Jackson's Pond, Texas by Teddy Jones

I wasn’t expecting much from this book, I had never heard of the author and hadn’t seen any reviews for it but I was quite surprised at the pleasantness of the writing and the sweetness of the story. Told through the viewpoint of the various characters, we follow Willa from a young girl through to her twilight years and we learn how a life well lived could be in this Texas town where the pond is a metaphor for Willa’s aging.

I read this book on a Kindle so I didn’t have the book in hand to easily chart my progress and except for seeing the percentage read, wasn’t acknowledging how quickly I was moving through the story. When I unknowingly reached the last chapter I felt a momentum building in the story, something very specific but I don’t want to add what could be a spoiler so I won’t elaborate and I was anxious to see where it was going and then I unknowingly reached the last page and boom, it was over. I was so surprised I actually went back through the Kindle, a tedious affair, and re-read the last chapter wanting to know if I had missed something. I guess I did miss something because it was indeed the end and I didn’t get it. It was sudden and unexpected.

I really did think this was a delightful story and would recommend it to others simply because it is a delightful story with likeable characters and filled with honest feelings but also because perhaps you’ll see what I missed and enjoy it all the more.

Teddy Jones is the author of five other books including her latest Well Tended released in 2014. Teddy's books can be purchased at Amazon and at all the usual places including B&N, however I hope you will support small business and shop a local independent bookstore such as Blue Bicycle in Charleston, Bookwork’s in Albuquerque  or one right in your neighborhood. 

What's for dinner .... New Mexico Frito Pie

From the New Mexico Beef Council recipe file. This is a favorite New Mexico meal, very yummy. This is made with New Mexico red chile which if you've never used it before will find it simple enough to make but you may or may not be able to find the dry ingredient in a store near you so you can order it online at Diaz Farms, Made in New Mexico or Chimayo Chile Bros.. I like Chimayo Dried Red Chile best. I had never heard of Frito Pie before I lived in New Mexico but I quickly became a fan. You'll find that kids will love it too. 

If you aren't familiar with New Mexican Cuisine, read this wiki.

New Mexico Frito Pie

Serves 8 people

Recipe
2 cup(s) pinto beans, picked through and rinsed
6 cup(s) water
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1 pound(s) ground beef (96% lean)
1 small onion
1 large clove garlic chopped
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
16 ounce(s) Red Chile puree (see recipe here)

16 ounce(s) can of beef broth
2 tablespoon(s) flour
2 tablespoon(s) butter
Side dish
Bag of Fritos (or crushed corn chips)
diced tomato
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese

Beans: In a Crock Pot add 6 cups of water, salt and beans. Cook beans on high for approximately 6 hours.

Chile:
1. When beans are almost done, heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, onions and garlic.
2. Saute’ until onions are clear.
3. Heat butter and flour until browned, combine with onions and garlic. Add chile and broth. Let simmer for ~20 minutes.
4. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat add ground beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into small crumbles and stirring occasionally. Pour off drippings and add to chile mixture and let continue to simmer.
5. When the beans are done add the chile mixture.
6. To serve, sprinkle Fritos in the bottom of a bowl, add chile beans, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and shredded cheese and Enjoy!

www.roadfood.com

Monday Mull

The snow is falling. It looks like a white out from my window and it’s cold. I can feel the cold seeping through spaces that should have been insulated if this old house had been better cared for over the years. Schools will be closed tomorrow, I already received the call. The weather dude is saying it’s going to be a huge storm and the view out the window makes it seem he’ll be right. Cody dog with his south x southwest roots doesn’t like the snow. He’s made that clear so I’ll have to keep a place cleared on a grassy area.

My boy passed out at school this morning and I had to pick him up from the nurse’s office. That was before the snow started to fall. It’s about the blood you know. Every time he has a class that is covering a biology topic and they discuss blood, he passes out. It’s not the first time. Over the years I’d say he’s passed out three or four times and always when blood was involved. He’s not planning for a medical career.

I have a job that pays the bills and when I returned from picking up my son my phone rang and it was my ‘boss,’ the guy that has taken to calling me (I work from a home office) more than he should. Always seeming to want to know something but doesn’t quite ask what he wants to know. So I stumble around the conversations throwing out bits of information about what I’m working on and its success. I wish I could retire but I have a boy and a dog to support.

