Merrymaker's Christmas Shop

Ah… Christmas. In Turtle Creek, Mrs. Ivy Merrymaker keeps us all in the holiday spirit. She opens her shop in March and works to keep joy and hope in the air through December 31. The tourists love Christmas in July. And October through December keeps her on her toes.

Look around the store. Make sure you walk through the Christmas tree forest. She sets up twenty trees, all sizes and shapes and decorates them with handmade ornaments, lights and garland. She orders ornaments from all over the world. Her purchases support the fair trade industry for women in developing countries.

Merry Christmas Stars

See the little sheep on the Scottish tree? Folks from a cottage industry create them. I especially like the local tree. Some of Turtle Creek’s artists bring in their wares to sell. Did you see the authentic aluminum tree? My aunt had one. I’d lie on the floor and watch the color wheel reflect on the branches. Great memories!

Enjoy shopping and thanks for dropping by. Hope you come back soon.

Welcome to the Fresh Catch

If you’re visiting Turtle Creek for the fishing and canoeing, you’ll want to stop by the Fresh Catch. Finn’s stocked the shelves with pretty much anything you’d need for outdoor adventure. He took over the store when his mom and dad retired and made their little bait shop into quite a business.

Let’s go inside. Looks like Finn’s helping the Laymon twins pick out a tent. Maybe he’ll talk them into a camp stove and a couple of lanterns. Even if you don’t like to camp, he stocks comfy jeans and trendy hats. Pop this owl hat on and look in the mirror. Adorable.

Do you smell the chocolate and licorice? Candy lines the back wall. Remember Necco wafers and Charm squares? How about Gumdrops and Mary Janes by the pound? You can buy all the old fashioned treats that you can eat.  See the girl filling the barrel with taffy? She’s Finn’s daughter, Michelle. He’s raising her by himself. She’s a sweet kid.

No matter what the season, walking into Fresh Catch reminds you of summer. If you hang around awhile Finn will offer you a grape Nehi in a glass bottle. Go ahead, look around. I know you’ll find something you like.

When you finish we’ll head to the year round Christmas shop. Take your time. No hurry.

Welcome to O'Dell's Drug Store

Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed the café and the Book Nook. Let’s walk down the street to the drug store.

Stepping in to O’Dell’s brings back memories of days gone by. When I was a little girl I remember shopping at the drug store. My mom sifted through cards until she’d find the perfect one to send to Aunt Mildred in Omaha. While she searched for cards, I parked myself in the corner with the comic books. Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. What fun. Did you know that Catwoman was a librarian?

That’s not all. When mom finished shopping, she treated me to a pink cow. Vanilla ice cream drowning in red cream soda. Mmmm… that was the best.

Here we are. After you. The hardwood floors still creak in the same places. O’Dell’s son, Jackson, runs the Pharmacy now. They’ve updated the aisle shelving but he kept much of the store the same, including the ice cream counter. Pull up a stool.

There’s Sharla, Jackson’s wife. She works here dipping ice cream and ringing folks out. She’s one of the sweetest young ladies I’ve met in a while. The chalkboard’s her canvas. Every day she draws a picture of a frozen concoction. Someone told me she has an art degree and teaches at the college in the evenings.

How about a treat? It’s on me. Two pink cows, please.

What do think? Yummy isn’t it? If I remember right this was one of Willow’s favorite drinks.

When we finish, I thought you might like to visit the Fresh Catch. If you’re interested in camping or fishing you’ll love Finn’s shop.

Until then… 

A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman

Before I continue on my tour of Turtle Creek, I’d like to share a book review on a delightful story of hope.

A Merry Little Christmas by Anita Higman

The nineteen sixties brought turmoil and change. In Oklahoma, small towns battled over segregation, and gossip flowed through the streets. Franny, a country girl, who works the family farm but has dreams of the city, longs to spin records for a living. Charlie, the city boy, who wants more than anything to work independently of his wealthy family, seeks peace through a simple country life. Their mutual love of music draws them together and takes them on an unexpected journey. The characters bring a breath of fresh air to a story filled with hurt, love and healing. A Merry Little Christmas is the perfect holiday read. I highly recommend this Summerside, Songs of the Season Romance.

