Mary's Christmas

As we go about our busy preparations for Christmas, I trust we will all stop at one point to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas. Yes, it's about a baby being born, but not just any baby, it was God incarnate. Come to live among us and within us.  In honor of this season, I wrote a song a few years ago, called Mary's Christmas. My son-in-law Curtis Willey added some touches, put it to music, and sang the song. I'm honored to play our song at this time of year. I tried to link the music to this post, but that process is beyond me. Here are the lyrics:

            Mary’s Christmas

 

Mary put the kids to bed

With dreams of Christmas in their head

She kissed their cheeks and smoothed their hair

Turned off the light and crept downstairs

 

The bike was assembled and the parts were all there

The dolls and teacups set out with care

The kids would be happy tomorrow for sure

With Santa’s gifts strewn all over the floor.

 

Mary’s Christmas would not be bright

Since her Jim had gone away to fight

Mary’s Christmas would have to be

The tree, the kids and her memory

 

She looked at the tree she had carefully trimmed

With decorations sent home by Jim

There were handmade angels and cherubs and more

From the different places he had served in the war

 

Now all that was missing besides Jim, she thought

Was the star that should sit away up on top

But she couldn’t reach it so it would just go bare

Without him home to put it there.

 

Mary’s Christmas would not be bright

Since her Jim had gone away to fight

Mary’s Christmas would have to be

The tree, the kids and her memory.

 

Well as always she knelt down to pray

She had a few soft words to say

About a newborn babe and men from afar

Who sent joy to the world neath his guiding star

 

Then she prayed for Jim that he’d be kept safe

So far away in the faraway place

And she prayed for her kids that they would be

As pure and strong as God meant them to be

 

Then she got up and tried the locks

And pulled the blinds and wound the clock

But she said to herself I won’t darken that tree

Until my Jim comes home to me.

 

So a sound at the door made her jump with fright

“What could that be in the middle of this night?”

Then the door opened wide and tears streaked her face

As Jim swept her up in one long embrace

 

He laid out the toys for the kids that he brought

And for Mary a bundle of gifts he had bought

Then he noticed the star and went to the tree

And carefully placed it where it needed to be

 

Mary’s Christmas sure turned bright

Snuggling with Jim neath the twinkling colored lights

Mary’s Christmas was the best she ever had

She had her Jim-- and the kids had their dad.

******

Merry Christmas y'all!

Quote of the Day: God bless us everyone! Charles Dickens

A Hand Made Girl

 Welcome to Fall! If you're into crafts at all, you know this is the season for craft fairs.  I have already been to one, as a buyer, and I have two more lined up where I'll be showcasing and signing my books. 

    The first is November 18 from 11-2 at a local, cozy craft store in Dunn, NC called Carolina Handcrafts.  

    The second is December 2,  from 9-3 in Clayton, NC at the Cleveland High School Band Holiday Bazaar. 

Stop by and say hi and peruse my books while you're at it. 

In the spirit of craft season, I thought I'd show you a song I wrote years ago  that, like most of my songs, never got put to music; therefore, never went anywhere. It just sits in a folder like a good little song, not bothering anybody. 

Here it is.

A Hand Made Girl

 

I’m a hand-made girl in a store bought world

I learned to be thrifty from my toes to my curls

Mama made my clothes, daddy made the rest

I never felt poor, I just felt blessed.

My clothes were hand made and so were my toys, yeah

I’m a hand-made girl in a store bought world.

 

We didn’t have much when I was a kid

My folks sacrificed just to provide a roof and a bed

I thought we were rich for all that we had

Clothes, toys, and goodies

Made with love by Mama and Dad.

 

Mama’s homemade apple pies were an art

The smell of her baking went straight to my heart.   

Then night after night at the treadle machine

She busied herself sewing dresses for me.

 

Daddy could build any item from wood

His workshop was the pride of the neighborhood

He made all our tables, no two were the same

And for me he made toys and puzzles and games.

 

The things I owned didn’t come from Sears

But from the two people that I hold dear.

 

I’m a hand-made girl in a store bought world

I learned to be thrifty from my toes to my curls

Mama made my clothes, daddy made the rest

I never felt poor, I just felt blessed.

