Cookies for Kids will be hosting two holiday book signings by author Kathryn E. Darden in Nashville during the Christmas season to benefit the charity Special Spaces  (Specialspaces.org). The organization has been given a storefront at Hickory Hollow Mall where they will sell  gourmet cookies, do gift wrapping, and other special activities including Darden's book signings.

Darden will be signing copies of her books "The Mayberry Poem - A Tribute to Mayberry" and "How to Promote Your Book on a Shoestring Budget" on Wednesday night, December 17 at 5 PM, and on Monday afternoon, December 22 at 2PM.  Cookies for Kids is located in the lower level of Hickory Hollow Mall near Sears in the "Real Estate" store front. Proceeds will benefit Special Spaces, a non-profit organization focused on making a difference in the lives of children with life threatening illnesses.

"I love 'The Andy Griffith Show,' says Cookies for Kids organizer Rick Frogge. "You always remember Andy giving Opie the big lecture about donating to charity and helping others. Opie only gave three cents to his class charity but Opie was saving money to buy his little girlfriend a coat because her family was poor. The message of almost every Christmas show, the underlying meaning was trying to help others. That's what Cookies for Kids is all about. We try to help kids that are critically ill."

Rick says in addition to selling cookies, books and gift wrapping, the charity will also be accepting donations.  "For any dontion of $1 or more, we'll be glad to give you a bag of fresh gourmet cookies."

The Mayberry Poem - A Tribute to Mayberry is a compilation of poetry about "The Andy Griffith Show." Each poem pays tribute to a character, episode, or theme from "The Andy Griffith Show" or simply honors the fictional town of Mayberry itself with its small-town values and simple "good ole' days" way of life. The poems range from humorous limericks to thought-provoking verses about the things that still make Mayberry resonate with viewers today. The book contains 204 poems about Mayberry written by over 60 different poets from 20 states as well as Washington, D.C. It also features photographs of Mount Airy, NC, the town where Andy Griffith grew up and which inspired Mayberry.

 "How to Promote Your Book on a Shoestring Budget" takes authors step by step, through developing a marketing strategy, writing a press release, contacting the media, setting up a book signing, and much, much more.

Cookies for Kids will carry autographed copies of the book throughout the holidays, so if you cannot make it to one of the book signings, stop by and pick up a book and some cookies anyway! It's for a good cause!

Call 615-530-8218 for more information.