I receive many wonderful emails, but this collection is very special. Not only were they from "across the pond," but they're so encouraging to me and hopefully to you because of how going LOCAL! is changing the landscape of eating and drinking in central PA. And, from the writer's perspective, completely changing the landscape of PA itself! I can only hope our state tourist office finds this posting! :^)
Click the Keep Reading link below to read on. Enjoy!
It all started with this inquiry via The Indie Press website.
Dear Administrator: The following information has just been submitted to you from The Indie Press.
---Contact Form---
Full Name: jane
E-mail Address: ***********
Phone Number: ************
Message Subject: will you ship to the UK?
Message Body: Hi,
I'm in the UK and am due to visit Huntingdon PA in July of this year (to visit my niece at Juniata College). I'd love to have a read through the GoingLocal books before I get there, to enable me to plan some serious meals!! Any chance you would ship to the UK? and if so what are the costs?
Thanks in advance,
Jane
The next are Jane's further correspondences after my replies.
I'd like to buy both books please - I know postage is rather expensive, but having your books will help us to plan what routes we take to places during our visit. I've already got a guide book to PA - but to be honest it's bloody rubbish, and doesn't conjour up a great feeling of PA at all (it makes it seems really boring) and has hardly any recommendations at all.
Jane
Hi Ken,
I can't wait to get your books. I've been reading your newsletters and clicking the links on where you're having your book signings and as a result I've gone from being not very bothered about visiting Huntingdon (it was more a duty when we first booked our flights) to now being very excited! So thank you!!! I'll keep an eye on what you're up to and see if we can attend one of your events.
Take care and speak soon. I'm off to place my order NOW :)
Jane
Woo-hoo! Order placed!
Just after the books arrived
Oh my!
They're lovely. Really lovely books - you must be very proud of them. And thank you for the kind words you've written inside. I can't wait to read them. I'm so excited!!!
AND THE MAP! (I sent her a map of PA) Did you read my mind? I've wanted a map of PA ever since we booked the trip - now I can properly plot our adventures. YEY!
I'm so pleased I found you. You're a darling - thank you so very much for being so thoughtful. You've already made such a difference to our trip. I've told my sister all about you and we're looking forward to meeting up with you for a pint.
Speak soon,
Jane :)
p.s. $20 for postage? I think I owe you a few quid ;)
Hi Ken!
It's me again :)
Well, I've had chance to have a good read of your books and I'm really chuffed (not sure what that means - hope it's good) with them - they're exactly what I'd hoped they would be. They're also aesthetically very lovely. I love the layout, the fold-out map and the little stories you write about each place. And thanks for popping the bookmarks in at the Huntingdon pages - that was a lovely touch. I've now got my eye on loads of places to eat and visit.
I know I'm repeating myself - but I can't tell you how much differently your books and talking with you, has made me feel about my trip. I've been to the US a few times, but to the Deep South and Texas, so when my niece picked Juniata for her studies I was a bit disappointed. Not for her of course, as its a brilliant school - but because I thought when I came over to visit her it would be dull in Pennsylvania. HAHAHAHA! How wrong was I? Now I can't wait to get on the plane. So thank you very much!
I'm coming over with my sister Denise. She is the mum, or mom as you would say :) , of my niece. She has just graduated from Juniata, and is this morning setting off from Huntingdon to travel and see some more of the US - she'll return to meet when we arrive in July. We're staying in the home of some friend's of her (you Americans are so very friendly) and we are looking forward to letting her show us around her adopted home. She adores the place and will be desperately sad to leave. I've told her all about you and she too highly recommends Standing Stone cafe in Huntingdon and Otto's in State College! So we've all got something in common! :)
The book signing on the Millersburg ferry sounds like brilliant fun (is that the ferry that you wrote about in your book?) so we're going to try to come along to that. My niece has a few plans for our fortnight but we'll definitely have time to meet up with you. She is hoping to throw a leaving barbecue/little party to say goodbye to people she has met and to introduce her mum to a few friends and some of her college professors. We haven't picked a date for the barbie yet - but it would be really lovely if you could come?
You take care,
Speak soon,
Jane :)
Wow! And people bug me all the time about why I quit painting to write books. I think Jane's words are my response.
Thank you Jane!!!
Ken
Here's Janes response to this posting 6/7/11
Hi Ken, Me again... :-) Blimey - I'm famous! I'm so terribly pleased (chuffed) that you've included my comments on your website. Everything I said is true - you're a great guy, a fabulous writer and a credit to PA. Perhaps you should think about selling your services to the tourism office! Not long now until we arrive! We're very excited and very much looking forward to meeting you and your fellow Pennsylvanians.
Kindest,
Jane
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