Author: Mars D. Gill

From an early age I wanted to make connections with people from across the globe. Allowing emotions to escape the deep recesses of one’s mind, and be spilled into a sheet of paper for the world to read lays an opportunity for reader and writer to combine in a nameless bond, one of oneness, and intrigue. It bares a private part of the writer for all to see. It is daunting and exciting. If a written word can dissipate the worry from another heart, if a written word can bring to a face a smile or a tear, then that connection is complete, and a word shatters the physical distance and brings souls together in harmony and joy. This is my dream, only a dream at the moment.

When I was 15 years old, we got a new English teacher. She spoke so beautifully and clearly and made me want to be a better person. Despite my age-old struggle with language(s), I was fascinated by the world of writing. My teacher inspired me to be a constant memory keeper. I feel at some level she taught me how to think.

Now years later, I am blessed with a career and a family that keeps me busy. However it is that 15-year-old in me that is knocking on my heart and via this little personal web site, urging for outlet for my life-long aspirations of writing and as well as begging for validation of all the dreams, old and new that just do not go away. So, here I am on word press with my own website to see where my dreams take me.

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Travel

When in Memphis, experience these attractions for free

Memphis has been bustling for centuries, being well-connected by road and train and surrounded by cotton-growing fields. A hub for the confederate army during the Civil War, Memphis is also where Martin Luther King died. Music courses through its streets, etched by the vicissitudes of racial justice and rewritten by the birthing of another king of rock ‘n roll, Elvis Presley. Memphis offers a lot for free to tourists today. I recommend five free attractions and one paid attraction.

Let’s start with the FREE of cost.

The Memphis Sign

 You only pay for parking at Mud Island Park (the google maps destination). Everything that follows is free. You tread along constructed rivers and adjoining city names, reading history trivia and maps. It’s fascinating by Interstate 64 bridge’s shadow over the Mississippi River. The park ends at the Memphis Sign.

Tip: Don’t climb the letters for photos. Your bodies won’t show. An adjacent board tells you to stand away from the sign for the best photographs.

The Memphis Sign (on Mud Island)

The Ducks

What’s the draw about ducks waddling from a fancy hotel’s elevator to its fountain, especially when it involves a half-hour wait sitting with children, crying? Let me explain. The Peabody Hotel had an incident when their guest walked in with ducks. Lined with fancy shops and restaurants, the ducks didn’t belong. It seemed fitting to Memphis culture, transforming an odd experience into a not-odd-at-all tradition. Eleven in the morning and five in the evening, the ducks arrive daily. Crowds line the red carpet from the middle elevator to the fountain a solid half hour before time. The staff manages and entertains with an odd pride. Children will love it.

The Peabody Hotel

The Beale Street

Visit Beale Street after sundown and into the night. We were visiting with time-limited children for the atmosphere, not the partying. Children can’t enter here after nine, and those already present must exit by eleven. We arrived here at six-thirty, walking along the main street with the trams and the lit carriages, a pedestrian street. The live performer’s music booms from restaurants, the flashing signs glitter, and the gift shops line each side, contrasting my image of Memphis, which I lovingly call a sleepy city where we can get between most places in fifteen minutes.

The experience is electrifying, treading the expanse from Elvis Presley’s statue in Elvis Presley Park to W. C. Handy’s statue. The experience is free until you sit down to try their exotic drinks, which we didn’t.

Elvis Presly Statue

The Light Show

Check out Beale Street Crossing at the Mississippi River next, arriving five minutes before the half-hour or the hour when the already-lit Bridge (Interstate 64) breaks into a light show. We were here on a cold, windy night, and the show started with a solidarity display of blue and yellow for Ukraine. The show lasts ten minutes and repeats every half-hour until ten-thirty. 

The Light Show

The Pyramid

 The BassPro shops at the Pyramid aren’t exactly free. You can sure visit it for free, especially on rainy days. A highly rated hotel and an observatory for city and river views can be found inside, along with the arcade-like shop. We skipped the observatory and roamed the big sports shop, where our children turned this attraction into not-free, as they picked out gifts for themselves. Pyramid rules Memphis’s skyline. I call it Memphis’s Eiffel Tower because you can see it from everywhere.

