Summer Livin’

It’s been an amazing summer so far, an incredibly busy summer but a great one! Summer is my favorite time of year, the days are longer, the weather is hot, and I take the time to stop and enjoy the little things just a bit more.  So here’s what I’ve been up to this summer:

This summer I pushed myself writing-wise by putting out two books, Cemetery Kids: The Ghosts of Bird Island and Ocean Isle: Gem of the Atlantic Coast with Miller Pope. It meant a lot of writing, editing, reading, and re-editing. But I was able to do some of it outside, even a little by the pool. It also meant doing some research, which I always enjoy, I love learning more about where I live and the history of this area. The first book is out and it’s my first novel for all ages (I’m broadening my horizons!), and the Ocean Isle book will be out in mid-August.

As for my free time, I’ve been taking several bike rides over to the island, and getting plenty of exercise–it’s quite a trek! I’ve gone to a couple of baseball games at Pelican Stadium in Myrtle Beach, our team won each time I’ve been which means I must be a good luck charm. I have given growing some herbs in my garden another go around, it seems that I was born with a black thumb, but my basil is still alive and kickin’.

And most importantly I have taken in those precious moments of summer on the coast, where summer is like no other. Moments where you can feel the sand between your toes, moments where you can watch sea turtles lay their nests on the sand, moments where you can smell the light scent of gardenias wafting through the air,  moments where a night on your porch with a glass of wine feels like heaven on earth.  These are the reasons I love summer.