Flight Patterns

Flight Patterns
Karen White’s New Book is All the Buzz
by Lindsay Gifford

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!

In search of a piece of china from a distant memory, Georgia returns to her hometown and is forced to face her family and the events that follow. During her stay, the puzzle pieces of her mother’s hidden past begin to fall into place, while they all begin to search for the missing pieces.
When I read my first Karen White book, I found myself barely able to put it down and finish my to-do list for the day. As I closed Flight Patterns—Karen’s 18th novel—my inclination to read it cover to cover in a day still holds true. Happy Reading!

About the Book
The New York Times bestselling author of The Sound of Glass and coauthor of The Forgotten Room tells the story of a woman coming home to the family she left behind—and to the woman she always wanted to be...

Georgia Chambers has spent her life sifting through other people’s pasts while trying to forget her own. But then her work as an expert of fine china—especially of Limoges—requires her to return to the one place she swore she’d never revisit.

It’s been ten years since Georgia left her family home on the coast of Florida, and nothing much has changed, except that there are fewer oysters and more tourists. She finds solace seeing her grandfather still toiling away in the apiary where she spent much of her childhood, but encountering her estranged mother and sister leaves her rattled. Seeing them after all this time makes Georgia realize that something has been missing—and unless she finds a way to heal these rifts, she will forever be living vicariously through other people’s remnants. To embrace her own life—mistakes and all—she will have to find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets she was forced to keep.

The Southern Queen Bee Cocktail
Created exclusively for Flight Patterns by Olde Blind Dog Pub in Milton, GA.

Refreshing, delicious, and oh so beautiful, the Southern Queen Bee was made to delight. This signature cocktail, created by the award-winning Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub in Milton, GA, is a carefully crafted blend of blueberries, honey simple syrup and Southern gin. The drink was inspired, sampled and approved by “The Queen of Southern Fiction” herself, author Karen White.

Step One: Blueberry Honey Simple Syrup

½ cup Honey            
1 cup Water
4 sprigs Fresh mint        
1 whole Lemon
1 cup Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Cut lemon into quarters. Combine honey, water, mint, and lemon; steep over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.. Remove from heat and strain through cheese cloth. Add strained syrup to high speed blender, add blueberries and pulverize until smooth and blueberries are completely broken down. The syrup should be smooth and a deep blue color. Cool liquid.

Step Two: Southern Queen Bee Drink

In a tall glass filled with ice, add:
1.5 oz Gin (Old 5th Distillery Gin)
1.5 oz Blueberry Honey Simple Syrup

Shake or stir until well incorporated and frothy. Top with seltzer water and garnish with lime and fresh mint. Enjoy!

About the Author

Karen White is the New York Times bestselling author of 18 novels including A Long Time Gone, The Time Between, After the Rain, On Folly Beach and Sea Change. She grew up in London but now lives with her husband and two children near Atlanta, Georgia.