St. Simons by the Book

From fun fiction you can pack in your beach bag to library reading programs, now is the perfect time to sail into a summer of adventure with some great books. Books allow us to escape to worlds beyond our own or to discover more about the one we’re in. The extra leisure hours that summer provides are ideal to help children strengthen their literacy skills and for adults to broaden their horizons and keep their minds active. Books are also a wonderful way to discover the treasure to be found within the Golden Isles.

Famed Southern author Eugenia Price first discovered St. Simons Island when she and Joyce Blackburn were returning home from a book tour in 1961. She described a night filled with an eerie “early winter darkness” as they drove “along between arching trees, their ghostly strands of gray Spanish moss waving visibly and then invisibly in the low clouds.” It was during the next day’s long drive along Frederica Road with stops to admire “the wild tangles and wonder” of the island that Price found Christ Church, the inspiration for her famous St. Simons trilogy of novels based on the lives of the Gould and Dodge families: The Beloved Invader (1965), New Moon Rising (1969) and Lighthouse (1972). Her enthusiastic research into the history of the island and its inhabitants led her to move to St. Simons in 1965 and it is here she lived until her death in 1996. She is now buried at Christ Church amongst the graves of many of the island residents she brought to life in her novels. To date, more than 40 million copies of Price’s novels, many of which were NYT bestsellers, have been sold and the St. Simons trilogy remains a popular selection at our local bookstores, the Live Oak Shop in the Golden Isles Visitors Center on St. Simons Island, and the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum Store.

Price’s books provide a perfect starting point for exploring St. Simons Island. Using the subjects of her historical stories as a guide, take the time to visit the sites where they actually took place. Of course you’ll want to begin at the St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum, located in what is now called “Pier Village” on the south end of the island. The original lighthouse that was built in 1810 from the vision of James Gould, Price’s main character in the first book of her trilogy, Lighthouse, was destroyed during the Civil War. The majestic white tower that stands now was reconstructed and reignited in 1872. The 104 foot-tall brick tower boasting a and is among only five lighthouses that remain in the state of Georgia and is one of only 15 in the nation that operate using an authentic, third order Fresnel lens. Take the 129 stairs up to the observation deck to get a birds-eye view of the island and spanning across to Brunswick and Jekyll Island nearby. Learn more about the history of this island icon inside the museum operated by the Coastal Georgia Historic Society that is housed in the brick building that was formerly the lightkeepers’ dwelling. You’ll also find an exhibit that highlights Lighthouse and pays homage to Price. Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Saturday and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

You can continue James Gould’s journey by heading up to Cannon’s Point Preserve on the north end of the island. Once a Native American homestead, this once sandy plot that borders the Hampton River was purchased by John Couper in 1793 and transformed into a cotton plantation. Now preserved by the St. Simons Land Trust, the property has trails and beautiful areas to view nature. The plantation’s ruins and an array of 19th century relics, like tabby fragments from Fort Frederica, are accessible by a five-mile trek from the preserve’s parking lot, where you’ll find a kiosk that provides maps. Cannon’s Point Preserve is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Christ Church Frederica, also on the north end of the island, is another essential stop. Price wrote of Christ Church, “No trouble believing in Eternity here.” Christ Church makes numerous appearances in Price’s novels, and, as noted earlier, she was fittingly laid to rest here in its cemetery. With its first worship service dating back to 1736, when the first English colonists led by Col. James Oglethorpe settled here, the quaint white chapel with its gorgeous stained-glass windows in its setting of live oaks and lush greenery, is at the very heart of St. Simons’ story. The deep-rooted history of this Episcopal haven and its postcard-like appearance draw tourists from near and far daily.

Gascoigne Bluff is the site where James Gould felled oaks to construct warships for the Navy. Overlooking the Frederica River, and now one of the most serene spots on St. Simons Island’s western side, it was originally a Native American settlement here and was later used as a port for ships entering the harbor. Through the years its transformation has included a Franciscan monastery, a naval base, a cotton plantation, and a hub for transporting lumber and timber. Three small islands that formed from ballast discarded by ships dating back to the 18th century can be seen in the water across the distance from the fishing pier. It’s an ideal spot to take in a coastal sunset. Nearby the public park are the former Hamilton Plantation tabby slave cabins that were preserved and are maintained by the Cassina Garden Club

The historic site marking the Battle of the Bloody Marsh and Fort Frederica National Monument are central to Brandon Whitaker’s 2013 book, Bloody Marsh, available on Amazon.

Bloody Marsh – Brandon Whitaker

Travel back in time to Colonial America! The day was supposed to be about some easy college credit for Mitch Gaines, his girlfriend Desi Hopkins and best friend Robbie Cole. While working at the annual Battle of Bloody Marsh victory celebration held at Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island, they and many others recreate the life experienced in Colonial Georgia. Yet none of them had any idea what the night would bring. A surprise discovery will lead to an adventure of a lifetime! Thrown into a world they barely understand, the three friends will soon realize that getting home may not be their most pressing concern, which would be staying alive. With the help of some new friends, a situation that has spun out of control, they all understand that they will have to step up and may make the ultimate sacrifice. None of their lives will ever be the same again.

The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort are the backdrop for children’s book, The Princess and the Crab, by Grace Gore Sturdivant, illustrated by the Golden Isles’ own ED Hose. A nod to Sturdivant’s family connection to the resort and her own love story, the book showcases the natural beauty of St. Simons Island and highlights its historic landmarks. The Princess and the Crab is not only a magical story for children but is also a keepsake for anyone who has enjoyed our charming island home.

