Allison Wells's Blog, page 5

Why Historical?

Some books take place in the current day, but I generally write historical books. War-Torn Heart takes place in the 1940s. When Waves Break happens in the late 1960s. My current work in progress, The Bloom of Roses, is set from the 1840s through the 1880s.

[image error]Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Pexels.com

So why write historical? Well, in a nutshell, it’s what I enjoy. I love history, I love researching the clothing and the speech patterns. I like to see what my characters can do to contribute to their time.
Though I do enjoy contemporary books, I find them easier to become dated, actually. Once a contemporary book turns a few years old, the fashions, the phones, the cars – they’re all outdated. Though some authors are good at not using verbiage that would date a book to, say, 2010 or 1998, others are keen to use the name of the current iPhone model or a specific clothing fashion that screams, “I came out in 2011!”

Books that are already purposefully historical avoid that “dated” feel. For me at least – I am speaking of my own preferences. They’re already set in history where we know what kind of transportation they used and what foods were commonly made in the region at that time, etc.

I am not against writing a contemporary piece. In fact, one book I’ve been working on for a long time is set in the current day. Though maybe that’s why I haven’t been able to finish it – I’m not accustomed to writing with a 21st century slant. One day I’ll finish it and see what you all think.

So why historical? I love it. I love the clothes, the “back to basics” lifestyle we are missing today. I enjoy reading and writing historical novels.

Author Profile: M.L. Little

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Your name 
*M.L. Little

The name of the book you’re promoting. 
*The Book of Secrets

What Genre is your book? 
*Fantasy

When is your launch date?
*August 15th, 2019

Tell us a little about your book. 
*The Book of Secrets is a traditionally-published book, but a very untraditional fantasy. There are horses and airplanes, electricity and taverns, guns and milkshakes. Some readers are confused by the mish-mash of time periods and try to figure out what I was attempting to accomplish, but it’s not meant to be taken seriously. It’s just for fun. The plot begins when the main character finds a magic book in a bookstore, sneaks it home to take a better look, and ends up wreaking all kinds of havoc. It is a younger YA book but could work great as a crossover for kids ready to read more challenging books than middle-grade.

Tell me about your main character(s). 
*The three main characters are 9-14 because this was the age I imagined enjoying the book the most. These three siblings, along with a younger brother, embark on a journey across their world and encounter new places and strange people and creatures. My major goal was for them to be believably fun, ridiculous, sometimes hyperactive young siblings who bicker and scheme and make mistakes, but of course I’m not the one who can say whether or not I achieved that.

How has faith played a role in your book? 
*My book was never supposed to be faith-based whatsoever. Whatever faith elements exist snuck in without my conscious realization. Writing The Book of Secrets ended up being a very personal project because at the time, I was struggling greatly with the same out-of-control anxiety as Gabriel. When I wrote the words Brim uses to comfort Gabriel in the mountain, I was really talking to myself, telling myself what I knew God wanted me to hear. As much as the book changed throughout drafts and rewrites, not a word of that mountain scene is different from the day I first wrote it.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?
*The hardest part was actually the publishing process. I submitted to 35 agencies and publishing houses, and each one wanted the manuscript formatted differently as well as unique query letters–query letters were almost the death of me! Once I was accepted, the editing process with my publishers was wearying, also. I used a LOT of adverbs that had to get cut!

What was the most enjoyable part about writing this book?
*When I finished it–ha. In all seriousness, I enjoyed crafting the world and then dropping the four main characters, the Draven siblings, into it.

If you could swap lives with your main character for a short time, would you? Why or why not? 
*That would greatly depend on what part of the book we were in–and how short that time was!

Why do readers want to pick this book up? 
*Since I’m not the readers, I can’t answer that! I can say my biggest hope is that everyone has half as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

What’s next for you as an author? What are you working on now? 
*It is not guaranteed that the rest of the series will be published, but I’ve been working on edits just in case.

Anything else important you want to tell readers? 
*I’m always looking for reviewers, so if you’d like a free copy in exchange for an honest Goodreads review, find me on Instagram and let me know!

