Jolene checking in from my back porch. Here’s this morning’s view before I drive off to work to downtown San Antonio.
Texas Hill Country Sunrise
I love living in the hill country and if you read any of my books you can see how I admire the countryside and it’s people.
Jim’s Pier South Padre, Texas
But for my next series, I’m moving to the Texas Coast. Another place I love.
The sunsets and people are different but just as colorful.
Texas has almost 400 miles of shoreline along the coast.
Growing up I have spent most of my summers in Corpus Christi, Port Aransas or South Parade.
I have to admit South Padre is my favorite.
South Padre is at the very bottom of the Texas coast. It’s where the sea turtles like to lay their eggs.
http://www.seaturtleinc.org
Some of the biggest ranches are in the coastal plains. Anyone hear of King Ranch in Kingsville? My family has a much smaller ranch. lol
I’ll be writing about the De La Rosa’s and the Diamondback Ranch.
A group of cousins that have stuck together to survive now have control of the family ranch. Will it tear them apart when nothing else in their lives could.
Will they turn the ranch a dude ranch or a B&B?
What about recreational fishing along with ranching?
Do they develop the land along the coast to make more places people can go or turn to conservation? So many directions to go.
A friend of mine owns a pirate ship in South Padre. How cool is that?
South Padre Texas
The hero in my first book owns businesses along a pier that might include a pirate ship.
So when given a choice – do you head for the hills or the beach?
South Padre Texas
Texas Hill Country
I could use your help with something. The town is based on real places along the coast but it will be fictional town. I’m having a hard time deciding between Port Del Mar of Puerto Del Mar.
Del Mar means of the sea.
South Padre Texas
But before we pack the car and head to the coast, the Bergmann sisters of Clear Water Texas have one more story coming out.
Danica’s twin sister, Jackie gets her love story. Just in time for Christmas time too.
It will be in stores October 16.
Lone Star Christmas Jolene Navarro
Bergmann Sisters Jolene Navarro
Prizes galore in our Back-to-School Bash now on!
Jolene’s life, much like her stories, is filled with faith, family, and all of life's wonderful messiness. She knows that, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that holding hands and dancing in the rain never gets old. She loves creating stories of love and faith in her much loved Texas.
Hi Jolene, what beautiful sunrises:) Texas looks like a beautiful place. I love the beach- we head there as often as we can. In saying that, we also thoroughly enjoy being in the mountains- hiking, cross country skiing, mountain biking. We probably spend more time at the beach though.
Blessings:)
I love cross country skiing, but in Texas any type of snow is rare, like every twenty years. LOL And then it only last for a day at the most. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Jolene! Never been to Texas. In SW Michigan we have beautiful sunsets over Lake Michigan. I am fortunate to live within a few miles of magnificent pristine sandy beaches on Lake Michigan. While I attending college inland, I missed the beach. For vacations I enjoy the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. Even though we have some beautiful rolling hills in Michigan. For your new town I like the sound of Puerto Del Mar. Use Spanish for the entire name. Best wishes. Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. I’ve never been to Lake Michigan, but do love the Smokey Mountains. Thank you for you input.
We just returned from our family beach vacation. I love the beach but I love living close to the mountains .
The best of both worlds. :)
Hi Jolene—I love the beach and the mountains! My goal is to live 3-4 months at the beach during the winter and live the rest in the mountains of Georgia. But that’s a few years a way.
As for Port Del Mar or Puerto Del Mar, as a reader, I would probably expect a Spanish influence in the story if it was Puerto Del Mar–Port Del Mar sounds like it could be anywhere. Not sure if those suggestions help or not. :) Your new cover is beautiful! Have fun writing your new series.
That is an awesome goal. In Texas we like to mix our Spanish and English. LOL Thank you for the input. :)
I love those pictures. So beautiful.
I also love (and have wonderful memories of) both the hills and the beach…
Thank you. I love the chance of getting to share the pictures I take.
My family moved to Corpus Christi when I was in the 6th grade, so I’ve spent lots of time on the beach! I now live in Houston but am drawn to the beach at least once or twice a year. But I also love the Hill Country! One son lives in San Antonio, so we drive out into the Hills beyond SA often. Port Del Mar doesn’t sound quite right, but Puerto Del Mar sounds “too” South of the Border to me – don’t know which way I’d go.
