ENQUIRER-GAZETTE
Local author to sign Christmas book
By Thomas Dennison
The Enquirer-Gazette
What started out as simple conversation over a cup of
coffee between a grandson and his grandmother turned into a Christmas story that
pulls on the heartstrings and stirs emotions that readers may not have known
ever existed.
John Snyder, a Gambrills, Md., resident and owner of a
public relations and advertising firm, recently authored, published and is
marketing his book, “The Golden Ring, A Touching Christmas Story,” to the
Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Western Maryland area.
The book, just as the title states, is a “touching” story that is set
a few days before Christmas in 1918 Myersdale, a picturesque township nestled in
the dense snow-covered mountains of western Pennsylvania’s coal country.
Snyder got the inspiration to write the book after a
conversation with his grandmother, Anna Snyder, while visiting her at
Christmastime a few years ago. Snyder
said he just wanted to speak to his grandmother about her childhood, but she
began to talk about a special golden ring and its connection with Christmas,
which immediately sparked his interest.
Snyder listened to his grandmother tell the story and it
took him back to a nostalgic era when times were simple and family come first.
The tale will capture the reader’s interest and draw them in so as to
really ”experience” the events as they happen.
The words that Snyder wrote are so real that readers can
smell the smells, see the sights, hear the noises and feed the many emotions
associated with each character.
In speaking with the author about his 168-page tale of the
true meaning of Christmas, which emphasizes the joy that comes from giving, he
passed along the importance of a family in everyone’s life.
In today’s world, children lose sight of the true meaning of family and
its importance, Snyder said. That
was one of the reasons why he decided to write the book and overcome all the
obstacles that stood in his way of finishing it.
He said that writing a book is a monumental task in itself because of the work that has to be put in editors and doing the writing/re-writing process. As if that was not enough, he went out on his own to publish the book so he did all the typesetting, designed the cover – which was illustrated by an outside source, chose a printer and unloaded boxes of his books from a tractor trailers. Snyder is now marketing and selling his Christmas creation. He added that the three years he spent writing, editing and overcoming obstacles were a “labor of love” and a time period when he shed a lot of tears, but seeing his dream turn into reality is something that he never thought would happen.
“I never thought I’d be able to hold my dream in my hands,” Snyder said. “It’s such an honor to see people buying this book that means so much to me.”
Snyder said the feedback he received has been tremendous.
Children and adults, women and men alike, have told him how much the book
has meant to them, that it takes them back to a time that can only be revisited
in their memories. Hearing comments
from boys and girls as young as 7 or 8-years-old, to grandmothers and
grandfathers expressing their appreciation is what really makes him “feel
good,” he said, and serves as a reward for all the hard work that went into
bringing the story to them.
Snyder explained that his grandmother has since passed away and he really pressed to get the book finished in time for her to read the story she lived and passed on to her grandson. In listening to Snyder talk about writing the book and passing it on to the rest of his family, there was a sense of pride and accomplishment when he laid a copy of the book in his grandmother’s coffin. Anna Snyder would have celebrated her 91st birthday on April 11, 2000.
Snyder said that he already met his goal to sell 1,000 copies of his book. He has since made another goal to sell 1,000 more before Christmas. In the future, Snyder plans on writing more books and he said that Hollywood producers have expressed interest in making a movie out of “The Golden Ring.” Next year Snyder plans to go national with the book and hopefully make the best sellers list someday.
For a gift for someone special, no matter what age, or a gift to warm the heart, touch the senses and travel to a place never seen before, “The Golden Ring” is available at local Borders Book & Music stores, online at the book’s website at www.thegoldenring.com or call 410-721-4447 to order by mail.
Snyder will be signing his book at Borders in Bowie on December 19 between 2 and 5 p.m.