Pyramid from outside as seen from the Memphis Sign

Experience these for free.

For a price, Memphis hosts live shows and performances: Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home, and other museums around music and cotton. Graceland will have the steepest price tag. We skipped these for the one that I insist you must visit.

The one paid attraction I recommend …

Time stands still at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis since April 4, 1968: a turbulent time in American history when African Americans lived a segregated life devoid of fundamental civil rights. Dr. Martin Luther King visited Memphis to help with the sanitation department issues. Boarded in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel, Dr. King would conduct business on the Balcony, where he breathed his last moments that evening, shot by a bullet from a boardinghouse window across the street. They have frozen both the hotel and the boardinghouse.

You enter it to witness the National Civil Rights Museum, and it begins with the start of slavery. It melts into the cultural clothes and music the African Americans tried to preserve. It rings with speeches from Dr. King, including his last before he died. The building across shows the rental, the bathroom from where the shooter shot him, and how authorities captured him in London a month later.

trying on earrings
The National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis

This stop will leave a lasting impact on your psyche, worth every penny, and it will force thoughts for days. Even the gift shop will hold you there longer. The crowd size was the only negative, but the museum is deservedly famous.

Other Attractions and Restaurants

Other attractions are Overton Park, Overton Square, and the Crystal Shrine Grotto, all free.

My favorite Indian restaurant (for authentic Punjabi food) in Memphis, which we repeatedly ate at, is the India Palace. Try their Kadhi Pakoda. Taste the chocolate Banana bread at Otherlands Coffee. And the best breakfast award in Memphis goes to Brother Junipers.

To see the city’s oldest restaurant, visit the Arcade, though we skipped this stop.

Memphis never filled my bucket list. But I am glad we visited here. And so should you.

Liked this, check out my blog on New York City.

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Travel

Five New York City Attractions You Can Skip When Short on Time

Vanderbilt SummitOne

Whether you have one day or four, don’t feel like you need to see every city landmark to experience New York City. Here’s my list of attractions you can skip when visiting New York City.

  1. Washington Square Park. The park is busy, dirty and foul-weed-smelling. To experience lush greenness removed from the busyness of New York City, I highly recommend treading the High Line, which you can take from attraction to attraction like The Vessel in Hudson Yards.
    The other park high on your list should be the huge Central Park. Where to go in the Central Park? Read on.
  2. Carriages in Central Park. Even if you are tired and want to lift your feet off the ground, you can tread past the carriages because the park’s heart is pedestrian-only. When in Central Park, walk the Mall from Womens Pioneers Memorial monument down the steps to Bethesda Fountain—places the carriages can’t reach.
  3. The Bull. At Wallstreet by the Battery Park, always surrounded by a large crowd, is the statue of the Bull. It’s so busy you must meander through the photo-clicking crowd to view it. Skip this stop, and head to the Wall St. and witness the Fearless Girl Statue on a quieter backroad that not all tourists find. A lovely cafe lines one end of the road, too.
  4. Roosevelt Island Tram. This tram is often suggested to catch views of the city at a budget price of a subway ticket. However, OMNY system isn’t installed here. And they don’t sell tickets on the spot. You must walk to the adjacent subway station to get a metro card. And frankly the views aren’t comparable to one of the various observatories of NYC.
    Instead of the tram, I recommend walking the Roosevelt Island, facing Manhattan, starting from the Lighthouse Park with the sculptures on women’s lives to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms’ Park and the Smallpox Memorial at the opposite end. The views of Queens and Manhattan are amazing from the Freedoms Park.  Pace yourself on this two-mile long journey.
  5. Empire State Observatory. You can’t go wrong with any observation deck in NYC. But I recommend the Vanderbilt Summit One, the newest of all decks, for two reasons. One, you get to see remarkable Empire State Building, which you wouldn’t if you were on top Empire State itself. It offers close views of the Chrysler Building. And you experience more than merely the view of the city: it’s mirror collage, bouncy balls, three floors of fun.
    I will add on a third reason: it’s right next to the Grand Central Station, making it easily accessible and giving you the chance to see the Grand Central Station, too, in the same trip. The summit is close to the Times Square. So, evening tickets over sunset and night views and ending it in Times Square is a neat little tip. Book ahead because the popular times do tend to get booked early.