Your social media links and a link to purchase your book. 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19061148.M_L_Little
Instagram (where I am heavily active): https://www.instagram.com/mllittleauthor/ Facebook (where I am never active): https://www.facebook.com/mllittleauthor/ Twitter (where I am even less active, if that’s even possible): https://twitter.com/mllittle4 Preorder the book here! https://www.blackrosewriting.com/teenya/thebookofsecrets

Author Interview: Eric Landfried

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Your name 
*Eric Landfried

The name of your book
*Solitary Man

What Genre is your book? 
*Post-apocalyptic, action-adventure, thriller

If it’s not released yet, when is your launch date?
*Out since 3/15/19

Tell us a little about your book. 
*A former Navy SEAL, an unbeliever, agrees to transport missionary families through a devastated American landscape overrun with ferocious cannibals in exchange for fuel. As they strive toward their goal of establishing new churches and proclaiming the Gospel, they have a profound impact on each others’ lives.

Tell me about your main character(s). 
*Doyle, the former Navy SEAL, is an older man, gruff and cynical from being beaten down in life and losing his family in the war that destroyed the country. He prefers to travel alone, but the need for supplies forces him to strike a deal with…. Jonathan is a faithful Christian and the pastor of a tiny church in a small community. He imagines himself as a modern day apostle Paul, desiring to travel to other communities and start churches. He has a passion for the Gospel and a boldness that leads him to proclaim God’s truth even when death is staring in his face.

How has faith played a role in your book? 
*The book hinges on Jonathan’s desire to rebuild God’s church, and I don’t hold back on the Gospel presentations. There’s also a lot of general biblical knowledge (Jonathan explaining the story of Job to Doyle) and lots of presuppositional apologetics in a scene where Jonathan debates an atheist/agnostic.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?
*I received a critique from a pastor friend of mine that pointed out some theological mistakes I’d made. Since I am sinner saved by God, humbling myself to receive this criticism was difficult to do, but since my pastor friend was absolutely right, I as a Christian had no choice but to acknowledge that I didn’t know as much theology as I thought I did. I made the changes he recommended, and I’m studying God’s truth a lot more these days.

What was the most enjoyable part about writing this book?
*I love editing. Getting the first draft in all of its glorious messiness out onto the page is great, especially once you’re done, but going back through the story and fixing it, making it perfect, that’s what I enjoy the most.

If you could swap lives with your main character for a short time, would you? Why or why not? 
*I’m not as tough as Doyle nor as bold as Jonathan, so I probably wouldn’t last long in this universe. In certain ways, both of these men are an aspiration for me. May God give me the strength and the courage to be like them.

Why do readers want to pick this book up? 
*If they love action adventure stories, they’ll enjoy it. If they love Gospel saturated plot lines, they’ll enjoy it. If they’re looking for strong female characters (Jonathan’s wife, Mia) they’ll enjoy it. And if for some reason they’re looking for bloodthirsty voracious cannibals, they’ll love it. I really think there’s something here for almost any reader as long as they’re willing to give it a chance.

What’s next for you as an author? What are you working on now? 
*Solitary Man has a satisfying, yet slightly ambiguous ending, so I’m currently working on the first draft of the sequel. After that, I’ve got plenty of ideas in several different genres. I’ll have to see which story is speaking to me the most once the time comes.

Anything else important you want to tell readers? 
*If you’d like a signed copy of Solitary Man (which might be worth a nickel on eBay), you can order them directly from my website, ericlandfried.com.

Want to learn more or purchase Solitary Man?
https://www.facebook.com/ericlandfriedauthor/
https://twitter.com/e_landfried
https://www.instagram.com/ericlandfried/
https://www.amazon.com/Solitary-Man-Eric-Landfried/dp/1620208482/

The Chronicles of Kate & the Grit Girls: 18

It was time for our annual pilgrimage to…well…wherever we could find to go without husbands and children in tow. We’d done Charleston, Lake Lure, and a few other places. But this year we decided to go big. We went to Atlanta.

We stayed in a swanky hotel. It was amazing. Except, me being the good Christian girl I am, I was a little flummoxed by the silhouettes in the bathroom doors. They were like illuminated pin-up girls. In the lobby ladies’ bathroom. I checked the men’s when it was all clear – same ladies. I turned red. Frankie Ann nearly passed out.

We were right in the heart of the city where we could walk to just about everything. Olympic park was right outside our window, with the CNN center practically beside us.

The first order of business was going on the big skywheel. I’ve done the one in Myrtle Beach, and this looked exactly the same. Delia and I practically ran to get on, but Frankie Ann was having none of it.

