In 23 years of writing books, I have never encountered such a situation.
The new book in my Stella Bankwell series releases on October 29th. It’s a light-hearted, blue skies mystery.
The problem? Life’s not very light-hearted lately.
Mercer University Press and I set the release date months ago. We discussed it at length. We wanted it close to Christmas but before the election.
Too, I firmly wanted to debut the book at the Sea Island’s Cloister for two reasons: Sea Island is a character in the Stella Bankwell series. It has a co-starring role while another Georgia coastal island – a different one in each book – has the starring role.
Secondly, Parra Vaughan and her team have been good to me for over 15 years. They befriended me and helped me when no one else even cared to know me. I believe strongly in what the Appalachian folks say, “Dance with the one what brung you.”
That meant coordinating a release date when they had an availability for a large luncheon. Because of their kindness, we now sell out Cloister member events, quickly.
After much discussion and studying on it, we chose October 29th.
Perhaps I should say that I wish we had chosen another date but, thinking on it as I have for weeks, no date would have been better. Only God Almighty has the ability to change the large, life-changing events that have crashed upon us.
When the first occurred, I did what proper Southern women have often done – though I’m a country girl so I’m expected to be more stoic – I took to my bed. For three days, I’d open my eyes in the morning then pull the down comforter over my head, crying myself back to sleep. Even when I finally forced myself out of bed, I was heavy-hearted and weepy.
My close, longtime friend, Walt Ehmer, Waffle House Chairman, died after a 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 58. Whenever I think of living out my life without him, I am still prone to tears.
In the midst of that sorrow, my two favorite cats on the Rondarosa, disappeared. How can we love animals so much?
Then, on a mild early Autumn night, our family stood, wordlessly, watching my brother-in-law’s barn, filled with over 60 years of hard work, burn to the ground.
Rodney grins all the time. Even when he wants to be disgusted or look aggravated, there is always a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Toward the end of the fire, he walked over to me, shaking his head and grinning, good natured.
“Well, there goes my John Deere tractor.” He smiled so sweetly. Rodney loves John Deere.
It was time to start promoting the book, but the pieces of my heart weren’t in it. Then, came the horrific hurricanes. I stayed up all night, praying, while Helene spun a path of utter destruction, especially in the Carolina mountains, a place where wealth is a stranger. What little they had was gone.
Next, came Milton. I pushed further back from promoting a sweet, funny book.
The news that followed left me speechless. Seven people, much-loved by many, died when a ramp collapsed from a Sapelo Island ferry.
Sapelo Island.
It was two weeks away from the release of my new Stella Bankwell book called Sapelo Island. It is a fun romp through a beautiful island where a murder-mystery has taken place at the RJ Reynolds, Jr.’s mansion. He once owned the island.
It was Rodney’s smile from that night when his beloved John Deere melted in the fire that inspired the answer. His pleasantness made us all feel better.
My new Stella Bankwell book is laugh-out-loud-funny.
We all need laughter now. God knew that when we chose the release date. My mission field, at this moment in time, is uplifting hearts too heavy to lift themselves. Laughter is a powerful weapon against sorrow.
[Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of “St. Simons Island: A Stella Bankwell Mystery.” Please visit www.rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.]