Today Pen-L Publishing is having a .99 cent sale on new books now until February 14. I purchased Washed in the Water Tales from the South by Nancy Hartney.

“Washed in the Water: Tales from the South offers vignettes of folks living the best they know how as they reach out for redemption. Set between 1950 and 1980, each tale stares at an individual as unique as the humid landscape of the South. Hard lives, daily survival, and lessons about getting on with the business of living reverberate among the characters.”

I also caught up with a young new author over the weekend, Kristy Woodson Harvey. I wrote a blog post introducing her upcoming book yesterday. Dear Carolina will be released in the spring.

I picked up Out with the Tide by Lola Faye Arnold, also a new author. A line in the notes mentions it's a love story and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’d say a love story is appropriate.

I’ll be finishing up Jackson Pond, Texas by Teddy Jones in the next day or so and will have a review posted soon. I like this book much more than I expected.

That closes out my Monday Mull, the weather will keep me in most of this week and I’ll spend that time when I'm not working with a good book and a good drink. I hope your week‘s weather will be much more enjoyable.

New Author, New Read ~ Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey

I'm looking forward to receiving an advance copy of Dear Carolina, a book due to release in the spring by new author Kristy Woodson Harvey. This young new author seems to be carving a path for herself ambitiously writing her first book and making her mark by designing home spaces and collaborating with her mama on their blog at Design Chic.

The story sounds to be a heartwarming tale of family and motherly love and I'm happy I'll have an opportunity to review the book and subsequently interview the author.

"Frances “Khaki” Mason has it all: a thriving interior design career, a loving husband and son, homes in North Carolina and Manhattan—everything except the second child she has always wanted. Jodi, her husband’s nineteen-year-old cousin, is fresh out of rehab, pregnant, and alone. Although the two women couldn’t seem more different, they forge a lifelong connection as Khaki reaches out to Jodi, encouraging her to have her baby. But as Jodi struggles to be the mother she knows her daughter deserves, she will ask Khaki the ultimate favor…
Written to baby Carolina, by both her birth mother and her adoptive one, this is a story that proves that life circumstances shape us but don’t define us—and that families aren’t born, they’re made… 

"Dear Carolina is Southern fiction at its best. 

Lovely and lyrical, with the strong voices of the two female narrators 

taking us deep into the heart of what being a mother is about. 

It shows us that love is not without sacrifice, 

and there’s little in life that doesn’t go down easier 

with a spoonful of jam. 

Beautifully written."

—New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge

Kristy's book can be pre-ordered at Amazon and at all the usual places including B&N, however I hope you will support small business and shop a local independent bookstore such as Blue Bicycle in Charleston , Bookwork’s in Albuquerque  or one right in your neighborhood.  

A Long Time Gone by Karen White

“{Bootsie} just smiled and told me to wait until I become a mother,

and then I will understand that my real destiny

will be decided by those not yet born.”

Karen White’s recent book A Long Time Gone resonated with me and I found myself  connecting deeply with the characters choices to leave their family though perhaps not in the exact way that the characters did but somewhere deep within the nature of the continuous need to keep moving.

"you can never catch the ghosts you chase"

“When Vivien Walker left her home in the Mississippi Delta, she swore never to go back, as generations of the women in her family had. But in the spring, nine years to the day since she’d left, that’s exactly what happens—Vivien returns, fleeing from a broken marriage and her lost dreams for children.What she hopes to find is solace with “Bootsie,” her dear grandmother who raised her, a Walker woman with a knack for making everything all right. But instead she finds that her grandmother has died and that her estranged mother is drifting further away from her memories. Now Vivien is forced into the unexpected role of caretaker, challenging her personal quest to find the girl she herself once was.But for Vivien things change in ways she cannot imagine when a violent storm reveals the remains of a long-dead woman buried near the Walker home, not far from the cypress swamp that is soon to give up its ghosts. Vivien knows there is now only one way to rediscover herself—by uncovering the secrets of her family and breaking the cycle of loss that has haunted her them for generations.” ~  From the Karen White website

I was easily lost in this story that I found to be both heartwarming and satisfying. I found myself marveling at the author’s ability to keep straight the storyline of this multi-generational story and was delighted with the beautiful writing and several quotable lines.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the uncovering of family secrets and guarded hearts in a well told story.

