Most of you have heard the news either through the Kickstarter site or the Facebook page, but just in case….The Kickstarter campaign is a success!  It ended yesterday at 103% funded, so “Surrendering to Serendipity” will now move into its next phase – and I am excited to take it there. Thank you to all who helped in so many ways – you are wonderful! I can’t see around the bend, but that’s how life is…I just take this next step and know that all is well!

Halloween has come and gone. For me this year, it fell smack in the middle of the final, intensely busy week of the Kickstarter campaign. When I learned that my husband couldn’t be here to help, I had a Scrooge-like moment. Maybe, I thought, I should stay upstairs in my office where the lights can’t be seen and just keep working. But I love Halloween and I couldn’t bear to miss those eager Ninjas and fairies craning to see what’s coming from my bowl.

Each year, it seems, there is one trick-or-treater who lives on in my mind. This year, it’s a tiny girl in a sparkly pink dress with silver shoes, fuzzy ears and whiskers. When I complimented her costume, she announced (as if expecting to be asked), that she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to be a princess or a kitty. “So,” she proudly announced, “I am a Kitty Princess!”

“Surrendering to Serendipity” won’t fit tidily into boxes either. It’s neither a photography book nor a book of stories – and it’s not even a hybrid of the two. The words and the images arise together, not just in complement to one another, but as one thing.

Some of my most treasured comments made by followers of this blog speak of this. Frances, who at 93 was quite certain that she “…would never travel the Mississippi and now I have – in the company of some wonderful folk, witnessing some lovely friendships and sharing in knowledge which could only be gleaned through those friendships.” Alejandra said, “…I close my eyes and feel like I’m actually visiting the places…” and Maggie said, “What a vicarious thrill!”

“Surrendering to Serendipity” is not a way to share my experience, but a way to give you your own experience following America’s greatest river through America’s heart. It is our river, our people and our journey.

Like the Kitty Princess, this book may be hard to categorize. My task now is to gather the perfect experts to guide “Surrendering to Serendipity” through the next steps while being true to the unique spirit of it – people with that perfect combination of rich experience and free thinking. I have no doubt that Serendipity will draw them near.

Now, a reader and friend who I’ve not yet met has graciously invited me to her home on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Illinois. I can think of no more perfect way to catch my breath than to sit beside the River in gratitude for a couple of days before striding on and seeing what lies around the bend.

Thank you, each one of you. You are the heart and soul of this adventure.

Love,      Gayle

P.S. I’ve added a new “Media” Page to this blog. If you didn’t get to see the great coverage that we got during the campaign, check it out. There’s a tv interview, a couple of radio interviews and newspapers and magazines.

There’s also an index now to “Roadtripping with a Raindrop” with descriptions and links to those pages if you missed any or want to revisit them.

Elizabeth Gilbert, the incredibly talented, best-selling author of “Eat Pray Love” released her new novel, “The Signature of All Things” on October 1st and it is already on the New York Times Bestseller List. I am a huge fan of hers.

I am greatly honored, humbled and amazed to learn that she posted a link to my Kickstarter campaign for “Surrendering to Serendipity” on her Facebook page with this comment:

Thank you, Thank you! I am overwhelmed!

Yesterday, as I was preparing for my first live TV interview, my thumping heart and racing mind were a clear reminder of why I picked a career that puts me on the back of a camera rather than the front.

You can see that the guest before me, there to spread the word about “Puppy Day” had no nerves at all as she sprawled on the counter and soaked up the love.

And – as often happens, the anticipation was actually more stressful than the interview itself. Tom Trtan and Shannon Fox of KOLR-TV, made it easy and, to my surprise, actually fun. If you’d like to see the interview, here’s a link http://bit.ly/KOLRTVHarper

One of the questions I was asked had to do with the “overarching theme” of this project and what came out of my mouth was that, in an era with no shortage of disheartening news, “Surrendering to Serendipity” reminds us that the world is actually filled with kind, open-hearted, wonderful people.

