Publications

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com

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Reviews

What a magical romp through this northern Adirondack village of Saranac Lake! Tissot and Murray take us on a scenic ride through the seasons to show us the nooks and crannies of a village brimming with fun, good cheer, concern for one another and love for its natural surrounds. Exquisitely photographed with a complementary text that inspires us to turn our faces, as Ms. Tissot writes, "...to the infinite blue."
Beverly Kolsky, Psychoanalyst, Author of On and Off the Couch: Memoir of a Psychoanalyst

A lively account of Saranac Lake in all its moods: quiet times to celebrations; art and music to seasonal events. With excellent photos and contemplative texts, many in verse, we are swept into the life of this fascinating community. A delightful book that will become an important source of information for future historians studying an Adirondack village in the years 2018 – 2023.
AmyCatania, Executive Director; Historic Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake has emerged as one of the most remarkable small towns in America in part because writers and artists like Tissot and Murray help give the village a voice. In this book, they capture a sense of what it means to really live in a unique, vibrant village.
Brian Mann, NPR correspondent and Adirondack Life Contributor

Skip and Caperton have captured the infectious beauty, heart, and grit of our small mountain village and the amazing people that call it home.
Jimmy Williams, Saranac Lake Mayorz

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com$35.00.

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Revised and updated, Saranac Lake's Ice Palace, a History of Winter Carnival's Crown Jewel is now a larger size spiral-bound book with added text and 40 new photographs, most from the last 10 years. Included is history of building the Palace (going back to 1898), a section describing how the Palace is built, quotes from volunteer builders and an account of all the changes in the last 10 years. $13.95

Thanks to generous sponsors, all proceeds will be donated to the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Ice Palace Fund

“Historic Saranac Lake considers this an important contribution to our own efforts to preserve and present local history” – Amy Catania, Executive Director, Historic Saranac Lake.

"Caper's book wonderfully documents the importance of ice to the residents, historic and contemporary." - Marty Rowley, Ice Palace worker.

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $13.95.

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In remembrance of Lorraine Wilson and Valerie Moody, a booklet of their prose and poetry has been assembled and published, December 2021, by Ren Davidson and Caperton Tissot. Wilson died in 2008, Moody in 2019, both at a young age before they had opportunity to publish these works.

“This book preserves the legacy of two gifted Adirondack writers,” says Seward.

“Their writing is so delightful, we wanted to share it with the rest of the community,” comments Tissot.

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $7.50.

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Captivating Stories driven by life-changing decisions.

In "Stuart Jones" it's death to death as a man struggles with his image. "Passing in the Night" captures the moment two women take a chance. "A Shaft of Light" illuminates the struggle of one person's conscience while "Roscoe’s World" tests the measure of a woman's love.

In these and other stories, Tissot explores the depths of loneliness and self-discovery, as well as the foolishness of some and the joy of others who opt to choose another way.

Are the main characters changed by their personal choices? Do they make decisions based on their own needs or those of others?

If you are a reader unafraid to tackle life’s persistent questions, this book is for you.

Available at local bookstores,and on Amazon in both a printed and kindle version.

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $7.99.

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By the Way offers readers respite from current turbulent times. Sixteen fictional short stories involve folks from a variety of social strata. "Rose Hall" tells of upheaval in an old Virginian estate, while “Lockjaw” dives into the mystery of a watery disappearance. “Slip-Sliding Away” leads the reader on a perilous journey from a Manhattan skyscraper to a remote Western town, while “Truth at Play” takes place entirely within a Victorian house, as well as within our hearts. “Beauty and the Frog” moves from the Jungles of Brazil to a startling encounter at an American University. Plots are as varied as the settings. The last story is non-fiction and paints a picture of life in the author’s own Adirondack neighborhood.

Though at times satiric, the stories are sympathetic to the various characters as they struggle with fate. They dream their dreams and suffer the consequences. “By the Way” is a reminder of mankind’s unpredictable nature: therein lies the intrigue.

Twenty percent of purchases of By the Way will be donated to the nonprofit AdkAction’s Fair Food Pricing program in memory of Thomas M. Boothe, former chairman of the board of AdkAction.org. This incentive program subsidizes the cost of locally produced food for low-income households. It creates an affordable outlet to purchase fresh food while sustaining a reliable market for area farmers.

Available at local bookstores, at https://villagemerc.com and on Amazon in both a printed and kindle version.

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $14.00.

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Three young boys, Tom, Bert, and Henry sat in their newly finished clubhouse. The mischievous bunch was bored and plotted what to do next. They decided to build a raft, then decided to be pirates. It was their next decision that got them in big trouble. Henry’s little sister Lucy was caught up in the action. She plays a major role in this adventure. Here is a story to delight, alarm, and finally, make the reader happy. Children’s book: 8 to 11 years old.