The Princess and the Crab – Grace Gore Sturdivant

Opportunities for fun abound on St. Simons Island, but for the Princess, her vacation becomes quite lonely. She is so afraid of sharing her favorite golden beach ball that she spends much of her time all alone. Join the Princess as she explores this picturesque island, meets a helpful little crab, and leans valuable lessons about making friends, keeping promises, and sharing all along the way.

There are more than a dozen books inspired by St. Simons Island or set in our little Golden Isles paradise, from romance novels to thrilling mysteries and adventures. Charles Martin’s Chasing Fireflies and Karen White’s Sea Change are some older novels with familiar settings. A few more recent works are worth mentioning and would make great beach or poolside reads this summer.

Prolific author and beloved Queen of the Beach Read, Mary Kay Andrews has another New York Times bestseller on her hands with Summers at the Saint. This recently released novel recounting the adventures of widowed owner of a faded landmark hotel as she attempts to restore it to its former glory has already garnered rave reviews. Told with the warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature for which Andrews is known, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with both depth and heart. Pick up a copy at any of our local bookstores or on Amazon. Keep your eye out for MK sightings in the Golden Isles too because she’s on the book trail doing signings and appearances!

Summers at the Saint – Mary Kay Andrews

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, known to everyone as “The Saint,” a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep, and scandals run even deeper. If you grew up coming to the hotel, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was “an Ain’t” whose family wasn’t rich or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it and her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair. With her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution, Traci will need to call upon all her wits and guts to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way.

Popular Southern author and columnist Ronda Rich’s recent Stella Bankwell Mystery, St. Simons Island, also grabbed local attention when she was here last year to promote its release. This first novel in a series of mysteries set on different barrier islands in the Golden Isles was a hit and the others are sure to entertain as well. You’ll recognize some the places and people in these pages! Ronda will be at The Cloister for a ticketed event on August 9, and you’ll want to keep an eye out for other appearances. The book is available at St. Simons Drug Co. and our local bookstores.

St. Simons Island – A Stella Bankwell Mystery - Ronda Rich

Ten years ago, the charming redhead, Stella Bankwell, married unforeseen trouble — Asher Bankwell, of old-Atlanta money and prestige — and now, in the words of those in the mountains where she grew up, Stella’s “chickens have come home to roost.” After a public humiliation at a black-tie gala, in front of Atlanta's snootiest, Stella serves Asher his comeuppance but is then banished from high society. Hoping to soothe her wounds, Stella first heads home to her Mama’s consolation. However, she soon makes her way to the Georgia Coast where her life begins making twists and turns she never could’ve anticipated. With each novel set on a different Golden Isle, St. Simons Island is the first in a series that will follow the resourceful, endearing, and mountain-smart Stella Bankwell; her well-connected and powerful mentor, former Governor McCager Burnett; the wily but always loyal (and single) U.S. Marshal Jackson “Pepper” Culpepper; and Stella’s odd-couple, high-society best friend, Chatty Chatham Balsam Colquitt IV.

Chuck Carter recently released his fiction debut with a thriller set on St. Simons Island, The Half-Life of Carson Hood. The book won First Place and Grand Prize in the annual seven state Southeastern Writers Association competition. According to the author, he received excellent in-person assistance from the late Taylor Schoettle, an incredibly knowledgeable local naturalist who explained why our islands are constantly being pushed around by the climate, weather, tides and waves. You can still find Taylor’s excellent books on sale throughout the Golden Isles. Chuck’s double award-winning debut winning book can be purchased locally at G. J. Ford Bookshop, directly from the author at chuckcarter74@gmail.com, or on Amazon.

The Half-Life of Carson Hood – Chuck Carter

The mystery begins on a Sunday under the magnificent oaks of a secluded family cemetery on the north end of St. Simons Island, when former Marine Carson Hood finds someone else buried in his grave. The mystery becomes a race against time with the climax occurring the following Sunday on the waterfront terrace of the Barrier Island Club on the island’s south end, where the country’s first female president will address world media. Carson and his new love Claire have one chance to stop a nefarious assassination plot hatched by two men—one wealthy, one brilliant. As the president steps into the crosshairs of the silent weapon, Carson gets another surprise. Claire knows more than she’s telling.

Whether you pick up these books or choose something else entirely, the miles of beaches, poolside cabanas, and shaded parks on St. Simons Island offer a perfect setting to do your summer reading!

Please support independent bookstores and our local businesses. You can find fiction and non-fiction works for children and adults featuring St. Simons Island and the Golden Isles in the Live Oak Shop at the Golden Isles Visitors Center on St. Simons Island, the St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum, St. Simons Drug Co., and numerous other local shops. Our two independent bookstores are invaluable! Righton Books is located in Redfern Village and has a Jittery Joe’s coffee shop attached so you can grab a cookie and a cappuccino to enjoy with your purchases. You’ll find G.J. Ford Bookshop in the Shops at Sea Island. Stop in and say hello to new owner Amanda Kirkland. Both bookstores have wonderful newsletters, book clubs, events and programs to engage readers.

Hopefully, this starts you on your discovery of St. Simons Island through books. We’ll get you outside next issue. For now, find a comfy spot and get reading!