Where 2 Next?
Tag: travel
The Visitor Makes a Retreat
Julie B Cosgrove
Releasing Friday, February 10!
I enjoyed this story by one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. Read her blogpost and get to know Julie HERE.
About the Book
How do horses, a thunderstorm, and a flowering bush combine to equal attempted murder?
Connie B. Wright is intent on finding out!
Izzy Gutierrez is the strong right hand for her beloved employer, Fanny Henderson. And she’s delighted for the help of Miss Fanny’s niece, Connie Wright, during a weekend retreat that will benefit one of the Wright Foundation’s newest projects.
Miss Fanny arranged the special weekend outing for a few hand-picked guests who might be willing to lend their financial support. Unfortunately, she included an attorney that is apparently well-hated by all the other attendees. So much so that someone is willing to poison him . . .
Match wits with The Visitor as she unravels another unexpected crime and the drama that tends to go with it.
Preorder now!
A Big Deal
Ah, summer, a great time to kick back and relax, right? I love summer. I love being outdoors. I love to travel and find out-of-the-way places, like Cobbly-Nob, near Gatlinburg.
I have to confess, though, Bob and I missed our beach time this year. I didn’t think we would. I really expected more from the mountains. They were a feast for the eyes and soul, but…
If you love the beach, you know what I mean.
So, what’s the big deal? A HUGE sale from my publisher! I was just informed that ALL my Write Integrity books are on sale–Kindle Versions–for only 99¢. Yay!
And that’s not all, there’s a Sweepstakes for you to enter. I’ll let her give you the details. If you are interested, click the meme, or here’s the direct link: Write Integrity Press “We Love Our Readers Sale”.
I hope you’ll take a look at the 39 books included in the sale. Everything from teen & YA Dystopian Fiction (I loved those!), historical romance, contemporary romance, suspense–even some excellent daily devotionals. You really can’t lose. You could buy the whole lot for less than $40.
I’ve read most of these books and highly recommend them. Be sure and let me know if you win the sweepstakes!
Have a question? Contact Me
A July Post
Rain on the roof this morning! Like many of you, we needed rain.
June was a dry month, but a fun one! Here on my blog, June was all about travel.
Welcome, July. I am deep in the editing of my latest work-in-progress, “Still Water.” It will be Book 1 in the HomeFound series. Due to the need for an extensive rewrite, the release date has been postponed until March, 2022. I’m excited about this book and the new series.
What is the book about? When a young woman’s parents are killed in a car accident, and facts about their early lives begin to surface, she is forced out of the comfortable life she has built for herself. Then she discovers that the wreck that killed them may not have been an accident. Someone from their past had finally caught up with them.
I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
From my publisher: In mid-July, my other books will be on sale. If you’ve never read my books, or haven’t read all of them, watch for this e-book sale. E-books are easy to read on the road, on the beach, in the air, beside the lake, on break at your desk, or wherever this summer happens to take you.
This weekend many will gather for cookouts and picnics to celebrate our country’s birthday. I can remember several consecutive years that my husband and I spent the 4th of July in Panama City, Florida, where we watched the fireworks from a balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. This year, we’ll be in our little court, celebrating with our neighbors.
Have a safe and blessed July 4th weekend.
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.
Hosea 6:3
Off to the Mountains
We are home again but the mountains have left an impression in our hearts and minds. We stayed in a condo above a golf course in the village of Cobbly Nob. Our view, other than the golf course far below us, was of Smoky Mountains National Park with pristine woodlands blanketing the mountains. Nature at its finest.
In the early morning–very early–you can sit outside and listen as the clouds move through the valley in front of you. It’s the air moving through a million leaves. A thrilling sound for me. A cool breeze, the soft twittering of thousands of birds in those thousands of trees. Peace.
We learned an important lesson, this trip: stay away from resort areas when school is out for the summer. And you can’t beat them to it, because folks get out early here. There are pancake houses on every corner and a few in between. They are all busy. By midday, a living tide moves along the wide sidewalks as thousands vie for space in the hundreds of shops.
We ducked into a quiet gallery and enjoyed some excellent artwork. We didn’t buy anything but it was a nice break from the crowds.
Our favorite thing turned out to be the sky lift. It was just fun and the views of the city and surrounding mountains was perfect. We sat in rocking chairs at the top while sipping cool drinks. A nice respite on a hot afternoon.
Our trip up into the mountains was less than perfect, due to roadwork that closed one lane of the two-lane highway. This meant long delays due to the crowds–thousands making the same journey. We left early (good thing!) and made another discovery. My husband’s recent health issues made breathing difficult at the top, so he was unable to hike up to Clingman’s Dome. We turned around and headed back down.
The views along the way made the trip a little less painful.
The “blue smoke” of the Great Smoky Mountains lay heavy in the early morning.
One of us was disappointed that we didn’t see any “large” wildlife. No bears. No elk. Bummer. I enjoyed the wildflowers and the expansive views. I was happy to note that the forest is healing after the devastating fires of a couple of years ago.
So, back in the land of blue grass and beautiful horses, I am quite content. I do love the mountains, but if there’s a next time, we will head there when the crowds are thinner, and hopefully, the roads will all be open.
If you go, and you love the hustle and bustle, do stay in town. There are some fine places to rent. You might consider one of those that backs up to the Little Pigeon River. The sound of the water rushing over the rocks is mesmerizing. If you prefer to be away from the noise and the crowds, the surrounding area is filled with nice cabins, fully equipped homes, and some great campsites.
Don’t forget the Alamo! We enjoyed a wonderful steak dinner on the front porch of a restaurant known as “The Alamo.” Excellent service! There are other good restaurants in town, but this one was our favorite.
As always, thanks for reading!
Betty Thomason Owens 