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $6.99.

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Tuck Rising, an injured ski champion, returns to his hometown where he finds work as a Great Camp caretaker. With his new bride Britt Freier and his daughter Tibetta, he moves into a rustic home in the village of Meltmor, planning to stay only until he recovers and returns to racing. However, that is not to be. Like walking on thin ice, every step he takes brings him closer to peril. This story romps through the high jinks and hard times of a northern village and the lives of caretakers. In a twist of magic realism, the prophesies of Pitt and his pet Rat remind us that the way forward is not always clear. Life in the North brings Tuck far more obstacles than flags on a race course. Mystery, fun and sorrow, this story has it all.

This book is a revision of Tibetta’s World; High Jinks and Hard Times in the North Country

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $15.99.

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This is the story of a woman born to wealth and privilege, who rejected the upper class values of her parents while still a child. Caperton Tissot has lived in upscale neighborhoods, a Dutch castle, and a trailer park. (She now lives in a house in Saranac Lake, N.Y.) The book's title refers to the difficulty of changing things...like piles of leaves, once kicked, they return to their original state.

She relates frightening events, including her nearly dying from asthma, being lost in the Austrian alps without supplies, and surviving a kayak trip on fierce rapids...to name only a few. Many interesting people are here. Among them is the hospital director who was running a stolen car ring, stealing cars from the doctors...and many more.

Animals also appear in the book. Principle among them is her beloved Polo, a border collie, who, though having been "neutered", sired a litter of puppies who looked just like him and unlike their mother.

Historical events and people are here. Richard Nixon brought his injured grandchild to Caperton's hospital. She once pulled an outrageous stunt to subvert Mario Cuomo's handlers and have a conversation with him about an environmental issue. She was active in the anti-war movement and lived close to New York when the twin towers went down.

Caperton and her husband Wim live a simple life, enjoying nature and the outdoors, and eschewing the trappings of American middle class life. But it's not all kicking leaves. Caperton has touched the lives of many people who will remain changed by her humor, generosity, and spirit.

Caperton Tissot has written both prose and poetry, now memoir. As her mother lived until almost 106, we can anticipate much more writing from her in the future.

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $11.99.

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Hidden motifs. Listening to the undertones, Tissot notes social impacts on the rhythm of time and place. Free verse sings with free thought – at times serious, other times lighthearted, sometimes irreverent.

A charming visit to life in the country, a wistful recollection of times past, and exciting adventures galore! This book is the perfect mixture of nostalgia and fresh air. Best read outside, where you can hear the birds singing.
Catherine Stone, EmberstoFlames Editing

Through the pages of this book, one finds it easy to experience personally the special world that is Caperton Tissot's, for she has the ability to picture it for us so vividly with her words. In this new anthology of her original poetry, we travel with her on a journey spanning her lifetime of observing and being deeply moved by the places she's been and the people she's met along the way. And we learn, through her own way of looking at life and the world, just how very much there is to notice as we go.
Nadine McLaughlin, Graphics North

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $14.95.

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A book of verse humming with soul storms, longings, and laughter... From Adirondack nature to human nature, work to play, youth to old age, whatever their interests, readers will find something here to enrich the moment.

Writing in such a deeply personal, open-hearted way was a courageous act for Caperton Tissot, and the foundation of genuine humility and compassion from which that courage rises, makes these poems deeply stirring. Bravo!"
Edward Kanze, author/naturalist/photographer/Adirondack guide

"Caperton Tissot invites us to her own neck of the woods in Adirondack Flashes and Floaters and shares her deepest feelings. Immersed in her verse, I ride the rhythms of mountain life, its triumphs and challenges, and reflect on my own feelings for this special place. Once again, I'm called to the wild of the Adirondack Park with Caperton's Flashes and Floaters."
Andy Flynn, author/publisher, Hungry Bear Publishing

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $14.95.

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Adirondack Ice: a Cultural and Natural History

by Caperton Tissot

Ice has determined the course of Adirondack history in many surprising ways. This book traces the evolution of that influence, touching on everything from ice industries and transportation to recreation and accidents. In 360 pages of personal stories, observations and over 200 historic and contemporary photos, the author pays tribute to a fast disappearing era. 

Reviews

"This book, providing a relatively unknown history of ice in the region, is very thought provoking. It describes the cultural relationships over the years and ends with a discussion of climate change and how this will reshape ice and associated activities in the future."
Elizabeth M. Lowe,
Region 5 Director, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Founder of the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks, "The Wild Center."

