All this foggy weather lately makes me want to be on the beach. Yes, fog on the beach is magical (see excerpt below from shiny bits ). Photo by Melanie Campbell Before her was a blank slate, the world erased. Pale gray sky held the sun, wrapped in a shroud, only halfway above the tear between sea and sky. When she reached the dunes, a V of gulls drifted into view, searching for a resting place, and then vaporized like a ghost. Fog enveloped her and she was contained within it, separated from the world outside. ( shiny bits in between, blank slate )

'Bookends' in publishing are books that are comparable to yours. If you like any of these books, shiny bits in between may be the book for you! These titles have all inspired me and influenced my writing in various ways. Where The Crawdad's Sing is the most recent book on my bookends list. Delia Owens, as a scientist herself, shares her intimate understanding of the natural environment in the marshes of North Carolina. In my own novel, the raw, authentic beauty of Bolivar Peninsula on the Texas Gulf Coast plays an important role and serves as a reflection of the two main characters' journeys. Shipping News also has a strong sense of place, as well as wonderfully quirky locals, something Bolivar has its fair share of! Annie Proulx is a master at character and language--there are times when a sentence will take my breath away. Language is something I value and paid close attention to in my own book. The House on Mango Street is a beautifully written book abo