The Book Nook, a place to relax and read

 I’m so happy to see you’re still visiting Turtle Creek. Wasn’t the café just adorable? Bess serves the most delicious treats in town. You probably noticed that the repurposed old church not only houses the café, but also has a book store. Let’s take a peek inside the Book Nook. I just love the jingle of the bell above the door, don’t you.

The window display looks inviting. I bet Rachel, the student who works on break and in the summer, arranged the pumpkins and mums with the books. Hmm... I wonder if the community garden folks have seen the book about harvesting organic foods.

I see Reed’s helping a student find their textbook. He’s so good about keeping the college section stocked. Did you notice the variety in the local reading section, books by Ohio authors as well as tomes local sites around the state.  Such a friendly soul, Reed seems to love owning and running the book shop. I just can't figure out why some young lady hasn't snatched him up. 

If you want, we can buy a coffee and browse the book offerings or sit in the quiet reading area. I love the overstuffed chairs. A few times Reed’s caught me napping.

Next time you stop by, I’d like to drop by Odell’s and then see what Finn has in stock. If Willow ever does come home, she’s going to be surprised by the changes in Turtle Creek. I just hope she wants to stay.

Turtle Creek Cafe

Welcome to Turtle Creek, the town my imagination calls home. I’m the creator of this lovely town and all the residents who live here. If you have time, I’d like you to meet some of the folks and visit the businesses.

Join me at Turtle Creek Café. Have a seat by the window of this old repurposed church. Looks like the special today is a roasted marshmallow latte and Maggie Mae’s walnut, blueberry scones. I smell the sweet vanilla and coffee. Heavenly, don’t you think?

The young woman behind the counter, she’s Bess. She and her husband, Micah, own the shop. On Saturdays, their pre-teen daughter Bailey Joy washes dishes and wipes tables.

There’s Mr. Collins, a café regular and editor of the local newspaper. Bess loves the customers and wants to serve the best treats in the county. But more than anything, Bess wants her sister Willow to come home. She moved away more than ten years ago, and Bess misses her. But, that’s a story for another day.

I’d like to show you the rest of the town, so I hope you’ll come back in a few days.

Until then…

Writing a Proposal

In college, I wrote several research papers. None of them excited me or scared me more than penning a proposal. When an author writes a fiction book and plans to send the manuscript to an agent or publisher, a proposal needs to be put together that best represents the work. My first question on this mission was "Where do I begin?" I'd just finished typing a 54,000 word manuscript. Wasn't that enough? Apparently not.

I did what every good writer would do. I searched for information that would guide me through the process, and I prayed. God had called me to this and I knew that he had no intention of sending me out into the wilderness to wander alone.

Since I chose to go the agent route first, I matched up agent sites that marketed the genre I’d written. Then I dug in and found what they expected in a proposal. Along the way, I paid attention to who they represented currently and in the past. I’d read several of the authors of the agent I chose to target.

I printed their information, and then I wrote a list of the elements that they wanted from me. As I worked on each one, I checked it off my list.  In the end, I completed fifteen different points of sale.

Here they are:

1.      Cover Letter

2.      Synopsis

3.      Sample Chapters

4.      Chapters Summary

5.      Author Bio

6.      Back Cover Copy

7.      Promotion Sentence

8.      Sales Handle

9.      Purpose of Writing the Novel

10.  Protagonist’s Quest

11.  What’s at Stake?

12.  Take Away Value

13.  Comparison to Published Books

14.  Target Market

15.  Potential Marketing Channels/Platform

By the time I finished, I knew my story well. With each description and every point made, I felt more confident about my story and the impact and value that might be taken away by the reader. If it were possible to write the proposal before writing the manuscript, I’d have a better handle on the story. Instead, the proposal reminds me of the ribbon that completes the package. It ties everything together and reminds me of the gift that God has given me.

What do you enjoy or not enjoy about writing a proposal?