KEEPER OF THE LIGHT: A Visit to Angel Island in San Francisco Bay

At the ferry landing at Ayala Cove on Angel Island.

A week ago I visited Angel Island for the first time since my book, Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog, was published. It was a beautiful day and the ferry from Tiburon was crowded with people going to Angel Island for a day of hiking, biking and enjoying the out-of-doors in the state park.

In 1906, when Juliet Nichols was the keeper, the Angel Island Lighthouse stood on the rocky point between Camp Reynolds and Perle's Beach. (Yellow X)

On all my previous visits to the island I had focused my attention on the southwest side of the island where the Angel Island lighthouse had been located and where the story of my book takes place. But this time I wanted to visit the former Immigration Center on the other side of the island, where thousands of immigrants, mostly from China, had been detained between 1910, when it was built, and 1940, when it was closed after the main administration building burned down.

Fog bell at the Immigration Station Memorial.

I discovered that the Immigration Station had a giant fog bell, much like the one Juliet Nichols rang on that foggy night in 1906. Unlike Juliet’s bell, still in place on the rock where the bell house once stood but now inaccessible, the Immigration Station bell is now part of a memorial to the immigrants who once came to the island. It has a clapper, which you can swing to make the bell ring.

With Casey Dexter Lee in the Detention Barracks at the Immigration Station.

During my visit I finally got to meet Casey Dexter Lee in person, who had been so helpful with my research for my book. It was a pleasure to talk with her and learn more about Angel Island’s history. Casey is the Education officer of the island.

In the Kiosk gift shop.

Before we caught the ferry back to Tiburon, I visited the kiosk gift shop near the dock, where I was pleased to see Keeper of the Light displayed. All profits go to support the Angel Island Conservancy.

Click HERE for information about visiting Angel Island State Park.

The Immigration Station is a National Historical Landmark.

WHY DID I SELF-PUBLISH MY BOOK? The story behind publishing SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL

Caroline Arnold and Settlement House Girl

Why did I self-publish SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL? I tried to find a traditional publisher for it but was unsuccessful. I became discouraged when my agent told me that publishers are most interested in memoirs of famous people. (Although I am known by teachers and children's librarians for my 170 books for children, that's apparently not famous enough.) So I decided to do it myself.

I already had experience republishing some of my out of print children's books on Amazon and I had helped a friend self-publish her memoir. So I knew how to format and upload a manuscript for a book. The advantage of Amazon is that there is no cost to publish, but you have to do all the work yourself. Alternatively, there are lots of companies that will help you publish your book for a price. 

I am happy with the print and paper quality of my books on Amazon. The books are print on demand. (If you order a copy of my book you will see for yourself.) I chose a standard size for the pages, which means that the book can be ordered by bookstores through Ingram and sold for a profit like any other book. Most bookstores won't carry my book on the shelves, but customers can order it and the store can get it within a few days. I can also order books from Amazon at a discount and sell them myself. Some independent bookstores will take books on consignment.

However, what I've learned is that writing and publishing the book is the easy part. The hard part is promotion--getting the book known. I am realizing that I never really appreciated what my publishers do to promote my children's books. It is important to get the book reviewed. I have paid for reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and BlueInk Review (recommended by BookList.) Customer reviews on Amazon and on Goodreads also help. It is also important to get the book into libraries. Although libraries don't normally buy self-published books, they will consider them, especially if there is a personal connection with the author or the subject matter. So, little by little, one library at a time, I am getting my book into libraries across the country. 

More and more authors are self-publishing these days and it no longer has the stigma it once did. (The book must still read and look professional in every way.) The competition for getting a book accepted by an established publisher is getting tougher and tougher. Sometimes self-publishing is the best alternative. For one thing, it puts you in control of the finished product. And, if you are using a print-on-demand service like I do, the book will never go out of print!

·         SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota

·         By Caroline Scheaffer Arnold

·         Independently Published (Amazon; available at Ingram)

·         Published December 1, 2023

·         Paperback, 207 pages

·         Illustrated with black and white historic photos

·         $14.99

ISBN 97998864903285