How many times has that question been asked, in one way or the other, since I have been a part-time resident of Folly Beach?  As “Where to Now” is the title of my latest novel, partially written here on Folly, it obviously translated to this energetic and enigmatic place, the ‘Edge of America.’

How many times has it been asked since Europeans pushed out the Bohicket Indians?  How many times has it been asked, as the generations tried to give this special little barrier island an identity?  Even its very name, Folly, is misunderstood by the thousands of people who pack in here on weekends for fun and frolic.

Folly originally meant foliage and not some kind of foolishness, though, like any other place inhibited by human beings, we have had plenty of silliness.  Just read the police blotter.

As I worked on Where to Now and watched people and vehicles pack their way on this small, sandy paradise, sometimes I almost wondered why the island did not sink into the Atlantic. They come for the sun, fun, and what they consider ‘the Folly Beach experience.’

No doubt, fun is, on balance, a good thing.  People spending money here is a net positive for everyone living, working, or having some kind of interest here.  For better or worse, fun has become the Folly Beach identity.  That is not a bad thing, but Folly’s identity is not its heart.  Folly’s image, throughout the country and the world, does not reflect the depth of its soul.

There is so much inspiration on Folly, for any kind of artist, but for me it is not what is seen, but what I feel.  The depth of every human emotion literally comes out of the sand to envelope one’s being.  There is the anguish and pain of the wretched refuge, with some kind of disease, put ashore to either die or maybe be picked up, when their ship returned from the Charleston Harbor.  The mournful wails, of human chattel, emanate from ships passing on the way to their holding station on Sullivan’s Island.  Survivors of the middle passage wondered where they were, and distressed over what was to become of them.  Their agony drifts over the waves, as much a part of Folly as the ocean breeze.

Of course, the most poignant period is The Civil War/War Between the States.  On this very ground were African American troops. Some, maybe most, were descendants of the very chattel that passed through years before. They were joined by several regiments of the Union Army for an assault to eventually take Charleston.  Just off the North end of Folly on Morris Island, young men from the South, many from South Carolina, desperately fortified themselves in a place known as Battery Wagner.  It was a human carnage of indescribable horror, but just one of many in a war where American human carnage became the rule, not the exception.

Though Where to Now is a modern novel, I write mostly in a historical context. My novel Blue-Gray Mist and a Black Dawn is a Civil War-era work, set in Virginia and South Carolina.  One of the many real-life characters in the book was General Quincy A. Gilmore, commander of the Union forces at Battery Wagner.  The man and this place were explored in great depth.

Long before coming to Folly Beach, I felt the spiritual force of this island.  My psyche was here a long time before my body.  Like so many places from that period, this is hallowed ground.  Beneath the beach activity—beneath the fun—is the birthing of an extraordinary place: a microcosm of an extraordinary nation.  Everything is here—America—warts and all.  In the most real sense, Folly is the Edge of America—Hallowed Ground.

On the way to its present identity, Folly had many adventures.   My friend, Gretchen Stringer Robinson, wrote a great history of the island.  It seems we have had everything from shootouts on Center Street, the pier burning down a couple of times (arson maybe), bootlegging, and major criminals hiding out.  As a writer, knowing that George Gershwin wrote the music to the great American Folk Opera, Porgy and Bess, is very special.  Based on the book and play by Dubose Heyward and his wife, Dorothy, Porgy and Bess and Gershwin are a piece of America itself, and it has a big Folly connection.  Our piece of sand is productive and inspirational.

When relating to the social and political culture of Folly Beach, I am struck again by the microcosm effect of the nation itself.  Apart from the fun atmosphere, we are real people living real lives, with all the challenges we see anywhere in the country.  For a novelist who tries to pull out the very core of what human beings are, life on Folly Beach is living in a real place.  It is not some isolated resort where everything is neat and orderly.  You do not have to search for the human struggles that are part of everyone’s existence.

Our visitors come here for some escape from those struggles, but that motive, and their fun, becomes just another one of our challenges.  We are not on perpetual vacation, even though we live in a great vacation spot.  This makes a great sociological soup for a serious writer.  It is not writing specifically about the people you observe, but drawing energy and ideas from their lives and day-to-day existence.