My clothes were hand made and so were my toys, yeah

I’m a hand-made girl in a store bought world.

And there you have it.  If I don't talk to you before the 23rd, I wish you a Most Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!  🦃

Quote of the Day: Art is not what you see but what you make others see. Edgar Degas

 

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Dentist

 

Meet the Author – Terry Hans

Happy crisp autumn everyone! The days are getting chillier, time for heavier clothes and a fire in the fireplace. And what good is a fireplace without a good book to cuddle up with? It just so happens, I have a book to suggest to you. I’m sitting here with its author, Terry Hans.

Terry has a book out called, Laugh, Rinse, Repeat.

Good afternoon, Terry; it’s so great to have you here. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Terry:   I grew up in Buffalo, New York, and attended Erie County Technical Institute’s dental hygiene program.  I completed my studies, took the state and national licensing exams, and became a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH). It was there I found my calling. I realized most people were nervous and fearful of dental treatment, so I began using humor to relax my patients.

I married Harry after college and had two daughters, Tracey and Christy. We moved from Buffalo to Rochester, NY, when the girls were 4 and 7.  They married, and each had two sons. The youngest is 15, and the oldest is now 22.

Me: For the record, I’m one of those who hates going to the dentist. Wish I’d known you when you were a dental hygienist. Have you been writing long?

Terry: I always enjoyed writing but never really got serious until my first grandson was due to arrive. I composed poems and created scrapbooks to capture his childhood. Along came three more grandsons, prompting me to continue developing my writing skills and expand the types of things I wrote.

Me: What prompted you to write the hilarious Laugh, Rinse, Repeat?

Terry: There were so many stories I told over the years that were just so unbelievable that I had to get them down on paper. Dr. Norman, my employer of 25years had the greatest influence over me. His office staff and his family have become like my family. I wanted to capture his mischievous spirit.

Me: How long did it take you to write the book?

Terry:  I started writing the stories when I moved to NC in 2013, but I never really expected to publish them or do anything with them. At first, some stories were up to 3000 words, and I learned with the helpful guidance of my writing group, NC Scribes, that sometimes less is more. About three years ago, I decided my goal was to write this in book form. I procrastinated, a lot. Even read your book, STOP PROCRASTINATING – GET PUBLISHED multiple times, but I still was hesitant.  It wasn’t until authors in my writing group started pouring out novels that I knew I needed to get serious.

Me: Give us a synopsis of the book.

Terry: Laugh, Rinse, Repeat is a collection of stories of unusual events that happened in the dental office; tales patients have shared. I kept things light-hearted and tried to draw out the humor from every situation.  I wrote about experiences my patients have shared and revealed comical occurrences that transpired while working in a dental office. With the assistance of these award-winning authors in my writer's group, this compilation of stories came to life.

Me: Do you have a favorite story from the book?

Terry:  I have a few favorite stories. In some instances, I embellished or combined two or three incidents into one story or have it happen on the same day. The story titled A Southern Belle’s Exhumation takes the cake for being the funniest and most bizarre story and is verbatim. There was nothing I could add to make it better.   I ended the book with this story because you, my dear friend, suggested that I leave the readers saying, “This is the funniest book I’ve ever read!”

Me: And it is! Is it published and by whom?

Terry: Since I really wanted to get the book out this year, I did not even try the publishing route; instead, I went to Amazon and their KDP self-publishing site. It took some help navigating the site, but in the long run, I am very pleased with the outcome. I am so grateful that KDP allows me to change my book content since I found many spacing errors in the proof copy.  I corrected them and then hit publish.  What a thrill.

Me: How can my readers get a copy?

Terry:  The book is available on Amazon, either under my name, Terry Hans, or under the book title. I have book signings scheduled and would love to autograph books for anyone who can attend.

Me: What else have you written?

Terry:  My first published story was in Chicken Soup for the Soul in 2019, and since that first book, I have had ten stories in Chicken Soup books. I also contributed poems and articles for the award-winning book NC Scribes put together to commemorate 9/11, titled, 9/11 That Beautiful Broken Day.

Me: What other interests do you have?

