How is it mid-November already?!? The end of 2026 is approaching surprisingly quickly.
This time last year, I was hurriedly making the final edits to Wathen’s Adventure: The Genealogy and History of John Wathen of Southern Maryland, determined to get the book finalized for Christmas deliveries. Genealogy is not my full-time job, obviously, so I worked on the book during evenings and weekends, squeezing in writing and proofreading whenever I could.
One of my more vivid memories is sitting in a Baltimore pizzeria with a delicious deep-dish pizza, a Natty Boh, the printed manuscript, and a red pen. I had driven my sons to a concert that I wasn’t particularly interested in attending, so I spent three enjoyable hours poring over the final draft in hopes of catching typos and mistakes. The waitress eventually asked what in the world I was working on, and I explained that I was putting the finishing touches on a book about genealogy and family history. She responded politely, but I think she was hoping for a more exciting explanation of my odd pastime.
Since last December, I’ve noticed some typos in Wathen’s Adventure that I didn’t catch before publication. After careful consideration, I decided to reexamine the book thoroughly, with proofreading assistance from Claude AI, to correct mistakes that made their way into the First Edition. Although AI was used to flag potential errors, I personally made all necessary changes in consultation with the original genealogical records.
As of today, November 11, 2026, all newly purchased copies of Wathen’s Adventure will contain the corrected First Edition text rather than the original text. The changes are relatively minor: no new names or significant information have been added, and all page numbers remain unchanged to ensure consistent references between copies.
With deep appreciation for those who have already purchased Wathen’s Adventure, I’d like to offer the following resources:
- The updated Kindle edition of Wathen’s Adventure will be available FOR FREE from November 23 to 27. The Kindle edition will be a helpful supplement for those who already own the printed book. Mark your calendars to download the free ebook from Amazon.
- A comprehensive list of corrections to the First Edition of Wathen’s Adventure: The Genealogy and History of John Wathen of Southern Maryland is available for download here.
- As in years past, all hardcover and paperback books will be discounted in preparation for Christmas, from November 27 (Black Friday) to December 6 (St. Nicholas Day). Because every book is printed and shipped on demand by Lulu Press—I don’t have a warehouse full of books—be sure to order early for Christmas.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support of TheWathens.com!
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