Christmas is the time for unconditional love. May your Christmas be filled with the peace of God's love.

Oh, what a glorious morning. Living on Topsail Island is a blessing-always inspiration for writing.

Now that I've gained a thousand pounds (Thanksgiving stuffing and Halloween candy) I could succumb to depression, but instead I've chosen to direct my frustration to a character I'm developing. Yes! I'm working on another book-haven't decided what to call it yet, but as always the setting will be Topsail. Sunrises like this send me searching for words and scenes.

Writing lesson: Close your eyes and imagine who could be viewing this beautiful sunrise and what they could be doing/thinking.  Now, write it down.

This is a photo of the old Sea Gull restaurant in the early 1960s. My mom and dad ran it for a couple of years. By the 1970s it was gone. Now that space is a parking lot.
Following is an excerpt from one of the short stories in my new book PLUM DUFF. Frequently the little Sea Gull will show up in my stories, though it may be at a different location-I just loved the place so much I have to include it in my stories. PLUM DUFF should be out in a couple of weeks.

     The menu was one sheet of laminated paper printed on both sides. Helen grasped it with her fingers, thanking the waitress, then wiped a smudge away with a napkin.
     Focusing her eyes through the no-line bifocal lenses of her glasses, she read the list of foods.     The list was short-mainly burgers, fries, sandwiches and seafood.
     The Sea Gull restaurant, situated next to the island fishing pier, despite its fantastic view, was not on the list of must go places on Topsail Island. Locals were the main clientele.
     It wasn't like Helen to come to such a greasy spoon, but she'd heard that the grouper was the best. Unlike most of the other restaurants on the beach, the Sea Gull's seafood was not overcooked nor over breaded.
     She set the menu on the table and looked about the room. It was nearly empty, but then it was late October and most of the tourists were gone for the year. Only a few fishermen hung on, endeavoring to catch fresh seafood of their own.

Now, this is power.

We've had lots of erosion this week - several feet. And lots of wood has been floating up on shore. Anybody need a set of stairs?

Who remembers the Scotch Bonnet Fishing Pier? Notice the lack of big houses in the area. Topsail was truly the Fisherman's Paradise back then.
Our first creative writing class was last night at CFCC. What a great group of people-I think this is going to be a fantastic class. We covered so much material-Continuity, genre, character development-got a lot covered and had fun doing it. Thank you for joining our group!

Every day  is a beautiful day when you get to view scenes like this. Makes me so thankful for all the blessings I get to enjoy. Hope your day is a beautiful one too.

The Surf City Market is still taking place on Tuesdays, 9 to 2. There are still lots of vendors-tomorrow should be a fantastic day for strolling along the boardwalk at Sound Side Park in Surf City. Come and join us.

This is Pop Jones in 1954 right after Hurricane Hazel destroyed much of "Pop's Pavilion." Pop had been a merchant marine in the 1940s and when he came to NC he liked it and stayed in the area. His Pavilion was a gathering spot for the local youth and every Saturday night he held a square dance with live music. During the summer months the place came alive with tourists and fisherman who came to enjoy the Atlantic. Pop sold hamburgers and hot dogs and rented rafts and umbrellas. Now days the old WWII building meets and greets tourists too, but now, it opens its doors as the Surf City Welcome Center.

Sept. 28th I will begin teaching a creative writing class at the new Cape Fear Community College on Hwy. 210. Creative Foundations should be an exciting and interesting class and I look forward to all the fun we'll have as we explore writing memoirs, short stories, essays or even the great American novel. Come try your hand at expressing and exploring. Please come join us. The phone number is 910-362-7930.

Really nice day on the beach. This fall I will be teaching a creative writing class at the new Cape Fear Community College extension on Hwy 210 in Surf City. It should be a fun class and I look forward to meeting others who enjoy the art of writing. More information will follow in the coming days.

Often people ask me what I think of our little swing bridge being replaced by what Cathy Medlin so eloquently described as-a cement snake.Well, I agree with Cathy and think the whole idea of replacing our historical landmark stinks! We do not need this "snake" - a cookie cutter bridge that all the beach towns along the eastern seaboard are putting in. Oh whoopee! We get to be like everybody else. Our bridge makes us unique.

 Proponents of the new bridge argue that the traffic and population growth warrants such a change. But if you stand at the stop light you'll discover that over fifty percent of the people who come to Topsail Island , turn right and go south. So,if that is the case, why not put in something that will both cut down on the congestion in Surf City and allow people to get to the south end quicker. How about a ferry. Tourists love FERRYS. I love ferrys.

"Oh, but the bridge is old and needs replaced." I hear this from a few also. Well, I'm old. Most of my readers are old. So is the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, The dome at our capital in Washington DC is old and yet it is being repaired. Don't we pay taxes to have things fixed?

