Life between the raindrops
It started out as journaling and then it grew into something much more.
When L.E. Hewitt, 45, a Graysville native, began to write down the things that happened in his life, they seemed to take the form of short stories. Writing these memoirs was really just for his own amusement and reflection. However, when friends and family members read some of those musings, it became clear that he was on to something. “I used to journal for my own pleasure, something would happen and I would write about it,” Hewitt said. “And then I started to share some of them with people. It seemed that I put a humorous twist on the stories that people could read and relate to what I wrote. When they started to anxiously ask for more, I began to research what it would take to get them published.”
Hewitt hit the Internet running and found out what he could about getting a book published. He started sending query letters to publishers, about 50 to 60 of them on a whim.
That was two-and-a-half years ago and after the normal pile of rejection letters Hewitt received a phone call from a representative from James Rock Publishing of Rockville, Md., telling him that they were interested in reading his manuscript.
Three weeks later, after they had read it, they phoned Hewitt to say that they wanted to publish his work.
“I had put it on the back burner by the time they contacted me initially and was just continuing to write,” Hewitt said.
“It was just out of the blue that I heard from them saying that they just had to know about peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, something that I had written about and mentioned in my query letter to them.”
Hewitt said the publisher informed him that they receive thousands of such letters each month that are put in boxes and stored away. Every so often, when they are looking for ideas, they read through some of them.
Once he decided to publish his first collection, which he titled “Life Between the Raindrops,” the process of editing, design and cover art began. Amazingly, Hewitt has never been to the publishing house. Thanks again to the Internet, Hewitt conducted the entire process with James Rock Publishing via the Internet.
When the West Greene graduate first left the area it was a love of music that took him out of Greene County.
“I spent the first 23 years of my life living in Graysville. I then lived in Florida for a time before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue musical endeavors,” Hewitt said. ” I was fortunate to be able to perform in ‘A Country Christmas’ at Opryland and at the famed Bluebird Café, as well as do studio and touring work over the years.”
One of Hewitt’s earlier writings was of a song called “Highway 21,” which is about the route that runs through his hometown.
“I wrote, sang, and produced an original song called ‘Highway 21’ which received radio airplay in the region. Then after several years of playing music, I opened my own business in Nashville called Sound Advice of Tennessee which specialized in custom audio, video and automation systems for homes and businesses,” Hewitt said. “Two years ago I moved to Indianapolis, Ind., with my wife and our seven children.”
Hewitt’s life as a published author became official on March 28, 2008 when “Life Between the Raindrops” became available nationwide through online booksellers as well as at national retailers of books. The Barnes and Noble store in Washington, Pa., currently carries the selection in-store, according to Hewitt but it can also be ordered in.
The stories in this anecdotal book may appear familiar to some Greene County natives, according to Hewitt. Although the names have been changed, the bulk of the stories contained in the book are taken from his own life. An excerpt from the story that got the publisher’s attention is as follows:
One of my most misunderstood snacks is the peanut butter and pickle sandwich. I was first introduced to this marvel of culinary genius at about the age of four by Roy, my babysitter’s husband. He was a cheerful, energetic, slight fellow who loved kids and loved to do little things to make their world special. So I enjoyed spending time with him.
He was a kid kind of guy. A carpenter by trade, he was always building and fixing things and being his helper was one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. Even though I was probably more trouble to him than I was worth, he never complained once.
Fans and friends of L.E. Hewitt are invited to attend a book signing and meet and greet at the Crown Center Mall in Washington, Pa., on June 28 at 1 p.m., where they can purchase their own copy of “Life Between the Raindrops.”