In the mountains of western North Carolina, things aren’t always as they seem. When a college student is found dead, the incident is quickly ruled a suicide. The boy’s parents hire Breeze and Brody to investigate his death. At first, they are stonewalled by the entire community, but Breeze devises a devious and clever plan to get to the truth.
They think they’ve broken the case wide open, but soon learn their mission is not complete.
We understood our biggest challenge after moving from Florida to the Blue Ridge Mountains would be adjusting to the cold. It really hasn’t been that bad. We survived our first big snowfall in December without any major difficulty.
It was kinda fun actually, except for the shoveling. Bitter cold set in after that and we spent a lot more time indoors than we are used to.
It’s been great for my writing. It’s quiet and peaceful here, with few distractions. My biggest chore has been keeping the fire going.
As winter draws to an end here in late February, the most persistent downer has been non-stop rain. This area had record rainfall in 2018, and the new year has been just as wet so far. It’s gray, it’s cloudy, it’s foggy – and we’re ready for spring. We’ve haven’t seen more than a fleeting glimpse of sunshine in over a month. It’s always gloomy.
If it’s not fog, it’s clouds. We live amongst the clouds these days.
Don’t get me wrong, we love our little cabin. It’s cozy and comfortable so being indoors is not a punishment. We’ve made it our home and we’re quite happy with it. We could just use a little sunshine right about now.
I’ll raise one glass to our friends in Florida, and another to all the white-skinned, gloomy folks of the High Country. Spring is right around the corner! (and we don’t have hurricanes).
A freak accident causes Buckeye Lake to be drained. A girl’s body is found in the mud. A mysterious mountain hermit is a suspect, but no one has ever seen him. Breeze is called upon to track a man that he’s not even sure exists.
He teams up with an attractive female police officer, who wants more than just a professional relationship. Pressure mounts as the case progresses, in more ways than one.
Get it at Amazon
Becoming One With the Mountain
I was right there on the mountain. Smelling ,hearing,seeing, and feeling the mountain and the woods. Brought back so many memories. And the smells of a mountain man is so true.
This is a great start to a new series. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Breeze and Brody…I am glad the author has started on a new series. I hope he hurries with his next book. These are great reads.
Ed Robinson pulled another great read off as this book will keep you rivited until the end ,I cannot express how happy I am that this book was as good as it is , I was worried that Breeze without a boat wasn’t gonna work but I was wrong . This is one of the best yet .
From the FL Gulf to the NC Mountains
From the Florida Gulf to the Mountains of NC, Breeze still rules. His character gets stronger and more defined with each book. While I hated to see Mr Robinson leave the Florida and Caribbean waters, I thoroughly enjoyed how Breeze adapted to new “terrain” without sacrificing the story.
Great transition from the Trawler Trash series
I liked the book. I have read the entire Trawler Trash series by Ed Robinson and was curious about his transition to hill billy living. This book didn’t disappoint.
I enjoyed Banner Elk Breeze very much. The buildup to the ending was well done. The ending was great. I like Brody. Normally, when the hero has a significant other, she tends to get in the way and interfere with the rhythm of the story, but Brody is okay. The dialogue at the end between Breeze and Brody was perfectly written. I am looking forward the next adventure of Mountain Breeze
New location, same awesome characters
Great story, new location but you helped us make the transition too. Breeze and Brody and their adventures are captivating and never disappoint. Well done, looking forward to the next adventure from our new mountain man and his lady.
And so on . . . .
Read the rest of the reviews or purchase the book at this link;
Remember folks, we moved here from Florida. 18 inches of snow is a big deal for us thin-blooded flatlanders. Back in December of 2010, I shoveled snow for what I thought was the last time. We were leaving to go live on a boat in never-ending warmth. I swore I’d never shovel snow again.
I was wrong.
Yup, we shoveled that driveway by hand. We put the car in the garage for the duration of the storm.
We lost power briefly on the first morning of the event. I dragged the generator out of the garage, ran an extension cord into the cabin and plugged in necessary items. Out space heater needs electricity, also the refrigerator, coffee pot, and some lights. It all worked fine. We even had cable TV. The power came back on and stayed on thereafter. At least we got a good trial run for future outages.
We stayed warm and enjoyed the beauty of winter that we hadn’t seen in a long time.
The creek in front of our house.
The view from the top of our driveway. We walked up to get this pic. Still haven’t tried to drive out two days later.
Those odd-looking lumps are stacks of firewood.
The first morning after it started we had 15 inches. Another 3 inches fell overnight.
We used to sing “Knee Deep in the Water Somewhere.” Welcome to the mountains, Kim.
It’s not even winter yet, but here in western North Carolina, we’ve gotten a good dose. We lived! There are still many days left before spring, but so far we’re enjoying the cabin life. Check back with us when winter is over.
