An Authors' Event to Remember Summary

The six authors signing books

On January 31, 2012, The Gem Shop hosted an Authors’ Event to Remember at the Tucson Showplace in Tucson, Arizona. Six authors of different agates and jasper books were present and spoke about their books to a crowd of about 100 collectors and rock enthusiasts. Organizer and V.P. of The Gem Shop, Inc., Veronica Woods, welcomed everyone and then President of The Gem Shop, Inc., Eugene Mueller, introduced each author. A gathering of the six distinguished authors had never occurred before and according to Johann Zenz, “would be the talk of Tucson 2012.”

Gene introducing the authors.

The event was held from 3-7pm on January 31^st, and preparation began early in the day. Workers at The Gem Shop began by clearing out 20 tons of rock from the showroom at the Tucson Showplace. Once that was done the air was already to begin to buzz with excitement about the authors’ event. Jesus and Anthony provided delicious food for the cocktail reception following the authors’ speaking.

Scott Wolter

The authors came in one by one and were able to mingle with each other before the event began. Another unique aspect of the event was that while some of the authors were old friends, not everyone knew each other and all were glad for the opportunity to meet their fellow authors.

Brad Cross

Quickly it was time for the event to begin. The authors’ event attracted many different people, including other authors like Bill Atkinson (Within the Stone) and Michael Carlson (Beauty of Banded Agates). Once everyone settled in, Veronica welcomed and thanked everyone for coming and the authors for participating. Then Eugene personally introduced each author with personalized antidotes pertaining to his relationship with each author. Once introduced each author spoke about their books and their love of stones.

Karen Brzys

Scott Wolter told some stories about finding agates and reviewed the latest developments of his book on Lake Superior Agates. He also spoke about his books on the Kensington Rune Stone and the hooked X.

Brad Cross spoke about his books and announced that an expanded version of his book, “Agates of Northern Mexico,” currently out of print with be published sometime in the next year.

Roger Clark

Karen Brzys spoke about how she became involved with the Gitche Gumee Agates and History Museum. She also reviewed the museum’s programs, which include agate collecting classes. Please click the link for more information on the Gitche Gumee Agates and History museum: http://www.agatelady.com/

Hans Gamma spoke about his love of jaspers originating back to when he lived in Switzerland and his fascination with the jasper from the Owyhee area in Oregon.

Hans Gamma

Roger Clark reviewed the process of the creation of his book on Fairburn agates, and joked with the Lake Superior Agate collectors about the relative merits of “Lakers” versus “Fairburns.”

Johann Zenz

Finally, Johann Zenz discussed how his monumental book, “Agates,” became three books. He also discussed the problems and rewards that come with working with the publisher and those who helped with the different parts of the books.

Following the presentation and question session the authors gathered in the agate showroom to sign books. All the participating authors’ books were available for purchase and signed with personal messages by each author. Rock enthusiasts and the authors socialized amongst each other until late in the evening. At the end of the night one of the authors’ event posters, signed by all six authors, was raffled off and won by Brent Stewart of Stewart’s Gem Shop in Boise, Idaho.

Following the presentation several announcements were made about the upcoming agate show, “A Celebration of Agates,” in Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 26-29, 2012. More information is available at http://www.minnesotamineralclub.org. It was also announced the theme for the Denver 2014 show will be agate.

The authors interacting with rock enthusiasts.

Please visit www.thegemshop.com for a more detail account of the event, and more pictures.

The Forklift Episode

The forklift blocking the gate.

Another day at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show was winding down, and I decided to take advantage of the break in the chaos to grab a shower and prepare for a dinner meeting later that night. I stepped into the shower and had just started to enjoy the warm water run over my sore, tired shoulders when there was a knock on the door.

“Veronica, your customers are here.”

My nice, hot, relaxing shower quickly turned into the fastest possible shower.  After speaking with a customer from India for three hours it was time to leave for the dinner meeting (hair undone and clothes unchanged).

Later that evening after returning from the dinner meeting, it was time to close and lock the gates. I walked over to the gate and discovered the forklift was in my way of closing the gate. Earlier in the week our propane powered forklift ran out of propane, and the spare tank was put on the machine. At the time, however, our employees had not told us they had changed the tank. We tried to start the forklift with no success. After sever failed attempts we determined both propane tanks were empty and there was no way to close the gate with the forklift parked the way it was. We decided to try and move the forklift out of the way by pulling it with our even older gas powered forklift.

Veronica hooking up the logging chain to the forklift.

We found a logging chain; got the gas powered forklift running, hooked it up to the propane forklift, and started to pull. The forklift started to move, and then, with a sputter, the gas powered forklift ran out of gas. Now, there was one inoperable forklift blocking the gate, and chained to another inoperable forklift blocking the entrance to the property. At this point it was 11:30 at night, and we seriously considered just leaving it and going to bed, but we checked around to see, if maybe, we might have some gas.

The two forklifts chained together (propane forklift on the left).

A majority of the gas can had been emptied into the forklift earlier, but there was still about a half cup left. We poured the remaining gas into the gas tank, started it up, and pulled the powerless propane forklift away from the gate. Then, finally, we closed the gate, pushed the forklifts back to their places, and went to bed.

Gene gassing up the forklift.

The next morning as I was sliding my just made fried eggs and bacon on my plate, a delivery truck drove in with four pallets of rock requiring a forklift to unload them. Our two inoperable forklifts just sat there, and I swear, they were grinning at me and my problem. Since there was nowhere to get propane that early in the morning, I drove to get gas from the gas station, all while thinking about my hot delicious breakfast going cold. I returned back with a full gas can, put some in the forklift, started it up (the ancient gas powered forklift is not a fan of cold mornings), and unloaded the truck. I walked back into the kitchen just in time to settle down to a hot cup of coffee and a plate of cold eggs and bacon.

Just another day in Tucson!