My latest novel, Where to Now, reflects my interest in humans and the life forces they have to face.  Since it takes place in Charleston, it will seem familiar to those of us living in the area, but the human problems are almost universal to the American culture.  Problems associated with profession, job, family, divorce, and on and on.  Into these lives comes a force so strong, so diabolical, and so determined, the normal challenges pale by comparison, but do not go away.

This force comes in the name of an incredibly intelligent master criminal named Billy Jack.  With more resources than most countries, he plays with the lives of the principal characters, driving them to the brink of their ability to cope.  The question—where to now?—constantly rises and must be answered.

Very much like everyone’s real world, the normal course of human events is interrupted, and life-changing decisions must be made.  With its emphasis on coping with ordinary and extraordinary life forces, I would recommend Where to Now to anyone who wants to plunge into the depth of the creature human.  It is not so much escapism, but takes the reader into a world where human beings deal both with challenges they created, and trials in which they had no control.  There are twists and turns, and even a few laughs.

In the end, my purpose is to have a real connection with the reader.  My hope is that they come away with some increase in understanding human behavior, as well as being entertained.

Often, I am asked about some of the books that I read and would recommend.  My own reading material is slanted toward the same purpose as my writing.  For instance, one of my recent reads was Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution, by Charles Rappleye.  This is an excellent piece of scholarship about one of the lesser known, but very significant, American Founding Fathers.   Just on my tablet is When Money Dies, by Adam Fergusson.  This is the story of hyperinflation and money mismanagement in Weimar, Germany.   This is a very topical subject.  I like the great classical novels from writers I admire.  For instance, Candide, by Voltaire, is extraordinary.  Often I reread books by great authors.  Recent examples are The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair and Darkwater, by W. E. B. DuBois.  The list goes on, but I advocate that reading should be personal, enlightening, and entertaining.

Rod Rogers can be found at: rodrogersbooks.com.  WHERE TO NOW and BLUE-GRAY MIST AND A BLACK DAWN are available online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and the Rod Rogers website.

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If you’ve spent your whole life going insane, in search of who you really are and why, you can now relax. Save yourself and others the grief of your anxiety-producing self-analysis, and start looking at your arms as fins.

Thank you, Neil Shubin, for putting things into proper perspective with our arm/fins.  Shubin is a paleontologist who found, in Greenland, “Tiktaalik”, the 375-million-year-old missing link between fish and land animals. He authored, Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body.

Many millions of years ago, a certain type of fish tried very hard to not become food.  It kept popping out of the water onto land to escape predatory, bigger fish.  It eventually developed, from its fins, tiny front appendages to help it navigate in the mud.  The fish then developed lungs, and eventually it turned into an amphibian. This new animal, in turn, became other amphibians, lizards, birds, mammals, and eventually, monkeys like chimps, gorillas, and Sarah Palin (Editor’s note: The author’s statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Folly Current, unless such comments garner us attention and press in the national media and grow our readership).

A bird flapping its wings; a brontosaurus trudging its front feet through a forest of ancient ferns and cycads; Rush Limbaugh throttling his morning microphone and senators texting their wieners with their cellphones; they all share the use of the common ancestral tool of two little fins which turned into bony, mud-navigating, predator-escaping, “freedom” nubs.

It’s a beautiful thing to visualize the multi-dimensional progression of ever-evolving life forms if you let yourself appreciate it.

And, fellow citizens of Folly Beach, S.C., U.SA., Planet Earth, consider this.   It’s been recently discovered that at the center of our galaxy, like in all galaxies in the universe, there exists a large black hole.  At our solar system’s position in the galaxy, it takes 350 million years for us to make one complete revolution.

It just so happens (I just looked this up on Google) that roughly 350 million years ago, when we were last at this point of our rotation, Tiklaalik, and subsequently amphibians first emerged.  That’s really pretty amazing.

I don’t know if anybody put this together before but this means “Happy Birthday to our hands!”

Our hands are now one galactic year old (plus or minus 50 million or so earth years). The fish within you is really in there if you let yourself feel it.  Flap your arms around; wiggle your fins.  It’s fun.

It’s humbling to wiggle your fins, and humbling is good for your health and the health of others and the planet.

So, in the name of personal and planetary health, let’s all go outside, humbly love thy neighbor, and shake fins with every person walking down Center Street.

