In 1953 hurricane Hazel hit Topsail Island. One of the reasons the hurricane was so devastating was that it hit during a high tide and a full moon. Talking to various old timers that remember Hazel and the havoc she wrecked, is so very interesting. It is amazing how varied the stories are - how many different points of view there are. Talking to several people about one incident reminds me of the old children's story - the one where 7 men are blind folded and then told to describe the part of an elephant they are touching. You can imagine the 7 different explanations.
Keeping this in mind as a writer, I get to choose bits and pieces of each person's story. The best thing though, is you get to see the heart of each one of those people. Hallelujah!