Tina passed the book onto Amy

Both of us have our fingers are crossed and high hopes that it will eventually make its way back to me…

This is the message that Roxane sent along with the notice of the launch:

My name is Roxane Knott and I am fifth generation Australian. I was brought up in the country, close to nature and taught to respect all living things; that everyone can make a difference, to never hold onto anything and to share what you have. I believe integrity and love is everything a person should be and this is reflected in my fortunate life.

I have swum with dolphins, sharks, stingrays and seals, slept under the outback stars mustering cattle on horseback for six months of the year. I have paddled on a surf ski for seven hours to an island just to prove that I could do it and I have watched the excited faces of desert dwellers seeing the ocean for the first time. I have been to places that still amaze me and met many incredible people. In truth, my life is inspired and unbelievable and I love to write.

This book is a reflection of Australia and the generous people that inhabit this continent. Every person has history, with every page of this book and on this website; you will be able to be a part of that history. If this inspires you, you might decide to be the person to own this book thus providing valuable resources to food banks.

If this does not suit you, find a cause close to your heart, no matter how small, and help anyway simply because you can. If you do decide to purchase this book, print out the Biographies to complete the book and its history thus giving what writers want – to make a difference and leave an honorable mark on this world. Enjoy the journey.

I can’t wait to see it in person and to share the entire book when it arrives…

Penny for Your Thoughts Book 28 was launched on Friday, 20th March 2010 in Shipton under Wychwood, a small village in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. We look forward to tracking its progress and hope it makes its way back to Cupertino for the auction.

The design of book 28 includes 22 British pennies, one minted each year that I have been in the UK – from 1988 when I arrived just out of college with a six month student visa and a three month Eurail pass – to the present, where my family and I are happily ensconced in a picturesque village in the English countryside.

Fran Dawkins and Becky Jones at the launch of Book 28

While nervous whether or not the books launched in the US will eventually make their way back to me, the books starting in other countries create all the more anxiety. On the other hand, it will give a truly unique and international feel that truly excites me. I have my fingers crossed and can’t wait to see how this book may differ from the others…

This is what Stephanie Falcon, who launched the book, had to say about creating the book:

One of the reasons I was delayed in launching the book was that I couldn’t find the “right” notebook to make it out of. I had something really specific in mind and I just wasn’t finding it. In the end I settled on a composition notebook.

I wanted to do a decoupage and I just wasn’t feeling inspired by the comp. notebook. It sat in my backpack, waiting. After a while I came across a promotional item that was being given away at school. It was a little notebook. It had huge spirals and a very sturdy cover. I thought that this was the perfect notebook. Not only physically, but it was a free item, which fits the whole ideology of the Penny Experiment. Even the notebook pages were made of recycled paper.

I decided to continue with the recycling theme. I dug through my “scrap” paper drawer (I keep everything!) and found some lovely vintage wrapping paper scraps, and pages from a random found novel that were leftover from another project. The whole notebook was made of free and handy materials.

The aesthetic inspiration came from Alice in Wonderland, since I recently saw it in the theater. I wanted it to have a Victorian and whimsical feel.

I passed it on to a school friend of mine and already several people want the book next!

It is always interesting for me to hear how each person imagines the book that they launch and I am curious to see if that influence stays with it through its completion of if every person makes their own unique imprint with it. I am excitedly waiting to hear about the book during its journey and seeing it when it finally arrives to me…

The book was launched with the following information:

I have a bit of back story on the life of what is now Book #32. My Mom’s former coworker made a hobby of buying old books from Goodwill, Salvation Army and the like. She’d then gut them and fill them with random pretty paper (As a bibliophile, that hurts my heart but they did make for cool and unique journals.)

I’ve have that journal for…maybe…seven years?…and haven’t thought about it for probably six. But when I heard of your project, it *immediately* came to mind. (I grin at my suspicion on why that is.)

As soon as I got home, I took an old necklace, thread it through the binding (to re-enforce the existing twine binding) and clamped it shut. Before following your instructions on the “guts” of the journal, I wrote the stuff on the cover with a silver pen used to sign the guest book of my husband & my wedding. I didn’t take a picture of the back cover because I wanted it to be a surprise when you get it back.

It’s always a pleasure to see a new book launched and it’s exciting to think about how (and if) it will eventually make its way back to me. There are still plenty of books to launch, so please consider doing so if you have an inkling to do so at all.

The art says “Every Penny Counts” which I think really highlights what Penny Experiment is all about. If you decide that a penny has worth, it can have a huge amount of value and can make a big difference…far more than you ever imagined.

The book first went to another artist in Victoria, BC Canada – Jackie McColl who added this page:

It then flew to Baltimore Maryland, where Becky Benight created this page:

Next it was on to Canton Ohio, where Joy Meadows created this page:

The next stop for this well-travelled book is with Cheryl Carraway of Snow Hill North Carolina who will also add a page. This book should be absolutely amazing when it is finished and I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished.

The book included artwork from her daughter:

The one thing that is becoming apparent with these books is that those that release them are having a difficult time doing so — especially when they are being left for complete strangers to find. I fully understood Cara’s feelings about releasing the book to the world:

I was ready to release it into the world. But, that’s just it. I wasn’t ready! I had invested my heart into the book and I didn’t know what to do with it. Should I give it to a trusted friend? Or leave it for a stranger? Who would thoughtfully–and expediently–invest their time in it and remember to send it on its way? Since my daughter and I were planning a weekend trip to Gatlinburg, TN, for a youth rally, I finally decided to leave it there. It would be far away and, presumably, in the care of strangers. I might never know what happened to it. And, that, in a strange way, relieved my fears. During our trip, I left it on a coffee table in the hotel lobby. Later that day, it was gone. I looked around to make sure it hadn’t been pushed aside to a nearly hidden place. Satisfied that it really was gone, I smiled and went on my way…

I hope it has found its way into the willing hands of another artist, poet, writer, or any other caring person willing to add to it and send it on. Perhaps someone will send Jeffrey an update on the book’s progress as it moves along. If not, we will all have to wait and wonder…wait and wonder…wait and wonder where it goes and how long it will take to make its way back to him…

I’m excited to see another book on its way and I’m still anxiously waiting for the first one to arrive back to me…

This was the information included with the announcement of the launch of the book:

Cadette Girl Scout Troop 41 of Hornet’s Nest Girl Scout Council, Charlotte, NC launched book 25/100 on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Madeline Ward, Olethia Robinson, Kelly Klotz, Shamar’Rah Robinson, Mariam Ashfaq and Leaders Diane Scheid & Bonnie Traylor created art, a Haiku, and some poems. These Scouts love arts and crafts and really enjoyed filling blank pages. The book was then passed on to Girl Scout Troop 1850.

Once again, I am looking forward to eventually receiving the filled book and see how all that touched it decided to leave their mark on it. This continues to be an exciting project.

Tamela had the following comments about the book:

The book is rather plain now, but am hoping others will decorate it as well. I’ve decided to send it out to a writers group for them to fill with stories and pass along to other writers too. I hope the book returns to you full of lovely stories that will help you raise money for your project. I added my own as well.

I am still quite curious how this will turn out and how many of the books will eventually make their way back to me. My fingers continued to be crossed that the books are being filled with a wide variety of thoughts that I can one day share with all the readers here. Keep those fingers crossed.