Literarily Woodstocking Berthoud

There’s always a first.

Back in 1969, our country was in upheaval. Foreign wars, protests, economic crises, college takeovers, generational and societal antagonism, and political schisms consumed our lives. The United States was ready to burn to the ground.

Mordor. The perfect setting for a redemptive fairy tale. Let’s see . . .

Once upon a time there was a small town in Bethel, N.Y. that decided to hold “an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock

Three days of people traveling from all over the country coming together over the common pursuit of peace, love and music. It changed the world.

Anyone who passed on the opportunity to attend that three day event kicks themselves to this day for missing out on what became the musically and culturally historic event we know as Woodstock.

Fast forward fifty-five years. For those of us that are still continuing our epic journeys from back in that time, take a good look around. Seem familiar?

Seems like a good time for a creative reset.

Now, despite Joe Serrano’s tireless and talented efforts to teach me the guitar in our youth (yes, he’s the bad guy in KMAG and appears as Joe Marrero in FJM). I could never get beyond the first ten notes in In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

(Truth is, that’s probably all you really need to know). So, I was never going to make it as a rock star.

But Joe did, that’s him on the right.

But, it turns out, I could tell a story. Thank you, Claire.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tom-McCaffrey/author/B08T9SKMDB?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1724801379&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

So, when the Outreach and Operations Specialist for the Berthoud Library, the lovely Thora Siemsen, approached me earlier this summer with their plan to hold a three day creative event here in my new hometown of Berthoud, Colorado, I said, sign me up.

Berthoud shares four (with a repeat) letters with Bethel. There’s a literary start.

I am absolutely honored by the invite. I look forward to interacting with anyone who shows up and will hug, take selfies, and sign any book or body part placed before me (and before anyone tests me on that last bit, just know that I am shameless and will take a photo, possibly a video).

I am thrilled that for three days people will gather in this town in peace and harmony to listen to, discuss, and hopefully read literature of all genres. If those people want to get high, walk around naked and engage in free love during that weekend, all the better. Music adds to the magic, so sit in the public parks and play those guitars if you have them.

As a matter of fact, I highly recommend that visitors looking for an authentically otherworldly experience over the festival weekend launch their attendance at this event by reading The Wise Ass (the Kindle version remains free to download for Prime Members until 8/31), which according to the brilliant auteur, Colin Broderick – https://www.colinbroderick.com/

is “Grisham on mushrooms.”

And The Claire Saga is primarily set in Berthoud. You can make a game of spotting the landmarks mentioned in the books. Another draw. Maybe you can even find Casa Claire. Not quite Yasgur’s Farm, but just as mystical.

In fact, if you read TWA this week, you still have time to burn through An Alien Appeal, Kissing My Ass Goodbye, Finding Jimmy Moran and Where The Ley Lines Meet before September 20th. And I do want to answer all the deepest, wildest and most controversial questions at the event with as much dark humor as I can muster, so I really need people to read the books and come fully loaded. Otherwise, crickets.

I understand that paperback copies will be sold at the event and I promise to inscribe every copy of my book(s) for as long as it takes that Saturday.

So, what do you say? Shall we all make that one special weekend at the end of this September a literary event that can change the world through total creative immersion (and drugs, sex and rock and roll if you insist). Trust me, you will want to keep that hot ticket as proof you were there (I’ll even sign any of those put in front of me). Worth tons of cash in another 50 years.

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Woodstock+Crosby+Stills+Nash+and+Young&mid=E34BA654E767E69DF4B3E34BA654E767E69DF4B3&FORM=VIRE

Listen carefully, “we’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden.”

Berthoud is the renown garden spot of Colorado.

https://berthoudeconomicdevelopment.com/why-berthoud/

So, make those travel plans now. Start reading. Come one and come all. For those that come to see me, I promise to give you my best shot.

Well, I have to get back to reality, the new day awaits.

You fine, five readers, get your skates on, Hump Day awaits. Wave to Friday frantically in the distance – the call of the Fall is right there behind it.

I’m going to cuddle some kitties and make my rounds.

But no matter what else we get up to, let us make today a great one.