Around 7:15 this morning, still a tad cool outside. Absolutely lovely. Finishing up the latest in the Topsail mystery series. Some people are just plain bad--ooh. This one is a scorcher. Will try to have the cover photo out in a couple of weeks.

Already starting a new book--different genre. I'll let my readers know more as it progresses. Thank you readers.

Quote: The word belief is a difficult thing for me. I don't believe. I must have a reason for a certain hypothesis. Either I know a thing, and then I know it. I don't need to believe it--Carl Jung.

writing tip: It is very important to trust yourself when you write. As in all things in life, you should trust your gut feelings and that means you should be in touch with yourself. If you're not sure you're in touch with yourself, then you aren't.

T'was a beautiful morning. Always so grateful that God has given me senses to feel, hear, smell, see, taste what is before me.

quote: it is not my senses that I have, but what I do with them that is my kingdom--BenStephan

writing tip: the above is so true. As a writer I count on my senses and the exploration of them to compel me to write. I wallow in them, sometimes to my own detriment. But as the intensity of what I behold grows, I am so grateful that I can move to those depths--makes me wonder what the skiffs are doing.
Don't be afraid to look within yourself and find the honesty, without it you cannot write--okay, maybe a cookbook.

Lots of people have asked about the big chimney standing just north of HWY 55 (restaurant) and across from the flower shop in Surf City. Well, that chimney was part of an enormous World War II warehouse. (in the background of this photo)
It housed military vehicles that the kids of Surf City used to play on. Finally someone had them removed (drat, they were fun) and the building was cleaned up. Basketball hoops were installed and the warehouse became a make-shift community center for we kids.
That's Diane Batts in the foreground. She lived directly across from the building.

In front of the warehouse is a little laundry run by a woman named Inez Frye. Later, Inez opened an ice-cream parlor where one could order soft serve ice-cream. Now, that was a big deal.

QUOTE: No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each others worth.-Robert Southey

WRITING TIP;  Leave ego at the door when you write. Be kind, love yourself. The world where you go to write must be a place of honesty and self awareness.

LONG, LONG AGO IN A PLACE FAR, FAR AWAY
THERE LIVED A BUNCH -A SMALL BUNCH- OF
PEOPLE ON A BIG OLD SANDBAR CALLED TOPSAIL ISLAND. BACK THEN THERE WERE LOTS OF SAND DUNES (SEE THEM IN THE BACKGROUND COVERED WITH BEACH GRASS) AND OLD MILITARY BUILDINGS (SEE THEM IN THE BACKGROUND TOO)
THERE WAS LOTS OF COOL STUFF TO DO THERE LIKE PLAY IN THE SAND DUNES, DIG HOLES IN THE SAND DUNES, SWIM IN THE OCEAN, FISH (YOU DIDN'T NEED A FISHING LICENSE THEN) HANG OUT IN THE MARSHES AND CLIMB TREES AND PRETEND YOU WERE PIRATES.  MAN IT WAS A REALLY COOL PLACE. THEN OF COURSE YOU HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL. MY BROTHER AND SISTER LOOK LIKE THEY ARE GETTING READY TO CATCH THE BUS. THAT'S PUNCH (THE DOG) GUESS I PLAYED WITH HIM ALL DAY.

SURE WAS DIFFERENT THEN-WAS COOL, IT'S STILL COOL. THE FOLKS ARE THE BIG THING. THEY'RE THE BEST. THANK YOU JESUS!

This is what the north end  of the island looked like in 1962. Pretty doggone desolate--pretty pristine. The favorite pastime for many of the ladies of the island (especially in the winter months) was to drive from one end of the island to  the other at around ten miles per hour and just look. This is what there was to look at. Personally I think it looks a hell of a lot better than a bunch of big houses that block the view of the ocean.
I often wonder if those ladies were lonely when they took those long drives or if they simply enjoyed being alone and looking at the peaceful quiet of Topsail.

writing tip: write every day and if you can't do that, think about writing every day.

quote: The worst feeling isn't being lonely but being forgotten by someone you can't forget.