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“Talk of the Town”

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Our local news station, First Coast News, reported on St. Mary’s and the book last night. Great coverage of both.  Watch the video.

The People I Meet…

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never fail to amaze me. Yesterday in Beaufort South Carolina, I met a woman who’s husband had been a trader on the 105th floor of the Towers.  She was okay.  Healing.  Her daughter, too.  A few minutes later, I met Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.  Signed a book for him.  But, it was a guy I met in Highlands, North Carolina that has got me writing. 

He was elderly, handsome, wearing a Miami Hurricanes baseball cap.  His wife was holding his hand.  I said, “You a Hurricane fan?”

He nodded and smiled. 

They were both tanned.  “You from Miami?”

He nodded again, “Yup, 84 years now.  All except a small detour to Europe called World War II.”

“Really?” I took one step closer.  I wanted to ask but I wasn’t quite sure how.  “What...what did you do in the war?”

“Well, I landed at a place called Omaha Beach and from there we followed the 101st.”

That’s about when it struck me that I was standing next to one of the Great Ones.  One of the guys that saved the world.  I fumbled over myself.  Didn’t know what else to say.  “You...uh, ever been back.” I wanted to take it back.  What a stupid thing to say. 

“Yup...” He glanced past me.  Several thousand miles down Main Street.  “We go back every five years on the anniversary of D-Day.  Alot of us do.  Although that lot of us is getting smaller all the time.”

His wife tucked her arm inside his.  “We’ve already bought our tickets.” She patted him on the shoulder.  “He’ll be eighty-five.”

I put my hand on his shoulder.  What could I say?  How pathetic would I sound?  I’m three feet from one of the heroes of history now dressed in wrinkly, spotted skin.  “Sir...for what you did...for who your are...I thank you.”

He smiled and his eyes glassed over. 

It’s the people I meet. 

“Where the River Ends” reviewed in “The Fayetteville Observer”

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This is an interesting take on my writing.  Some good insight, too. 

Continue reading "“Where the River Ends” reviewed in “The Fayetteville Observer”"

One of my favorite writers…

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Is a Brit named, John Dyson.  He’s a longtime writer for “Reader’s Digest” and author of twenty-something books.  He’s also, in my opinion, one of the finest living writers I know.  Not one to sugarcoat, he sent me his review this morning for River.  Good stuff.

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“The Sunday Telegraph” in London

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Folks at the “Sunday Telegraph” asked me to write a piece about one of my favorite towns.  I did.  If you’ve read “Where the River Ends,” you might recognize it.  Enjoy.

Sunday Telegraph.

“Where the River Ends” is a New York Times Bestseller (#35)

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“Where the River Ends” landed upon the NYT bestsellers for hardcover fiction tonight. 

To all of you who made this happen, my sincere thanks. 

“USA Today” reviews “Where the River Ends”

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This review appeared in today’s USA Today.  A first. 

More Monday Mail

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This does my heart good.  Wish I had been there:

“Passed it [Where the River Ends] on to my sis who read it at the beach this week---as she was finishing it (in tears) the guy came to collect the beach chair cushion---he said “lady are you OK?"---she said yes she was just finishing a great story and he could take the cushion but she was staying right there on the chair until she finished the story and her cry!!!  He left her alone to “enjoy” the ending.”

Monday’s Mail

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Thought this one was fun:

“Charles - normally I contact authors when I finish reading their books, as I did with you after reading When Crickets Cry. But, oh my, I just finished the scene where Doss and Abbie bathed outside the nudist colony and cried/laughed, which is about the equivalent of blubbering, right? This novel is so beautifully painted, as beautiful as I’m sure the portrait of Rosalia.  Now, put this in perspective - I have four children, I bought your book at 4ish today. It is now 9:30ish and I’m on page 136 and still going. I fed my four year old Slim Jims for supper b/c I can open them with my mouth without lifting my eyes from the page. Other than that, I have no idea what the rest of my family has eaten, if anything. I can’t put this book down. It’s breaking my heart while inspiring it to love deeper in spite of the cracks.  I’ll email more when I’m through unless I find another scene like the one-eared, gun-totin swamp mama who loves Abbie. What a hoot, as we say in Demopolis, AL.”

More Mail From the Road

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This too…

“Just finished reading “Where the River Ends” have to tell you ~ LOVED IT! I read the last page three times....just because I wanted it to stay with me...Well Done.”

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