Terry:  I love scrapbooking the old-fashioned traditional way. I have captured the grandsons’ childhoods since before they were born. Now that they are grown, I concentrate on scrapbooking and documenting their sports, including games, write-ups etc. I have always taken a ton of pictures. A cute story is when I took our New York grandsons to the beach for the first time with the NC grandsons, and it was dusk. Of course, I wanted to take pictures. One grandson yelled, “It’s lightning!” The other said, “No, it's just grandma.”

I love to travel and spend a great deal of time away from home visiting friends and family. I have had wonderful opportunities to travel extensively throughout Europe and the US.

Me: Do you have any advice for would-be writers?

Terry:  Just start writing- put down your thoughts. They don’t have to be in any specific order. Editing and organizing can come later, but you will find that you will forget some of the finer points you want to make if you don’t just jot down all your ideas and memories first.

Me: What do you wish you knew when you started your writing career?

Terry: I guess I wish I knew how to use technology better. I now use an editing program and a grammar program to help me with punctuation, etc. I wish I knew that sometimes shortening my stories has a greater impact.

Me: What’s next for you?

Terry:  I will continue to write short pieces for Chicken Soup, but I might just start thinking of the stories I forgot to tell in Laugh, Rinse Repeat. Who knows where this will take me.

Me: Thank you Terry for spending time with me. I highly recommend everyone get your book. They’ll be glad they did.

 

Quote of the Day: I envisioned a fairytale wedding; instead, I got a scene from the  Wild West.  Excerpt from “The Imperfect-Perfect Wedding” in Laugh, Rinse, Repeat. 

Something's Coming!

Hey, hey, hey!  I had a book signing last Saturday at the Kicking Camel Grill in Coats, NC.  Brandon King, the owner of the restaurant, very nicely let me occupy a table for three hours (plus set up and take down time) so I could display and sell my books. 

Last month when I was there, I ran out of three titles so I made sure that this time I would have enough. You can see by the picture that I definitely had enough!

I sold 17 books, not bad for three hours' work. Cyndi came with me and handled the cash and credit card transactions so I could concentrate on explaining and signing the books. She was a huge help, just like last month.

I have no more events planned until December 2 when the Cleveland H.S. band holds its annual Holiday Bazaar in Clayton, NC. This will be my fourth year  and I usually do well there.

Now, let me tell you what's coming up next. My next blog will be an interview with fellow author and dear friend, Terry Hans.  In Terry's working life, she was a dental hygienist and over the years, gathered stories galore from her patients. She has a new book out incorporating those stories into one hilarious read. 

That's all I'll tell you right now; be sure to read my next blog in a few weeks, then order her book. You'll be glad you did. 

Quote of the Day: Be true to your teeth or they will be false to you.  Soupy Sales

 

My Kids to the Rescue!

Cyndi and Bill did it again! They didn't have to drive far to come to my rescue this time, only as far as Coats, NC, five minutes from my house. But rescue me, they did. 

Brandon King, one of the owners of The Kicking Camel Grill (a nod to the local Campbell University whose mascot is a camel) told me, when I asked, that I could do a "Meet the Author" event and book signing at the restaurant. I took him up on his offer and planned the event for Saturday, August 26, 2023 from 11 am to 3 pm. 

Here's where Cyndi and Bill come into the story. They helped pack up my car with two suitcases full of books, tablecloth, signage, etc., drove me to the restaurant, and walked in with me. Now this was a big deal because I might have gotten cold feet and walked right back to my car if they hadn't been there to support and encourage me!

Brandon told us we could use any table and arrange it any way we wanted. We took the table clearly visible from the door so as people walked in, they couldn't help but see my display.

By 11 am we were ready with piles of eight of my books displayed in the order in which they were written. If anyone bought three or more books, they got a free copy of a recent Chicken Soup for the Soul, Get Out of Your Comfort Zone,  in which I had a story published. 

Cyndi handled the cash and debit cards while I talked to the patrons and signed book after book after book.  The day was such a success that I ran out of three titles--Willard Manor, Saving Lou, and Testing Michael. I gave away the three Chicken Soup books I'd brought which meant three people bought a bunch of books. 

