Unlike the titular character in his children’s picture book “Goldey Goosey of Oz” and the other geese, YBR Publishing fantasy and “Oz universe” author Ron Baxley, Jr. grew to be only a temporary snowbird at one point in his life.
He grew up in the gateway of the Lowcountry, Barnwell, S.C. A mostly
S.C. author Ron Baxley, Jr. with his emotional support Corgi, Ziggy. Ziggy, who was adopted from a shelter in Newberry, S.C. in 2013, has inspired major and minor characters in Ron’s graphic novel and fantasy novels.
lifelong S.C. resident (about half in his small hometown and half in S.C. cities), he also lived for two years in Massachusetts and worked as a teacher in an outdoor education program after coordinating an afterschool program full time in S.C. In the harshest parts of the winters, he would return to S.C. and find temporary employment.
Ron will be figuratively flying into The Beaufort Bookstore Saturday, March 26 for Books and Bites from 11 am – 2 pm.Books and Bites is an author series where refreshments are served at the store. Ziggy, his Pembroke Welsh Corgi, will be with him as well with a crate he can go to when tired. Beaufort and Ridgeland-based YBR Publishing, Ron’s publisher, has a special section in the store dedicated entirely to their multi-genre catalogue.
Ron, who has been a published author for 30 years, also taught English in private and public schools in S.C. after his experience in Massachusetts and spent the last 7 years of his 15 year career as an educator as an instructor teaching developmental and transitional English and reading courses in a technical college in S.C. as well. All of this informs his work. Satirizing his Southern roots and aspects of modern society does as well.
Like more of those from colder climates, Ron also prefers the company of Corgis – particularly one emotional support Corgi, Ziggy, who he has also based his internationally award-winning fantasy graphic novel “Ziggy Zig-zags the Light and Dark Fantastic” on. Ziggy even served, in part, as a minor character in Ron’s satirical Southern fantasy O.Z. Diggs VII series for older teens and adults.
Ron is also similar to the bluebirds who fly beyond the rainbow. He always wanted to escape to Oz when he lived in Barnwell but returned there to be a caregiver in 2015.
He has been a guest and special guest at Oz festivals and cons throughout the country for 12 years. He most recently was a special guest at the Grand Opening of the Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida (talk about a place for snowbirds). He wrote a column about the experience for one of the online newspapers where he is correspondent, “The Augusta Press”. He is also a correspondent for the Orangeburg, S.C. “Times and Democrat” and a contractual travel specialist for Mad Hatter Adventures Travel Company.
The Beaufort Bookstore is located at 2127 Boundary Street. For more information visit Ron Baxley’s Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/196187527438597 .
