A Long Weekend at Buzby - I mean Carolina - Beach

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(c)2022 Douglas W Davis

 This sunset photo was taken at the Carolina Beach State Park Marina on Thursday, October 6, 2022. The missus and I had just arrived and parked the Eagle (our 5th-Wheel) in our favorite site and I went to the office to check in and pick up a couple of bundles of firewood.

Arriving back at the Beast (my F250 4-door 4x4), this beautiful scene caught my eye. I thanked the inventors of the the phone/camera and snapped this image. It came out better than I expected.

While looking at the picture, I found myself thinking of all those times in the days before we all carried a phone/camera hybrid in our pockets when I witnessed a site that begged to be photographed and had no means with me with which to capture the moment.

At present, the missus is back at the camper working remotely. It is Friday, and, technically, she is on the job. I played hooky - with permission, so it's not really playing hooky - and have the day off.

My day began at The Southerly where I picked up our delicious breakfast of biscuits and gravy with sausage. The Southerly makes the best biscuits, with the exception of my Grandma Davis's - may God rest her soul - that I've ever had.

After enjoying a hearty breakfast and taking the dogs for a walk around the campground, I headed to town to visit the Island Book Shop. Jenny, the proprietor, has long been a supporter of my writing and has on hand a selection of my titles - autographed - on hand to choose from. She also carries a great selection of the latest major titles, books about the southeastern NC region, and books by other local authors.

Now, as I type this post, I am sipping a caramel macchiato at my favorite coffee shop, Majik Beanz. I always enjoy coming here, both for the delicious locally roasted coffee and because I am "locally" famous to the regulars here as "the Writer Guy." In truth, I'd rather spend the day here at Majik Beanz hanging out and writing than anywhere else I know, and wish I could come more often than two or three times a year.

You may have guessed by now that when I am here in Carolina Beach it is almost like being in my fictional town of Buzby Beach. Most of the places in the town of Buzby Beach were inspired in some fashion by my favorite shops here. I invite you to read The Boy from Buzby Beach and my other novels set in that coastal Carolina town to see if you can guess which places in the novels are inspired by real stores here in my favorite place to be in the world.


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