“I’m scared of heights,” she said. “I can’t.”

“You are not scared of heights. You climbed all those stairs for that concert last year,” Delia reminded her.

“Yes, but that wasn’t dangling in the air, swaying back and forth,” Frankie Ann noted. “I wasn’t going to plummet to my death at a concert.”

“With the heels you were wearing, you could have plummeted,” I said. “This is safe. It wouldn’t be operating if it wasn’t safe.”

We made her get on. She sat stock still in the center of the seat as we began to move. Delia and I were nice and tried not to rock the car. The wheel halted and Frankie Ann panicked.

“Why did we stop? Is it broke? What’s going on?”

[image error](c) Allison Wells 2019

I laid my hands on her arm. “Honey, they’re just letting more people in the next set of cars. It’s okay. Nice and safe.”

Delia was too busy with her big camera snapping pictures of the Atlanta skyline over Olympic park. There was a concert of some kind happening inside, as it was packed and people had picnic blankets laid out and there were children running all over the place. It almost made me miss my kids, but the idea of having to keep up with them in a big city did not appeal to me.

We went around and around, up and down, four times. Every time we got to the top, Frankie Ann would squeeze her eyes shut and begin to pray the serenity prayer.

“Where did you learn all the words to that?” I asked.

“It was hanging on our wall when I was a kid, I learned it quickly,” she replied, eyes still shut.

When we got back to the bottom and the doors opened, Frankie Ann was the first one out of the car. She knelt down on the platform and thanked God for solid ground. Delia and I could only laugh. The ride had been fun. We had seen our hotel, the park, and an amazing skyline as the sun went down. What could have been better?

We ate dinner and went back to our room to relax for the night with face masks and Hallmark movies. Frankie Ann loves her Hallmark movies. I felt bad for making her ride the skywheel.

The next day we put on our walking shoes and explored. The CNN center was bustling with business people and tourists. They were offering tours, but we decided to pass. None of us are fans of hard news. We did hit up the Dunkin’ Donuts though. Vacation calories don’t count, you know.

[image error](c) Allison Wells 2019

We walked through Olympic park. We saw the official rings. And the place they lit the flame. I don’t know what that’s actually called. There was an Olympic ring fountain with water coming up through it and young kids running around getting soaked and loving every minute of it.

“Let’s go through,” I suggested.

“I’ll get wet,” Delia pointed out.

“That’s the point. It’s Atlanta, it’s ninety degrees at nine a.m.,” I said with a laugh.

“How about on the way back through?” Frankie Ann tried to compromise.

“Fine. But on the way back, we all do it.” I made them both promise. They did.

We went to the World of Coca-Cola and toured around. We had fun tasting the one hundred flavors of soda they offered there. I think we all felt like we were floating after tasting drink after drink after drink.

After that we walked back toward our hotel to rest. And I made them run through the fountains like they had promised. I went first. Water geysered up and shot right up my nose. That was a not fun experience.

“That’s what you get for making us run through these things,” Delia told me.

“You just don’t want to ruin your make up and hair. You can redo them. How often do you get to act like a kid without your kids?”

So without further thought, she ran to the center of the center ring and proceeded to get soaked. I joined her and we danced in a circle.

“Frankie Ann O’Malley, come on,” Delia cried out.

Frankie Ann shucked her shoes and flitted across to us, whooping the entire way.

And there we were, three grown women in our thirties, without children in tow, dancing around in a water fountain. We were surrounded by families, children with moms on phones, and we were enjoying an afternoon of acting like children again.

WIP Update

For writers, the acronym “WIP” stands for “work in progress.” So when you see me mention my WIP, that’s what I’m writing at present.

[image error]Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I announced on Facebook that my WIP finally has a working title. It’s not set in stone, but for now it’s called The Bloom of Roses. It’s a romantic sounding name, yes, and there is romance in the book, yes, but I wouldn’t classify it as purely a romance. It takes place in South Carolina over the course of several decades. It begins in 1840. I’m not sure where it will end. I’m thinking 1880s, but I might be way off.