Being short on time isn’t a bad thing if it brings you to the best of the city with these tips.

Fearless Girl Statue
Vanderbilt SummitOne
Central Park
The High Line
Lighthouse Park
Roosevelt Island


Like this?

Check out my top ten towns of Colorado.

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Travel

The Top Ten Towns of Colorado

Mountain Village

Today, I take you to Colorado, a state I have visited multiple times. That’s why instead of a simple journal on our latest and fondest experiences in the state this past August, I want to take a step back and name the top ten towns of Colorado you must experience in order from ten to one, one being the best. I base their rank on charm, their pedestrian friendliness, activities, and natural beauty. It was a hard list to make. Sadly, I couldn’t fit Montrose with the Black Canyon and the Curecanti National Recreation Area on the list. But it’s worth a mention.

10. Grand Lake

Of all the towns surrounding the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is probably made famous by the movie shining and its proximity to the attractions inside the National Park itself. But I had to pick Grand Lake because of its sheer beauty. The small town, located on a beautiful lake tucked to the west side of the park, offers cute shops and restaurants without tearing you from nature. That’s why it made my pick of the number ten.


9. Aspen

Aspen made the top ten list because not only is the route to the town breathtaking, it offers a bustling downtown, nature hikes, and mountain bike competitions. Not our fondest memory, but we inadvertently got stuck in Aspen because of the ongoing bike tournament when we were there. While in Aspen, take the Silver Queen Gondola up to the Aspen Mountain, where you can enjoy a meal and a view.

8. Keystone

If possible, stay on Lake Keystone and relive the glittering lights I saw around the shimmering waters at night and its sleepy wakefulness in the morning. Five minutes away is the pedestrian River Run Village, where you can enjoy the gushes of Snake River, or take a Gondola up, or eat breakfast at Inxpot, or tread the brick-laced paths. No matter what you choose, the River Run Village in the Keystone area will bring Europe to you. Drive on the road up to Mount Evans while you are there for breathtaking views of the area studded with lakes.

7. Salida

A town snuggled into the heart of Colorado, away from the popular tourist destinations, has a lot to offer to my fond surprise. Take the spiral drive up to view the city and Arkansas River from S Mountain. You can walk along or kayak on the river in the valley town. The downtown will not disappoint either, but that’s not all. Residing on the famous Route 50 of Colorado, each direction on Highway 50 offers a scenic attraction. About twenty minutes west, you will find the Monarch Scenic Tramway with the gift shop that gives free popcorns to all taking the tram, including the woolens you might need in the middle of summer.

So don’t overlook Salida next time you are in Colorado. It’s also close to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

6. Cortez/Dolores

Removed from the big urban centers, seven hours from Denver, almost six hours from Salt Lake City, eight hours from Las Vegas, and four hours from Albuquerque, NM, you will realize Cortez’s first benefit right away. Cortez is a cross-section in the road, and what you pick can land you in a widely different state, different scenery altogether.

Now consider this: Cortez is fifteen minutes from Mesa Verde National Park, two hours from Monument Valley, Forest Gump Point, three hours from Horseshoe Bend in Arizona, ten minutes from the intersection of four states, home to the sleeping Ute Mountain, minutes from the foothills of San Juan Mountain (home to the top four towns of Colorado on my list), and has several maintained Native Americans cliff dwellings besides Mesa Verde (Escalante Pueblo being my favorite). To top it, Cortez Cultural Center is the epicenter of traditions, dances, stories, and history.

Cortez is the unsung hero of Colorado. Grab breakfast from SilverBean while you are there.

Cortez Cultural Center
Escalante Pueblo
Monument Valley
Sleeping Ute (in our backyard)
Cortez/Dolores

5. Vail

Vail was Colorado’s first pedestrian town I had visited in 2013. My daughter was only eleven weeks old. Without fail, this town will reflect Switzerland in its floral displays, cobbled paths, quaint alleyways, restaurants, shops, big public restrooms in every block. Like Aspen, this, too, is a ski town centrally located in Colorado.