White is a prolific writer of what she terms “grit lit,” southern women’s fiction and her next novel The Sound of Glass, her nineteenth will be released in May 2015.

What's for Dinner ... Southern Soul Brunswick Stew

One of my absolute favorites! When I lived in Charleston I would always order Brunswick Stew if it were on the menu. This recipe came from Garden & Gun by way of Southern Soul Barbeque in St. Simons, GA ... comfort food!

Don't be afraid to make this meal serving 15 - 18 because if freezes well.

Southern Soul Brunswick Stew

Yield: 15–18 servings

Ingredients:
½ lb. salted butter
3 cups (2 large) finely diced sweet onions
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. sea salt
¼ cup high-quality Worcestershire sauce
½ cup North Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce (make ahead)
1 cup sweet mustard-based barbecue sauce
3 lbs. meat (preferably smoked) ... pork, chicken or your choice
2 quarts crushed fresh tomatoes or high-quality canned tomatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh tomatoes
1 quart fresh shucked sweet yellow or white corn (frozen in a pinch)
1 quart fresh baby butter beans (frozen in a pinch)
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
10 - 15 shakes of Texas Pete Hot Sauce or your favorite hot sauce (optional, taste first)

Preparation:
In a good-size cast-iron Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add diced onions, then garlic, and sweat until translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and Worcestershire. Simmer for 6–8 minutes, then add barbecue sauces and meat to the pot (you want to completely cover the meat with the sauces), and cook for another 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, corn, and beans, stir in chicken stock, and let it all simmer for a few hours over medium heat, adding more stock to thin if needed.

Serve it with some corn bread or biscuits!

www.tncp.net

Monday Mull

It was a quiet weekend, mostly spent tucked inside my home where it was warm. I had totally forgotten about freezing rain having lived in more accommodating weather most recently. The whole area woke Saturday morning to walkways, driveways and streets covered in glistening ice so much so that major interstate roads were closed for long distances. 

Walking Cody dog was certainly an adventure, not so much for Cody who seemed to know just how to navigate over the ice. He did seem to realize that he should just take care of business and get back inside where it was warmer and where breakfast awaited him. Watching the television was pretty interesting with news stations showing clips of cars just sliding around the roads only stopping when they crashed into something.

Since there was no way I was going to go out in the weather I just did all the normal chores most people do when they are home. In between I helped my boy with his essay for school. He had to create an argument as to why the literary canon should be modified to include modern works, more women authors and multi-cultural authors. Of course being the teenager that my boy is, he couldn't help but ‘zing’ his school’s curriculum and I had to help him understand that in doing so he took the chance that his teacher would be offended and perhaps give a lesser grade. Not fully convinced I was right, he still found ways to insert his opinion. That’s my boy! The final product was really quite good and I am very proud of him. Secretly, I’m pleased as pie that he inserted his opinion about how students should be given a choice in literary reading. J

Sunday was much of the same, cold weather and bad road conditions continued and so it became another comfort day at home. I got to spend a lot of time hanging out with my boy. He showed me some very funny YouTube videos and we spent most of our time just laughing. He taught me hip hop moves and I looked ridiculous trying them out but we had the best time and lots of laughter. Laughing is a good thing and when you get a chance to laugh with your teenager, then life is certainly good. 

Hey DF, let me tell you ...

This morning I was writing a note to a friend of mine who is thinking about visiting Sullivan's Island in SC and she asked me about restaurants on the island. After rereading the note, it dawned on me that I could post my answer (slightly altered to hide her identity) right here for everyone else who is considering a trip. You really don't have to leave the country to get that sultry island feel.

Hey 'DF,'

I love how you get so prepared for your visits to the lowcountry. Sullivan’s Island is such a sweet place. If someone asked me what my favorite beach of all time is, I’d have to say Sullivan’s. To answer your question about restaurants though I’d have to start with Dunleavy’s Pub, the locals love Dunleavy's Pub for quick, tasty lunches. This was a ‘go to’ for my boy and me when we just wanted a good lunch while we were on the island. Across the street is Poe’s Tavern named for Edgar Allen Poe. There are a few interesting stories of Poe’s time on the island. They have great burgers; my favorite is the Annabelle Lee. It’s a Charleston style crab cake on top the burger with a Remoulade sauce. Don’t expect to eat for the rest of the day after that. My other fave is their fish tacos, light, so, so fresh and very tasty. The atmosphere in the evening is delightful, usually crowded; get there early for a seat on the patio. A bit down from Dunleavy’s is a wonderful coffee house / bakery called Café Medley where my boy and I would stop for coffee (Hot Cocoa for him) and a muffin before heading down to the beach to hunt shells in the early morning. You’ll see lots of locals here getting their morning fix. Sullivan’s Restaurant is also a good choice as is Home Town BBQ among others that you’ll find just driving up and down Middle Street and over Breach Inlet to Isle of Palms, another adventure for you to take.

