Floating back from Michigan Wizard of Oz Festival

I had a great time as a special guest author who was billed as a celebrity guest at the Michigan Wizard of Oz Festival in Ionia, Michigan this past weekend.

I was not far from my friends, authorial colleagues, and special guests James and Amanda Wallace III. They are fine Oz authors who write great books for children. I was unable to get a photograph with Munchkin by marriage and celebrity guest Mary Ellen St. Aubin this year, but she has always been very sweet when I have spoken with her in past years.

Just as we were going in the door of the Armory (where we special guests and main vendors were) there was something that appeared to be the Book of Records with a wonderful O and Z insignia. It was a book for people to sign in on. There was also a map off to the side where people could put stars showing where they came from. Here is what the book-stand and general set-up appeared like:

Within the Armory, Oz-zy decorations and sets had been placed here and there:

Within the Armory, many Oz fans stopped by my table to purchase copies of my fantasy Corgi graphic novel, _Ziggy Zig-zags the Light and Dark Fantastic_ and my Southern literature meets Oz fantasy, _O.Z. Diggs Himself Out_ (both published by YBR Publishing of Beaufort, S.C.):

Outside the Armory, there were vendors as well going all the way down to the historic Ionia Cinema:

 Above: This vendor has a rescue dog support organization, an organization which is dear to my heart.

Looking at those vendor tents and going down to the cinema, also allowed one to gaze upon some amazing Victorian architecture in Ionia, Michigan's downtown:

Upon arrival at the Ionia Cinema one evening, after the day of meet and greets and book sales were over, I had the pleasure of seeing James Wallace III's presentation on the myths related to the 1939 M.G.M. film "The Wizard of Oz." By the way, one of the major draws for the annual festival in Ionia is that they show "The Wizard of Oz" for the original price of a quarter apiece. (It helps that the cinema is owned by the Downtown Development Association if I am not mistaken, and they also show modern films there. I almost went to see "Toy Story 4" but was just so busy there in a good wayand was tired at the end of each day.) James' presentation was incredible, and I learned some new things about some of the directors of the film, etc. (also shown are some exquisite details of the Art Deco meets Native American style of the interior of the cinema):

Like in many Oz festivals, families and individual adults dress up like the characters from the M.G.M. Oz film and sometimes even the L. Frank Baum books:

What is also very nice about the Michigan Wizard of Oz Festival is that their own official characters act out scenes from the film throughout the day and meet and greet people through the downtown area as their characters:

 (Above) Don't back "Witchy" into a corner.

 (Above) Has anybody seen my bubble?

 (Above) Professor Marvel seems a bit "too sad" and Miss Gulch is just way "too happy." ;)

 (Above) Someone looks very happy that he got his heart! I am happy for you, Tinman / Tin Woodman!

 Above: Dorothy is trying to fend off that wind from a TWISTA!

Above: What's this?! O.Z. Diggs / the Wizard of Oz standing right beside the Wicked Witch of the West? I smell a conspiracy!

 Above: Put 'em up! Put 'em up, Cowardly Lion!

Above: The whole cast is shown toward the end of the festival.

New article on Ziggy and me

Charmain Brackett, a columnist with "The Augusta Chronicle", wrote a wonderful feature on Ziggy, my Corgi, and me as well as the graphic novel based upon him. Not only are signings happening in Augusta as indicated in the article, by the way, but outside the Chronicle's coverage area in Statesboro, Georgia. The one not mentioned in the article will be happening in the back room of Galactic Comics Saturday, July 20 on E. Main St. in Statesboro, Georgia from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Here is the link to Mrs. Brackett's out-standing article:

https://www.augustachronicle.com/lifestyle/20190622/pet-project-barnwell-man-creates-graphic-novel-with-corgi-as-hero?template=ampart&fbclid=IwAR3OlOqFAZ3Ax5TfPV4Y9yYfD-K3H5HLHbHDqq_iRCC4RO26ezJnAYRZcfk

My Authorial Interview on WRUU, Savannah, GA

I had an interview with Adam Messer of WRUU in Savannah, Georgia yesterday, and it has now been put into a podcast.

I cover everything from my Corgi to my graphic novel based on him to my Oz book to Oz festivals and my history as an author. 

