There was an excitement in the air at Book Ends in Winchester on Saturday, March 10. With more than 100 people in attendance, the independent bookstore was packed to capacity. People arrived early and stayed late for the chance to meet and speak with Bill Cummings about his newly released memoir, “Starting Small and Making It Big.”
The venue was a fitting one for Cummings’ first event as an author. Winchester has been the hometown of Bill and his wife, Joyce, for more than 50 years. The local component of this kick off event brought forth residents from Winchester and neighboring towns, as well as from around the state, with one attendee reporting that she drove an hour from Lunenburg for the opportunity to meet Cummings.
“It was Book Ends’ premier author event of all time,” said the store’s owner, Judy Manzo. “It was memorable for all involved.”
Attendees participated in a question-and-answer session with Cummings, and the author concluded his talk by reading a short passage from “Starting Small” that tied into the current national discourse. He encouraged the crowd to “build bridges of love, bridges of hope, and bridges of understanding.”
Many waited in line—for as long as 45 minutes—to have their newly purchased books autographed.
“We sold a lot of copies of ‘Starting Small’ in a short period of time,” said Manzo. “A number of people bought multiple copies for gifts. It will make an excellent graduation present this spring.”
Cummings’ next public appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25 at Babson College as part of its Thought Leadership Series. He will also speak Thursday, May 24 at a lunch presented by Woburn Business Association. A list of additional upcoming appearances, a synopsis of “Starting Small,” and sample chapters from the book can be found at www.cummings.com/book.
Cummings is donating all of his profits from the book to charity.
In addition to Book Ends, “Starting Small” is available for purchase at Fat Cat Books in West Cummings Park, Jamie McKeown Boys & Girls Club, Woburn Historical Society, and the book’s website.
View photos from the event on Cummings Properties’ Flickr page.