Check out the Holiday Open House at Campbell Road Nursery 2804 Campbell Road, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, DECEMBER 5
8-11 am live broadcast, Weekend Gardener
~10 am - Therapy mini horses Kiwi and Lola
11:30 - 1:30 food will be served to you
throughout the day...
Nancy Wakeley, local author will be onsite to sign copies of her latest book - gift idea gift idea!!
http://www.nancywakeley.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Heirlo.../dp/B08964DF3H/ref=sr_1_1...
Plenty of plants, sales, Christmas plants for your selection...
There will be people directing you for parking.
Please be watchful.
--Reminder -- our retail parking lot has a one way flow, counter clockwise, do not exit out the "in" side.
You may be directed to parking across Campbell road, parking in the wholesale area. Be prepared and watchful. Enjoy!

I am so thrilled today to have a "Meet the Author" book signing event at The Cocoon Gallery, 221 N. Salem Street, Apex, NC!  The Gallery is the place to go for your Christmas shopping--Cynthia Mollenkopf has a wonderful selection of artisan wares and wearables. 

​Today is Small Business Saturday so I hope that you will support the small businesses in your town today!  Apex businesses are open and ready to help you select just the right gift-for you or for family or friends! 

It is so critical for us, especially now, to partner with them in their success!  I am looking forward to meeting you there! I will be there from 10 AM to 4 PM today.  

"Heirloom", for me, speaks about real life--it is about the losses we all face in our journeys, but it is also about overcoming the loss, and finding strength when we need it--not just from ourselves and our own inner convictions but accepting the strength offered from others and allowing that help to be a source of healing. Kate grows into her own in "Heirloom" when she understands that others need her, too, and this gives her a sense of purpose. She grows as she discovers that she must fight for what is rightfully hers and while it is a battle she never expected to have, she meets it head on.

Here are two of my favorite reviews from a reader: "I just finished Heirloom and had to tell you how much I LOVED it! I'm kind of sorry I finished it because every page had me wanting to read more. Your characters were so real and your imagery brought everything to life. I can't wait until your next book!"

"I finished it last night. Loved it. I hated that it ended! I want the story to keep going."

I know that you will love the small town feel, the quirky characters, that secrets that Kate discovers about herself....and I will leave the rest to you!

"The Kate Tyler novels" will be a series so watch for more adventures with Kate!

I am happy to announce that I will be at the State Farmer's Market Restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend, October 3 and 4 from 9-2:30 for a book signing event so come by, get yourself a great meal and stop by my table for a chat about the book and get your own personalized copy!  I am thrilled with the reviews so far--people are loving it and I know you will too!

​For some reason I always think that something profound needs to be said when showing photos of the ocean.  This photo was taken last October at the beach in North Carolina and I caught it just as the waves were breaking over the wall of water beneath them.  The term “wall of water” emphasizes the strength of what is created by the combination of the depth of the water, the contours of the land beneath it and the weather.  Surfers can glide down a wall of water.  Towns and people can be destroyed by a wall of water.  The best built boats can be sunk by a wall of water.  If we are lucky, we can stand safely on the shore and simply marvel at the expanse of the ocean in front of us, the constancy of it and yet the ever-changing shades of the surf as it reaches us.  We can let it lap over our toes or let the foamy surface wrap around our ankles and feel the sand as it disappears from underneath our feet, pulled back to the ocean again and again.  I never tire of it and very thankful that I am able to experience it once in a while.  So here is your bit of ocean wonder for this morning-I hope you all experience some joy today!

Another milestone for Heirloom!  It has been featured on the North Carolina Writers Network Book Buzz!  
https://ncwriters.org/index.php/our-members/book-buzz
      
  It is a great way for authors to gain "buzz" for their new books within the writing community.  And I can speak for all of us when I say "Thank you! Always appreciated!"  
I have learned, through this book writing process, that there are so many resources available for authors, both new and experienced.  Joining the NCWN was a wonderful solution for me when I needed it! The book will also be shared on their social media.  

​A lot has happened since my last post—and a lot HASN’T happened!  As you all are aware, we are still fighting the COVID-19 virus.  We are still searching for a vaccine although progress is definitely being made.  The country is in various stages of shut-down or re-opening, going back to school, either virtually or in person.  Some businesses are thriving, others are shuttered.  People are finding new ways to do their everyday lives—some are becoming used to the new ways, others are growing weary of it. 
We, my husband and I, are somewhere in the middle.  His job allows him to work.  My retirement allows me to stay home and write and still go out when necessary.  Some of you have suffered unimaginable, heartbreaking losses during this time.  You have had to put off graduations, weddings, memorial services, vacations—each one of these life events are so important—celebrations, remembrances in the face of loss, much needed getaways to revive and refresh us or simply to visit family and friends.  Nothing is really normal anymore.  Travel is restricted (or maybe the better word for it is discouraged) even between some states which, in my lifetime, except maybe on 9/11, has never happened.  It feels wrong in our country to not be able to go where we want, when we want, in whatever mode of transportation we want.  It just doesn’t feel right, disconcerting, restrictive.  But all for a good cause.  We are using “the ends justify the means” philosophy for most of the restrictions which is necessary in a pandemic I guess.  You can either agree or disagree with the wisdom of the restrictions and recommendations or even the validity of the reporting on the virus itself.  It is for each of us to decide in a society where information is available to us and we have the freedom to make our own decisions about things.  But if, at the heart of any of our personal and collective decisions, we seek to 1-do no harm, 2-love our neighbors, 3-seek the truth, we will be able to get through this together. 
The photo here is from the garden at the governor’s mansion in Colonial Williamsburg. It is my version of “there is a light at the end of the tunnel”.  My tunnel is green and shaded from the summer heat with a bench that allows rest along the journey. 
Be kind to yourself and others.  I hope you find a bench that allows rest along the way.  

A third author review was given by Nancy Panko.  She is the author of the Award-Winning "Guiding Missal".  I highly recommend her books! She is coming out with a new one soon called "Sheltering Angels".  Check it out soon on Amazon.com!

Nancy Panko, Author of Award-Winning “Guiding Missal”:
Nancy Wakeley weaves a beautiful tapestry in and around grieving Kate Tyler, who inherits a rundown country estate. Integrating a colorful cast of characters, Wakeley ties them together with threads of loss and loneliness and contrasting hues of hope, redemption, and love. Readers will enjoy the transformation. Wakeley’s story, Heirloom, is a lovely work of art.

Today is HEIRLOOM's book birthday! The official launch is today and I am very excited about it! For those of you who have ordered, the books will be going out tomorrow! Watch for a Facebook Live Event tonight at 6 PM (or shortly after) for a reading!
A signed copy of the book is always available through me but the book is also now available at the following .com's--Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart and Target.
Hope to see you later!