Bill encouraged me to take Brandon's offer of doing another similar event in September and having even more books available. "You can't sell what you don't have."

So, Saturday, September 30, I'll be back at The Kicking Camel, kicking up a storm from 11-2. I'll have lots of everything this time, plus a few different books than before. If you're in the area, please stop in to see me and perhaps grab some lunch while you're there. 

My next event will be in Clayton on December 2 at the annual craft bazaar put on by the Cleveland High School Band. It will be my fourth year there.  There will be lots of opportunities to do your Christmas and holiday shopping among the hundreds of vendors present.

Quote of the Day: Thank you Cyndi and Bill for always being there for me. 

 

Family is Everything

Tammy Sue and Curtis Willey

A few days ago Cyndi, Bill and I got home from a wonderful week in Connecticut. It was a family affair for sure.  We  started in Manchester, near Hartford, to see my daughter Tammy and her husband Curtis, went down south to Fairfield  to see my sister Donna, up to Stratford for an afternoon of music where we met up with my son Mike and grandson Monterey, then back to Manchester.  

Musical brothers, Larry and Curtis

Curtis is a musician as is his brother Larry, so the music event was on the water with Larry's band, The Mighty Soul Drivers.  Eight of us were there to enjoy the beautiful day and blues music--Cyndi, Bill, Tammy, Curtis, Mike, Monterey, Donna, and me. 

All eight of us

In Manchester, while Cyndi and Bill stayed in the guest room, I was made very much at home in Tammy's girl cave, a few feet away from their house.  The weather was gorgeous and a lot of time was spent in the backyard eating, talking, watching the birds and squirrels, and doing some serious relaxing. Tammy noticed my unmanageable hair, called her hairdresser and got an appointment for me our first full day there. I went in looking haggard and came out looking bright and very, very happy. An amazing transformation.

Sisters

My kids

Me and Mike

Sisters-Second Generation

Cyndi Jo and Bill Hemby

In Fairfield, while I visited my sister for three and a half days, Cyndi and Bill visited friends they don't often get to see. 

Monterey Peterson

From Fairfield, we drove a little north to Seymour to have a cookout with Mike, Monterey, and Mike's fiancée, Kari and her children. And Yeager, their adorable little puppy. Monterey serenaded us on his guitar with a little heavy metal he wrote himself. 

Yeager

Kari

All in all, it was a fun, relaxing, family time, the first time we've  all been together since last July for Stewart's funeral. I am one lucky, blessed, woman! 

Quote of the Day: Family is not an important thing. It's everything. Michael J. Fox

Splashing the Heat Away

Is it hot enough for you? I've read some interesting memes about the weather lately. 

On a church: Satan called. He wants his weather back.

On Facebook: I went outside and ran into Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

On Facebook: Not sure if it's summertime, or if I woke up in Hell.

So, yes, it's hot. Personally, I much prefer being hot to being cold. You can always cool off with a fan, a/c, a cold drink, or a dip in the water. But when you're chilled to the bone, there's no way you can warm up quickly other than standing over a register, which I've done many times in my life!

To make you feel cooler, I'm printing a song I wrote a few years ago. Like a lot of my other songs, it's never been put to music and so it sits in a folder avoiding rejection. Here it is.

            Let’s Splash

                  By Linda Loegel Hemby

 

Honey, you and I are getting old
Our hair is grey that once was gold
We take our pills and discuss our ills,
And wear a sweater to ward off chills.

But I remember, when we were young
When dark skies meant rain
And rain meant having fun.

We’d run in the rain with our heads thrown back, splash
In the puddles and giggle and laugh We’d dance 
Through the raindrops and get soaking wet, I treasure 
Those moments and remember them yet.

 

Let’s relive old moments
And act like we’re young
It’s raining outside so let’s have some fun.
 
I want to be a kid again
Running through the rain again
Let’s do something rash
Let’s take off our shoes, find a puddle, and splash.

I love growing old with you but just this one day Let’s forget our pills and ills and get outside and play.

Let’s relive old moments 

And act like we’re young 

It’s raining outside so let’s have some fun.

 
I want to be a kid again
Running through the rain again
Let’s go do something rash
Let’s take off our shoes, find a puddle, and splash.