There are a few new restaurants on SI that I haven’t tried but so many people have told me are great. The Obstinate Daughter has gotten great reviews and the items pictured on their website look wonderful.  Salt is also new and I’ve heard mixed reviews but mostly good and I’ve heard they have a nice Happy Hour. You’ll have to report back if you go to either.

While you are visiting the island, take in a bit of history and check out the Lighthouse, and Fort Moultrie. Rent a bike at Sealand Adventure Sports and get intimate with the island neighborhoods and of course the beach which is the star attraction. Sunset is a spectacular time of day with a cocktail and friends. There is still a bit of sultry wildness to Sullivan’s Island, a place to put down the technology and just relax in the breeze.

                                                                                    Enjoy,

                                                                                    Marie

PS Check out the Facebook page called Glimpses of Charleston for a daily fix of beautiful photos of the Holy City. The picture here is of my boy some years back on SI hunting treasures.

Mornings poem

the dark morning sky -

pushing its gems

in a fight to win over

the aura of city light

- shimmers

© Beachwalkermari 2008- 2015

Lowcountry ... photo by @charlestonmag

Beautiful! Makes me dream of hazy warmth

Book Review ... New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon #1) by Julie Smith

New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon #1)

by Julie Smith 

“When the smiling King of Carnival is killed at Mardi Gras, policewoman Skip Langdon is on the case. She knows the upper-crust family of the victim and that it hides more than its share of glittering skeletons. But nothing could prepare her for the tangled web of clues and ancient secrets that would mean danger for her--and doom for the St. Amants...."

The basic story is a fairly good one however following the POV was at times tiresome. I had chose to read this book thinking I might be interested in the series because it is set in New Orleans however descent the basic story, I was completely turned off by the abrupt ending. I felt that so much more could have been done with this story. Characters could have been developed more and certainly a more satisfying ending could have been constructed. Fairly early in the reading I considered putting it down but I continued on hoping for … something!

What's for Dinner ... one skillet white bean and sausage stew

This looks fabulous and I love white beans. This recipe is from a new blog I found called Eat.Drink.Smile ... make sure you rinse the beans well.

One skillet white bean and sausage stew

Yields 6 servings. Adapted from Bon Appetit.

2 Tbsp olive oil

13 oz turkey smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick medallions

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 15-oz cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Smoked paprika

5 oz baby spinach (about 10 cups)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage medallions and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 15 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add onion, garlic, and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5-8 minutes. Add beans and broth and cook, crushing a few beans with the back of a spoon to thicken sauce, until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Add spinach by handfuls and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Fold sausage into stew. Divide stew among bowls and serve.

Monday Mull

Sometimes a weekend just flows as did this one past. My boy and I ran errands on Saturday morning, and then I cooked up a mess of ribs that came out so incredibly tender and juicy and smelled like heaven. I know they tasted good because I was told so; I haven’t even tried them myself because I spent the rest of the evening out. On Sunday, the plan was to hang out at home but that was quickly put aside by a text asking if I wanted to go to an antique flea-market and well of course I wanted to do that because what the heck is a antique flea-market!

The drive was a real pleasure along the river to our destination two counties away. At first sight I thought we had made a bad decision as we pulled into a very large parking lot that held two strip malls in a row. The first strip mall was completely boarded up and in disarray. The second held a very large building reminiscent of 1970 strip mall architecture and it was our destination. We parked and headed toward the building in the cold, noting the economic decline all around. Through the doors were rows and rows of vendors, vibrant, engaging and selling anything and everything from plumbing parts to girls leggings to antique furniture and collectibles. Music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s played over the loud speakers and couples and families browsed the ten or so aisles that covered what seemed to be the area of a football field. We walked every aisle stopping to marvel at toys that we had as children that were now considered highly valuable. We saw pieces of furniture and décor that were reminders of our youth, things about which we had to reminisce and the music played making it a virtual walk down memory lane. It wasn’t at all what I expected.

