Sullivan's Island Lighthouse

My husband had to drive me down a dead end street to get this shot of Sullivan's Lighthouse. As he circled around, I hung out the window to capture it. The second photo below was taken from the air when we took a plane ride over Charleston. Click on it for a closer view and see if you can find Sullivan's Lighthouse.

This was the last lighthouse built in South Carolina in 1962. It was meant to replace Morris Island Lighthouse, which they are in the process of trying to save. Instead of black and white, it was originally painted orange and white.

Sullivan's Lighthouse is anchored by steel girders and a concrete foundation. It stands 163 feet tall and built to weather hurricanes. It is the only lighthouse in America that contains an elevator. It contains offices and is air conditioned. A back-up generator is located at the base.


To my disappointment, the lighthouse isn't open to the public. Coast Guard personnel use the former keeper's house as office space. This house itself has been restored. Three low-intensity lamps are used in the lighthouse, which have a range of 26 miles and are on an automatic rotation system. On bulb blinks every 5 seconds, a second bulb every 20 seconds, and the last one every 30 seconds.

Before Sullivan's Lighthouse, the office records of the US Coast Guard Historian show that a small red square structure was built in 1848. It stood on four brick piers 300 yards southwest of Fort Moultrie. It was rebuilt in 1872. Another beacon was added in 1888 and served as a red reflector rear light. On May 20, 1899 the lights were renamed as the South Channel Range Lights. If you're interested in what these earlier structures looked like, there are some black and white photos in the resource I used to obtain this information from the book, Lighthouses of the Carolinas: A Short History and Guide by Terrance Zepke.

CFBA Book Review - Love's Pursuit

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

A Constant Heart was her sixth novel. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. She has been called one of the clearest, most original voices in the CBA.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the small Puritan community of Stoneybrooke, Massachusetts, Susannah Phillips stands out both for her character and beauty. She wants only a simple life but soon finds herself pursued by the town's wealthiest bachelor and by a roguish military captain sent to protect them. One is not what he seems and one is more than he seems.

In trying to discover true love's path, Susannah is helped by the most unlikely of allies, a wounded woman who lives invisible and ignored in their town. As the depth, passion, and sacrifice of love is revealed to Susannah, she begins to question the rules and regulations of her childhood faith. In a community where grace is unknown, what price will she pay for embracing love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love's Pursuit, go HERE.

Abingdon Author Retreat

As usual, my blogging got off schedule this summer. In May I went to Columbia, SC for some research on--Yes, another book! In June we went on vacation at Myrtle Beach, and the following week I flew to Pennsylvania for a fabulous author retreat with my editor and other Abingdon Press authors. For those of you who have been faithfully stopping by and commenting, thank you for being patient and not giving up on me.

1st Photo: Downstairs with authors Kay Strom, and Gail Sattler all bundled up by the window. The rain outside made it a little cooler.

2nd Photo: Upstairs in the Chuck Room, authors Christa Allan and Joyce Magnin in deep discussion.

The Abingdon Retreat

We were nestled in a log cabin in the mountains of Pennsylvania with no cell phone or Internet service. We were about an hour away from the airport so it was a real retreat in every way. I rented a car and drove to the cabin and this gave me time to reflect on the scenery, of course it rained the whole time we were there. However, the landscape did remind me of the NC mountains. I was surprised by this. I kept thinking of my Quaker ancestors who came through Pennsylvania to NC.

3rd Photo: Myself on the left and Kay Strom on the right in our rockers by the window. This was my favorite place the whole time I was there, rocking by the window upstairs, with a slight breeze blowing in so I could bundle under my blanket. I'm an avid rocker if a rocking chair was around. I almost rocked myself off the lovely carpet a few times. One of my fellow friends had to remind me to watch out for my laptop below me.

Those who were able to make it was Barbara Scott, our editor from Abingdon Press. She is so full of wisdom and is really seeking the heart of God for His will and purpose in Abingdon's new fiction line. I learned that I am so blessed to know you, Barbara. The authors were, Cynthia Rutchi, ACFW's President, and author of They Almost Always Come Home, Christa Allan, author of Walking on Broken Glass, Joyce Magnin, who officially organized our retreat and author of Agnes Sparrow, Kay Strom author of The Call of Zulina, Gail Sattler, author of The Narrow Path, and myself, Jennifer Hudson Taylor, author of Highland Blessings.

4th Photo: Our editor, Barbara Scott, Chuck is beside her, Gail Sattler is bundled up again, and Cynthia Rutchi looks like she is deep in thought. Joyce also blogged on our retreat at her blog on the Sisters of Chuck, you'll have to read her blog to discover more about Chuck.

We had some awesome devotions. We were prayer warriors, and we learned from a couple of workshops and through a critique session. The bonding we experienced will forever be a part of me. I'm a richer person in Christ for the fellowship we shared.

5th Photo: Our cabin on Sunday morning as we were about to split up and go our separate ways. I was kind of sad that it was over, but once I left this place, my 10-hour journey in three different airports began.

My first flight was delayed, which made me miss my connecting flight in Newark. Then they informed me that I could fly into a different city into NC. I knew if I could just get to my home state, someone would pick me up. My hubby ended up driving 1 1/2 hours to get me (one-way). Then my luggage didn't arrive with me. It was lost for the next two days. When they finally delivered it to my house, my suitcase was damaged. I still oved the retreat!!!

I can't wait until next year!

CFBA Book Review - Rose House

The

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Rose House

WaterBrook Press


by

Tina Ann Forkner

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. She grew up in Oklahoma and graduated with honors from CSU Sacramento before settling in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, their three bright children and their dog. She stays busy serving on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors. She is the author of Ruby Among Us, her debut novel, and Rose House, which recently released from Waterbrook Press/Random House.


ABOUT THE BOOK:
A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope.



Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms.



She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.



What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.



A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.



If you would like to read an excerpt from Rose House, go HERE.

CFBA Book Review - A Bride in the Bargain

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Bride In The Bargain
Bethany House (June 1, 2009)
by
Deeanne Gist


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Deeanne Gist, the bestselling author of A Bride Most Begrudging and The Measure of a Lady, has a background in education and journalism. Her credits include People magazine, Parents, and Parenting. With a line of parenting products called "I Did It!® Productions" and a degree from Texas A&M, she continues her writing and speaking. She and her family live in Houston, Texas.

Since the debut of those novels, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, two RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.





ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Wedding Is All Planned...
Someone Just Needs to Tell the Bride
In 1860s Seattle, redwoods were plentiful but women scarce. Yet a man with a wife could secure 640 acres of timberland for free.

Joe Denton doesn't have a wife, though. His died before she could follow him to Seattle and now the local judge is threatening to take away his claim. In desperation, he buys himself a Mercer bride--one of the eastern widows and orphans brought to the Territory by entrepreneur Asa Mercer.

Anna Ivey's journey west with Mercer is an escape from the aftermath of the Civil War. She signed on to become a cook--not a bride. When she's handed over to Denton, her stubborn refusal to wed jeopardizes his land. With only a few months before he loses all he holds dear, can he convince this provoking, but beguiling, easterner to become his lawfully wedded wife?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bride In The Bargain, go HERE.