Have you ever completely upended your life to try something completely different?
We call that a Leap of Faith, and we’ve done it twice. This past summer we moved from a boat in Florida to a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Talk about a life change, but it has all worked out.
It’s hard to express how thankful we are for all of the blessings we’ve received. We have a sweet new home complete with peace and serenity. We bought a new car, new clothes (didn’t have winter wear), even a new fridge. We sold the boat and put some money in the bank. We’ve got great kids, all grown up and doing well. My grandkids will be coming to visit very soon.
We sit on the porch and watch the creek babble by, amazed by our new life and good fortune. Truly this is a time to give thanks.
I also want to thank you – folks who follow this blog, our Facebook community, and those who purchase my books. Without your support, none of this would be possible. I once had a dream to be a writer. Now I’m living that dream. Kim has the home she always wanted. We are thankful every day, but today, on this Thanksgiving, we express our gratitude to each and every one of you who has helped us along the way.
It is our sincere wish that you find thanks for your own blessings on this day. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Breeze escapes his demons in Florida by moving to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He and Brody are settling into their new life when he stumbles onto a plot of marijuana plants on public land. Knowing a thing or two about growing weed, Breeze befriends the mysterious mountain man tending to the crop.
When his new friend is killed, he tries to help law enforcement solve the crime. When the authorities prove reluctant, he is forced to take matters into his own hands. In the process, he transforms from boat bum to a true man of the mountains.
We were in Lowe’s in Banner Elk and stumbled onto a deal on lawn and garden stakes. They were selling 24 pointed stakes for $2.99 to make way for winter and seasonal goods. We bought all they had!
We fiddled around with a few different ideas then dug into constructing, staining, and painting a few projects.
Below was our first effort, a Betsy Ross flag:
Then we threw together this little rustic star:
I decided I needed a kindling box:
Then Kim decided she wanted a boot tray:
That’s it so far, but we figure a long, cold winter will spur us to new projects. Still have plenty of those stakes left. I’m thinking a Christmas Tree.
Any other ideas on how we can use these to make cool stuff?
The trail debuted in summer 2015, and in 2017 an observation deck has been built to offer wonderful views of Otter Falls. This moderately strenuous hike starts from a trailhead parking area at 825 Skyland Drive and descends to scenic Otter Falls on Valley Creek. The 0.6-mile hike to the falls creates a round trip of about 1.2 miles.
You can view the Falls from several different vantage points, including a viewing platform that is very close.
The path is graded, relatively gradual, and has a smoothed surface—but it is steep in spots. The hike descends about 230 feet to the falls—so you will have an identical climb back to your car. Sturdy hiking boots or shoes are recommended. Don’t forget to dress properly and bring plenty of water when going on a hike!
The trailhead parking area is at 825 Skyland Drive. There is room for four cars, five if everyone cooperates. There are no facilities.
After you enjoy your time at the falls and along Valley Creek, it’s time to walk back out and UP to your car. I’m not in the best climbing shape, and the return trip was a challenge. There are a few benches along the way if you need to stop and take a break.
The Town of Seven Devils didn’t designate this hike as “Difficult”, instead they chose a different word . . . Strenuous.
We were really happy when we made it back to the car. Otter Falls was well worth the effort.
We left our boat and the liveaboard life and moved into a log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains on August 1, 2018. What a transition! We left the beaches to live near Beech Mountain, (and Sugar Mountain, and Grandfather Mountain, etc.) Our cozy little cabin in on McGuire Mountain Road, high above the lovely little town of Banner Elk, North Carolina.
We’ve been busy getting our new home in order and adapting to our new lifestyle. I’ve been splitting and stacking wood in preparation for winter. Kim has been crafting and cooking in a real kitchen. Although we thoroughly enjoyed our time living on a boat in Florida, I have to say we are now Living Large in a real house.
We’ve explored nearby waterfalls and done a little hiking. Still trying to get our mountain legs.
The weather has been outstanding. I think the highest temperature we’ve seen is 80 degrees, but mostly it tops out in the mid to upper 70’s, in August. Nights see low 60’s or upper 50’s. We’ve been sleeping with the windows open. The sound of the creek helps put us to sleep.
The air and water are so much cleaner than in Florida. The humidity is not an issue, although we’ve gotten light rains fairly often. We feel better physically and mentally. No stress!
Now we realize that winter will be a challenge for us thin-blooded Floridians. Check back with us in January.
Random Ramblings of author Ed Robinson
A look at one of the most influential counties in America
Living the Slow life in North Carolina
Experienced, Independent Reporting & Analysis
a blue ridge point of view, in a violet world
Changing the world...one writer at a time
CreeksideMusings 