And, ever wonder why you like living next to the sea? Ask your arms.

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In the seventeen years I’ve lived on Folly I’ve never found a dead body on the beach. Even though I write the White House Gardener murder mystery series, I hope to never stumble across one. I’m not bloodthirsty. Truth be told, I’m a bit of a coward.

Folly Beach suits me. The easy-going pace of life here on the island allows me to putter in my vegetable garden, picking off hornworms and keeping an eye out for aphids while I plot new and inventive ways to kill off unsuspecting characters in my books. Or when the temperatures turn hot enough to make a beetle sweat, I can be found clinging to a boogie board, bobbing on the waves. Characters whisper to me in the voice of the breeze. Wave by wave, word by word, my books get written.

When my husband and I first moved to Folly Beach, we were told the island resided in the middle of a mystical, creative vortex. I don’t know if that’s true. Perhaps it must be. I used to work as an environmental urban planner. Every year though, the tug to express myself — to find my voice — grew stronger, until one day I walked away from a fulfilling career and steady paycheck so I could wrestle with characters who often do and say unexpected things and battle plots that never end up where I plan they should go. It’s a lifestyle that requires me to let go and simply trust in myself and, well, the universe. It’s a lifestyle that’s uniquely Folly.

My husband and I have tried to move away. When the storms get too rough or too frequent or when we’ve cast a longing eye on larger homes, we think about leaving our cozy beach shack. But where would we go? So far we haven’t been able to find anywhere that gives us both the freedom to be ourselves and the convenience of the beach and the downtown.

I think I’ve always loved Folly. Having spent my childhood in Summerville, my parents would pack up the wood-sided station wagon and take daytrips out to Folly Beach. Back then, Folly felt like a world away from my suburban neighborhood. I fondly remember, after a day in the surf, how the up and down motion of the waves would linger the entire car ride home. I’d rest my head against the window in the back seat and close my eyes, savoring the sensation.

If I’m not writing, my evenings are for reading. I recently finished Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden by Emily Whaley and William Baldwin. Charleston has a long history of producing and attracting passionate gardeners like Emily Whaley. Her memoir tells of a delightfully feisty lady I wish I had met. It reminded me that while I didn’t have a mentor to teach me about gardening, I had the good luck to grow up in a region rich in horticultural history and overflowing with a sincere love of its gardens.

I hope my passion for all things green shine through in my books. If you get a chance, be sure to pick up Flowerbed of State from your local bookseller this summer.

Dorothy St. James (wildlife biologist and paper pusher) is the author of the White House Gardener Mysteries with Berkley Prime Crime. The first book in the series, FLOWERBED OF STATE, has been called “spunky” (Library Journal), “fast-paced” (Publishers Weekly), and “it quite simply blew me away” (Criminal Element). She can be found on the Internet at http://www.dorothystjames.com.

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In the late ’80s and early ’90s, I was a reporter for The Islander, covering Folly Beach and James Island. My job was exciting and simple at the same time; I got to frolic around the islands talking to people and got paid to write about them.

Flash forward about twenty years and three children later. Apparently unimpressed by my ability to help my husband run our construction business and care for them, my gangly teenagers asked me a question. What exactly do you do, anyways?

The remark stung, and I retorted, “Before I had ya’ll, I was a writer.” They smirked and raised their eyebrows, and by the next day I’d written the beginnings of Death on Coffin Island.

Looking back, I did what I naturally do when unsettled. I took refuge on Folly Beach, but this time it was with words and imagination. The choice to use Folly as my setting was simple. I’ve lived here, worked here, surfed here, played here, and made some pretty awesome friends in the process. The island is a family of people who are zany and loyal, eccentric and steadfast.

What better place to find inspirations for characters? It’s quite fun to remark to someone, ‘Be careful, or you’ll be in my next book.’ I’ve actually gotten even with a couple of folks in these two books, if only in my imagination.

The obvious elements in any beach town are true to Folly. The ocean, sand, places to go and things to do; but what sets Folly apart are the locals. They have influenced my writing by their utter enjoyment to be a part of this quirky, mystical little town. Many bad moods have been lifted after a jaunt to The Sand Dollar, where bad moods are simply not allowed.

