“Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.”
― Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting
An INTERVIEW with your STORY CHARACTER? Why not?!
This is an enchanting Southern Historical Fantasy that is also a bit of a Romantic Time Travel story that will take you on a journey you won’t soon forget! It was inspired by a movie that my son got me onto, which is a favorite of ours, adapted from a children’s book and starring Sissy Spacek, called “Tuck Everlasting”. The first book is available now, and the 2nd one is coming soon! Once more, since I’ve updated some things, I’ve decided to repost this one more time, for those who don’t know about my “Secrets of Rose River” Time Travel Trilogy. The first, book, which “Anna” is here to tell you about, is now available in print and Kindle versions on Amazon Great news! It’s now available on B&N online in hard cover edition, as well as paperback and Nook, click here! So, here you go, and if you know someone who might enjoy this, please share the page to your Facebook or Twitter!
Feature Photo (above): Dancing Stones Cabin, Cherokee, NC – If you’re looking for a great retreat in a truly rustic atmosphere that will take you back in time, click here! Arizona Jane will make you feel right at home! I went on a personal retreat there and my husband and I spent part of our honeymoon there! You’ll love it!
Here is the interview with “Anna” and I hope you enjoy it and tell a friend! But now, I have to warn you, she’s 87 now and she’s something else!
It is late in the summer of 1952, in this little town “somewhere in the south”. I am here, sitting out in front of the store with “Anna”, our story teller from my “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, the first of which is “A River of Secrets: Summer of the Rose”. Meanwhile, why don’t you go on into the store here and get you a drink and come back out and sit down here with “Anna” and me and we’ll just let her tell you a little of what to expect. I told her it would be nice if we gave everyone a little of what it’s all about so she agreed to let me interview her. Now, let me just say, before we get started, “Anna” is one of the best story tellers around, and folks here in town will tell you, she knows how to tell a story. So, without further ado, let’s see what she has to say..
WHAT IS IT?
ME: So, Anna, tell me, what is this “Secrets of Rose River” all about?
ANNA: “Well, you see, folks say there’s a place somewhere along the river that runs deep into the woods here alongside our town that holds a secret. They say the water there in that place is like magic. It can take you places. The story goes that if you were to find this place, and touch the water there in that certain place, you will look around and see that you’ve gone forward in time, or even backward. But now, as far as I know, nobody’s ever found it, at least that would admit to it.”
WHERE IS IT?
ME: So, nobody you know of has ever found this place?
ANNA: “Well now, that all depends on how much of this story you want to believe. Of course, not too many around here ever told their stories, but then, who would believe them anyway? So, you just have to read my story and then decide for yourself. But, if you are willing to look through the eyes of a child once again, there is a little place somewhere down that little path in that forest of imagination you took as a child, where you could believe that just about anything’s possible. But of course, you know too, that I’m not going to just come out and tell you that. Now, that would spoil the magic of the whole story, now wouldn’t it?
ME: OK, I can understand that. So, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, Anna?
ANNA: Oh, naw, I don’t mind a bit! I’m eighty-seven. I was born Anna Elizabeth Brownfield, the youngest of eight children. I was born in 1865 just as the Civil War was ending.
ME: Anna, what is the name of your town here?
ANNA: “Wouldn’t you love to know? Of course, I’m not going to tell you that! Then all you folks would be a tryin’ to get here and see if you could find that place, now wouldn’t you?”
ME: (Laughing) OK, well, that makes sense. I can understand that. So, tell me, why do they call it a “river of secrets”?
ANNA: “Folks have called it that because that river, well, they say it’s like this enchanted lady that’s out there just a windin’ her way through the forest. The way we all put it, old Lady River has secrets she will never tell. That’s the truth too. I can tell you that river’s got secrets she will never tell. One thing I can tell you for sure is, ain’t many ever been able to ignore her when she comes a callin’.
ME: So, the river has a way of calling you?
ANNA: Oh yes! That’s how she gets you. See, there’s just this way the water kind of takes on this sparkle to it that just makes you want to go just a little farther, until before you realize it, you’ve done and gone too far.”
ME: You talk about Tater telling his story after a while. So, what do folks around here think of his story?
ANNA: Now, that’s a mighty interesting question! Of course, now, you know I learned from the best. Old Tater knows how to tell a story. Course, now, everybody around here knows he’ll knit you a yarn a mile long if you’ve got time to sit and listen to him. But now, old Tater, he loves to tell tall tales. So, there again, you just have to kind of take what he says and put it through the strainer, if you know what I mean, and just decide for yourself what you believe and what you don’t.
ME: So, tell us a little bit about Flapjack.
ANNA: (Laughs) Oh, that old dog, he’s something else. He’s always just kind of belonged to himself in a way. All I can say is, he plays a big part in our whole story, and I know a few things about old Flapjack that you don’t, so you just have to come back and listen to the story and see.
ME: Alright. So, tell me, what do you mean by “summer of the rose”?
ANNA: “Oh, well, that’s the whole romantic part of the story. Most of us have some kind of interesting story of how we met our true love. The rose plays an important part of my story. But then, I can’t tell you much more than that, you see. It would spoil the story. So, just come on back sometime and I’ll tell it to you. Well, I’m getting tired. I’m gonna go on back in there and rest a bit. But now, come on back, you hear? Come on back sometime soon, and I’ll sit here and tell you the whole thing. Believe you me. It’s a story you won’t soon forget. But now, just remember, if you mess around here long enough, Lady River out there, she knows you’re here, and she’ll soon come a callin’. If you’re like most folks have been, you won’t be able to ignore her. Everybody around here knows she’ll keep on a callin’ until she gets what she wants out of you.
ME: Well, Anna, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me and answer my questions. I’m sure folks will enjoy your story!
ANNA: Oh, you’re quite welcome! Come on back now, and I’ll tell you all about it! You be careful going back through them woods, now. That old river, she’ll take you on a trip you won’t believe if you mess around her long enough! Bye now, y’all come back!
ME: Good bye, Anna! We’ll be back for more of your stories!
We close that gate for now, and return to the present. Be sure to look for the second book in the series, coming soon, titled, “Scent of the Rose”. But don’t let “Anna” fool you. She’s just getting started!
Interested in reading more? Preview & purchase the book here!
And now, here is the movie trailer for the movie that was the inspiration for the “Secrets of Rose River” Time Travel Trilogy. Adapted from a children’s book by Natalie Babbit, it is a lovely little story that I found enjoyable. My son, Joshua, got me onto the movie, and I guess you could say it is one of those you could watch again and again and never get tired of. So here you go, enjoy!
Again, I have already started book 2 in the series, “Scent of the Rose”, which will be coming in the near future, but right now, I am still playing catch up, as my husband and I have had a lot going on, plus I am also a grandma to my awesome grandsons. Also, I am in the planning stages of some neat stuff for you to include here on the website for download in the near future, so check back, and be sure to subscribe to my email so you don’t miss out! As always, thanks for stopping by!
If you know anyone who would find this interesting, please share!
Flossie Stewart, Christian Author & Speaker 