After a few of us made purchases, we headed out a bit weak in the knees from walking the football field. Heading toward town, one of us had talked about a restaurant he had seen on a previous visit this way that looked to be good and that’s where we went. An American Grill, Whistling Willies was excellent. I started off with a bourbon drink and later ordered French Onion Soup that was perfectly made and a portabella and roasted pepper with warm feta cheese and spinach quesadilla, unique and delicious. My boy ordered the surf and turf burger which was a large homemade burger cooked to perfection with a very large lump of fresh lobster on a pretzel bun with a side of sweet potato fries. I don’t even remember what the others ordered, I was so delighted with what my boy and I had to eat.

It turned out to be a delightful day even though the cold was somewhat biting.

Now it’s Monday morning and I’ve been drinking coffee and watching the morning news. The schools were on a delay this morning so my boy got to sleep in longer than normal. He was hoping they would decide to close but that didn’t happen and I’m still wondering why there was a delay since there isn’t any snow outside and the road in front of this home is not icy as the weather man is reporting. I have an appointment during the lunch hour today so whatever the problem may be on the road; I’m hoping it disappears in time for my trek.

On a whim, I decided to take the day off from work. I sent in an email earlier (I work from a home office) letting “them” know I am “not feeling well” today and I’m not well at all. I don’t generally feel well when I have to work at a job that I no longer have an interest in doing. Not because I don’t like what I do but because of how the “powers that be” act and treat people. So, I’m “not feeling well.”  If companies would only pay attention and realize that if they don’t treat their employees well, they will not get the productivity they are looking for every day and every day counts. Every day that the employee is put off from the conversation they want to have, every day that the employee is told to prove again and then they’ll talk about why they aren’t paying you your worth, and every day that the employee’s resources are whittled down is a day that portends a lack of productivity. So, “I’m not feeling well.”

Today I’ll make some phone calls to people I need to reach out to and work on my writing. I’ll make hot tea and try to keep warm. I’ll go to my appointment, and then enjoy a nice lunch. I’ll wonder why I am where I am in this cold place and remember it’s only temporary. I’ll think about ways to work at something I love and I’ll stop procrastinating.  Oh but the cold, yeah the cold, I just don’t like it.

Photo from www.explore-hudson-valley.com

Sweetness in a fur coat ... my Cody dog

Woke with the angels this morning several hours before the sun and spent that time in quiet meditation and then I worked on my writing. I love the morning, I love being awake in the quiet, I even love to take my Cody dog for a quiet walk in the dark of the morning.

My tough little rescue dog has turned into a big mush of a dog following me around wherever I go. Sometimes I feel bad that he’s up and down with every move I make. It was the best decision I could have made to rescue this lil’ fella and it seems he’s pretty thankful too. He’s a tail wagging dancing dynamo with what appears to be a sweet smile when he sees my boy and my boy can’t resist this lil’ fur baby’s cuteness. 

Happiness comes with four paws!

Friday Cocktails ... Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail

I'm always up for a good cocktail at the end of the work-a-week. I came across this recipe recently and I have to say it's pretty good. The recipe originally called for Crown Royal Whiskey but I think any smooth tasting whiskey that you like will do well. I like Pendleton Whiskey generally but I recently tasted Bulliet Whiskey and thought it was very good.

Relax this weekend with this cocktail and enjoy!

Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail 

1 oz. whiskey
1 oz. ginger ale
1 oz. cranberry juice
Fresh Cranberries for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add whiskey, ginger ale and cranberry juice then give it a good stir. Add fresh ice to a cocktail glass or a whiskey ball if you have one, and strain the mix into the glass. Add a few fresh cranberries for garnish. 

Photo from http://www.kleinworthco.com/

National Readathon Day Jan 24, 2015

Pledge to join the Readathon

Register on FirstGiving as an individual or join a team / start a team

Fundraise and earn rewards

Promote #TimeToRead on social media

Did you know "53% of 9-year-olds read for pleasure daily, and by 

the time they turn 17, that number drops to 19%?" 

Help promote 

reading at all ages.

Make #timetoread

Elise Testone ~ Certainly/Apple Tree (By Erykah Badu)

Great voice and she can do Zeppelin amazingly. Lots of talent right here!