My latest book, Born on the Edge, is the second in the series featuring Kell Palevac, a reporter for the town of Folly Beach, and I’ll be announcing book signings soon. Death on Coffin Island is available in Kindle form for those who like e-books.

Folly Beach is where my children first put their toes in the ocean and where they’ve grown up. I’ve grown a lot too, since their comments a few years back. Hey, I guess it was what I needed to get going. And guess what? When they introduce me now, they say, “This is my mom, she’s a writer.”

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Peaceful. Idyllic. Good surf. It would impossible to count the reasons why Folly Beach is one of the finest on the planet. Anyone who has spent even so much as a day there would agree. And although my story shades into gray my history with this incredible place, Folly will always hold a special place in my heart.

My story about Folly Beach is one of redemption. When I was 21 years old, I tried to kill myself in the ocean. I was high on LSD and fully convinced that I was the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I thought that when I died in the water, the world would end. My plan was to swim out from Folly Beach County Park as far as I possibly could so that even if I decided to turn back at the last minute, it would be too late.

When I finally sobered up, I could see nothing but blue all around. I realized all of sudden that I was not Jesus, but just some naked dude out for a swim. I knew that I desperately needed to get back to land, so I swam and I swam, and I swam—then the sun set. I finally realized how long I had been in the water, and my strength failed me.

At that point, I did the only left to do and prayed to God for the first time in years. I told Him that if he delivered me to land, I would never drink or drug again as long as I lived. Eighteen hours after leaving Folly Beach, I swam ashore in front of the Sanctuary Hotel on Kiawah Island. From Folly to the sanctuary.

Six years later, I remain completely sober from drugs and alcohol. I have emerged from the depths of complete insanity and regained a life of meaning and purpose. This book then is an invitation to enter my Folly Beach redemption story, to see what I saw in the water and to thereby gain a new perspective on life itself. My desire is to play the tape through on the choices that nearly destroyed my life, in order to tangibly illustrate where the road I once traveled ends. May it serve then as a warning, a cautionary tale from someone who has peered across the thin veneer of death—and lived to tell about it.

Published by local Four Winds Books (www.fourwindsbooks.org), From Folly tells this harrowing tale of survival and redemption. The book will be released on July 1^st, and a signing will be held downtown. If you would like to attend the event or pre-order a copy to be shipped on the release date, please visit: www.fromfolly.com.

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Since the 2007 publication of Folly, the first of five novels in the Folly Beach Mystery series, the question I have been asked most often has been, “Why choose Folly Beach as the setting?” Considering that I live in Louisville, Kentucky, I think it’s an excellent question.

My wife and I first vacationed on Folly Beach in 2003.  The third day there we were walking on the beach, and about a hundred yards in front of us, a body washed ashore; the police had just arrived. It proved to be an accidental death, but a small seed of a story was planted in the back of my mind.  After all, that’s not a sight you see every day, and it struck me in such contrast to the peaceful, pleasant vacation we were having.

I didn’t give writing another thought until 2006, when we took my in-laws to Folly for vacation.  As Confucius should have said, a week in a condo with one’s mother-in-law leads to thoughts of murder! So, a drowning a few years earlier, combined with the “inspiration” of my mother-in-law, came together to get me thinking about a murder mystery.

Yes, I know that I still haven’t answered the question of, “Why Folly?” Be patient, I’m getting there. In addition to the two pleasant vacations on Folly Beach, I quickly learned to appreciate the character, and characters, of the unique—and truly fantastic—island.

Folly Beach is close to the drastically different world of Charleston.  The Charleston Visitors’ Guide describes Folly Beach as a “charming bohemian enclave perched on the self-anointed edge of America.” To me, it has an “aging hippy, beer-for-breakfast, shared-with-your-Doberman,” feel. True, Folly Beach has a nice beach, some excellent restaurants, some shopping, great walking areas, and a great view of a historic lighthouse, but its people are what set it apart from anywhere else I have been.

I have been privileged to get to know several residents during my visits the last five years, including some politicians, public safety officers, storeowners and employees, out-of-luck residents with unknown addresses, and even some vacationers who visit year-after-year. I am continually impressed by the friendliness, openness, and caring attitudes of most everyone I have met. The characters in the series are not directly based on anyone on Folly, but several of you have said that they know who they “really” are. I’m pleased that I have captured much of the feel of Folly; for that’s the true inspiration for the books and what I hope to convey—through some humor, some drama, and large doses of Folly Beach.