"My favorite moment each year is when winter takes control and friction loses its grip--when all of a sudden even the ungainly among us acquire a kind of grace as we skim across the world. This book captures every element of that moment, in the most beautiful place in the world. I hope only that those who read it will rise to the defense of winter, so that we can keep the great warming at bay and preserve these scenes for centuries to come."
Bill McKibben,
Author, environmental activist and resident scholar at Middlebury College

"In Adirondack Ice, a Cultural and Natural History, author Caperton Tissot illuminates the history of our relationship with a defining element of winter. Valued and reviled, ice is an unavoidable fact of life in the Adirondack Mountains. As Tissot points out, it has ‘substantially determined the natural, economic, and cultural history of the North Country, yet it is an often overlooked and underappreciated influence'. Filled with surprises, Adirondack Ice is a fascinating look at the many ways ice touches our lives in the Adirondack Mountains."
Laura Rice,
Chief Curator, The Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $24.95.

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History Between the Lines, Women's Lives and Saranac Lake Customs

Second Edition

Authored by Caperton Tissot, edited by Willem Tissot and published by Graphics North, this book traces Saranac Lake's spirit of goodwill from mid-nineteenth century to the present. Sixteen individual stories, based on interviews, illustrate the important role women play in carrying on traditions that define the unusual character of a small mountain village.

Both researched and anecdotal history, inserted in italicized paragraphs, fill out the history and place the stories in context. Footnotes, a bibliography and index provide follow-up information for the researcher.

In the final chapter, Caperton shares her experience in researching, organizing and writing this book. She gives step-by-step "how-to" tips and encourages others to undertake similar projects in their own communities.

A full set of portrait photographs by Mark Kurtz, as well as thirty more personal and archived photos, round out the text.

Reviews

"If you want to know how passion and perseverance keep a town not only afloat but sailing into the future with a strong sense of its past, you'll find the answers on these pages. The remarkable lesson of the women Ms. Tissot portrays is that they did not come from great power and high privilege, but they turned the power of their character to the task of making our lives as a community more than a little richer. In reading these stories, our lives as individuals become richer, as well."
Philip L. Gallos,
Author of Cure Cottages of Saranac Lake: Architecture and History of a Pioneer Health Resort.

"Saranac Lake is that rare place in modern America, a living breathing small town. Caperton Tissot's oral history teases out the threads that make up that tapestry, weaving the personal stories of some very unique women with fascinating bits of historical context. This isn't just the story of one small town, but the story of how small, quiet contributions make all communities richer. The book is also a great model for other local and oral history projects."
Brian Mann,
Adirondack Bureau Chief, North Country Public Radio.

"Caperton Tissot has demonstrated the important role community scholars can play in documentation of local history. Her profile of one group of women provides a path to follow in trying to understand local culture. Her tips for would-be historians remind us that there are plenty of other stories to record for posterity."
Jill Breit,
Program Director, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY).

"...a fascinating undertaking, one I think will generate considerable interest in and around Saranac Lake."
Thomas Dublin,
Professor of History and Co-director for the Historical Study of Women & Gender, State University of New York at Binghamton.

"Oral histories are one way of capturing the essence and personality of an era... (Tissot) successfully captures the social history of a small Adirondack community in the mid-twentieth century. A rich history of the Adirondack region and park exists; however, it is filled with great men and landscape. Tissot provides the much-needed answer to the question "What about the women?"  Through oral interviews and other primary sources she recreates an era of Saranac Lake history that has not been well recorded."
Carli Schiffner,
PhD, Professor of History, State University of New York, Canton

Available at local stores and online by request at Village Merchantile. Wholesale accounts please contact: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com. $22.95.

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To Purchase Publications By Check

Saranac Lake's Ice Palace, a History of Winter Carnival's Crown Jewel 2022 (booklet) ISBN #978-0-615-61961-3	$13.95
The Other Way ISBN-13: 979-8510687484	$7.99
By The Way ASIN: B08P3GZZ7T	$14.00
Pirates on the Saranac, (2019) ISBN #978-0359916061	$6.99
On Thin Ice. (A Novel) The Life and Times of a North Woods Caretaker 2018 ISBN # 978-0-359-17965-7	$15.95
Kicking Leaves 2018 ISBN # 978-1-387-82160-0	$11.95
Adirondack Ice: a Cultural and Natural History 2010 ISBN #   978-0-615-38993-6	$24.95
History Between the Lines, Women's Lives and Saranac Lake Customs 2007 ISBN #   978-0-615-49710-5 Second Edition	$22.95
Adirondack Flashes and Floaters, A River of Verse ISBN 978-0-615-98927-3	$14.95
The Beat Within; Poetry, Another Round ISBN 978-0-692-80759-0	$14.95
Please send checks to: Snowy Owl Press PO Box 303 Saranac Lake, NY 12983 Residents outside of New York State: booklet $1.50/book $3.50 New York State Residents: S & H booklet, $1.50 each. S & H books, $3.50 each. N.Y.S, residents add 8 % sales tax

Questions or comments? Get in touch with us at: Tissot@snowyowlpress.com

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