Karen White, “the queen of southern fiction” has a new novel hitting stands next month that will have everyone buzzing. An intricately woven mystery, with an underlying theme of bees, offers readers insight into a family that is anything but ordinary.

Meet Georgia Chambers, a single woman in New Orleans, who finds happiness in valuing antiques, especially rare china, and is on a perpetual search for old-fashioned keys and their corresponding locks. She hasn’t seen her family in 10 years, but when you add in a 90-year-old grandfather, who is a religious bee keeper, a mother who has been mute for nearly 10 years and suffers from mental issues, a sister filled with hatred from a tragedy, a niece who adores her, and a handsome man looking to value his china, you have a recipe that can’t be beat!

As Daufuskie Island’s midwife from 1932-1969, Mrs. Sarah Hudson Grant was the first to welcome 130 souls into the world, and as the undertaker, she was the last to bid many farewell on their journey home. As it was said, “Granny bring ‘em ‘n she take ‘em away.”  

“There must’ve been a density about Mrs. Grant, a gravity about her presence. It’s true of anyone who spends much time with people as they die. She was a serious woman, with a regal bearing like a well-behaved queen, the kind of woman who when she passed by, the troublemakers got good for a little while.” That’s how southern author Bo Bryan describes Mrs. Grant. Although Bo never met her, well, not in life anyway, he lived in her house on Daufuskie and claims that he certainly felt her presence, “Especially when my kids would come visit. I always felt she was a protector.”

Mary Alice Monroe, a beloved NY Times Bestselling author, has done it again. In her new book A Lowcountry Wedding, which hits the bookstores on May 3, she draws our hearts back to Sullivan’s Island (SC) and to the three sisters who Mary Alice fans have come to love in her Summer Series, which launched in 2013, producing an entry each year since.

There is always excitement when a new book is released, especially one that continues the journeys of characters readers have grown to love. And Mary Alice is the master at creating very real, problematic characters, which readers can attach themselves to and identify with. At the beginning of A Lowcountry Wedding, readers are presented with two wedding invitations to two of the sister’s weddings, in the same weekend.

“You know how some people have an aptitude for certain things, things that come easy to them? I’ve always had an aptitude for acquiring gemstones,” Mia explained. It turns out Mia Katrin has an aptitude for more than just “acquiring gemstones.”

You can always get a taste of spring by sampling some yummy arm candy.
The newest handbag trends this year are a delicious treat for your wardrobe.

Vanessa Leite and I met for coffee in early March. Her bright smile and strong handshake expressed vigor. She asked if we could sit outside in the shade because sunlight bothered her eyes. I had no idea I was about to converse with a woman who has experienced unthinkable physical challenges. Vanessa’s eyes burn while dealing with flashes and floaters. Her vision is failing. She wears a heart monitor because of an irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure. She faces the need for a pacemaker in the near future. Every day, Vanessa deals with headaches, fatigue, dizzy spells, painful joints and tingling in her extremities. Her nervous system, heart and liver are damaged. At age 40, Vanessa is living with late stage chronic Lyme disease.

Remember last Dec. 31? It was the night you popped the champagne, slapped your cheek, screamed “enough!” and resolved to do something positively healthy in the new year.

Learn to cook! Lose 30 pounds! Get to the gym three times a week! Stop after one glass! (OK, two.) Find time to meditate 10 minutes a day, no matter what!

My treasure hunting started in the backyard around the age of 5, when, for a couple of years, I worked on digging a hole that I’m pretty sure could’ve easily been turned into a swimming pool. I mostly found grubs and earthworms, but all it took was one bent, silver spoon, and I was convinced that if I dug down deep enough I’d hit the mother lode. The Goonies was all the affirmation I needed.

Occasionally, life deals you the perfect hand. That is how I would describe the four days I recently spent on St. Simons Island, Ga., spending time both there and in Brunswick. I arrived on a Friday afternoon alone. It was a short two-hour drive from Hilton Head. I had only seen my accommodations online, however, Debi Fry, manager of SSI Fun Property Rentals, had set everything up, so I knew I had nothing to worry about. I have rented from SSI Fun for years and haven’t been disappointed yet.
When I made the turn onto Beachview Drive, the Holly Hudson House was in sight. I kept turning my head from the house to the wide-open view of the great Atlantic right across the street. Quite frankly, they both were stunning. I got out of my car, took in a deep, soul filling, salt-air breath and started making myself at home. This was an easy task because the grandness of this house was exactly what I needed. After filling the elevator with my bags and sending it upstairs to wait on me, I meandered up to find myself in awe. I was like a princess who had found her castle. The covered porch, which sprawled across the entire front of the house, beckoned me. The view was expansive and I was mesmerized.

Sometimes endings are simply new opportunities. That’s what Jackie Rosswurm discovered after retirement. She started as a first generation college graduate from a small factory town in the Midwest. Forty-four successful years later, Jackie had seen every aspect of the public school system in roles from teacher to principal to acting superintendent.

