Party time: Celebrate my first guidebook with me June 1

My debut hiking guidebook, “Family-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” was released this month by Down East Books in partnership with the BDN, and it’s time to celebrate! The book launch party will be 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 1, at Epic Sports, 6 Central Street in Bangor. The event is free and open to the public, and it will include a presentation starting at 5:30 p.m., as well as plenty of time for a Q&A and book signing. The event will also include free yummy refreshments, and the books will be available for purchase.

If you want to attend the event but simply can’t make it that evening, perhaps you can make one of several other book talks I’ve planned throughout June and July. Here is the list so far:

THURSDAY, JUNE 1: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with a talk at 5:30 p.m., at Epic Sports, 6 Central Street in Bangor.

THURSDAY, JUNE 8: 6 p.m., hosted by the Appalachian Mountain Club at the Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow Street in Bangor.

THURSDAY, JUNE 15: 6 p.m., co-hosted by Frenchman Bay Conservancy and Crabtree Neck Land Trust at the Ellsworth Public Library, 20 State Street in Ellsworth.

TUESDAY, JUNE 20: 6:30 p.m., at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street in Belfast.

THURSDAY, JUNE 29: 7 p.m., hosted by the Blue Hill Heritage Trust at the Blue Hill Public Library, 5 Parker Point Road in Blue Hill.

THURSDAY, JULY 13: 6-8 p.m., book talk followed by a beer tasting, hosted by Natural Resources Council of Maine Rising at Elements: Books Coffee Beer, 265 Main Street in Biddeford.

What to expect at the events:

Each event will be a little bit different to adjust to the audience and location, but in general I plan to describe some of the trails in the book, which covers 35 hiking locations scattered throughout the state. I also plan to talk about a number of topics that I address in the book, such as “the scariest creature in the Maine woods” and how hiking, as I define it, can be a lifelong sport. At all of the events except the Brunswick event, I will be using a slideshow of photographs and short video clips to help illustrate the talk. And in place of a slideshow in Biddeford, there will be a beer tasting, so… fair trade. Each event will have a Q&A session, and I’ll have the copies of the book available for sale. At Epic Sports, you’ll be able to purchase the book with a credit or debit card, but at all other events, purchasing the book will be by cash or check only. I’ll also take a seat and sign books for people (and maybe blush a little in the process).

About the book “Family-Friendly Hikes in Maine”

In writing my first guidebook, I selected my favorite nature walks, from bog boardwalks to footpaths leading to cobblestone beaches. The trails vary in difficulty from easy to moderate, the reason being that I wanted these trails to be accessible to people of all ages. That being said, I know sometimes easy trails can be a little ho-hum, so I did my best to select the most beautiful and interesting easy trails possible. And many of these trails are a part of a network that includes some more difficult hikes for those who want a challenge. I also made sure to spread the trails out all over the state, and to do this, I took special trips to different regions that I hadn’t explored yet.

The book is organized similar to my weekly “1-minute hike” column, but with a lot of the basic information about each hike listed in a graphic box, making it easier for people to find. I made sure to include extensive “personal notes” for each of the 35 hikes about my own experiences.

The book also includes trail maps and many of my photographs (in color!) from the adventures. These photographs include a close up of a moose feeding in a pond in the Moosehead Region, a beaver building up its lodge in Aroostook County and the dramatic sea cliffs of Quoddy Head.

My sister, niece and I in southern Maine doing research for the book.

One last thing

I look forward to seeing you at the event, whether you’ve just discovered my blog or you’ve been following my columns and videos for a long time. Your support has made this possible. Publishing a book was one of my major life goals, and I did not think I would accomplish it so soon. Thank you for helping me realize my dreams!

Oreo and I at Eagles Crag

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.