Folly Beach is not just the setting of the Folly Beach Mystery series; it is a main character in the books. Now, when anyone asks me, “Why Folly Beach?” I simply respond that I couldn’t think of anywhere else I would want my books to take place.

Bill Noel is the author of five novels in the Folly Beach Mystery series: Folly, The Pier, Washout, The Edge, and the most recent installment, The Marsh. His books are available locally at Bert’s Market, the Sugar Shack at the Tides, the Piggly Wiggly, Michelle’s Salon and Spa, and the Ravenous Reader. They are also available on line through amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. More about the books and the author can be found at www.billnoel.com.

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Author Bill Noel will be signing copies of his latest book, The Marsh, the weekend of March 19

By Blake Bunch

Author Bill Noel’s latest addition to the Folly Beach Mystery series pits familiar Folly Beach settings with the strangely-principled motives of his characters. In this fifth installment of Noel’s popular mystery series, The Marsh reconnects main character Chris Landrum with his eccentric cast of friends to solve the murder of a prominent Folly Beach lawyer. There are many suspects, all of whom stand to gain financially, so Chris and his band of “detectives” volunteer to slosh through the evidence themselves. Since none of Chris’ friends have positive law enforcement backgrounds, this is a huge feat. Amongst all the gossip, accusations, and financial tribulations facing Chris, he remains ever the static character – truly loyal to his friends.

Main character Chris Landrum is a retiree who fell in love with Folly Beach’s quiet charm after years of mind – numbing Human Resources work. After frequent visits to the quirky, beautiful island he decided to stay, opening a photo gallery off of Center Street. He is more of the quiet type, well mannered, and a highly unlikely candidate for solving murders. Even when prompted about why he risks his life for others, he simply states, “I’m not sure, I don’t really think about it.” Chris’ business “partner,” Charles, retired at the ripe old age of 36. This was shortly after he figured out you could get by on Folly Beach with little money. Although Chris and Charles are polar opposites, the wit in their banter displays how close the two really are.

Despite tons of vacationers pouring in, Chris is not able to cover his lease, and is faced with the closure of his Gallery. He then has to tell his “business manager” of the bad news and is forced to fire his best friend.

The Marsh opens on an idyllic summer day, contrasted with the funeral of Mrs. Margaret Klein. Chris and Charles had saved her from a crossbow serial killer a few years back at her seaside hotel, but they are not reminiscing at her funeral. The recently discovered the body of Mr. Tony Long, Esq. along the marsh of the Folly River is the topic of everyone’s conversation, and perhaps one Chris does not want to hear. Chris has a way about him that tend to make his relationships last a long time, and he has many on this island. The conversation stops when the two are informed that Mr. Sean Aker, Tony’s law partner, would like to speak with them.

Joining Chris and Charles are the Harley Davidson-riding Harley, their unwilling girlfriends, Amber and Heather, as well as several old acquaintances throughout the story. They run into a conflict when they come to realize that Sean Aker is the prime suspect, although he maintains his innocence. At their scheduled meeting, Sean does not show up because he is being questioned by the police, which is “strange for a lawyer.” Sean’s clerk, Marlene, informs them of some information regarding the late Mr. Long; that he had affairs, a drug problem, was involved with the mafia, and screwed Sean out of $75,000. Tony handled the accounting side of the firm and Sean took care of clients and dealt with the verbiage. Since Tony’s history with clientele was anything but pristine, soon, countless characters are exposed as potential suspects. With all of the evidence piling up in Sean Aker’s corner, he does something foolish, reaches out for the help of Chris, Charles, and Harley.

Noel sets The Marsh in modern day Folly Beach. Throughout the novel, he cites numerous restaurants, bars, marinas, and other places that are familiar to residents. The characters are all very familiar, but seemingly larger than life, like something out of a motion picture. One character in particular, Dude, works at a surf shop and speaks what is seemingly broken bajan. He wears a tie-dye shirt, has an extreme lack of hygiene, but seemingly helps out Chris the most in the novel. The murder-mystery genre, mixed with the soul of Folly Beach, definitely allows the characters and social boundaries to mesh well throughout the story.