Do you feel cooler now? 😀

I'm traveling to Connecticut this week to spend a week seeing my sister Donna, daughter Tammy, and son Mike. Cyndi and Bill are driving so my whole family will be together for a few days.  I'm very excited!

Quote of the day: What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance.  Jane Austen

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone on July 25

I am happy (and, dare I say, proud) to announce that a story of mine is in the latest Chicken Soup For the Soul book called Get Out of Your Comfort Zone. My story is on page 154 and entitled, The Challenge. 

The book will be available on July 25. I've read an advance copy and some of the stories just blew me away with how people have not only attempted to do something they never would have dreamed, but also accomplished it! 

Reading this book makes you feel like you can push beyond the limits of your comfort zone, try something new, and never be the same again. And age is not a barrier. 

One woman hiked the Blue Ridge Mountains in her mid-fifties. Another ran a half marathon along a mountain ridge at night, at age fifty. Another woman entered, and won, a senior pageant at age seventy-four. One person skydived for the first time at age seventy. And on it goes, one person after another who had to reach deep inside herself or himself to find the courage to do something new and different and, yes, frightening, and who finished strong and invigorated and ready to try something new. 

My story is about using the time on a cruise to attempt things I'd never done before--horseback riding (in Puerto Vallarta), parasailing (in Mazatlan), snorkeling (in Cabo San Lucas), even skeet shooting off the bow of the ship, and, heaven forbid, trying new foods. All after age fifty and all of which led to more parasailing and eventually skydiving, at age sixty.

We just don't know what we can do until we try.

Quote of the day: Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try. Jack Canfield

A Final Goodbye

I hope you all had a nice Father's Day last week.  Mine was a little different, although I got to spend it at the beach.

Cyndi and Bill picked me up Sunday morning and we drove to Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington. Along for the ride was a small vial of Stewart's ashes. Stewart was born and raised in Wilmington up until he joined the Navy, so it seemed fitting that he should be returned "Home." 

We met up with Bill's brother Art and his wife Helen who had arrived on Saturday, and together we formed a small community at the beach. Cyndi read a poem she had written for the occasion and I read some quotes that seemed appropriate for his "Homecoming." 

Then Art took the vial and returned its contents to the sea. Although Stewart is lying in peace in the Sand Hills Military Cemetery in Fayetteville, now a part of him is home where he belongs, where any good sailor should be, at sea.

We returned home Monday, knowing that Bill and Art finally had closure with their dad. Of Stewart's six children, only Bill and Art remain; he had outlived four of his children and now he is with them once again.

Rest in peace, Stewart.

Art and Bill

Helen and Art

                    

Cyndi and Bill

                                                        

Cyndi, Bill and Me

Art Returning Dad to the Sea

Quote of the Day: And when the day arrives I'll become the sky and I'll become the sea and the sea will come to kiss me for I am going home. Nothing can stop me now. Reznor

Simon, Joan, and June

I trust you all are as thrilled as I am that we’re now in the month of June. June holds the promise of warm weather, sunshine, blue skies, summer, no coats, graduation, Father’s Day, weddings, and all things good. Hooray, it’s June!

I told you in my last blog that I was having a launch for my latest book, Restoring Simon, on May 20. I did have the launch and considered it a success—good people, good food, good sales.  My readers were three people from my writing group—Jim, Ellen, and Nancy, as well as my daughter Cyndi, and myself. 

Everyone did an excellent job of bringing my book to life. You can see from the pictures that my “trip” to Charleston has healed considerably. In fact, all that remains is still a little lump on my left wrist that no longer hurts. All’s well that ends well.

Cookies and Cake

Marble Cake

Book Display Table

Display Table with an actual WWI helmet that Jim provided

And speaking of Simon, the audio version is finished and will be available in a few days on Amazon. The narrator, Larry Sonderling, has narrated four or five of my books now, always doing a great job. He wrote me that he thinks Simon is the best of my books. The print and digital versions are available on Amazon and will soon be joined by the audio version.