But in 2013, she decided to transition into a new chapter of her life and retire.  “I do not know what the future holds, but I do know that my life’s work is not yet complete and…that my belief in the value of education will lead me to my next challenge and opportunity,” stated Jackie in her letter to the Beaufort County Board of Education announcing her retirement.

Whether you’re headed to experience the Northern Lights
or escaping to the tropics, packing for vacation can be a daunting task.
Before you start filling up that empty luggage for your big adventure,
here are some basic tips for traveling in style.

First of all, do a little planning. It’s tempting to try to throw everything from the closet into your suitcase. You tell yourself, “You never know what you might need! Might as well pack everything I can cram into my bag!” If you are guilty of this (and you know who you are, all you suitcase-sitters out there) then take a few minutes to plan, and even make a list if that helps. Do some thinking about exactly what you will be doing day by day. Then pack accordingly.

Have you ever noticed how some people light up a room when they enter? When they speak, they have instant credibility. Just standing near them makes you feel good. Their leadership status is assumed by the essence of their presence. This is a powerful presence.

During the first few seconds when someone new meets you, they will form an impression about your stature, credibility and likeability. This impression is based heavily on what they see and what that tells them about you. It is no surprise how you hold yourself is a reflection of your sense of power, and this is what they pick up. If you lack confidence, it is natural to slump and condense your space; if you have lots of confidence, you expand your space by standing tall with your head back and shoulders square.

A developing treasure is winding through northern Beaufort County. It’s providing residents and visitors an opportunity to turn back time, enjoy stunning views and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Spanish Moss Trail meanders atop the historic Magnolia Railroad Line for 6.5 miles connecting Port Royal and Beaufort. The trail continues to expand, with expected completion of 11 miles by Labor Day of 2016. The trail will extend past the Marine Corps Station through Poppy Hill Community to Clarendon Road. The 12-foot wide paved path blends in beautifully with neighborhoods, tidal waterways and rustling forests.

I love to travel but it always involves challenges. That’s why I have adopted an attitude that assumes no matter how well I’ve planned, if something can go wrong, it probably will. And, if it doesn’t? I consider that a travel bonus.

Over the years, I’ve collected a bunch of really great travel tips—some fun, some crazy, but all of them very useful if only to avoid a headache or two.

I saw a friend out running the other day. He was running; I was racewalking, hat pulled down to avoid the odd stare. He didn’t look happy, and his gait was off.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Shoes hurt,” he answered, pointing to a snazzy new pair in a neon color I can’t name. “Brand-new, and they’re killing me.”

When I saw Dan a few days later, he was smiling. No pain, no limp, no new shoes. “I’m back to my old ones,” he said. “They feel great.”

Aches and pains are part of life. You wake up one morning and your back is tight, your knee is pinched, your neck is jammed between two stone pillars. We usually accept these limitations and move on the best we can, with or without an Advil.

But here’s the good news. Many of the aches and pains we live with are caused by muscular imbalance. And muscular imbalance is often curable. By us, no prescription required.

Without spoiling your new year with anatomical details, muscle imbalance is what happens when you use one set of muscles too much, and the opposing muscles a lot less. The overused muscles—over time—become inflamed and irritated. The underused muscles weaken and become vulnerable. The combo leads to sore joints, nagging pain and visits to doctors, all of which could have been avoided if you paid attention to muscular imbalance and learned to prevent it.

Pattie Welek Hall loves books. Growing up in a home where reading was considered dawdling, Pattie didn’t truly discover the wonderful world of reading until she was in her 20s. While it was her love of books that led her to a career with the bookseller giant Barnes and Noble, it was a tragic turn of events that led her to writing.

Every mother’s worst nightmare is getting that call in the middle of the night. Just by sheer timing, one instinctively knows bad news is calling. Pattie got one of those calls and that is where her book, A Mother’s Dance (Writelife Publishing 2015), begins.

Anticipation is at an all time high at the Greenville Zoo as Autumn and Walter, a pair of Masai Giraffes, who live at the zoo in Greenville, SC, anxiously await the birth of the newest member of their family. After a long 14-month gestation period, Autumn is expected to deliver this month. Her baby will be close to 6-feet tall and around 150 pounds upon arrival. Now that’s a BIG bundle of joy!

Does curling up with a good book, sipping from a mug of coffee, and indulging in a red velvet cupcake (or two) sound like your ideal Saturday night? If so, don’t miss Live to Give...a God Thing’s third annual Sweets for the Soul event on February 13! Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the program will feature a presentation by best-selling author Paul Young—his much-loved literary work includes The Shack, Cross Roads, and Eve—as well as a dessert reception. The event is free and open to the public, although donations will be accepted in support of underprivileged women and children living in the Lowcountry. Treat yourself to calories that count, in a good way! Until then, read on to learn more about guest speaker Paul Young’s incredible journey as an author and speaker.

