At the Beach

At this very moment, I'm at Edisto Beach. Yes, I can't go more than four months or so without craving the spray, the moist air, and the outer-reaches-of-the-world feeling of that island. Those of you who know it, understand. It's one of the few places on the planet that could possibly draw me away from my cove on Lake Murray. It's a getaway in its truest form.

Edisto, for those of you who've read Lowcountry Bribe, is the general setting for most of the book, and all of the major action. The setting is one of marsh, herons, white egrets in trees heavy with Spanish moss, hanging over pools of brackish water. The beach is still a bit rustic, and you don't find high-rises or neon motels with gobs of two-bit commercial stores displaying seahorse towels and dolphin inner tubes. You pass rural for miles to get there, very much the setting when the action takes you to the outskirts of Charleston County, South Carolina.

So, after a solid month of twelve-hour days, I'm headed to the beach. Of course I'm going to visit the local bookstore, a little place called Edisto Bookstore what carries all the Lowcountry authors, in hopes they'll consider me strong enough to be included. I'll be judging novels for a contest and editing book two in the Carolina Slade Series, but I'll be relaxing, waves crashing in my ears, wildlife making noises along the marsh at night, and a drink in my hand. If you're down there, email me. Let's chat.