograph above, you can see the interior of the 1842 Inn, the former home of the Gresham family, and where our national debut will take place. 

Keep reading for more updates, schedules, announcements, and my insights into this journey!

Thank you all for your support. As a first time author, I really appreciate it more than you know. 
First, I will have only about 100 or so of the first edition hardcovers (surely one day a collector's item) to sign/inscribe for you. 
Purchasing a copy of “The War Outside My Window” directly from me (the editor, Janet Elizabeth Croon), is easy. The cost is $34.95, plus $5.00 shipping for the first book, and FREE shipping on more than one copy! (well packed, signed, and in a bubble envelope). You can send me a check, or you use PayPal (and anyone with a credit card or bank account can use PayPal!)

BY CHECKMake the check out to Janet Croon, and mail it to:Savas-Beatiec/o Janet E. Croon989 Governor Drive, suite 102El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Be sure you tell me if you want a specific type of inscription!
BY PAYPAL1. Go to your PayPal account or create one at www.paypal.com – it’s free and easy!
2. Once you are in PayPal, there will be a blue banner at the top of the page.  Click on the “Send & Request” link.
3. In the box for “Send money to” enter jan@thewaroutsidemywindow.com. This is the email set up exclusively for ordering the book!
4. The amount to enter will be $39.95 -- $34.95 for the book and $5.00 for shipping.  Make sure it shows up underneath as USD.
5. In the “Add a note” box, please put the name and address where you want the book to go. Underneath and in “quotation marks” add any specific message with which you would like me to inscribe the book.  If there is no specific message that you want, leave that blank.  I will write something nice!
6. Make sure the “Your shipping address” is correct!  We want the book to go where it is supposed to!
7. Click on “Continue” and double-check the information.
8. Click “Send payment” and the book will be on its way to you!

Thank you again. I really appreciate the support, and any reviews you can post, as soon as you can(!) please do so!

The beginning of my book tour is not far off... only FOUR weeks to go! 

I can't tell you how excited I am by all of this!  Literally, this amazing book has gone from a contract with nothing yet written to a book currently at the printer.  And in less than a month, I will be sharing LeRoy's inspiring story to audiences in many different parts of Georgia.

This is a state I will admit to not having visited too often, at least not unless I was just passing through.  Usually, I spent the night in a hotel off I-95 outside of Savannah on my way down to visit my mother in Florida.  Being a former Girl Scout leader for both of my daughters, we have been to the lovely city of Savannah a number of times and I am not allowed to come home without salt water taffy from the candy store on the waterfront!  This time, my trip there will have much more meaning due to the new understanding I have of Savannah's role in the Civil War, long before Sherman made it his target in his "March to the Sea."

                           So here it is! 

Saturday, June 9 (1pm & 2:30pm) - 1842 Inn in Macon
Sunday, June 10 at 1pm - Rosemary Inn Bed and Breakfast in North Augusta 
Monday, June 11 at 7pm - Central Georgia Genealogical Society in Warner Robins 
Tuesday, June 12 at 12pm - National Civil War Navy Museum in Columbus 
Tuesday, June 12 at 7pm - Blue & Grey Museum in Fitzgerald 
Wednesday, June 13 at 7pm - Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta 
Thursday, June 14 at 7pm - Bartow History Museum 
Friday, June 15 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm - Acworth Bookstore
Saturday, June 16 - Chickamauga Chattanooga 1p-5p in Fort Oglethorpe
Sunday, June 17 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm - Walker County Historical Society in Lafayette 

Since I started working on my research for both LeRoy's story and the other work I have in progress, I have found Facbook to be an amazing resource.  I've gotten to know others who are just really interested in the topic of the American Civil War, men and women who both are involved in the hobby of Civil War reenactment, and several authors and teachers. 

One very interesting author I have met is Ann Marie Ackermann, who is an American with an impressive legal background who now lives in a small town in Germany.  Having lived in a small town in the Rheingau myself, I think it was one more common thread that allowed us to get to know each other a bit more.