Chris and his crew utilize their “buddy system” that is so heavy on Folly; relying on the honesty and good nature of human beings to find Tony‘s killer and clear Sean‘s name. Although the novel is extremely suspenseful, the underlying themes of self identity, protection, and, ultimately, loyalty make The Marsh a great read for Folly residents and Folly fans alike.

Noel will be on Folly Beach in March to sign and talk about The Marsh, and will have copies of the first four books for sale on the following dates:

Michelle’s Salon and Spa: Saturday, March 19, 3 – 6 p.m.

Piggly Wiggly: Sunday, March 20, 1 – 4 p.m.

The Lost Dog Café: Tuesday, March 22, 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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Wicki Waugh is a self-proclaimed porch goddess; always has been. Her first book, Ponderings from the Porch, was released in May and just as the title suggests, it is full of her recorded ponderings while rocking on her porch over the years and includes philosophies about life, short poems and bits of humor.

Growing up on a seven-acre tobacco farm just north of Statesville, North Carolina, Wicki never thought life was meant to be easy. She always dreamed of leaving the farm and heading to New York City to work in advertising, but after she married at a young age and landed a job as a bookkeeper, the dream was put on hold. Excelling through broadcasting school and a string of jobs in radio and television, Wicki labeled herself a workaholic. The word should not hold a negative connotation, though, as all that hard work was done out of love.

Shortly after interviewing with Channel 5, Wicki was offered a job as sales manager. Life was a whirlwind after that, moving from Charlotte to Charleston. Every morning she would rise at 5 a.m. to begin her day with a cup of coffee on her Folly Beach condominium’s porch and then it was off to the office, sometimes until nine at night.

This became her normal routine, but one morning was different than the rest. Wicki saw five dolphins. As silly as it was, she said, she remembered thinking that the dolphins were speaking to her and that day she went to work and resigned with no real thought as to what to do next. “It was the first truly spontaneous thing I had done,” she admitted.

Wicki now leads a much simpler life. She still begins every morning on her porch looking out into the Folly River, but now she tries to spend the beginning of her day writing: her new job. “Yes, anyone can be a porch goddess and I highly recommend it,” Wicki smiled. Though she has recently self-published Ponderings from the Porch on Create Space, Wicki has many more works in progress. Apart from the sequel, More Ponderings from the Porch, she has also been working on a children’s book entitled Critters in Crisis and a serious novel, Homecoming of the Heart.

Wherever life takes her or whatever she publishes next, Wicki’s heart is most content while rocking on her porch. She laughed, thinking of what her artist-boyfriend W. Hampton Brand always says: “You can’t get her off the porch before noon, so don’t even try!”

Wicki Waugh’s Ponderings from the Porch is available on www.amazon.com as well as East Bay Garden Gallery, located at 114 East Bay Street, where she does book signings every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. For more information, contact her at 327-6143 or theporchgoddess@yahoo.com.

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Author H. A. Olsen stands next to the front cover images of his two novels.

By Meredith Powell

Known by the pen name H.A. Olsen in the writing world and as Andy to his family and friends, the Columbia, SC, resident has recently released his second Folly-based book entitled Saving Sara. While this is the long-anticipated sequel to his widely popular novel A Lone Palm Stands, readers will remain on the edge of their seats waiting for the last of the trilogy, tentatively named Savannah Grace.

Each story in the trilogy involves the same main character, singer-songwriter Angela Jenkins (better known as A.J.), who cronicles her personal growth and the relationships she has with those around her. Charlestonians are sure to appreciate Andy’s decision to set his novels on our beloved Folly Beach, a place which will always have a special spot in his heart.

Just like A.J., Andy weathered Charleston’s Hurricane Hugo back in 1989 with his young family and was left with unsettled feelings about the aftermath of the disaster. Ridden with guilt for years about his decision to stay during the storm and potentially endangering those he loved, Andy finally decided to write about it. “Over a course of about two years, the story [A Lone Palm Stands] just came to me,” he recalled.

Though the books are originally written for adults, young adults have become fond of them, as well. Aside from the location and time not much else is autobiographical, but there is enough humor and mystery to keep the pages turning. A Lone Palm Stands includes all of the heartbreak A.J. experiences during the disaster which kills her family, and her triumphs as the pieces of her life slowly start coming back together after the hurricane and she lands a record deal. Saving Sara will not disappoint as it follows the now famous A.J. on her mission to find her teenage daughter who goes missing during their mother-daughter bonding vacation on Folly Beach.

