CHESAPEAKE LIFE MAGAZINE
December 2001

Shorelines
By Jay Livingston

FOLK LORE

John Snyder has turned his self-published Christmas tale into a runaway hit.

A popular holiday tradition has always involved recalling family stories from holidays past, like when Uncle Tony indulged in too eggnog and set the Christmas tree afire, that kind of thing.  Not many people, though, take their own folklore and ride it to the top of The New York Times bestseller list.  But that’s exactly what Gambrills, Md., resident, and public relations consultant John Snyder intends to do.

Snyder created a national buzz two years ago when he released his self-published Christmas story, The Golden Ring.  The simple yet profound tale is based on one told to Snyder by his grandmother, before her death in November 1999, about a real-life golden ring she received for Christmas as a child.

Over the past two holiday seasons, The Golden Ring has sold more than 24,000 copies, an astounding figure for a self-published work - so astounding, in fact, that publishing giant Warner Books took notice and purchased the rights for a autumn 2001 re-release.   “The reaction from the public toward my book has been overwhelming,” says Snyder.  “This year, we want it to reach the top of the bestseller list.”  For more information and sample chapters, log onto johnsnyder.net.