4. Telluride/Mountain Village

Situated in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, two towns connected by free-of-charge gondolas, one pedestrian, both breathtaking, Telluride and Mountain Village is a combo designed in heaven. We visited Telluride this past summer. Telluride has lots of hiking trails, and the one I recommend for families is the Cornett Creek Falls along the brick-colored mountain and a stream to a spectacular end of the waterfall. It provides just enough adventure yet isn’t too taxing.

Parking by the gondolas took a while. You can get out of the gondola at the first stop atop the mountain to hike to views, but we carried on to the Mountain Village: stop number two. Additional gondolas take you to more destinations. The best parts of the Mountain Village were the plazas uniquely named like the sunset, reflection, heritage, etc. We grabbed food from one of the restaurants open for lunch (most open for dinner) and grabbed a stationary, standalone gondola for our very own private cocoons lunch at the Heritage Plaza.

This area is a little away from the other towns in the San Juan Mountains, but that’s its strength. Check out the bookshop and café in Telluride—a great bookstore. But don’t miss my favorite lake of the region, accessible from the road with a maintained parking lot, the Trout Lake, south of Telluride.

Mountain Village
Cornett Falls
Trout Lake

3. Ouray

They call Ouray, hidden in the heart of the Million Dollar Highway, the Switzerland of America. Waterfalls slam down its rocky and muddy cliffs. Flowers flutter through the pots lining the windows. Restaurants are abundant. Coffee shops, too. Must-see attractions include Cascade Falls and the Box Canon.

Follow roadside signs for Box Canon instead of google. Otherwise, you will find yourself on a gravel road with no entry visible into the park. The correct entrance is east of the river beginning at a well-maintained parking lot with a ticket entrance. So if you don’t see that, turn around. Box Canon will offer two hikes. Take both. You can finish here in an hour or two max. One path leads down to the roaring canyon with a waterfall on the inside of the mountain. Brilliant. Up the stairs, the second path leads to a bridge overlooking 360-degree views and a tunnel.

A roadside waterfall worth stopping thunders down the mountain as you leave Ouray going south. While in Ouray, stop at the Otis Hot Spring north of here, noting it’s “clothes optional.” That posed a dilemma for us because we have three little children. But, gladly, we did go, and people, naked or not, minded their own business. It was pristine, and the staff was friendly.

Ouray
Box Canon
Million Dollar Hwy

2. Silverton

Masked with mud roads, laced with its notorious history, and studded with out-of-this-world coffee, ice cream, and funnel cake shops, that’s Silverton. Blair Street flaunts a jail amongst other ancient displays. The animus river here is thundering and roaring. Surrounded by the Molas Lake and Molas Pass, this town is where the Million Dollar Highway begins, leading you to the narrow, high Uncompahgre Gorge with nothing between you and the cliff but a twenty-five-mile speed limit.

1. Durango

Durango is the biggest town in Southwest Colorado, boasting an endless stream of activities and an eclectic array of restaurants. Rafting. Ziplining. Biking along the Animus River. Or sitting down. Historic parks lining the river. Downtown. James Ranch Grill for an organic, pure lunch and farm. The Pinkerton Hot Springs. And when you tire from that, Durango is near Pagosa Springs, Mesa Verde, Cortez, and the San Juan Mountains themselves. It’s the well-rounded offerings that firmly put Durango on the number one spot.

Pinkerton Hot Springs
James Ranch (for lunch)
Bike path is amazing!

There you have it, my top ten Colorado towns. Until next time, it’s me bidding goodbye. Here’s to a more peaceful and safer world.

Mars D. Gill is the author of House of Milk and Cheese and Letters from the Queen. If you are following the release of her third book and life, www.bookofdreams.us is her landing page, the best place to subscribe. If you are already here, you need to do nothing else.

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Travel

The Best of the Best at Door County, Wisconsin

For Door County tips, like best season to visit, best beach, the best of the best, read on.

I am a well-traveled author of fiction, who also shares her learnings so you can plan smooth, relaxing travels across the globe. If this interests you, hit subscribe.

Having visited the Door County of Wisconsin three times, today’s topics delves into the best of bests. Three hours north of Chicago, Door County is in the northern peninsula past Green Bay surrounded by lake Michigan. Its series of towns offer unique gifts, all of which I will cover today.

