Authors attend book signing in New Ulm

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Two Minnesotans have joined the growing list of authors whose works are published by Waldman House of Minneapolis.

Marianne Richmond and Richard Jorgensen, appeared at a book signing Saturday at the Christmas Haus. Minnesota authors Tom Hegg and Warren Hanson also attended.

The writers took time to read their books to dozens of adoring fans, while spending some time visiting with residents and visitors.

Hegg, author of "A Cup of Christmas Tea," recently released "A Memory of Christmas Tea," and he is about to release another installment in the Peef series, "Peef and His Best Friend."

Hanson, who has illustrated the Peef books, recently released "The Next Place," and "Older Love."

Jorgensen, a Lutheran minister from Faribault, has released his first book "Reading With Dad" under the Waldman imprint. Illustrated by Hanson, Jorgensen's book was inspired by his own reading relationship with his two daughters.

Jorgensen is a native of Rapid City, S.D., and is a former elementary school teacher. He and his wife Caryl have two daughters, Benet and Anna. He is a lover of poetry, which was part of what inspired him to write his own book.

"The book is written in the voice of a woman who is reflecting back on her reading relationship with her father, and looks toward the present with her relationship with her own children," Waldman Publicist Dorothy Molstad said.

The title of the book came from a comment made by Jorgensen's daughter when she was 13. When a friend called, his daughter said she was busy reading with her father.

"That inspired me," Jorgensen said. "I have had a life-long relationship with reading, and that is brought out in the book."

It took him three months to write the book. He set the manuscript aside for a while, and rediscovered it and showed it to Hanson.

Hanson then draw the illustrations and also set the book aside, he said.

"It took about four years after it was written before it was finally published," Jorgensen. said. "I have been writing as a hobby over the years, and have written in my professional capacity as a minister, but this is my first book of this type. The whole process has been fun."

The book was published in September, and Jorgensen currently has a few more books in mind.

Richmond, a business owner from White Bear Lake, is the author and illustrator "The Gift of Angels," and "The Gift of Memory."

She and her husband Jim have two children, Cole and Adam.

She owns a greeting card company and has developed more than 400 designs that are sold in speciality gift shops and Target stores nationwide.

Her books touch on significant moments in the lives of people, such as the birth of a child and the death of a loved on.

Her business, Marianne Richmond Limited, opened in 1992 and will reach $1 million in sales this year.

"I actually self-published the first book in 1997 and the second one in 1999," she said. "Later that year I met Waldman, who offered to republish and distribute my books to a wider audience."

She got involved in art in 1990 while recovering from brain surgery. She painted a few pictures, and created a few cards for friends. About a year later she started selling cards to shops.

"I finally decided to do this as a business," she said. "Everything just grew from there."

She started writing the book in 1996, and it sat in her computer for a couple of years. She revisited it one day and decided to try her hand at publishing it herself.

The illustrations were designed to be multicultural in nature, which was one of her goals. When she was self-published, the characters were mainly caucasians. She wanted to touch more people with her books.

"I consider these books a labor of love," she said. "People use my books to connect with their feelings and emotions."

She has developed two compact discs to accompany the books. She is currently at work on her third book about individuality, which she hopes will be published next year.