Thank You Bloggers

What’s happening on the writing front

Dear Lattice,

You have no idea how excited I am about your blog entry. Being new at this, I’ve been waiting for someone to catch on and communicate. I’m especially excited about your response to the Blackbeard mysteries. Writing them is the most fun I have ever had.

When I speak at schools, I go into the research part of writing the mysteries. I actually borrowed children and over a period of ten years, broke into church steeple windows (with permission), had free weights representing old Mrs. McNemmish fall out of the coffin when the children pushed the Gurney into the beach and listened to the real Stefanie say, “I’m Southern. We don’t touch dead bodies.”

Ocracoke Island is a living, breathing island of history, pride, and ghosts. Book four involves the Civil War on Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands. I was amazed to find out that Blackbeard had a connection to the Civil War. I don’t know who was more surprised to find out; me or Blackbeard’s ghost.

I’m back to writing two to ten hours a day depending on my health. My research has once again taken over the household. I rewrite each chapter at least twenty times and when the book is complete, within the next few weeks I pray, my assistant and editor Pierre will begin red penciling the book with me. We will edit the entire book at least five times, Let me know how your students react to that news.

Best wishes and good reading to all of you. Audrey