Ann Marie recently did an interview with me, which she has just posted today!  You can find it at https://www.annmarieackermann.com/ler....  Being a lawyer, she asks wonderful, insightful questions that really allowed me to bring out the depth and the importance of LeRoy's journals.  I am so grateful that she chose to include me in her blog!


 When her book came out, I ordered it:

    If you like murder mysteries, this is a book you will like.  Ann Marie has solved a very long cold murder case in her book -- one that remained unsolved for 146 years!  I am very much looking forward to meeting her in person at the Gaithersburg, Maryland Book Festival on May 19, 2018 when she and the mayor of Boenningen will pay the descendents of the man who solved the case their long deserved reward.

They each have their own purposes.  Facebook is for shorter items, while these blog pages just scream to be filled in.



Like with this post.  I put this up when I was first playing around with the FB page for the book.  And you can go here -- https://www.facebook.com/LeRoyWileyGr... -- to read the Buzzfeed article!  Just scroll down until you find it.

It made me smile at the linkage.  LeRoy does talk about the other boys playing "town ball" and you can just hear him longing to be playing with them, too.  They do find a role for him, but I won't spoil it by telling you what it is... although if you want to guess, go to the post and let's see if you're right!

Here on Blogger, I'll be able to ramble on a bit more than I do on Facebook posts.  I guess it's just the writer in me, or maybe the tendency I had as a teacher to expound while kids were taking notes from the PowerPoint on the screen.  So when I see things like this, I'll post them!  I think all the connections that we can make between our lives and the lives of people in the past, the less distant they seem.

So check out the very bottom of the frame of this page, and you'll see a link to "Amazon" and to "Facebook."  Yes, I have an author page on Amazon and go there and check that out too!  And be sure to let others who might be interested in this unique look at the Civil War know about LeRoy and his story.  Readers don't have to know all about the battles or the leaders, because LeRoy will tell you all about them, so it's a good book for people who aren't as well-versed in this era as others are. 

That's the beauty of LeRoy's journals -- they are accessible to everyone!

One thing that has made this entire process of publishing a first book easier and enjoyable is the team at Savas-Beatie that Ted has collected.  They are ALL uniformly awesome, and they really know what they are doing.

Now, I have never had to do any kind of marketing before.  Ever.  Not unless you include Girl Scout cookies, but that was easy because they sell themselves and my girls were selling them anyhow.  So I am moving into really new realms... to include radio.

I will be posting news and items of interest that relate to LeRoy and his era -- there's a fun post on a Civil War baseball already there -- and provide more in-depth thoughts and experiences here.

So make sure you keep up with this new adventure!  And don't hesitate to log in to hear me talk about the project on https://wdbfradio.com on Saturday, May 5 at 12:25pm EDT!

Another surprise!  I guess it's beginning to show that I am a new author, because everything is new and exciting for me... then again, I don't think I would want this any other way!  My publisher, Ted Savas, his team, and Dr. Dennis Rosbach, who did the formal medical diagnosis on LeRoy have put so much hard work into this unique volume.... and that work seems to be appreciated.

From Emerging Civil War:  http://emergingcivilwar.com/2018/04/1...



One thing that Meg Groeling mentioned in one of her replies is that she hopes Savas Beatie will be making the book available for the "classroom reading market." I got (again) so excited about that, as I have been putting together a rough list of the kinds of multidisciplinary activities that I would have (and have used in other contexts) with my own students.  I plan a set of guiding questions to help the students get the most from LeRoy's writing.  That will be my next step in the process of preparing this book for all kinds of  audiences, just like Dr. Rosbach, who has prepared a more detailed medically oriented version for readers who are interested in the practice of medicine at that time.

I think one of the big appeals of this work to teenagers is that LeRoy is one of them.  Of course, there are distinct differences between the kids of today and those of 150 years ago.  However, there are distinct similarities, like writing notes in the margins, drawing little pictures on spare pages, practicing writing his name in different ways, etc.  The best of that was left intact... and I won't provide any spoilers for you, either!  It breaks your heart to realize who his 13-year old crush is...