The first book in the Murder by the Sea series by Carol Ann Ross There are three communities on Topsail Island - Surf City, Topsail Beach, North Topsail Beach. Residents of all three enjoy a low key, laid back lifestyle most months of the year. Folks stop and chat for a few minutes at the grocery store romantic souls stroll leisurely along the beach, searching for sand dollars and shark's teeth. Many relax by fishing and boating in the calm coastal waters. Yes, life is easy. But when summer arrives and vacationers flock to the Island, things change. The pace quickens as the population quadruples. Smells of suntan lotion and outdoor barbeques permeate the air. A constant ripple of wakes made by boaters fills the waterways and beaches become crowded with sunbathers and surfers frolicking in the Atlantic. There is no doubt that tourist season is a far cry from the easygoing off-season months. To most, it is a time for fun in the sun on Topsail Island. But for a few, it's just plain old murder.
Thallasophile - lover of the ocean. That's me. I have a strong affinity for that entity and express those feelings through my writing--my books. They may span many genres but are all connected to the place I call home. Genres published: historical fiction, literary, murder, essays--they all are set on Topsail Island where I grew up. It is my way of perserving this wonderful place and the people with whom I share my life. The first book in the Murder by the Sea series is WATERLOGGED. Don Belkin is a former Marine, now a detective with the Surf City Police Dept. He's a conflicted man, to say the least, as he struggles to accept his past and find solace in the small beach town. Bitterness runs deep between the locals who have populated the area for generations and the "new" folks who think they've found paradise. Oh, Topsail Island may be the perfect tourist attraction, but in the summer it's just plain MURDER. (there are 5 more books in the series)
I have spent most of my life living on a Southern barrier island. Of course, the summers are much different than the rest of the year, after all, it is tourist season and the town bustles like crazy.-the population quadruples.as the locals take refuge from the blast of "oh, the beach!" mentality. ..
It's a different world for three months. There are always new faces, always new attitudes, new ideas, plus crazy drivers who think they are the ones driving correctly-litterbugs, rude people, and the list goes on.
So Memorial Day, the gateway to Summertime, has always offered me, as a writer, a whole world of DIFFERENT and a plethora of characters..
Book Excerpt
Waterlogged
It was typical springtime on Topsail Island, the weekend before Memorial Day, so it was relatively quiet. This time of year was referred to by most locals as the calm before the storm.
Comment on this Bubble
Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.