As of my typing this, The Bloom of Roses is sitting at a little over 65,000 words. Not too shabby. I’m at a point where I have to stop and discover what happens next. The story follows three women (all mothers and daughters) and their drive to survive and have faith in a hard world. One generation follows the “do what you’re told” mantra. The next fights to break that mold and find her own way. The third… well, I’m not there yet, so I’m not completely sure what happens with her. But they all offer hearty prayers as they try to navigate the cards they are dealt.

I have also worked the winners of my naming contest into this story. Tanner is represented as Tanner Emerson (Emerson is also a nod to a beloved friend), who is part of the anti-slavery movement of that era. And Violet has become Violet Alsobrook, who is a spoiled girl who marries the brother of one of the major characters.

So far this has been a joy to write and the words are flowing nicely. We’ll see what the publisher says when it’s completed! Until then – happy reading!

Author Profile: Michelle Keener

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Your name 
*Michelle Keener

The name of the book you’re promoting. 
*Mission Hollywood

What Genre is your book? 
*Contemporary Christian Romance

If it’s not released yet, when is your launch date?
*July 16, 2019

Tell us a little about your book. 
*Mission Hollywood is the story of movie star Ben Prescott who has spent his life running from God and Lily Shaw, a pastor’s daughter he unexpectedly meets at LAX. When the paparazzi catches a photo of them together, it has all the makings of a scandal. To keep Lily from talking to the press, Ben volunteers to work at her church and of course sparks fly. But when Hollywood starts to take notice, Ben finds himself forced to choose between his career and the woman he might be falling for.

Tell me about your main character(s). 
*Ben Prescott is one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, but little does Hollywood know that he started out as a runaway who fled an abusive home and wound up sleeping in his car before a high-profile agent discovered him. Deeply wounded by the church he grew up in, Ben resents God and doesn’t think he has any need for Him. Lily Shaw is a pastor’s daughter and preschool teacher. She came on staff at her dad’s inner-city church in Hollywood to help after her mother passed away. Lily is content to stay out of the spotlight, knowing she might be the only woman in Hollywood who doesn’t want to be famous. When Ben and Lily are tossed together accidentally at the airport, both of their lives will be forever changed

.How has faith played a role in your book? 
*Definitely. Faith is at the heart of the book. Ben and Lily have a beautiful love story, but the bigger story is the love God has for us. Ben has been running from God his whole life, but God has never given up on him. Lily was raised a Christian, but when life takes an unexpected turn, her faith is tested. What was the hardest part about writing this book?Probably the third draft. After getting feedback from my critique partners, I had to do a major revision. It was a little discouraging, and I remember staring at the computer and wondering how I was going to figure it out. Was the book even worth revising? Was it doomed? But little bit by little bit, word by word, it started to take shape and that discouragement became excitement. It ended up being so much better!

What was the most enjoyable part about writing this book?
*Getting to know the characters. I absolutely love Ben, and the Shaw family is just amazing. It felt like I was making new friends through the course of writing Mission Hollywood and the sequel.

If you could swap lives with your main character for a short time, would you? Why or why not? 
*Absolutely! But can I pick which day? Because there are a few days in Lily’s story that I would prefer to skip. But if I could spend Christmas morning with the Shaw family, that would be petty awesome.

Why do readers want to pick this book up? 
*If readers are looking for a wholesome, faith-based love story this is the right book. It looks at the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and what goes on behind the lights and makeup. It’s a story of love and redemption filled with both humor and some hopefully heart-tugging moments.

What’s next for you as an author? What are you working on now? 
*I’m pushing my multi-tasking limits. I have a women’s fiction book coming out in December with Filles Vertes Publishing and the sequel to Mission Hollywood, Made in Hollywood, is scheduled to be released in February, 2020 with Ambassador International. And somewhere in the midst of all that, I need to finish writing book three of the Mission Hollywood series and finish up my next devotional. Thank goodness for my supportive family and coffee!

Anything else important you want to tell readers? 
*It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. God has given you a unique talent, filled you with gifts, and called you for a purpose. There’s no deadline on pursuing what God has created you to do.

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Please include your social media links and a link to purchase your book. 
*I love to hear from readers! I’m on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @MKeenerWrites and you can also connect with me on my website http://www.MichelleKeener.com (there’s a free 30-day devotional over there!)
You can find Mission Hollywood here: https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Hollywood-Carpet-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B07SJG4NGV/

Tattoos, Part III

It’s time for more tattoos!