There are lots of ways this project and this book can be described. As you read it, you will learn much about America’s greatest river and its quintessential role in our history, our present and our very identity. You will sample the river’s endless moods and colors as it grows from a tiny stream to a massive force of nature. You will leave behind, at least for a time, schedules and agendas as we happily follow a raindrop on a 7,400 mile route that would look like a spaghetti bowl if we traced it. You will be on the great river in everything from a canoe and a sea kayak to fishing boats, ferries and a towboat pushing its massive flotilla of barges.

Yet, when asked to describe the essence of this journey in one sentence, there was no thought or hesitation – it is about the joy of making eye contact with someone who is known to be a friend before we speak. It is about the utter trust demonstrated when I was given the use of a 30-room, antique-filled mansion for a weekend. It is about being included in picnics, fish fries, birthday parties and quiet moments. It is about sharing joy in the simple things. It is about being continually reminded of the love that is the essence of all of us.

Sharing these moments in words and photographs is the best way I know of to honor the love, trust and kindness of all the beautiful people who are part of this adventure, so that’s what I intend to do.

Thank you, everyone, for your pledges and your efforts to spread the word! Thanks to you, we are right now at 71% with 11 days remaining. At this moment, that leaves $4,514 in pledges yet to be raised. We can do this!

Several people have told me that they intend to pledge, but must wait until payday or a new credit card cycle. This prompts me to assure you that your card is not charged until the campaign ends on November 4 – it is only a pledge until then. And that assumes that we successfully meet our goal! Any campaign that falls short of the goal, even by a small amount, receives nothing and no one is charged. It is all or nothing.

If you haven’t visited the Kickstarter site yet, this is the perfect time! Watch the video, read the Updates (click on the tab at the top of that page) and then study the Backer Awards. You can have your name printed in the book or have a book donated to the school, library or organization of your choice imprinted with your words in recognition of someone you love. There are wallpapers for your computer, postcards and prints ready for display. You can join us for the Book Launch Party and be honored there as a Backer.

Your pledge in any amount is truly appreciated. Pledges so far range from $1 to $1,000 and each is appreciated. Each moves us closer to our goal. If you can help push for the finish by spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter and other social media and in person, that would be awesome. It will be a beautiful book that will make you proud to be part of it.

Here’s the link…    http://bit.ly/KickstarterHarper

Love,    Gayle

I’m sending a great BIG heartfelt “Thank You” to each of these media professionals!

Michele Skalicky, reporter and Morning Edition Host at NPR affiliate KSMU for this wonderful story! You can listen online now and it might be aired live today (Monday 10/21) at 4:30 or 5:30. It’s 91.1 FM if you are local.  http://ksmu.org/article/local-author-experiences-life-along-mississippi-70467

Jonathan Turner, reporter at Quad Cities Dispatch/Argus for this great article! http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=656604

Steve Willoughby, Station Manager at KRZK-FM in Branson, MO for this fabulous on-air interview.  

Thank you SO much for helping to spread the word!!!

WE ARE RIGHT NOW AT 55%!!!!!    Just 14 days remain.  Please, if you want to back “Surrendering to Serendipity,” do it now! We can do this with your help!    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/328392966/surrendering-to-serendipity

Thank you everyone!!!   Gayle 

The Kickstarter campaign is live and running!

I met a ranch manager once on rolling hills above the Mississippi River near Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. When he offered to take me to see a herd of bison, I climbed into his truck. On the way, we passed through another enclosure where this young stallion was kept. When the horse saw us, he exploded into dazzling action. He raced circles around us, hooves thundering, nostrils flaring, bucking and kicking. I was spinning in circles, too – shooting like crazy and laughing with the thrill of it all. This was the only successful shot I got.

That horse was running like that simply because he could – because he was brimming with the joy of life.

For me, the adventure of following a raindrop named Serendipity has always felt a little like that. I never know what might be coming, but I take the next step for the pure joy of it. And many of you have been right beside me the whole way.

This has always been a shared experience. From the moment that I learned a raindrop falling into the headwaters will travel the Mississippi River for 90 days to reach the Gulf of Mexico, things have unfolded magically because people have wanted to be part of it. Some offered lodging, some opened their hearts and shared their lives and their stories as I was traveling and some, like many of you, have been right beside me the whole way by following this blog. In fact, although it was only promoted by word of mouth, the blog had nearly 20,000 views during the 90 days of the journey.