Dear Carrie:
My husband and I are in our thirties and have a three-year-old. I’m thinking that we should have a life insurance policy, but the choices are overwhelming! How can I figure this out?
—A Reader

Dear Reader:
This is the perfect time to be asking this question. You and your husband not only have each other to protect, but perhaps even more importantly, your three-year-old child. While no one likes to think about an early demise, if you have dependents that rely on your income for support—and you don’t have a big chunk of money set aside—you should probably have some type of life insurance coverage.
And you’re right: wading through the policy choices can be a chore. But it doesn’t have to be. For instance, term insurance is a relatively straightforward and low-cost type of life insurance.
However, before you jump into a term policy, you should at least understand a bit about the other choices so you can feel confident in your decision. After that, it’s a question of determining how much insurance you need and doing some comparison-shopping.

It's still early in the year and a great time to get your life in order. The last thing on your “to do” list is to figure out what happens if you don’t make it through the year. End of life decisions are difficult, but if you follow a few simple guidelines, things can be a little less stressful and costly.

All of us must die. No one wants to think about it. No one wants to call a funeral home or a cemetery, but someone will need to make those calls eventually. A little bit of sage advice can relieve some (not all) of the stress that goes with the loss of a loved one.

There are not many things in life that are certain, but changes are inevitable.  There are changes in jobs, relationships, size of your family, family situations such as marriage, children, even divorce or death of a spouse.  There are changes in requirements for a home such as small to begin with, larger when the family grows and smaller again when downsizing occurs.  The best advice is to plan the best you can before you make any changes with your housing.  Buying and selling a home is one of the biggest financial transactions most people will make throughout their lifetime.  When it comes to real estate, whether buying your first or last home or selling a property, it is best to ask the advice of a trusted realtor.  A realtor who knows the market, has your best interest in mind, and has the ability to provide you with the utmost service.

With the possibility of hope and promise for the future, thoughts often turn to resolving overdue personal issues, which often can include domestic relations. Domestic relations, a legal term, describes an area of law that includes separation and divorce from marriage, child custody and support, alimony and name changes.

While you’re at home settling in for another night of binge-watching “Love it or List it,” or playing on your computer into the wee hours of the night, there’s a whole lot happening on Hilton Head Island. And it’s a lot more exciting than laying down an 80-point word on Words With Friends.

It’s the music scene. Oh, we’re not only talking about the highly entertaining cover bands, or well-known performers like Gregg Russell or Shannon Tanner—although we absolutely love those guys and appreciate all they bring to Harbour Town and Shelter Cove during the height of the tourist season. We’re referring to bands and solo artists who know how to energize a room with their renditions of other musicians' songs, but also can get a crowd to come alive by performing their original music. Members of the music community are playing at clubs and restaurants just about every night of the week all year round, and making it easier to find live music on Hilton Head and in Beaufort County.

I was once coaching a corporate leader. He was a brilliant business strategist and on so many fronts he was a great success—revenues were up dramatically, new markets were on the horizon, the company’s reputation was at an all time high.  However, if you asked employees, they would not describe him as a great leader. In fact, they did not really like him. Why? Employees did not feel a connection with him.

January is the time for setting resolutions for the New Year. It is a time of hope and great ambitions about wiping the slate clean, letting go of all the bad habits of the past and embracing a new set of behaviors. Reflection is a big part of this process. Think back on your hopes and dreams of last year at this time, and how they have evolved—or haven’t. Surveys show that about 45 percent of people set New Year’s resolutions and less than 10 percent actually accomplish them. Not surprising, this same trend is true about life goals in general. So if you have difficulty following through on your New Year’s resolutions and want to understand why, take a look at your life patterns.

Are cola drinks making them fat? (Yes.)
Are smartphones taking a toll on their developing brains? (Yes, again.)
And why did schools cancel gym and end recess when every shred of research shows that’s exactly what kids need in order to learn better, stay alert and handle stress? (Oops. A huge mistake.)
The more we learn about the challenges kids are facing, the more I’m motivated to re-issue the Theoretical University of Wellness’s first five Golden Rules of parenting, a juicy back-to-school guide to the trying task of guiding your child’s hood.

Pantone’s colors for spring 2016 include “happy” hues of Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue in everything from fashion to beauty products.

As a new year, new colors dawn, and for 2016, the color authority Pantone has announced that “Rose Quartz” and “Serenity Blue” will be transporting us all into a better world, whether it’s in our closets or in our homes ... or even in our hair.

After December’s singing and celebrations, partying and presents and let’s face it—over-indulgence—for too many Americans, the New Year opens on a darker reality: addiction. The abuse of and addiction to drugs—including alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs—costs the US a staggering $700 billion a year in increased health care costs and lost productivity. No price tag can quantify the human misery, sense of failure and loss of hope for individuals and their families dealing with addiction. Tremendous pain surrounds addiction; but there is also promise. As a result of scientific research, it is now known that addiction is a brain disease that affects behavior. Groundbreaking discoveries are enabling scientists to develop effective medical prevention and treatment approaches with remarkable, sustainable outcomes for recovery.