Let Travel Memories Surpass Reality

"Sailing at Sunset"  Copyright MM Sikes

Even as we see the recent terrible hurricane destruction, I still dream of travel. I wonder how many of the people with housing devastation had plans to travel they now have to cancel to care about concerns very close to their own homes. Things change in an instant, and in weather matters we have no control.

Long ago, I dreamed of traveling to Australia. It would be exciting to visit "down under" far into the southern hemisphere below the equator. But in those days, I lacked time, and with a growing family, the money to travel so far. Still, the thought of a journey there intrigued me, and I kept on dreaming.

Then we had our first opportunity to travel to Hawaii. First, we flew from Richmond to St. Louis and then took a nine-hour flight from there to Honolulu. Being on an airplane for that long a time was awful. Although it was beautiful on the island of Oahu and even more gorgeous on Kauai, I dreaded the flight home. I was happy we planned our visit for two weeks because a shorter stay would not have been worth the long trip. We have visited the Hawaiian islands twice since then and found that the shorter flight from Dallas is less stressful. But, my desire to visit Australia is no longer there, especially if it involves a long journey by air.

However, I would love to return to one of the Caribbean islands, especially Jamaica or St. Martin. Key West is the closest we've been recently to a tropical island.

Sometimes dreams are more fun than reality. I dream of returning to Paris and perusing as many art galleries as possible along the quaint streets. I would love to go back to Switzerland. My travel dreams never have included countries of the Far East. I don't want to travel to Indonesia or to the Philippines. I'm too claustrophobic to take a cruise aboard a ship.

As an author, sometimes it's more fun to write about journeys past. Sometimes it's more fun to imagine a romance on a tropical island than it is to travel there.

"Fantasy Skies"   Copyright MMSikes

How many travel dreams have you had come true? Have you written about some of them?

May all your journeys be warm and unforgettable. May your memories surpass reality.

Mary Montague Sikes

Meet Marilyn Meredith, Guest Blogger and Author of Angel Lost

 Today, Marilyn Meredith is my guest on Notes Along the Way. Since meeting Marilyn as a fellow author at Oak Tree Press, I have been impressed with her knowledge of the publishing industry and also by her willingness to help other authors. Despite her busy family life, writing several new books every year, keeping up her Web site and blogging, she always has time to plan conferences and answer questions. Marilyn even  attends several conferences each year where she is a speaker and/or panel member. I am delighted to know this amazing woman and to have her as my guest to tell about her latest book, Angel Lost.

Where the Angel Inspiration Came From for Angel Lost

That was the question Monti asked me to address for my visit here to her blog. She probably wonders what place an angel has in a crime novel.

One night while I was driving home from my writers’ critique group, I spotted a large

crowd gathered around a store that I knew sold floor coverings. It was dark out, yet, people jostled for a space around the plate glass window. Some of the folks held up cell phones and cameras taking pictures. Two police cars with their emergency lights on were parked in the middle of the street and the officer leaned against their cars. Vehicles filled the adjacent lot, and more were turning in.

I couldn’t tell what was going on and didn’t find out until I read the morning paper. An angel had made an appearance in the store’s window. People came to view the angel every night and the crowds grew bigger and bigger. No, I never got to see the angel myself. Ultimately, it turned out to be a reflection from the street lights on the window—or so that was the decision. Maybe it was, but maybe it was a miracle put there to make people draw closer to God. Certainly the people who actually saw the angel felt that there was a spiritual reason behind the angel’s appearance.

I knew that I would one day use a similar manifestation of an angel in a book—and of course that’s what happens in Angel Lost. There is a double meaning for the title, but you’ll have to read the book to find out what that is.

Frankly, I think we tend to brush off these miraculous sightings instead of embracing them as a gift from God.

F. M. Meredith, author of Angel Lost, who is also known as Marilyn.

Bio: F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of nearly thirty published novels. Her latest in the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, from Oak Tree Press, is Angel Lost. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Four chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Internet chapter , Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit  her at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com  

Here a Blurb about Angel Lost - As plans for her perfect wedding fill her mind, Officer Stacey Wilbur is sent out to trap a flasher, the new hire realizes Rocky Bluff P.D. is not the answer to his problems, Abel Navarro’s can’t concentrate on the job because of worry about his mother, Officer Gordon Butler has his usual upsets, the sudden appearance of an angel in the window of a furniture store captures everyone’s imagination and causes problems for RBPD, and then the worst possible happens—will Stacey and Doug’s wedding take place?

Thanks for visiting, Marilyn!

My A to Z Blog Challenge post for "I" follows:


"I" is for islands especially the tropical islands of the Caribbean which have fascinated the Passenger to Paradise since my first visit to Jamaica in 1980. The light, the sweet fragrances of sand, sea, and flowers all intrigued me. Visits followed to St. Thomas, St. Johns, St. Croix, St. Martin, Antigua, St. Barts, Anguilla, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Trinidad, Curacao, the Bahamas, Hawaiian Islands, Key West, and many other beautiful tropical islands. We have never been on a cruise, so all of our visits have been stays on the islands. 


Not only have I written about these fantastic destinations in travel articles and books, but I have painted them as well. During our travels, a camera has never been far away. I have thousands of 35mm color slides stored in my art studio which I've used as resort materials for hundreds of drawings and paintings. Sadly 35mm slides are a thing of the past, but I love the convenience and quickness of my digital camera.


Do you love the islands as well? Do you have your own special island or retreat?