So what am I doing now that that book is done? Silly you, I’m writing a new book, of course. This time, it’s about . . . a . . . (gulp) girl! I’ve avoided writing about girls for my last seven books. When I have such fine boys as Mark, Gary, Lou, Danny, Rob, Michael and Simon, why would I want to write about a prissy little girl? Good question. It seems my writing group suggested I write about a girl and even suggested who that girl might be.

If you read Testing Michael, then you read about the Civil War soldier Michael and Jim meet who turns out to be a woman passing herself off as a man. Her name is Joan. She is the subject of my new book, starting when she’s a little girl with three older brothers meaning she has to be tough if she wants to play with them. She’s not a prissy by any means. Wish me luck as I develop and flesh out her character and home life.

Dad's clock

Her father is a clockmaker around 1840 Connecticut and just doing research about clocks made me long to have the grandmother clock my dad made me fifty years ago running again. It hadn’t run or chimed in years so I called a clockmaker and yesterday he came and got it running for me. Hallelujia! I LOVE hearing it chime on the hour and the half hour. My dad would be happy. He made a few clocks, but mine was the first. And, I picked the clockmaker’s brain for information for my book while he was here. My book will be “Something” Joan. I’m a long way from coming up with the title, so stay tuned.

Quote of the Day:  Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. Sam Levenson

 

 

 

 

Experiencing Charleston Way Too Close and Way Too Personal

In my last post, I told you I was meeting my friend Sue in Charleston, SC. Well, I did. I drove down to Charleston Saturday , April 29, and she drove up from Jacksonville. We arrived at the Hyatt at the same time in the afternoon.

In that last post I also told you that I would finally be seeing Fort Sumter. No such luck.  Sunday, Sue and I were on our way to the Visitor Center to take a bus tour of the city and as soon as I stepped off the curb, something happened and I ended up lying smack in the middle of the road. People came out of nowhere to help me up and put ice on my bleeding forehead and swollen wrist. Consequently, we didn't get the tour in that day but, thankfully, we were able to take it the next day. Never got to take the harbor tour though.

I've driven south three times in three years and three times my kids have had to drive down to rescue me. No more driving south for me! I wanted to see Charleston from the ground up, and trust me, I did exactly that!

No bones were broken in the making of this accident, but it sure looks ugly.  My left knee is also bruised. 

On a much lighter note, I'm inviting anyone who lives in this area to come to my book launch for Restoring Simon. 

Save the Date!

BOOK LAUNCH

Linda Loegel Hemby

Linda’s latest historical fiction novel, RESTORING SIMON, is about a young man in 1917 Buffalo, NY who loves Model T Fords, his family, and Esther. Will his priorities change when he’s in the trenches in France in WWI?  Will he make it back home to them?

 

DATE:           Saturday, May 20, 2023

PLACE:         Kennebec Baptist Church fellowship   hall,

                        9808 Kennebec Church Road, Angier,

TIME:           1 – 4 pm

 

Refreshments Served - Door prizes

Meet the author and get your book autographed

Hello, my friends!  I have good news--my latest novel, Restoring Simon is now finished and available in print and Kindle, through Amazon. I'm in the process of having it on audio as well.

This novel is about Simon Epstein, a Model T Ford enthusiast, who turns eighteen about the time the U.S. enters WWI.  He goes to Camp Greene, NC for basic training, then gets shipped to France.  He experiences atrocities, the Red Baron, and the Spanish Flu. When the war is over, he comes home to what is now known as PTSD, but wasn't acknowledged at the time. 

Since my books all have a connection with one another, you may or may not remember that Simon is Danny Epstein's father, in Remaking Danny.  Danny served in WWII and was saved from a kamikaze attack by his shipmate, Lou Dyson. Lou's story is told in Saving Lou.  To delve deeper, Lou is Gary Haywood's boss in Finding Gary,  and Gary is Mark's best friend in Leaving Mark.  My two other books, Redeeming Rob and Testing Michael have a connection to Willard Manor.

These are my boys: Mark, Gary, Lou, Danny,  Rob, Michael, and Simon. I've watched them grow up and make something of themselves as they overcame life's obstacles.

***

On to other news: I'm driving to Charleston, SC next weekend to visit my girlfriend, Sue, who will be driving up from Florida to meet me.  I may finally get to see Fort Sumter that I researched so fully for Testing Michael!  I will let you know all about my trip when I get back.

