An Excerpt From The Beacon

As I wrapped up the final edits on my Crystal Coast Series, it seemed fitting to visit Cape Lookout--the site of a critical scene in The Beacon. It turned out to be the perfect place to say goodbye to the quirky characters who've been bouncing around in my head for the last six years. 

Retracing Stevie's steps in The Beacon, I visited the gorgeous beaches on both sides of the island. I also spent a little time at the lighthouse. There, I reflected on how much Stevie grew and changed throughout the course of the series. She started out as a mother with a singular focus and ultimately turned into...*Sorry, that's classified*.

Kidding aside, I enjoyed my visit to Cape Lookout. Not only did it give me closure, it was also fun to tour the island and envision scenes that no one else could see. (That sounds super weird. It's okay, I'm a writer. I'm allowed to say weird stuff like that.)  

Excerpt from The Beacon:
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She stood at the base of the one hundred and sixty-three foot tall tower and looked up--something she had done many times throughout her childhood. From this angle, the lighthouse seemed to tilt forward, causing the familiar thrill of vertigo to wash over her. For a moment, she believed the entire structure might topple, crashing down upon her with the weight of its long history as the guardian of the shore.

It occurred to Stevie that she could cut down the mighty tower with little more than a thought. With a bit of cleverly dispensed magic, she could shift the sand on which it stood and destroy the landmark forever.

What would protect boaters from the treacherous North Carolina coastline then?

Nothing. Without a guardian, their existence would continue only at the mercy of the sea.
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And the sea could be a volatile bitch.

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