On September 1, Rosalie Haizlette will launch her new book-- Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist's Journey-- which chronicles her journey from Alabama to Newfoundland documenting the tiny animals, plants and fungi she encountered hiking the Appalachian Mountains..

Here's part of her introduction to the book--

My initial vision

When I first dreamt up this book project 3 years ago, I knew that it would be a passion project, not a strategic financial move.

Books aren’t a lucrative endeavor, unless you’re a celebrity or one of the select few to hit best-seller lists.

But niche regional nature books that don’t fit squarely into one genre? Those are definitely not created for the financial payoff.

Why did I decide to make it then? Because the idea of making this book lit a fire within me, something that I only experience every few years.

Every time I thought about the project, it felt like I was falling in love—butterflies in my stomach, sweaty pits and all.

This compulsion kept me going when a potential publisher told me they weren’t interested in my proposal unless I made my book about the national parks, when I had to spend 2x the amount of my advance payment on lodging alone during the six-month research trip that became the book, and during the hundreds of days when I showed up at my desk to paint and write, whether I was feeling inspired in that moment or not.

My dream was to make a book that allowed me to deepen my knowledge of the natural world in the Appalachian Mountains, the region I’ve always called home.

It was to translate what I learned into a book so vibrant and playful that even a reader who was uninterested in nature would be compelled to care a little bit more deeply about the flora and fauna here.

In a nutshell, my goal all along was simply to create a beautiful book that resonated with a select few readers who would treasure it.

I am deeply grateful to both the Eckelberry Fellowship and the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History for supporting this vision through grant funds.

A team effort

After several months of pitching my book proposal to publishers (I don’t have an agent), I was so fortunate to find a wonderful non-profit nature book publisher, Mountaineers Books, to help me bring this project to life.

The editing process took nearly a year, and during that time I got to work with a whole slew of fabulous women who helped make my book shine. They poured countless hours and endless creativity into my book.

When I got the advance copy of my book in July, I held it in my hands and felt such deep gratitude that the project had worked out, and that they’d believed in my vision enough to make it a reality.

Loving my book & letting it go

So here I am, handing my book off to you. My palms are sweaty and part of me still wants to do everything in my power to control the outcomes, but it is time for me to rest in my efforts.

In just a few days, those of you who have pre-ordered will see my book show up in your mailbox or on your doorstep.

As you open the book, it is my hope that it fills you with inspiration and reverence for our natural world.

I choose to believe that if even a handful of readers are moved by my art and words, my book will be a smashing success.

Read her full introduction to the book and watch her video describing this project.

Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist's Journey is now available for order online.

Visit her website-- Rosalie Haizlette-- to learn more about the artist and her work.

(Courtesy of Jerry Hassinger who met Rosalie Haizlette through his work at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, in Millersburg, Dauphin County. 

Jerry said this about her book-- “As adults, we’ve left tiny worlds behind us; this is a reminder of our childhoods when turtles and fireflies were enough. This is a great gift for budding naturalists or for oldsters who’ve called the Appalachian Mountains their home.”)

[Posted: August 29, 2024]

9/2/2024