Elise Testone to leave Charleston for New York after 10 years in music scene

What's for dinner ... Carolina Crab Cakes

I found this recipe on Dorothea Frank's website and thought I'd try it. It's pretty simple and and quick. Served with a nice salad and a white wine, it's a light meal reminiscent of summer days. Days I am longing for as I suffer this awful cold.

Carolina Crab Cakes

• 1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked through
• 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup corn flakes, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat small amount of oil in large skillet. Add celery, red pepper and onion to pan. Cook until soft, not brown. Remove from pan and let cool.

Add crabmeat, dill, mustard and corn flakes to the vegetables.

In separate bowl, beat eggs and then add to crabmeat mixture. Mixture should be moist. If needed, add another egg. Shape the mixture into balls and then flatten.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and place on baking sheet. 

Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Serves 4.

Monday Mull

It’s the first Monday after the long winter holiday, the first full day of the full moon and I’ve just finished working at my day job. That’s the one that pays the bills and provides the highest degree of stress. No charm there! I wasn’t particularly excited to get the holiday over with and would have loved to have a few more beautiful days of rest and relaxation.

My Cody dog, Head Security Wrangler and Snack Boss was also a bit hesitant to make the final decent to the lower level where my studio resides. He was rather cozy where he was and I had to call him twice. He eventually made his way to his favorite chair and made himself comfortable in his doggy-dog way.

Even though it was a productive day with the two leads I secured for the team, I would have been much happier spending time working on my writing or anything other than what I was committed to for my day job.

The weather was bitter cold today and when I brought Cody outside at lunch time, he sniffed the air, looked around, quickly took care of business and headed back as quick as his paws would take him to the warmth of his chair. Then I enjoyed a little daydream of being at the beach soaking up the sun and fun.

Sullivan's Island, SC

It was a pretty simple Monday, I did feel good about the leads, I’m looking forward to a nice dinner with my boy, then on to finishing up the book I'm reading ... and I'm feeling good keeping my eye to the future. 

Believe! 

Move ahead and be ...

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave 

behind.”

― C.S. Lewis

The courage to BELIEVE

I spent some time this morning posting some of my writing to twitter just to see if it attracts interest. Several pieces have already received 'hits' which gives me a comfortable warm feeling. Every now and then I BELIEVE in my writing and I push myself to sit at the page and write. You could probably find several posts to that effect in this blog alone, many more handwritten in the journals that fill my drawers maybe even using the word believe. It’s not always easy for me to write. I get stumped, I change my mind, I get new ideas, I procrastinate, I draw stick figures, I wander through blogs, waste time scrolling facebook, make coffee and marvel at those authors who can crank out book after book while I can’t even get past a decent short story. I know they are formula writing but I can’t seem to get myself to write using a formula. I need to see the story in my head, in color, animated in a series of pictures like a movie reel, moving and breathing in my frontal lobe and that’s how I can get the story to paper, one picture, one word, one sentence at a time and that takes me a while.

So my chosen word for 2015 is BELIEVE, not in one particular thing like 'I believe I can write a book' but a belief that I am surrounded and protected and I can manifest all that is good, positive, successful and life sustaining and if a book is birthed then voilà!

More than that, I don't want to 'do' belief, I want to 'be' belief. The word BELIEVE holds so much space for things like confidence and courage, and goodness ... and grace. There is a kind of magic that allows beliefs to ride the waves of the universe, permeate the air and infect all around us. Being happy, positive, and loving begets a grace that uplifts those around us. Of course, the opposite is true as well. These things I’ve known for a long time.  This year I will have glorious, amazing, courageous belief.

What is your word for 2015?

The Story Is the Thing by Amy Hale Auker ... available for purchase online at Bookworks

The Story Is the Thing

ISBN-13: 9781942428039

Availability: In Stock at Warehouse – Usually Ships in 1-5 Days 

Published: Pen-L Publishing, 12/2014 

2*0*1*5 Here we go ............

“You have everything needed for the 

extravagant journey that is your life.” 

― Carlos Castaneda

Have a very Happy New Year and thank you 

all for visiting with me here at Whiskey Tales!

I’ve always liked this photo of my son when he was just a boy and we lived by the ocean where days were spent hunting treasure, soaking up the sun and breathing in the salty air. Searching the tide pools on Sullivan's Island always yielded great treasures.