Strange how a book can reunite friends from long ago. After the Columbia, SC newspaper, The State, ran a story about me, I received an email through the link on my website. "I think you are my best friend's sister," the subject line stated. The message was polite: "Please forgive my contacting you electronically. I read a review of your novel in this morning's State Newspaper in Columbia, SC, and I think you are the younger sister of my childhood best friend, Helen." Sure enough, this was my sister's long lost friend, Susan. What a thrill to be able to reunite the two of them! I had a similar experience last month in Naples, Florida, the setting of my novel (circa 1962). My husband, who grew up in Naples, decided to come with me on the trip. He hadn't seen his Civil Air Patrol commanding officer in decades. Guess who came to my talk and book signing, having heard through the grapevine that my husband was going to be with me? That's right, it was my husband's old commanding officer, with whom he logged thousands of volunteer hours patrolling the Gulf Coast, looking for missing boaters or anything else amiss. The two of them had a reunion at my book signing! Later that day, my husband went to visit another of his former Civil Air Patrol commanding officers, a very elderly gentleman who was too frail to attend my presentation and book signing. They had a grand time, and I was left with a feeling of gratitude that my little novel had brought these old friends together.
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