SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

There is nothing like Autumn in Appalachia so when I started to plan my escape to our Townsend house for leaf peeping I noticed that one of my favorite authors and blog friend Vicki Lane was having a book signing for her new book "Under The Skin" in beautiful Sylva, NC at City Lights Book Store on October 29th ! So I put my plan in motion. Our mutal friend author Gary Carden lives in Sylva so I e-mailed Gary and arranged to meet him for lunch @ LuLu's on Main. It turned out that he was going to be interviewed in the City Lights Cafe by some university students for a documentary at the same time of Vicki's presentation.



This is a picture I found on the internet of Sylva in the snow............


I wish I'd gotten a picture of the Surprise on Vicki's face when she looked up and saw me........

Vicki's reading and discussion was so interesting ................


It's so awesome to hear the author read from from their work.........


I took this picture as I was leaving of Gary being interviewed downstairs.......
I really enjoyed getting to spend time with both of these extremely creative authors!

Speaking of SURPRISES.....
I got one myself on the way to Sylva. It had snowed in the higher elevations of the park!




It had rained the day before in Townsend but higher up the rain became Snow!
From Townsend through the park to Gatlinburg the leaves were just brilliant and I felt like I was driving through a painting.........


After turning toward Cherokee to climb the mountain I drove through a breath taking winter wonderland and the temp was 26 at New Foundland Gap !!!


My passion is reading and I'm so grateful to the authors who provide me with hours of pleasure and it is such fun to be able to support my favorite authors and the book stores that host them!
If you haven't read Vicki's " Elizabeth Goodweather Series you are missing out and it's time you treat yourself! "Under The Skin" is the 5th book of the series !



Thanks For Stopping By !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

" UNDER THE SKIN " by VICKI LANE...TRULY OOLY De'Vine

The Wait Is Over ! It's Tuesday October 18, 2011! The 5th book in the Elizabeth Goodweather Mystery Series by Vicki Lane is here!

It's hard to believe that it's been 3 years ( June 2008) since Vicki Lane left us all on a cliff in " Dark Season"! So long in fact, I had to re-read "Dark Season" recently to remember what cliff I was on in preparation for being honored with an ARC of " Under The Skin " !!
Those of you who visit this blog know: " I Am A Connoisseur of North Carolina Authors and their works "! I've read them all! They are a special breed, right up there with MISSISSIPPI ( you know we have Faulkner,Welty, Morris, Grisham, Stockett to name a few)
and... Vicki Lane is a "blue blood" among her NC peers!

" UNDER THE SKIN " .....WOW!
In my opinion her best yet...

" Of Two Sisters....One is always the watcher.. One the dancer".....Louise Gluck

" Rivalry adds so much to the charms of one's conquests"...
Louisa May Alcott

In " Under The Skin" we delve into the relationship of Elizabeth and her only sister Gloria. Rivalry comes front and center as Elizabeth the "watcher" is sucked into the vortex of Gloria the "dancer"....
As with all Vicki's books, we are treated to then and now of Western NC which I love!
" Then" being Hot Springs, NC 1887 where The De'Vine sisters are perpetrating a "medium" scheme of bringing forth the dead in their much sought after seances....
" Now" being not only Elizabeth's home, Full Circle Farm but also present day Hot Springs where Gloria has taken the reluctant Elizabeth for their own seance with the departed!
Gloria has come from her home in Florida in hopes of hiding out from her current(3rd) husband whom she's convinced is trying to kill her, landing full force in the middle of Elizabeth's wedding planning, where she causes chaos and resentment to take over Elizabeth's life.
The reader is treated to not only a great mystery but an up close look at the complicated bond that exists between two very different sisters from two very different eras.



It was 3 years ago yesterday that I discovered the works of Vicki Lane! I was fortunate that she already had written 4 books in The Elizabeth Goodweather Series and I ordered all 4! We have become good friends and "sisters of the written word"in these past 3 years and she is one of my VERY favorite authors. She has that "rare " ability to capture place so well.........you have to see it for yourself!

She made me fall in love with Western NC and last year I was blessed with the opportunity to visit with her@ Full Circle Farm and enjoy a wonderful meal I still remember well !
Above is a collage of pics I took on her gorgeous farm while there........

Below you'll see my complete collection of Vicki's wonderful books!!!!!
If you haven't read them.... shame on you! You are missing out!




AND.....Vicki, please tell me I don't have to wait 3 more years to visit with our girl Elizabeth!!!