I understand that some people may be turned off by a Christian author having tattoos, and I’m okay with that. I don’t have them to please you, I have them to please me and honor some aspect of my life.

My oldest son was adopted through foster care. After bringing him home, we spent almost 2 years worrying that we would lose him and praying that we could keep him. So before we finalized his adoption, I got a tattoo of snowflakes to represent my family. Each of us – me, my husband, daughter, and son – got a snowflake. I also added a small pink one that you probably can’t see in the photo, to represent a miscarriage I had.

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The idea behind them – mine and my husband’s snowflakes have orange to represent Clemson, then pink for me, blue for him. It’s hard to tell color in this photo. Then my daughter’s is pink (girl) and blue for her birthstone. My son’s is blue (boy) and purple for his birthstone.

Praise be to God that we were able to finalize our son’s adoption a few months after this tattoo was done.

As our family grew, I needed to add snowflakes, so now it looks like this:

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I apologize for the way my leg looks – that’s a hard angle to photograph!

In 2013 I added the top snowflake for my second son – blue (boy) and blue for his birthstone. And in 2016 we added the last one at the bottom – again blue (boy) and green for his birthstone.

I started this piece because I was afraid we would lose our oldest son and I wanted something to remind me of him permanently in case he did not end up with our family. Thankfully, he did. And we’ve grown as a family since then.

Thanks for taking a peek at this tattoo (or set of tattoos). To God be the glory!

Burning Flames v. Smoldering Embers

Writers and readers alike know that burning flames in a romance novel sells books. It’s no different for Christian romance either. The flames may look a little different – there’s nothing gratuitous or inappropriate – but everyone feels the flames from their cheeks to their toes.

All fires need three things – fuel, heat, and air. Lots of fuel (love interests doing their amazing things), mixed with heat (attraction) and air create BIG flames.

[image error]Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Burning flames include that initial vision of the love interest. Since I’m female, I’ll be imagining a male. He’s tall, strong (preferably with bulging muscles noticeable through his shirt), his eyes dazzle, his smile sparkles. He probably has dimples somewhere.
This hero does amazing things – saves children from runaway horses or is a firefighter. He comes to the rescue, fanning those already high flames so they’re even higher. The female protagonist is completely swept off her feet.

Most romances end at the actual beginning of the story. The couple realize their love and they kiss, get married, etc. And then it ends. Happily ever after like Cinderella, right?
This is what has always bothered me about romances. Falling in love (puppy love, at least) is the easy part. The hard part comes later when they realize just how much their new husband loves to fry fish or squeezes the toothpaste from the middle. Maybe they have different ideals on how to raise children. This is when the relationship is real.
I’ve always been told that readers want to imagine them to live happily and without issue. But really – what fun is that? That’s a boring life. People argue, they differ. That’s what makes us interesting. It’s enlightening one another to different traditions and cultures.

I’d like to enter a plea for smoldering embers. My husband will tell you that coals/embers burn hotter and longer than flames. Allow Wikipedia to explain…

An ember is formed when a fire has only partially burnt a piece of fuel, and there is still usable chemical energy in that piece of fuel. This happens because the usable chemical energy is so deep into the center that air (specifically oxygen) does not reach it, therefore not causing combustion (carbon-based fuel + O2→ CO2 + H2O + C + other chemicals involved). It continues to stay hot and does not lose its thermal energy quickly because combustion is still happening at a low level. The small yellow, orange and red lights often seen among the embers are actually combustion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ember

[image error]Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

Flames from a fire burn high and quick. Embers are still alight, but not burning so fast that they’ll quickly burn out. Embers last longer, they burn slower.

This is the love story that has a little flirting, still with the tingly feeling, but it’s not so hot the characters will end up burned and hurt. This is the love story that will last and see the couple celebrate 50 years married.

This is the story where after the arrival of children the hero takes night duty so his exhausted wife can sleep. This is the hero who comes to the rescue without complaint when she’s locked her keys in the car – again. Maybe looks have started to fade and the muscles don’t quite bulge anymore. But the eyes still dazzle and the smile still sparkles.
And the female protagonist realizes that while those big heroic acts were amazing back in the day, it’s the days when her man puts air in her tires or plays baseball in the yard with the kids that makes her heart swell with love and keeps that low, steady fire burning in the pit on her stomach, keeping her whole body aglow with love.