LOL. So a whole other name? I find it interesting that there are so many ties between Houston and San Antonio.
I’d rather head for the beach than the hills, although I do love the countryside. I also love the sunrise photo in the hills. It’s so pretty.
I would choose Puerto Del Mar as the name. I like that one better.
Thank you. I love collecting sunrise pictures. Thanks for stopping by. I’d be sad without a yearly trip to the beach.
How splendid that you are able to enjoy both hill country and coast line.
I like puerto instead of Port myself ?
Thank you. I love your profile picture.
You have some beautiful photos Jolene :) I live in Slovenia, among green trees and grass. I wouldn’t trade it for a world, but I wouldn’t mind going there for vacations :)
That’s why we have vacations! LOL Thank you for stopping by.
I live in the mountains of BC and love the ocean, so for me, the best of both worlds would be where the mountains or hills meet the sea!
That’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. There is an art workshop there. I wasn’t able to convince my principle to send me that far north. :)
I love both – beaches and hill country, but not the Caribbean type beaches. Give me the quiet country beaches like my Michigan has. :) Our honeymoon was on Port Aransas Island and we loved every minute of it! I am leaning towards Puerto Del Mar for my personal opinion. Thanks for sharing!
I’m not much into crowed noisy beaches. I prefer the early morning walk along the shore. A few people out with their dogs or jogging. It’s so peaceful.
I love Coastal towns! Personally, I like Port Del Mar……
Thanks!
Love the pictures, Jolene. Makes me 2nd home sick. My husband has family in the hill country and it’s been a while since we visited. We’ve worked the coast into traveling there a few times. I’ve visited Galveston and Corpus. Next on my bucket list is Surfside Beach. According to Google, it has the best shelling in TX. I love and collect seashells and my office is all beachy decor.
We were just there a few weeks back. My son’t girlfriend is from Lake Jackson so we spend the day as Surfside.
So is it good shelling or is there somewhere you’ve been that’s better?
I think the year and tide plays into that. But I found some really pretty shells. We were there later in the day. The best I’ve seen was early morning in South Padre.
your pictures made me want to go to the beach!
Puerto Del Mar sounds better for me.
Thanks. I know. After writing this I told my husband that we needed another trip to the coast…for research. LOL
Hi, I have lived in the Austin, Texas area; the Houston, Texas area; and my girls began attending Texas A & M – Corpus Christi this fall. One is a freshman and the other transferred in after her second year of college. My husband and I love the Corpus area as well as our girls.
I prefer Puerto Del Mar.
Hi Lori. I know a few people that have gone to A&M Corpus past and current. It’s a great area. Thanks for stopping by
Love The Beautiful picture’s have never been to Texas but I Love The Great Smoky Mountains!
The Great Smoky Mountains are magnificent!
My vote is for Puerto Del Mar. While I love your first sunrise picture, I will choose the beach over the hills anytime.
Thanks for the vote. There is something so special about the beach.
I would choose hills over the beach and I think I like Puerto Del Mar better. I’ve visited Texas once and driven through a few times. I loved stopping at a roadside diner and seeing the “real” cowboys that looked nothing like the ones I saw at a nightclub in Houston!
lol. Yes, there are a few different types of cowboys. Thanks for the vote.
I love the hills and live in San Antonio. I like both titles. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Thank you for stopping by Mary.
I live on the flat lands of the Red River Valley, so hills are no where near but I can go to a man made lake and beach!
Hi Katie. There is something about being near water, any kind that is special.
I’ve never been on a ranch….something I’d love to do one day.
You have too. So much fun. Depending on the region it can be completely different experience.
Hi, I’m from the Netherlands. I love reading at the beach with the sound of the waves. You’re a new author to me so curious to read one of your books.
Puerto del Mar is my choice giving a nod to our Hispanic heritage in Texas and to go along with another fictional town in far South Texas,Rios Azules.
LOL – We do tend to mix our English and Spanish. I love that name, Blue River
I grew up on the very real, Fro River.
Beautiful scenery! Thank you for sharing!