Applewood Manor

Press Release March 10, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: M. Thomas (Tom) Collins
Tom.collins@i65n.com

Author Tom Collins receives national recognition through the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD®


Franklin, Tennessee—The INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD ® recognized Treasure of the Diary by Tom Collins as a Distinguished Favorite in the category of Literary Fiction making it the fourth national award received by Collins.

The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters. Selected IPA Distinguished Favorites are based on overall excellence.

The literary fiction novel, Treasure of the Diary, is the seventh book in author Tom Collins’s Mark Rollins Adventure series. The story weaves historical events and familiar places into an educational and entertaining adventure when three college students discover a 150-year-old diary. The old journal belonged to a Confederate prisoner of war. The reader relives events of the Civil War and the plight of prisoners as the students read through the diary—page by page searching for a secret, one that they hope will lead them to treasure—a half a ton of buried gold!

In 2023, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD had entries worldwide. Authors and publishers from countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa, participated. Books submitted included writers based in cities such as Atlanta to Los Angeles; London to Nova Scotia; from Cape Town to Mumbai; from Albuquerque to New York City, as well as others. "We are proud to announce the distinguished favorites in our annual 2023 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD. This year included an array of quality and diverse independent books," Olczak said. "Independent publishing is pushing on every corner of the earth with great content. We are thrilled to be highlighting key titles representing global independent publishing." said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak. For more information, please visit independentpressaward.com; and to see this year's list of IPA Distinguished Favorites, please visit 2023 DISTINGUISHED FAVORITES: https://www.independentpressaward.com/2023df.

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M. Thomas (Tom) Collins writes from his home in Franklin, Tennessee, where his characters come to life and frequent familiar places in the bucolic middle Tennessee landscape and the majestic mountains of Western North Carolina. A pioneer entrepreneur of the information technology industry, Collins is now retired from the commercial world and devotes his time to creating his Mark Rollins Adventures series and authoring stories about Asheville and Western North Carolina. The 2023 award is fourth national award received by the author’s novels.

2021 River Swing Event and Auction

The 18th annual River Swing event takes place September 18, 2021 at River Circle Farm in Franklin Tennessee from 6:00 pm to 10:00pm. It is not to late to purchase event tickets. The annual event and auction raise a third of the operating funds that enable the Harpeth Conservancy to carry out its mission of protecting Tennessee’s rivers and clean water.

The auction is accessed in person for attendees and on-line as well. So even if you are unable to attend the event you can participate in the auction. The auction is scheduled to be open online by September 12th. To sign up for the online auction and get the internet link go to https://harpethconservancy.org/river-swing/ between September 12th and 18th.

Celebrating my new book, Stories from Applewood Manor, we have contributed three items for the auction. If you are a lover of great wines, you will not want to miss the opportunity to bid on two first-growth wines from our private collection.

  • A 1994 bottle of Chateau Margaux: This Premier Grand Cru Classe is one of Bordeaux's most famous wine estates. The 1994 is a classic, long lived Bordeaux—consistently rated excellent to superb.

  • A 1995 bottle of Chateau Angelus: The most highly desired wine out of the St. Emilion region of Bordeaux—a Premier Grand Cur Classe.

Each of the wines come with a copy of my new book, Stores from Applewood Manor. And you can also bid on two prepaid nights at Applewood Manor. The historic Manor (Circa 1912) is Asheville North Carolina’s premier luxury bed and breakfast inn. The auction is a wonderful way to support the Harpeth Conservancy’s mission to restore and protect clean water and healthy ecosystems of Tennessee rivers while taking advantage of some super bargains—so happy bidding!

News Release 05/10/2021--Stories from Applewood Manor by Tom Collins

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 10, 2021

Media Contact:
M. Thomas (Tom) Collins
615/948-1544
Tom.collins@i65n.com

Local Author Tom Collins’s new book focuses on Asheville, North Carolina.

Nashville, TN – Just as we are beginning to travel again, local author Tom Collins put the finishing touches on his eighth book, Stories from Applewood Manor—a book that will have you packing your bags to visit the majestic mountains of Western North Carolina.

The new book is quite a departure from the adventures mysteries that to date has been his preferred genre. Stories from Applewood Manor is a collection of short stories that explores Asheville, North Carolina’s history, attractions, mysteries, ghost stories, and tall tales from the perspective of an historic bed and breakfast inn (circa 1912), the Applewood Manor.

The Author Explained – My son and his wife purchased the bed and breakfast inn in 2020, and I was immediately struck by its ambiance. There is a feel about the historic Applewood Manor that is unique. More than a hundred years old, it touches the past yet shares the remarkable character and culture of Asheville—a city that has been called many things: weirdest, happiest, quirkiest, most haunted place in America, Santa Fe of the East, New Age Capital of the World, Paris of the South, Beer City USA, and Land of the Sky. The Manor and its city have many secrets, mysteries, and legends—some factual, some alleged, some exaggerated and some hard to believe at all. I have tried to capture their spirit and personality through the stories in the book’s five sections:

  1. Stories About the Historic Inn

  2. Moments in the History of the City

  3. Things to Do and See in Asheville

  4. Mysteries and Ghost Stories

  5. Tall Tales from the Rocking Chair Porch

M. Thomas (Tom) Collins writes from his home in Franklin, Tennessee, where his characters come to life and frequent familiar places in the bucolic middle Tennessee landscape and the majestic mountains of Western North Carolina.

A pioneer entrepreneur of the information technology industry, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the ALM publication, Law Technology News, for his contribution to the use of technology in the legal services community. Citytech, a London-based publication, called him an “outstanding individual and visionary” when he was named as one of the Top 100 Global Tech Leaders. Although now retired from the commercial world, he continues to write and speak on leadership and management as well as pen his series of Mark Rollins Adventure mysteries and his short story series, Stories from Applewood Manor.

Other works by the Tom Collins:

Mystery Series:

  • Mark Rollins’ New Career & the Women’s Health Club

  • Mark Rollins and the Rainmaker

  • Mark Rollins and the Puppeteer

  • The Claret Murders, a Mark Rollins Adventure

  • Diversion, a Mark Rollins Adventure

  • Beyond Visual Range, a Mark Rollins Adventure

Professional Guidance:

  • The Language of Excellence

For more information about Tom Collins’s book, to inquire about a review copy, or to schedule an interview, please contact him at 615/948-1544 or tom.collins@i65n.com.

2020 River Swing Auction

Claret and Beyond.jpg

This year the annual fundraising auction for the Harpeth Conservancy will be entirely online. Bidding starts October nineteen, and the final gavel falls on October 25th, 2020. Register as a bidder in advance to look over the fabulous donated merchandise and packages. Once you place a bid, avoid being outbid by checking the status of your offer throughout the seven day auction period. There are two Mark Rollins adventure packages included among the auction items.

  • A signed copy of The Claret Murders accompanied by a fantastic French Claret—a 2014 bottle of Château Cheval Blanc— total package value $774.00.

  • A signed copy of my new mystery Beyond Visual Range and while you are reading it a two night stay at the historic Applewood Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn in Asheville, NC—total package value $729.00.

The auction is a wonderful way to support the Harpeth Conservancy’s mission to restore and protect clean water and healthy ecosystems Tennessee rivers while taking advantage of some super bargains—so happy bidding!

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For signed copies of books by Tom Collins, go to TomCollinsAuthor.com. Unsigned print and eBook editions are available on Amazon, Google Play, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and other online bookstores. Audio editions are available on Amazon, iTunes and directly from Audible.com. Be sure to check out the latest Tom Collins Novel, Beyond Visual Range on Amazon.
Published by I-65 North, Inc.