Now, the stories are written and the photos are edited and the book, “Surrendering to Serendipity” is ready for layout, design and printing! It will be a beautiful book, filled with full-color photos, but to bring it into reality, I need your help with this Kickstarter campaign.

The minimum pledge is just $1 and every dollar does matter. Kickstarter campaigns are all-or-nothing so there must be enough pledges to meet the goal of $16,000 or the project is not funded at all. Please click this link

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/328392966/surrendering-to-serendipity

and participate however you can. You can also search on www.kickstarter.com for “Surrendering to Serendipity” and find it that way.

For this campaign to succeed, lots of people need to hear about it. So please click the links below and share it on Facebook, Twitter, wherever you can – and help to spread the word!

Thank you, friends!

Love, Gayle

Every day the book about this amazing 90-day adventure gets closer to reality. Serendipity, our little raindrop, continues to work her magic in ways that astound me! As you know if you’ve been with us a while, this has always been a shared experience and the perfect people have always appeared at the perfect time to offer help and guidance. I continue to be humbled and amazed by how it all unfolds.

Now, we are about to step out into a whole new, and very exciting, phase! The book, “Surrendering to Serendipity,” will be a unique blend of photographs and stories that enhance each other and work together to give each reader their own experience of this road trip of a lifetime. You’ve had tastes of that in this blog and the book will be an even richer experience – you’ll be right beside me meeting people who invite us into their lives and having crazy, wonderful experiences.

“Surrendering to Serendipity” is now ready for final edit, layout, design and production! That is hugely exciting – and, as I’m sure you can imagine, also expensive! So, the next step is a Kickstarter campaign to hopefully raise the funds to bring this project “home” into a beautiful book that I will be thrilled to share!

If you’re not yet familiar with www.kickstarter.com , it’s a “crowdfunding platform” specifically for creative projects, which means that people can learn about and be a part of projects that capture their imagination, entertain or inspire them. It’s really great fun to back a project, even for a small amount, and join in the creative process with them. You get to know the creators and receive insider updates about their progress and get some pretty cool “Awards” for doing so! Even just cruising the “Staff Picks” is invigorating as it’s amazing how differently creativity shows up in each of us.

VERY soon now, we will announce the launch date of our own Kickstarter campaign. Like magic, “Serendipity’s Dream Team” has assembled – an awesome group of talented friends pouring their hearts, time and expertise into this enormous undertaking. I’ll introduce them to you soon!

Here’s how it works –

A goal is set and if enough pledges come in to meet it, the project is funded. It’s an all-or-nothing deal. If the goal isn’t reached, backers are not charged and the creators receive nothing. So, the key to success is getting the word out as far and wide as possible.

Here’s how you can help –

• Tell everyone you know! Share the link to this blog. There’s a whole row of buttons at the bottom to make it easy!
• If you are on Facebook and we haven’t connected there yet, just hit the “Like” button to the right! There’s a lot happening there – photos, interactions with River friends and organizations, videos – and, of course, the progress of “Surrendering to Serendipity.”
• Tweet about it, post it and talk about it wherever you can!

AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT…If you’re of a mind to support this campaign, in any measure, it is most helpful if you are ready to jump in and do so as soon after we launch as possible. (It’s only a pledge until the campaign is over and we have met our goal!) The campaigns that get off to a great start have the best chance of success and here’s why –

1.      Early momentum stirs excitement and enthusiasm and encourages others to participate

2.      AND – it might mean that the campaign gets noticed by Kickstarter staff and put onto the front page as a “Staff Pick.”  That, as I’m sure you can imagine, is a HUGE boost!

The Dream Team is working on some very cool Rewards for backers (including a special “Early Birds Award”) and a great video that shows and tells the story of how this all grew from that one life-changing moment when I learned that a raindrop falling into the headwaters of the Mississippi would travel for 90 days to reach the Gulf of Mexico! (Wow – I had no clue what that would mean!)