In the meantime, I'm reviewing books for the Military Writers Society of America. Some are good, some are full of flaws; the one I'm reading now is terrific.  I truly hope it gets a medal. I'll know in June if Testing Michael is considered for a gold, silver or bronze medal by the MWSA. Wish me luck!

Quote of the Day: "What did you do in the war?"

"I survived the flu." Simon Epstein 

Meet an Award-Winning Author

Today I have a guest with me who is a brilliant, award-winning author and just happens to be a member of my NC Scribes writing group. I am pleased to introduce you to Nancy Wakeley. Nancy's first fiction novel, Heirloom, is the one we'll be talking about today.

Hi, Nancy.  Have a seat and tell us a little about yourself; where do you live and what do you do besides write great books?

I live in Apex, North Carolina, a little town near Raleigh, with my husband, Dan.  We have one daughter and son-in-law and two grandsons and our “extra” son, too.

I like to do volunteer work through the Peak City Exchange Club, a local civic group.   

That's so nice. How long have you been writing?              

I've been writing for over 20 years but only published my first novel, Heirloom, in 2020.  

What type of writing do you normally do?                 

Novel length fiction but I write poetry too.  

Interesting. Can you give us a brief synopsis of your book, Heirloom? 

"Heirloom (A Kate Tyler Novel") is about a young woman who is already in a life crisis when she inherits Howard's Walk in Eden Springs, North Carolina, after the sudden death of her twin sister, Rebecca.  The last thing she wants is to be tied down to an abandoned estate and its neglected once-famous gardens.  She vows to sell it as quickly as possible.  But on her first visit to Howard's Walk, Kate finds a family heirloom, an embroidered tablecloth, that Rebecca had left behind.  That connection, and the deepening sense of loss Kate is feeling, convince her to stay--at least for a little while.  Secrets begin to surface within the old house and she questions the connection she feels with a mentally challenged young man from the farm next door.  But there is someone in the town who is determined to take Howard's Walk from her and Kate must decide what Howard's Walk means to her and whether she has the strength to battle for its survival as well as her own.  

What prompted you to write the book?               

I have always wanted to write a novel,  just to see if I could do it!

Well, obviously you can write a novel and it's one that kept my interest from start to finish. Your descriptions and imagery are spot on  and leave lasting impressions. How long did it take you to write Heirloom?

I worked on it off and on for over twenty years!  But I finally finished it after I retired.  

 Do you have a favorite line from the book?             

"She opened the French doors and let in the mist so that the outside was inside, and she dreamed and listened to her heartbeat and the distant rumble of thunder and the sound of water dripping from the eaves onto the slate below.  She smelled the damp bark and the soil that was constantly grinding the leaves back into itself.  She could almost hear it."

 Is it published?                 

Yes, it was published in July 2020 by Torchflame Books in Durham NC

How can my readers get a copy?              

Both of my books, Heirloom and its sequel, The Legend, are available on Amazon, Kobo, Target, etc.  but I am happy to provide a signed copy of the book simply by contacting me at nancywakeley2@gmail.com

Do you have any advice to would-be writers?           

Just start!  Find a subject that you are passionate about and write a few chapters and see how it works for you. If you are able, attend writing workshops, online courses, etc.  There are also many books on writing in your local library.  I still keep favorite books on writing close at hand and refer to them often.  

What do you wish you knew when you started your writing career?             

I wish I had known more about the business side of publishing a book and marketing it but I am learning all the time.  

What’s next for you?             

I am writing the third book in the Kate Tyler series.  The second in the series, "The Legend", was published last April.  

Nancy, it certainly was a pleasure to sit and talk with you. I am half-way through The Legend, and loving every minute of it, especially the line, Large stone churches stood guard over the people of the town, both living and dead. Such a picture you create! 

So to my wonderful readers, I highly suggest you get Heirloom and then The Legend. Snuggle up with a blanket as you read, or go to the beach, soak in the sun, and immerse yourself in a darn good story.

Quote of the day:  I don’t read in order to study the craft; I read because I like to read. Stephen King