Well- I guess I can put forth my arguments as long as I want-many of you feel just as strongly, but the powers that be- scoff at any reasoning other than their own. So I write books and stories about the things and people I love. I also write books about dirty birds too.

Wow! I just noticed that at the top of my blog it says that I offer writing tips. Hmmm. Thought about that for awhile and then scrolled down and yep, there it was. I really did begin my blog by offering advice on writing. However, I got very few viewers.

Not to digress, but many times when I'm sitting at either the Surf City Summer Market or Pillage the Village in Topsail Beach selling my books, I do have individuals tell me they are aspiring writers. We often enter into an exchange of ideas, affirmations and "writer talk" that ends with smiles and acknowledgement  that we are kindred spirits. Sometimes, upon request, I'll offer a tip or two.

Back to my blog being about writing - I guess I should do what I say or delete that sentence. Well, I've decided that every once in a while I'll post a tip or two. Maybe the tips will not interfere with the many pictures I like to post. Posting-pictures is so much easier than having to write down thoughts. Oops, I'm being facetious.

Starting today I will offer a tip on writing. Here goes-Don't be afraid. Remember you can always tear it up.

And now a picutre: isn't a picture worth a thousand words?

wish I could have gotten closer to this pelican, but alas, I cannot fly.

there used to be sand dunes all over the island-not just in front of the water. In my own back yard there were three two story sand dunes. Missing those dunes!

Well, the book is off and running. So far most of the reviews have been great. Thank you so much to those of you who emailed and commented. But I must warn future readers-if you have ever been rude to a clerk or cashier, you might be offended. If you are a smoker or even a non-smoker, you might be offended. If you are either from the north or the south, you might be offended. If you've ever done anything you regret, you might be offended. I apologize to the rest of the world for not offending you as well, there just wasn't enough ink in my printer.

Here is WATERLOGGED my new contemporary mystery set on Topsail Island. It is available on Amazon now and I should have copies next Tuesday.

The ocean looked like glass today. Very calm and NO wind. Beautiful day in the shade.

Pre tropihcal storm Ana. The sand rolling across the shore is soooo cool.

Around 7 am  today.
Below is an excerpt from my new book, WATERLOGGED. Would love some feedback from my readers. Not sure when the book will be out - still working on some parts.


     It was typical springtime on Topsail Island, the weekend before Memorial Day, so it was relatively quiet.
     One could still make a right turn at the light without waiting for several cars to go through – and one didn’t have to stand in line at a local restaurant until a table became available.
     This time of year was referred to by most locals as the calm before the storm.
     Shop owners sat on the stoops of their stores and waved at passersby and local folks walked along the roadside waving back to the store owners.
     The fishing piers were not crowded either – not yet.
      Fishermen smiled and nodded to one another as they cast their lines into the Atlantic. It was a friendly, wordless exchange – quiet is the mantra for the serious fisherman - even if that means never catching a fish.        
     Everyone knows that fishing isn’t all about catching anyway; it’s about respite from the rush of life – the connection between one’s self and Mother Nature.
     Lines whirred through the stilled air; the clicks of bales being set could be heard among the calm spring day.
     It was if the island was at a threshold – and it was. The weekend before Memorial Day is the last weekend before the flood gates open and tourists from all over the country descend like a multitude of seagulls scrambling for bread crumbs.

It was just too pretty a day

Walking on the beach this morning was fantastic. Always an inspiration for working on my new book WATERLOGGED.  Main characters are Carrie Adams, Detective Don Belkin - Morgan Simpers (what a character!) and other assorted locals living in the Topsail Island area.
Hopefully I'll have some excerpts out in the next couple of weeks.

Topsail Island is a laid back, easy going beach community eight months out of the year, but when the busy summer tourist season arrives, it's just plain murder.

This morning the day started sort of gray and dreary but it was bright and sunny.

What a beautiful morning- inspiration for my new book WATERLOGGED. It should be out this June. It is set on Topsail Island - as is most of my stuff, and is a contemporary murder mystery. Look for a few excerpts coming in the next few weeks.

Such a beautiful day today at low tide this afternoon. Sky looks like whipped cream. The island is gearing up for the busy season - Surf City Summer Market will start in May - hope y'all come. Lots of cool stuff and cooler people.

Thanks to all of you who have taken advantage of the "free" promotion for THE DAYS OF HAIRAWN MUHLY.  The response has been fantastic. However; true to form and as my luck would have it - THE TRILL OF THE RED-WING BLACKBIRD has had some glitches and will not be available for purchase for a few days. Please be patient, I am working with Kindle to correct this problem. Thanks again, Carol Ann Ross

This morning it was really foggy outside, still the beauty is overwhelming.