I will have a table at the Albany Book Festival, in Albany, New York.
Admission to the festival is free. It will be held on the campus of the University at Albany, and is sponsored by the NYS Writers Institute and the University at Albany. There will be presentations by some nationally known writers. In addition, a number of online workshops are being offered. There will also be...a room full of authors (such as myself) who will be offering their books for sale.
I will have the folowing titles available for purchase:
Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the Author of Twelve Years a Slave
Solomon Northup's Kindred: The Kidnappiing of Free Citizens before the Civil War
Forgotten on the Kennebec: Abandoned Places and Quirky People
Ballston Spa History Walkaround: A Guide to Historic Places and Interesting People
Full information on the Albany Book Festival.
I will give a talk, 50 Years Ago: Filming in Ballston Spa of "The Way We Were"
I will relate how, in September 1972, Hollywood came to Ballston Spa when a production crew took over Front Street to film some scenes for the movie "The Way We Were," which was set in the 1930s. Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand--and some local residents ("extras")--were here in person for the moviemaking. Learn about this event and the excitement it generated, as well as how it impacted the community and why Ballston Spa came to be a location used for the film. I will talk about the time--50 years ago--that Hollywood came to town. After the talk, those who want to can walk up to Front Street to see and hear about the two locations that appeared on screen.
This free event will begin at 3 pm, at The Real McCoy Beer Company, located at 28 Washington Street in Ballston Spa, New York.
Copies of my short book, Ballston Spa History Walkaround: A Guide to Historic Places and Interesting People will be available for purchase.
Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the Author of Twelve Years a Slave
Solomon Northup's Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War
Forgotten on the Kennebec: Abandoned Places and Quirky People
Ballston Spa History Walkaround: A Guide to Historic Places and Interesting People
Madame Sherri - The Special Edition
I can research your ancestors (or local history topics) from Saratoga, Washington, or Warren County
in New York State, making use of physical collections at local repositories as well as databases which
I subscribe to. Also, if you have done research already, I can provide editorial assistance to get it
published or made available on a Web site. List of services I can provide.
I am a professional librarian (with a Master's Degree in Library Science), have done quite a bit of
genealogy research, and have taught genealogy classes in the Capital District of New York State.
I have researched and written a number of local history
relating to people in Saratoga County.
The articles were published in Ballston Spa Life, a weekly newspaper published by The Saratogian.
Here is a list of my Ballston Spa articles.
I also have written a number of articles for the New York History Blog. Here is a list of my New York History Blog articles.
If you hire me to research your family history, one of the options available to you would be to have me
write up biographical information on your ancestors. The write-up would be similar to the local history
articles I have done.
Emancipation Day. To learn how slaves were freed in Washington, D. C. in 1862, read my article on The Root.
Forgotten on the Kennebec: Abandoned Places and Quirky People, about several abandoned places on Maine's Kennebec River.
and
Madame Sherri - The Special Edition (with Eric Stanway).
My e-book called Slavery on Stage: Black Stereotypes and Opportunities in Nate Salsbury's "Black Anerica" Show.
Following the final run of his Wild West Show, Nate Salsbury initiated a new production called "Black America."
The 1895 show, though somewhat patronizing, gave many African Americans a foot in the door for careers in
show business, and increased public awareness of their many skills and talents.
Available from smashwords.com, where it's just 99 cents!
For more information, or to purchase, go to: www.smashwords.com/books/view/362832
This book describes a walking tour that covers some of the historic buildings in Ballston Spa, New York,
and has interesting stories about past residents.
Available as a paperback at:
Ballston Spa History Walkaround page,
and as an e-book ($2.79) at:
Ballston Spa History Walkaround E-book page.
Available for Nook Kobo Apple iTunes book
And (of course) as a print book from mega bookseller Amazon.com.
Ballston Spa History Walkaround is available at Brookside Museum's gift shop. Brookside is
located at 6 Charlton Street, Ballston Spa, New York. Phone: 518-885-4000.
Solomon Northup is the man whose story was presented in the Oscar-winning film, 12 Years a Slave.
I had been researching Northup for years, long before the film came out. I especially was
interested in finding out what Northup did after his release from slavery. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,
and Kevin Burke, the editors of the Norton Critical Editions version of Twelve Years a Slave
(W. W. Norton, 2016), commended me as "Northup's current and most devoted biographer."
I self-published a short book about Northup in 2012, then collaborated with some other
people to write a book about him. The book, Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the
Author of Twelve Years a Slave is a full biography of the man who authored one of
the most widely read slave narratives.
Information on the book, and on Solomon Northup's experiences.
Read media coverage of my research on Solomon Northup.
I followed up my research on Northup with another project. Northup was by no means the only person
who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. I've written a book about some of these other victims, titled
Solomon Northup's Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War. Here is the
listing on Amazon--the book is scheduled to be released on January 30, 2016. It is also available as an e-book:
Kindle book
Google Play
See my History Winks blog
List of my Saratoga County history articles.
List of my New York History Blog articles.
Email: info@fiskeresearch.com