My newest endeavor is a short story book for Young Adults. All three stories are a tinge paranormal, fun to write and fun to read. Here is an excerpt from TUPPER:

He stood on the edge of the curb, his brown eyes looking directly into hers. “Poor doggy,” she heard herself say aloud.                                          Rolling down the window, she looked more closely at the dog. He seemed so scared and lonely.

“Hey! Don’t you dare let that darn dog in this car,” Pete ordered.
If he hadn’t said it with such vehemence, if he hadn’t been so cruel and disdainful ever since she’d known him, maybe she wouldn’t have done it. But the instant the last syllable left his wretched lips, Marla opened the door and patted her thigh, “Come on boy, come on.”
Without delay the little dog hopped on her lap.

IMAGE JURY and THE GOODNESS OF AN ANOLE LIZARD AND A LITTLE WISTERIA  are the other 2 stories.

Listen to the Serenade of the Cattails and sing along with me.

The Serenade of the Cattails is the fourth book in the Blue House Series. It is a journey down old paths near the marshes of southern North Carolina and into the 1960s, when times were not much different than they are today. In fact, one might say that the journey leans to the paranormal. Much like present times, things happening simply did not seem real. There were wars, drugs, lies and liars, murder and to make it all appear to make sense-there was love.

I love the cover of SERENADE- with the help of my editor, Andy Jasso and Bill Messer’s wonderful photos, my cover has come alive! The entire book has been sent in for printing and should be here in about 10 days (i hope). Here’s a little exerpt:

Mary shook the conversation with the pastor away and closed her eyes tightly to get the thoughts out, “People just don’t understand,” she huffed, reminding herself that she didn’t want to go over the conversation again, she wanted to concentrate on the California girl, the one Amos Burger had killed. It riled her to no end that he had gotten off with merely a slap on the wrist and that he seemed to have no remorse.  She never could stand him, “old Towler’s behind all this. I bet you two dimes to a dollar he has something to do with it, with Amos, in fact, word all around is that he blamed the girl. It was the girl that was drunk, that was cheap. “Well, I guess that means it was okay,” Mary chided. “I just know that Towler had something to do with getting that slimy bag of worms, Amos, off,” she snorted angrily. “They’re both just…,” Mary’s mouth pursed tightly, “just money grubbing bags of pizzle.”

Oh yes, the cattails are still fuzzy. They should lose that fuzz in a few weeks, But I need them fuzz-less now. Need a good cover picture. While I wait, here is a little excerpt from SERENADE OF THE CATTAILS:

If it hadn’t been for her, Alfonzo Towler would have never built the ocean front monstrosity his wife had asked for. He could have conducted business from Raleigh or even Wilmington where his main real-estate office was located. If it hadn’t been for the demanding, or should he call it exactly what it was, the black mailing bitch.

What was it she had said?

“Darlin’ he looks just like you. I think he’s even got your jowly cheeks I love so much. And those eyes, well, they just ain’t exactly brown, now are they? I’d say sort of greenish brown, sorta muddy, like yours. What do you think?”

A little info about cattails-they grow just about everywhere. They can be found around marshes, ponds, lakes and estuaries. They can be eaten. They spread their seeds in the fall. They make no sound. However, in my latest fiction novel, THE SERENADE OF THE CATTAILS, they sing. Some of my characters hear them. Just what are they saying?

THE SERENADE OF THE CATTAILS, is the fourth novel in The Blue House Series by Carol Ann Ross. I endeavored greatly to make this particular book a whodunit, and believe me, it was not an easy task. Still, a wonderful cast of interesting and quirky characters made the experience fun-even I had difficulty figuring out who did the deed. I hope you (my readers) have the same experience.

Remember going over that old bridge? It wasn’t that long ago…4 years or so. Mim and Naomi and the Scaggins family and a whole bunch of other characters in the Blue House series books I have penned, do it every day. They go to Barnacle Bills, the Scotch Bonnet, the Putt Putt, the Skating Rink—all kinds of places that were around in the 1960s. Do you have memories at there? Of course, Blue House stories are fiction, made up and set at our wonderful Topsail Island. I bet you have stories too…embellish them a bit, see what you can come up with. Take a look at this series-TOPSAIL ISLAND TANGO, THE SNEAKY FREAKY, BLOWFISH,  and coming by June, THE SERENADE OF THE CATTAILS.

Oh my, sometimes I wonder if I see things from the past so much brighter, or better, or even a different color. So please correct me, anyone out there, who remembers the swing bridge from the 1960s. Was the bridge always green? It seems that it was more silvery 60 years ago. Oh well, it’s not here at all now, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Or does it?

Lots of things that existed in the 60s aren’t on Topsail Island anymore. But plenty of things still are, that glorious ocean, for one. Surf City Pier, Putt Putt Golf in South Topsail, the skating rink, The Soda Shop, Herrings, Thomas Tackle Shop, and The Shopping Center, (Red and White, IGA, the Supperette) are all still here..Have they changed? Yeah, but I still see them as they used to be. They come alive in my stories, along with the good and the bad influences and influencers of the time.  Lots of bad things were happening in the world back then, but here on Topsail we were safe as the world changed around us. Well, mostly safe. As the saying that originated in that decade dictates…shit happens.

I hope you will take a look at my novels, especially the latest ones in the Blue House Series: Topsail Island Tango, The Sneaky Freaky and Blowfish. I am almost done with Serenade of The Cattails, the fourth book in the series. Take a read and you can visit that long ago time, those glorious days when the bridge was silver. Hope you enjoy them. There’s some groovy stuff in those pages.

This is the Blue House Series…so far. Presently I am working on the fourth book, Serenade of the Cattails. It’s always a thrill when I reach the halfway mark when writing a book, and I’ve done that (plus a bit more), I’m happy to say. Topsail Island Trilogy, The Sneaky Freaky and Blowfish (pictured on the beach and in the beach grass) were so fun to write, but fickle as I am, I’m loving Serenade more than any of them. My characters keep growing, experiencing, failing and picking themselves up. And then there is always the butthead, the nefarious antagonist that we all have known at least once in our lives. They are so much fun to write.

Here is a little excerpt:

The memory of conversations and their meanings ebbed as Mim stretched her legs out along the sofa and rested her arm against the back of it. She perused the view from the window, the greenness of Greenfield Lake. Everything seemed to be touched by a soft spring greenness. Lily pads floating there beneath long spiny branches of the cypress trees, casting long shadows over the water, they too held the color, though it was darker. 

It was all so beautiful and Mim was glad that she’d been able to get an apartment across from the lake. 

In the distance , she could hear the crisp laughter of children playing on the swings or monkey bars or perhaps lining up to take a ride on the paddle wheel boat that toured the lake. She’d been on it a couple of times and listened to the boat captain tell the history of the lake and how the gardens of azaleas were planted and nurtured. He pointed out alligators, turtles and cranes, herons, egrets and other birds that made the lake their home. 

“It’s beautiful here,” Mim said aloud, though she did miss living at the beach. But it was nice being closer to town, to the movies, bowling alleys and restaurants. And she thought that perhaps there was more to life than Topsail Island.

Dear readers, do you really think Mim can resist the pull of Topsail Island and the ocean?

Merry Christmas to all! Hope this year’s Christmas brings joy and peace to your home and that the New Year is full of hope and fulfillment. I’ve been working on the 4th book in the Blue House series, Serenade of the Cattails, and am certain it should be ready by May 2024. I’m working diligently to make this a true whodunit. Wow! Talk about walking backwards….anyway, it should be a fun ride. Thank you for reading and following!!