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2011 is the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War.  Sally Tippett Rains is available for speaking engagements and she can add an element of Civil War history or Movie history to your event. Rains can speak about any aspect of Gone With the Wind, either in regular clothes or dressed in a hoop skirt to enhance your gathering.

To book rains, contact:: info@GWTWbook.com

The Making of a Masterpiece, The True Story of Margaret Mitchell's Classic Novel Gone With The Wind contains the exclusive Civil War history behind Margaret Mitchell's story. Rains had access to a scrapbook from Mitchell's family which contains pictures from the 1800's as well as stories from Mitchell's Civil War ancestors. Some of these stories are very similar to stories in Gone With The Wind.

For more information: info@GWTWbook.com

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Press Release

New Book Features Never-Before-Told Stories About Gone With The Wind

For Immediate Release:

(St. Louis, MO) Author Sally Tippett Rains announces the release of her new book The Making Of A Masterpiece, The True Story Of Margaret Mitchell's Classic Novel, Gone With The Wind and a new website dedicated to the book and all things Gone With The Wind: www.GWTWbook.com. The book and website commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the film winning an unprecedented 10 Academy Awards in February 1940. It is also the 70th Anniversary of the January 1940 St. Louis premiere of Gone With The Wind and Rains is from St. Louis. GWTW was shown at the Loew's Theatre, downtown with two matinees and a gala premiere that evening featuring fur-clad socialites of St. Louis with names like Von Gontard and Orthwein being among the first to see the long-awaited movie.

The Making Of A Masterpiece is jam packed with information about the production of the movie Gone With The Wind, and also the historic significance of Margaret Mitchell's novel.  The most exciting addition to the book is information from a recently discovered scrapbook with pictures from the 1800's featuring Mitchell's cousin telling the story of her family's survival of the Civil War. Many of the stories in the scrapbook mirror stories in Gone With The Wind.

Margaret Mitchell always denied basing any characters or storylines on real people or events, but Rains' three years of research can now reveal that Gone With The Wind contains stories very similar to real-life happenings within the reach of Margaret Mitchell; and her family felt some of it was autobiographical. Rains' book also deals with the Hollywood production of GWTW through memories of some of the living actors as well as the sons of Marcella Rabwin, the executive assistant to producer David O. Selznick. Mark Rabwin and Paul Rabwin (who is a Hollywood producer) contributed memories from their mother as well as a taped interview of a speech she gave, telling about what was going on behind the scenes.

Sally Tippett Rains appeared on an author panel with Turner Classic Movie Channel's Robert Osborne in the Atlanta area in November to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of GWTW's premiere in Atlanta. Her book is being made into a documentary as well as a short film. Production for the film is underway.

Greg Giese of Belleville, IL is featured in The Making Of A Masterpiece as he appeared in Gone With The Wind as newborn Beau Wilkes and newborn Bonnie Blue Butler.

Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster, Ernie Harwell (Detroit Tigers) wrote the foreword to the book which was published by Global Publishers of Beverly Hills, California. Harwell, who recently announced that he has terminal cancer, knew Margaret Mitchell personally. His brother Richard Harwell, who wrote several books about her, was to have dinner with Mitchell and her husband the night she was hit by a car resulting in her death five days later.

More information and an excerpt from The Making Of A Masterpiece is on the GWTWbook.com website designed by Steady Rain of St. Louis, MO.

Rains is available for interviews and Greg Giese has agreed to consider appearing with her if requested.
For More Information:  Sally Tippett Rains (314) 842-9724 (or email: info@GWTWbook.com)

Ernie Harwell pens foreword to book about Gone With the Wind

Ernie Harwell pens foreword to book about 'Gone With the Wind' BY JAMES JAHNKE for Detroit Free Press

Ernie Harwell has written the foreword to "The Making Of A Masterpiece," a new book billed as "the true story of Margaret Mitchell's classic novel, 'Gone With the Wind.' "

Apparently, Ernie's brother Richard was a friend of Mitchell's and wrote several books about "Gone With The Wind."

'The Making of a Masterpiece' details back story of 'Gone With The Wind'

St. Louis Globe-Democrat

Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the St. Louis premiere of “Gone With The Wind,” author Sally Tippett Rains has released a new book “The Making of a Masterpiece, The True Story Of Margaret Mitchell's Classic Novel, Gone With The Wind.”