Mental Health & Moms

I’m breaking away from my usual writing to talk a minute about mental health. I see all kinds of memes and well-shared posts talking about erasing the stigma around mental health and moms taking care of themselves.

But they’re all impersonal. Not many people open up and share their own struggles. So, feeling led by the Spirit, I’m sharing.

[image error]Photo by Emre Kuzu on Pexels.com

I was diagnosed with anxiety a number of years ago. I had been treated for depression in my early 20s, but looking back, I think it was anxiety and I didn’t know what to call it. I’m not down, I’m worried. About everything. I’ve been a professional worrier all my life. But I’ve been treated for anxiety for the past few years.

Currently I take a daily medication that is supposed to help people with anxiety, depression, OCD and the like. And just recently, I began seeing a counselor to work through my feelings and help me learn to cope when I feel the anxiety take over.

My anxiety manifests two ways. The most common is stomach pain and nausea. I tell people I’m a sympathy puker, but really it’s my anxiety going into overdrive. Lately the stomach pains have been very intense and I’m unable to function – hence now seeing the counselor.
The other manifestation is anger. This one is more dangerous. This happens especially when we’re running late for something. I can’t stand to be late. I sweat and I panic, and I yell at my family. Also something I need help with controlling and I’m hoping the counselor can help me.

A few weeks ago my youngest child ate something that didn’t agree with his tummy and he threw up. He was fine after that. I took another child to an activity, leaving my husband home with the other kids. I texted him when we got to our destination, asking how everyone was. No reply. I called. No answer. After 30 minutes, I was in full panic mode. I literally thought either my child was in an ambulance or the house had burned down.
I was able to tell myself I was being unreasonable, but when the panic starts, it is hard to stop. I was near tears, ready to pull my child out of his activity and rush home when my husband finally called me and told me I was being silly. I knew I was, but I couldn’t help it. That’s anxiety.

Some people say I should just pray it away. I wish I could. I can’t pray anxiety away any more than you can pray away diabetes. Diabetics need insulin so their body will work properly. People with anxiety and other mental health disorders also use medication to help their brains and bodies function normally. I’m so thankful God gave someone the idea for medication! It’s been so helpful for me.
Others don’t understand anxiety. I get it. You don’t understand something unless you deal with it. Like food allergies. Or limb differences. It’s hard to comprehend unless you experience it up close and personal. My mother, who is amazing, doesn’t understand anxiety. But it’s hard to explain that I can’t just decide to not panic. When my husband wasn’t responding to me, I knew I was being unreasonable, but I was still sure I’d come home to everyone being gone.

Mental health may be hard to talk about because it’s invisible. I look normal on the surface, but my mind sometimes needs help working properly. That’s okay. I love who God has designed me to be. I feel He has allowed me to go through this so I can be an extended hand for someone else who feel like they’re drowning in anxiety or depression.

I do hope that God will bring me through this one day, but I know He may not. I still strive to be happy – and I am most of the time. I hope in Him daily and look to the Lord for all my needs.

If you ever need help, please feel free to reach out. I’ll pray with you, I’ll help you find resources in your area.
Remember – God loves you just as you are.

The Chronicles of Kate & the Grit Girls: 17

Bellamy is a quaint little town, sleepy and serene. Our drama is mostly made up in people’s heads and the crime rate is very low. It’s a perfect place to raise a family. But when you want to do something a little more grown up, it presents a problem. There’s not much to do, and even if you find something, the whole town is there to witness any blunders that may happen.

[image error]Reedy River Falls, Greenville, SC (C) Allison Wells 2019

So every so often we venture to Greenville for a girls night. It’s the big city for us, complete with tall buildings, tons of foot traffic, and restaurants galore. It’s also very picturesque. Why, there’s a waterfall that goes right through the middle of the city. It’s amazing.

The Grit Girls loaded up for a night away, having booked a room at one of the nicest hotels in the city – the Westin Poinsett. The hotel is nearly 100 years old and gorgeous. The floors alone are amazing. We had a beautiful corner room on the 4th floor that overlooked Main Street below. I could have sat and watched people go by all night, but Delia and Frankie Ann wanted to be out among them.

We started off with dinner at our favorite little restaurant called The Swan Dive. I think the owner was an Olympic swimming or something. But all the tables face the huge open windows where the people watching is at its prime.