Andy’s charismatic personality certainly reflects in A.J.’s passion and personality, and one of his favorite aspects of writing these novels is the chance to communicate with his readers at book signings and hearing their own experiences during Hurricane Hugo. He pointed out, “Anyone who has been through a natural disaster knows that it will change your life forever,” and that reciprocated ability to relate, share and discuss allows for a deeper connection than what is found just between the pages of the books.

Andy’s philosophy: “Reading a book should be like watching a movie and that’s how I wrote mine.” Maybe one day he will reach an even broader audience on the big screen!

Meet H.A. Olsen on September 18 at Walden Books in downtown Charelston. His books are also available at The Ravenous Reader, Treasure Island Gifts, Piggly Wiggly, Sugar Shack at the Holiday Inn, on Amazon and on his website, www.haolsen.com. For more information, contact him at lonepalm2@yahoo.com, (803)730-6057 or follow him on Facebook.

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As much as we admonish others and remind ourselves with the oft quoted saying, the majority of us are still inclined to judge a book by its cover. I am ashamed to say that I did just that with a book that was given to me for review. As a lover of political science, historical fiction and any book from which I come away knowing more about the world than I did going in, I am the first to condemn romance novels. Full of over-embellished similes and metaphors and rife with situations that leave me blushing for several hours after completing a chapter, most of the time I would rather read a detailed analysis of the use of the Navier-Stokes equation in practical large scale drainage use than open a Harlequin novel.

So it was with heavy judgment and preconceived opinions that I opened the Regency romance novel The Nude by Folly Beach author Dorothy McFalls: and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself completely and utterly wrong.

Part of my prejudgment error was in assuming that a Regency romance novel is just another name for a Harlequin romance novel. In fact, if there were a hierarchy of romance novels, Regency would be considered the most elite and least sexual of them all. Typically written with a high degree of intelligent, fast paced dialog, Regency novels are set in the 19th century and are loosely based on the styles of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. The name “Regency” comes from the British Regency era, when the Prince of Wales (later George IV), ruled at Prince Regent after his father, George III, was deemed unfit for rule. His rule, from approximately 1811 – 1837, was a time of great excess in terms of the arts and culture, as well as flagrant hedonism for the era’s beau monde; the nickname for Britain’s most affluent families.

McFalls’ novel opens in London, 1814. A desperate artist applies the finely ground, sparkling dust of sapphires and rubies to a painting he has struggled for several sleepless days and nights to complete. With a final stroke, the artist, known only as Dionysus, passes out, exhausted, at the base of his creation.

When the painting is finally revealed, however, its subject has no idea that she has been imagined, prostrate and completely naked, on the artist’s canvas. The scandal rocks the town and Elsbeth Mercer, the hapless victim, is determined to uncover the artist’s true identity at all costs.

In the meantime, Nigel Purbeck, the sixth Marquess of Edgeware, takes pity on Elsbeth and determines to do what he can to return her good name. Generally regarded as a wealthy recluse, Purbeck opens the doors of his country estate to the beau monde for a week-long party and makes it a point that Elsbeth attends; a social invitation that would never been offered to a woman of loose morals. The invitation, coupled with Purbeck’s constant attentions, is slowly bringing Elsbeth’s reputation out of the gutter when disaster strikes. A killer is on the loose and Purbeck is their target.

Although the story starts slowly, the twists and turns become rapid-fire once the guests arrive at the Purbeck country estate. McFalls has certainly done her homework as well, as many of the references to era paints, stonework, architecture, customs, language and political activities are accurately peppered throughout the novel’s 350+ pages.

Secret chambers, mysterious lockets, illegal smuggling, vicious killers and yes, even a midnight trist, are all excellent reasons to pick up a copy of McFalls’ novel, The Nude. As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll probably even learn something by the end.

Dorothy McFalls is a Folly Beach native, living with her sculptor husband and two dogs. At 28 years old, this is her sixth book and she looks forward to penning many more. For more information about McFalls or her books, visit www.dorothymcfalls.com.

The Nude is available at amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, as well as your local book stores.

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