Friday, February 8, 2013

Please Welcome Author Darcy Flynn


Today it is my pleasure to introduce author Darcy Flynn. Here's what bio tells us:

"Darcy Flynn’s life is a gumbo world. Take a little New Orleans heritage, some art, music, dance and add a lot of love and time to simmer and all you have is spice, flavor, and a memory of something so fine you can't wait for another helping. Her fiction is a few B&Bs, a couple lighthouses, a bit of moon magic and a lot of problems mixed with a healthy portion of sweet romance. Add a dash of sizzle and a lot of sass and all that's left is magic."
Darcy writes sweet contemporary romances, and her book Keeper of My Heart was published by Soul Mate Publishing. Darcy is here to tell us about her inspiration for one of the characters in her story.


Simple Things

In my book, Keeper Of My Heart, my heroine, Katie McCullough, has a special bond with an elderly man whom she “adopted” at age ten as her ‘stand-in’ grandfather. One of the things I love about Katie is her devotion to this wonderful man.
As a child growing up in New Orleans, I knew a kind elderly lady named Mrs. Bulleman. I called her Mrs. B. She lived across the street from us and for the most part was house bound. My mother, an avid gardener, had a cutting garden in the front of our little house on Wilton Drive, and once a week during the summer she’d cut a bouquet of flowers for her.
I had the privilege of bringing the flowers over to her house. As a little girl, this was a highlight for me because I was allowed to cross the street "all by myself." I felt very grown up and knew I was doing something grand when I handed over the lush bouquet to this lovely lady. I can still see the joy on her face as she took the flowers from me. Most of the time she’d invite me in for a cold lemon aid and a piece of chocolate. I remember sitting in her semi dark parlor leaning over the coffee table hoping I’d pick a piece with a nut inside.
One Christmas when I was about nine or ten, I was in Sears shopping for presents with my mother. Armed with fifty cents I went through the store looking for something I could buy for my only living grandmother and for Mrs. B. I had adopted her as my "in town" grandmother so no way could I leave her out. A sales lady suggested I buy each of them a butter knife. They were only twenty cents each.  So I did.
As the years went by and I grew older, it was my mother who took Mrs. B. her ‘weekly’ bouquet. But once, in my teen years, just as I was about to go out with friends, my mother grabbed me. “Run these over to Mrs. Bulleman. She hasn’t seen you all summer.”
I crossed the street with flowers in hand and was met with the same joyful reception I remembered as a child. Mrs. B. kindly offered me something cool to drink. I looked back at my friends, motioned for them to wait, and stepped inside her parlor.
Several years after Mrs. B died I was home planning my wedding when her daughter showed up at our back door. She smiled and handed me the little butter knife I’d given her mother all those years ago. A sweet flood of memories filled me as I recalled the day I bought her that knife. Her daughter shared with me how much my gift had meant to her mother and knew she would’ve wanted me to have it back.
Today, that simple, inexpensive knife sits by my butter dish. We use it every day. For me it’s a precious reminder of Mrs. B’s gracious acceptance of a small child’s gift and of how a life is touched by thoughtful actions and the simplest things.
Growing up, did you have an elderly neighbor that influenced you in a meaningful way?  Or maybe, there’s someone right now in your life that holds a special place as a surrogate grandparent either to you or to your children? Is there a special object or gift that reminds you of this person?
I would love to hear your stories.

Darcy :)


Keeper of My Heart is available on Amazon, B&N and Soul Mate Publishing.
Follow Darcy on: Facebook  &  Twitter 

10 comments:

  1. Good morning Patricia!

    It's great to me here on your lovely blog today! Thanks for having me! :)

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    1. I'm late getting home from work, so I'm glad the party went on without me! I'm so glad you were here today, and I love the story of Mrs. B. I remember an elderly Japanese gentleman our family adopted as a "grandpa". He was all alone in the world, so we made sure he spent holidays with us. He was always so grateful we included him, but I think we gained so much from knowing him.

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    2. That's so true. We think we're helping someone and it turns out we are the ones that are blessed! :)

      P.S. We were happy to start the party without you! LOL Hope your wrk day went well!

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  2. I didn't have an elderly neighbor, but that is a beautiful story! I especially love that you have the butter knife. Gifts like that, given as children, remind us how wonderful and precious, simple, honest gifts are.

    Now I'm all teary-eyed! LOL

    Great blog, Darcy!

    susan meier

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  3. Hey Susan,

    I think it's saying something that I brought you to tears! LOL So glad I could start your morning off right!

    Seriously, I treasure my memories of that dear lady and what she meant to my childhood. I use the little butter knife everyday and think of her.

    Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  4. What a lovely story, Darcy. How great that you have that butter knife to bring back those wonderful memories.

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  5. It is isn't it! When I look at it, a snapshot of me buying it floats across my brain. It's like looking through an old photo album. You see the picture, and there's the memory. :)

    Thanks for stopping by, Diane!

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  6. A very touching story and a great memory. It's amazing how the little things in life can mean the most.

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  7. Darcy, Very nice memory...we can all relate. It choked me up because my own parents are in the their 90's, and they are beginning to give we siblings some of their possessions...pictures of my dad in the Navy in the 40's, oh, he was so handsome, and the women in the 40's really knew how to dress. Very well done. Good job!

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  8. Great story, Darcy. Makes you remember what's important.

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