With dinner ordered – the duck for Delia, a massive salad for Frankie Ann, and steak for me – we began to watch the passers by. A huge black SUV pulled up to the bar across the street and unloaded a gaggle of young ladies. One was wearing a birthday sash and a skirt much too short. Her friends were carrying balloons that said “21” on them. The bound into the car with fits of giggles.

“Did you go out like that for your twenty-first?” I asked the others.

“We had a party at home and my parents opened their wet bar. It was amazing,” Delia said.

Frankie Ann nodded, “Oh yes, I partied like this girl. I don’t remember most of it.”

My birthday is a holiday where everything is closed. There was no crazy celebrating for me. “Hm,” I thought out loud, “I guess I missed out.”

Next a group of young men passed in front of us. One reached out to Delia, “Hey, wanna dance?” He began to show off some fancy footwork while his friends kept going. Blushing, Delia, waved him on.

“There’s live music a few blocks up. Let’s go over after we eat,” I suggested.

The live music ended up being beach music, which is not my favorite, but it is easy to dance to. We made our way to the edge of the dance area and began to move to the rhythm. Older couples danced the Shag, young children ran past us with their parents trying to keep up. Groups gathered together to talk and dance or people watch as the sky began to dim.

One couple near us looked like professional dancers as they glided around, the man twirling his partner and the woman looking as graceful as a ballerina. I admired their finesse and wished Chase knew how to dance. Or that I knew how to dance for that matter. I had gone to charm school, but I never did the dancing part of it.

Someone had asked Delia to dance and she accepted. Frankie Ann and I watched as she slid right into the steps, her left leg kicking out, her hips swaying.

“Did you know Delia could dance like that?” Frankie Ann asked.

I shook my head, “No. But I’m not surprised. I think she did cotillion in Charleston.” I pulled out my phone and snapped a few pictures of my friend, glad her husband wasn’t the jealous type. Nathan was as easy going as it got.

After a while, we found seats and watched the crowd’s comings and goings. A lover’s squabble to the left, a father dancing with his little girl on the right.

“I wish we had things like this in Bellamy,” Frankie Ann commented. “I would love to see my husband and daughter dance. And I could teach the boys.”

“We should plan something. Surely this band, or another band, would come out and play for us,” I said.

“It would be perfect in the fall,” Delia added. We all nodded in agreement.

We settled into a comfortable quiet between us, watching the people as they moved all around.

Back at our hotel room, we readied for bed. We turned on an old movie and painted toes and put on face masks. I challenged the girls to play truth or dare.

“Frankie Ann, truth or dare?” I asked.

“Dare,” she said with a giggle.

“I dare you to go a full week without makeup,” Delia said.

You might as well have asked Frankie Ann O’Malley to kiss a skunk. “Not on your life, Delia Honeycutt. I could never. I switch to truth.”

We laughed. “What are you most scared of?” I asked.

She patted her face mask to check for wet spots as she thought. “I think I’m most scared of Ewan leaving me. I haven’t had a job in years. The kids overwhelm me.”

I patted her knee. “Oh, darlin’, we all fear that. Especially being at-home moms.”

Delia sighed, “And Ewan adores you, Frankie Ann. You know that.”

“I’m not twenty-three anymore,” Frankie Ann said with a sad laugh.

“None of us are,” I reminded her. “And neither are Ewan, Nathan, or Chase. They’re all getting older, too.”

“Older men are still attractive,” she lamented.

Unable to handle any more sadness, I tried to make her laugh. “Just wait until we’re done with these masks. I’m sure we’ll all look as young as Ariana Grande.”

“Oh, Kate, you’re too much,” she said as she tried to crack a smile. “My mask is cracking.”

When we peeled our masks off we all looked in the mirror, hoping that youthful twenty-five-year-old glow would be back. Instead we found three women in their mid-thirties with remnant of charcoal peel around our faces.

I began to laugh a deep belly laugh. Soon Frankie Ann and Delia joined in. We laughed so hard we were all crying. I had to hold my knees together. Frankie Ann fell to the floor with laughter.

“Oh, girls, you know – those twenty-five-year-olds don’t have any personality anyway,” Frankie Ann said when she caught her breath.

“Amen to that,” Delia said with a raised hand.

And they were right. As the Bible says, “Beauty is fleeting.”