Here is the the link:

https://anchor.fm/adammesser/episodes/Interview-with-Ron-Baxley-Jr-e4bu7v?fbclid=IwAR3yvdCodhPbX0oE4TbiFdohrka_3Rf5usjg_pwre-dqBn7YnQt0UMeUo5M

Receiving D23 10th Anniversary Pins as Contest Prize

I, Ron Baxley Jr., once again thank the - Disney History Institute - www.disneyhistoryinstitute.com for hosting this D23 10th Anniversary Pins contest and Kate Littleton for sponsoring it. I was honored to win this set of D23 10th Anniversary pins for my answer about my favorite minor character in Disney films on the Disney History Institute Facebook page. Many great answers were posted, and I am honored that I was selected as the winner. Here was my answer for which I was awarded the pins:

"Ray, the Cajun firefly from "The Princess and the Frog", is one of my favorites. He can have comic moments yet also has seemingly unrequited love for his Evangeline, who is revealed to be a star in the sky. In fact, love is often like that, unreachable, unattainable, yet we still strive for it. What makes Ray's love for the star even more thematically relevant is it ties in with the wishing Tiana wished on a star as a child and even the wishing her friend Charlotte did on it as a child and adult. What eventually happens to Ray makes his character even more poignant to me. Finally, his character and his love for a star and the wishes on the star tie in to the Disney Canon song "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio which has also been used numerous times for Disney Parks advertisements. Ray longs for the star, just as we all long for that which transcends us. If his wish and others' wishes come true will best be left for viewings of the film." Click link to go to YouTube video with me opening the pins

Clicked Away from Oz-Stravangaza 2019

About a week ago, I clicked back to my version of Kansas, Barnwell, S.C., after having been in Oz, Chittenango, New York, for one of many times as an invited, participating author at Oz-Stravaganza over the past decade. 

Spending some time with the great grand-son of L. Frank Baum and prolific Oz author, Roger Baum, and his wife, Charlene, was great as was spending time with John Fricke and other Oz celebrities there. I was able to see Roger and his wife receive Honorary Lifetime Memberships to the International L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Foundation during the after party. I think they had received them before but greatly deserved to be recognized again. I was very honored and humbled to receive this same award in 2016. Many deserving individuals have received it through the years, including many volunteers with the organization that runs the All Things Oz Museum and the festival (visit my Facebook page and their Facebook page for museum pictures, which I did not include in this posting). By the way, thank you to all involved with Oz-Stravaganza for the incredible work that you do to continue the legacy of original Oz author L. Frank Baum in his birthplace of Chittenango, New York! 

 Also, seeing the splendor of the Oz Park and the Oz-Stravaganza Parade as well as participating in the latter were amazing as always.

Being alongside my Oz creative colleagues, Vincent Myrand, James and Amanda Wallace, Allison Lehr, and Tom Hutchison, was a wonderful experience as was meeting and greeting Oz fans and signing books for them. 

A dear friend and Oz fan Sally Vitorrio made some special hand-sewn gifts for me this year. 

Artist Vincent Myrand paints wonderful scenes from Oz films on canvas and also illustrated my graphic novel, Ziggy Zig-Zags the Light and Dark Fantastic, Volume 1. He was an invited artist with his own separate table just as I was an invited author in the Authors and Artists Alley area of Oz-Stravaganza. 

Invited authors and artists and local residents even shared a pancake breakfast sponsored by the local Presbyterian Church at one point. Marc Baum, who heads up the Authors and Artists Alley and many other facets of Oz-Stravaganza, and his son Colton, who volunteers with the organization, are shown to the right of a group of artists and authors at the breakfast.

By the way, I sold nearly all of the copies of my Southern literature meets Wizard of Oz trade paperback, O.Z. Diggs Himself Out (YBR Publishing) there. Also, I sold half of the commemorative editions of YBR Publishing’s fantasy Corgi graphic novel, Ziggy Zig-zags the Light and Dark Fantastic, Vol. 1 (with story and scripting by me and art by Vincent) and have now gifted to family or have nearly sold out of the rest of them (just a few left for the next Oz festival I am attending). I have plenty of regular, non-commemorative editions of the graphic novel for future events.

In fact, I am now gearing up for my special guest appearance at the Michigan Oz Festival June 21-22 in Ionia, Michigan. I hope to see you there!