This has always been a shared experience. It could not have come this far otherwise. From all the folks along the River who offered complimentary lodging, to the people I met along the way that opened doors and created amazing opportunities, to you who have traveled virtually right with me. It has always been about connections. People have said they feel connected to America’s greatest river in a way they never had before. Others feel connected to their hometown or their childhood or the memory of their last great road trip. Sometimes, Serendipity has brought people together across miles and differences in lifestyles and connected them in ways that have seemed downright miraculous.

Her reach continues to grow. The Author Facebook page is just a few months old and at this moment, 923 people have “Liked” it. When the Springfield News-Leader feature appeared in July, 520 people clicked the button to share the online version with all their Facebook friends. And 320 of you are now following this blog! A huge thank you to every one of you. That’s how I continue to know that I’m doing what I’m meant to do!

So, I’ll be back VERY soon with more details and the actual launch date! For now, if you can help spread the word, a HUGE thank you to you!!!!

Love, Gayle

Sometimes, as I roll southward along the Great River Road, the changes in geography, culture and accents seem to happen subtly and gradually. At other times, it feels like I might have nodded off during a play and missed a complete set change. The Midwest has abruptly been left behind. Here, in “the Bootheel” of Missouri, everything, even the heavy, humid air, feels decidedly “Southern.”

This is cotton country and the fluffy white stuff is everywhere. It’s smooshed into huge round bales and waiting in harvested fields. It’s blowing across the road in frothy waves and it’s riding down the highway in the backs of semi-trucks, like the one I have been staring into for miles now. I’ve had a few chances to pass, but now I’m intrigued. I’ve never seen cotton like this, in such enormous bundles, so I’ve decided to trail along a bit and see what I can discover.

When the truck leaves the highway and makes several turns on side roads, I follow like a duckling behind its momma until we turn into the L. Berry Cotton Gin at Holland, Missouri. The truck falls in line with its comrades and I turn into an expanse of orderly rows of bundled cotton, looking a lot like giant nougat candy bars in their pastel green and yellow wrappers. They are even bigger than they looked from a distance, perhaps eight feet in diameter, tightly compressed and neatly sliced at each end. I walk among them, picking up stray boles, fingering the silky threads and the seeds buried within.

There’s a cacophony of machinery noise roaring from a huge building and a smaller, quieter one that must be the office, so I opt for that. The woman at the counter looks surprised to see me, but she smiles when I tell her about the journey of a raindrop and asks me to wait a moment. A minute later she returns, smiling broadly and says, “Mr. Sonny Berry, the owner of the company is here and would be happy to talk with you.” 

Mr. Berry is a silver-haired gentleman who seems not the least bit bothered by my surprise visit. “The process of ginning cotton,” he explains as we walk, “is basically the same as when Eli Whitney made the first gin in 1793. It’s just easier and faster now.” The big, round bales, which are each the equivalent of four 500-pound bales, are called “modules” and are the latest evolution in streamlining the process of separating the seeds and hulls from the cotton.

I’ve passed into the Mississippi Delta, he tells me proudly, and Delta cotton is among the finest anywhere. His roots are deep in this land, he says, as his family has farmed here for many generations and they have weathered many changes. The cotton industry suffered when synthetics were preferred, but that tide has now turned. “It’s a good year to be in the cotton business,” he says, unable to contain a brilliant smile, “and the price of cotton is at an all-time high.”

Back on the road, I pass mile after mile of empty, harvested fields. Only random wisps of cotton cling to the stubs of plants and litter the ground like the morning after a party. Then, surprisingly, there is one field that is still covered with a blanket of white. I pull over and walk the impossibly straight rows and marvel at how pristinely white the boles are amidst all the dust. I break off a brittle stem and touch the sharp, prickly hull and images arise of all the bare hands that were sliced by such plants.

It’s day 63 of this amazing 90-day journey and it seems perfectly fitting that as I transition into the South, I would be walking in a cotton field. Cotton is the backdrop for most of the South’s stories – it’s the very fabric from which many are woven. The stories will be different from those of other parts of America and yet they will be the same. They will tell of oppression and freedom, cruelty and kindness and joy and sorrow – and they will tell, as they always do, of Love that survives and transcends all circumstances.