Jule Selbo

Want to know what it’s like to feel appreciated, respected and an immediate part of a community as a writer?

Join the  three chicks on a ferry who were invited to visit Vinalhaven Island Library to lead a night of fun:  Create A Mystery Night.

Kate Flora got the enquiry. Turns out Jen Wadleigh (head librarian and author), librarian Linda Whittington, Board Members and a super-active group called  Friends of the Library asked if a special night could be put together for their summer programming. The library wanted to make sure that it was understood that ferry tickets, a cocktail party, publicity for the event and a water-view cottage with a refrigerator full of snacks, quiche, salad, wine and seltzers would be provided.

—— Jennifer Wadleigh/librarian/author/ lobsterwoman and  FOL —–

As the emails passed back and forth, Jen assured us (Kate, Maureen Milliken and me) the islanders were voracious readers, they loved to get together to talk about books and writing and that the timing of the event would not conflict with the island’s busy summer concert schedule, its poetry sessions, its ice cream socials and parades. Jen told us to bring lots of books, because islanders liked buying author-signed books.

The day arrived, Kate, Maureen and I meet at the ferry in Rockland at noon and for the next 24 hours – lived a pretty idyllic life. I’ve been a life-long lover of all things Maine but I’ve only been a full-term resident here for less than a decade and so Vinalhaven Island was still on my ‘go-there’ list.

The Penobscot Bay island (permanent population about 1200) is part of the Fox Islands (named after silver foxes who lived there) along with the smaller nearby island North Haven (permanent population about 350). Around 5000 years ago, it was the home of the Red Paint People and then the Abenaki made homes there. When Europeans found its shores in the 16^th century, they saw its full forests and granite resources, sawmills and quarries were set up.

The granite even made its way to New York, it was used in the construction of St. John the Divine and the Brooklyn Bridge. More European settlers arrived, and farms were built and the island was thriving. During the Revolutionary War, the Brits looted it and terrorized the (mostly) Patriot community.

After the war, near the end of the 1700s, the islanders petitioned The General Court of Massachusetts that the settlers of the island be given full possession of the lots they occupied. Massachusetts agreed if a place of public worship was built, a minister hired, and a school raised for the children. Deal done. At that point, it was named after John Vinal, a Boston lawyer who (he must have done) a super-duper job on doing all the paperwork.

It’s a laid-back place. There are a lot of sailboats, but I didn’t see any large marina. There are art galleries and a few cafes and taverns and a few nice clothing stores, but the sidewalks near the ferry (and one of the best donut shops I have ever visited) are not crowded.

And the readers turned out! The library (built with support of Andrew Carnegie) was packed – every seat was taken in the main room, people were standing in hallways and every available cubby.

The night was a lot of laughs, included great creative ‘what-ifs’ (Darth Vader as one of our murder victims) fabulous audience participation, we included a raffle (we each contributed a book) and we sold nearly every book we’d brought over in our suitcases.

At the end of the event, we three chicks headed back to our own-for-the-night spacious cottage where more food and fine beverages were provided. We three stayed up talking about writing, love of stories and characters and all things that go along with being a crime/mystery writer. The moon shone on the water, a breeze was blowing through the curtains. This was another highlight of the trip.

In June, 2020, a black bear was spotted going ashore on Vinalhaven. Most people think he swam over from the mainland. I don’t know if he decided to stay or not. Well – we didn’t swim, we took a ferry – but I certainly could have stayed a long long time.

And as a sidelight, famous artist Robert Indiana lived on Vinalhaven.  These are some of his most famous pieces and one he had no hand in at all – can you guess which one he would not take credit for?