A GLASS HALF-EMPTY GUY

At least nobody took potshots at me because I destroyed their island… in my novel.

St. Simons is still here. As hot and humid as ever, but still beautiful. I think. It’s sometimes hard to tell thanks to periodic incursions of hazy smoke from distant wildfires in Pogo-Land.

But back to the business at hand. The people who attended my book signing at G. J. Ford on the island last Saturday were certainly gracious. They said nice things about EYEWALL and I enjoyed listening to their hurricane tales.

Among my visitors were the director of the Glynn County Emergency Management Agency, the owner of the Blackwater Grill on St. Simons, a young couple who’d moved to the island the same day Hurricane Floyd (1999) forced them to evacuate, and an older gentlemen who recalled Hurricane Donna smacking Florida back in 1960.

I also signed a book for a retired Methodist minister who had served at my church in north metro Atlanta several years ago. I wonder if I should have warned him about the R-rated scenes. Oh, well, too late for that.

Seriously, I’m a bit taken aback by all the ravings–5-star ravings–EYEWALL has received. As a novelist, you’re always riddled by self doubt, and I’m no exception. So I keep thinking people are just be nice to me… not my book.

What’s worse, if the 5-stars are genuine, then I’ve set the bar really, really high for my next thriller.

See. There I go. A glass half-empty guy.

See ya at Beachview books on Thursday for another signing.

PHOTO: SUNSET AT EPWORTH-BY-THE-SEA, ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA (without the smoke).