Sunday, June 22, 2014

For Ecuador's Expats, There's Nothing Like A Good Old Garage - er Patio Sale!!!!!


I remember when my mother’s cousin, “Aunt Patty,” held the first patio sale EVER at her suburban California home, sometime in the early 1960s. It was cool. It was chic. And it caught on. My mom liked the idea and tried out a front porch sale in her rural Oregon town of 500. The neighbors were puzzled, but quickly organized their own redistributions of extra stuff via their lawns and garages.

I went to a friend’s moving sale the other day, remembering this relative and her early success. This Cuenca sale’s organizer is leaving Ecuador soon, and needed to size down before taking off to Turkey. We’d gone shopping together two days beforehand for stickers, and finally found some colorful tags for her cast-off clothing, indigenous art, warm blankets, houseplants, jewelry and other gems. All priced to catch anyone’s eye.
“My cell phone rang all week. People wanted to come early, but I said ‘no.’ I wanted everyone to have a fair chance at a bargain,” she told me. I admired her business ethics!

The morning of the event, eager expats and Ecuadorians were lined up thirty minutes before she opened her apartment door. I counted fifty people waiting for the fun to start—from moms with babies, to retires, mostly women, but a few men sprinkled in the crowd.

Fun way to meet people and get a good bargain, one fiftyish guy, a blogger who writes about Ecuador, said, as we sat on the curb of the flower garden, waiting to get inside.

Judging from the great woven Ecuadorian jacket that I bought for just $15, I think my Aunt Patty had a great idea. She was ahead of her time. (So maybe she didn’t invent the garage sale, but she was an early adopter.)
If anyone knows when the next Cuenca apartment sale takes place, give me a call. I know for sure of at least 200 new friends who would like to get there early.

Gualaceo? I know we can get a van! 

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Author Opening New Pinterest Board for Gringolandia.

Father Carlos Crespi of Cuenca, Ecuador

I enjoyed spending my Sunday building a new Pinterest board for Gringolandia. This week, I wrote the prologue and it opens with the story of Father Carlos Crespi, a fascinating priest who lived in Cuenca, Ecuador and known world-wide for his mysterious Amazon art collection.

You can read my prologue notes here  and I believe you will find this to be a wonderful piece of history.

So take a look at the new board. I will be adding new stuff every day as the writing moves along. What a fun way to share the writing process with you! Of course, I will enjoy your comments and questions.

Susan

P.S. If you don't know, Gringolandia is the second book of the Civil Rights Mystery Sleuth series. First is The Plan, a book (available through most online bookstores including Amazon and Barnes and Noble) that starts in New York City, moves to the Mississippi Delta and ends up in Cuenca, Ecuador with a high speed car chase in the Andes. Visit my Pinterest board of The Plan HERE.'

P.P.S.S. If you enjoy Pinterest boards, I know that you will find the Mississippi Delta and the story of Emmett Till a fascinating piece of history. Here's a link to the Emmett Till Mississippi Delta board!




Saturday, April 5, 2014


Announcing

GRINGOLANDIA
"Set in a world of South American  gringos, gossip
and murder!"

Susan Klopfer, author

Book II of the Civil Rights Mystery Sleuth Series

GRINGOLAND by Susan Klopfer, author of THE PLAN, a novel, and other nonficton books including The Emmett Till Book, Who Killed Emmett Till, Where Rebels Roost, and Cash In On Diversity.


COMING FALL 2014!!!
(eBook, Print AND Audio)



“Shocking, funny, AND
SOME OF IT IS TRUE.”


Note from the author: If you haven't read The Plan, hurry -- because 

GRINGOLANDIA is the second book in this civil rights, action adventure series that starts in New York City, moves to the Mississippi Delta and then on to the charming South American city of Cuenca, Ecuador.


Here's a link to LOOK INSIDE The Plan
and WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A FREE SAMPLE!


IMPORTANT!

Subscribe to this blog, Gringolandia Ecuador,  for occasional updates and opportunities to receive a FREE prepublication copy of 

GRINGOLANDIA!! 

"Set in a world of gringos, gossip and murder."