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Happenings

Hulbert Footner Revival

A century ago, Hulbert Footner was a writing machine — when not tearing around the mud tracks of southern Maryland in his Buick or paddling the Patuxent River near Solomons, where the Canadian-born, internationally acclaimed author settled.

       In a stunningly prolific career, Footner wrote more than 60 books, primarily in the adventure and detective fiction genres. He was also turning out magazine articles and writing serially for newspapers when editors had the sense to print fiction. Late in life, Footner produced deeply researched and thoroughly readable histories of southern Maryland's people and its waters.

       One of those books, Rivers of the Eastern Shore, a compelling account of a the early history and culture of a storied land, has a Nov. 29 re-release date. Published by Schiffer Books, it is available at the Calvert County Historical Society.

Before landing in Calvert County during a harrowing canoe journey that began in Manhattan, Footner, as a young newspaperman, had explored thousands of miles of the Canadian Northwest by canoe. He based early novels on those trips before turning to detective fiction, which at times featured the brilliant Madame Rozika Storey, a willowy crime-solver with a pet monkey who operated out of sumptuous digs in Manhattan.

      There’s much to read and a lot to know about Footner, who’s enjoying a resurgence thanks to his family and his fans. 

       In September festivities, the Calvert County Historical Society opened a Hulbert Footner Room at Linden, its nearly 200 year-old, Italianate headquarters, on Church Street in Prince Frederick.Visitors can absorb Footner’s history in a setting complete with writing desk, his typewriter, and memorabilia donated by his grandchildren. Hulbert Footner books can be bought, too. Read New Bay Books coverage.

       Now, Footner also is being remembered by the Maryland Writers’ Association, which assists Maryland writers, poets, playwrights.

       The Association is inviting writers to channel Footner in 100-word bursts “to have fun writing an adventure like Hulbert Footner…Place a character in an eerie or frightening atmosphere at night or on the bleakest, foulest day of the year." That submission deadline has passed.

Coming Soon

Miles With Moxie X

In his latest journey, intrepid travel guru Doug Kamholz heads back to La Posada, a hallowed haunt in the town of Winslow, Arizona where we're advised to take it easy and:

Lighten up while you still can
Don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy.

New Bay Books publisher Sandra Olivetti Martin, center, and two of the region's foremost culinary wizards had the taxing duty of sampling an array of exotic oyster concoctions Oct. 15 at the National Oyster Cook-Off in southern Maryland. Read about a bivalve cook's triumph.