Best Town

I love them all, whether the streets of Egg Harbor, the bridges of Sturgeon Bay, the northerly lights from Gills Rocks, or the cliff of Fish Creek. But my favorite town to walk is Sister Bay, facing west, ideal for sunset. What makes Sister Bay unique is its ambience, the gift shops, ice cream parlors, café, the Al Johnson’s grass seeded roofs with goats. Other restaurant highlights are Wild Tomato and Boathouse on the Bay for dinner. Both offer outdoor seating, Boathouse also offering shutters that open if seated inside the restaurant. For ice cream and coffee visit Analog ice cream and coffee. Sister Bay has an energy unlike any other.

Best Beach

Hands down, the most unique and removed Door County beach experience award goes to the School House beach at the Washington Island. Located a fifteen-minute ferry ride away, the beach is covered by smooth ivory pebbles, sparing you the annoyance of dry sand but abundant with turquoise green waters. Though popular, the beach will be far less crowded owing to its location up north. The beach and ferry to and from the island fits neatly in two to three hours.

Best Park

For most unique experience, visit the Cave Point County Park. It boasts stacked pebbly shores, deep cliff, howling waves, and the prize, the cave from where tourists dive into Lake Michigan.

Best Season to visit

Fall colors bring the entire peninsula to life, making it my pick for best season. It is not necessarily less crowded than summer.

Best Place to Stay

The favorite place I stayed at was the condo 1202 at Little Sweden. It had two bedrooms with two queen size beds, a double futon, and a king master, ideal for a party of 7, overlooking an emerald pond. Its located between Fish Creek and the Egg Harbor.

There. Those are my list of Door County Bests. It’s barnlike shops selling fresh cheese, fruit, and abundant wineries will keep you coming back. If you like this, subscribe. Next time, we explore Colorado.

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Travel

The Spectacular Waterfalls of Northeastern Alabama

Little River Falls

The highest point of Alabama at the Cheaha State Park. The World’s Largest Office Chair. The Waterfalls.

A day for goodbye was when we left Dauphin Island early in the morning, embracing the road leading us North, the same way we had come south. Montgomery came and passed by. And the endless, picturesque attractions of the northeastern, hilly Alabama region began. First came the highest point of the state.

The Cheaha State Park

Numerous hiking spots atop the Cheaha lead to the mountain’s edge, the panorama of the flat valley below misty and glinting at the same time. We hiked on two trails: a 10-minute boardwalk at the Bald Rock and the Pulpit Rock, the latter being our favorite. Both hikes are .3 miles. The Pulpit Rock hike involves descending along boulders one way and ascending on the way back, making it more fun yet short. Its rewards lie in the fewer crowd, more places to rock climb, and a guarantee of a rocky seat facing the valley, a perfect spot for Earth-Watching!

  • Pulpit Rock at Cheaha State Park
    Pulpit Rock
  • Cheaha Lake
Cheaha State Park, Alabama

A restaurant lies inside the part with open seating and a jaw-dropping view, one we had to skip because it wasn’t lunchtime yet. We headed to the lower campground, stealing stoic moments at Cheaha Lake.

We drove to Gadsen next via the World’s Largest Office Chair near Oxford. The area is beautiful, but I wouldn’t make a special visit here for the chair. If passing through, know about this roadside display.

Noccalula Falls

A legend has it that a princess named Noccalula chose to jump to her death instead of marrying on her wedding day.

Here, we stood across from the river, and her statue with one leg propped, hanging over the raging water. 

Two entrances lead to the falls. We chose the North one, not the one with the campground and the statue. Overly crowded, yet you can hike along the river and find a more secluded spot. The best time to visit the region’s waterfalls is early Spring. At the end of March, the water was raging and howling for us, the best sound therapy nature has to offer. 

Food

We were hungry when we arrived at Gadsen, and let me tell you, if you are in the area, order pizza/pasta from Mater’s Pizza & Pasta Emporium. That’s what we did. Lunch in hand, we came to the falls.

We crashed another waterfall after this one.

Little River Falls

The region offers a large selection of waterfalls. We chose Little River Falls for its history, its proximity to the freeway (our hotel was ways away in Tennessee), and the cute little town of Fort Payne at its mouth. We had thought of quickly visiting here to snap a photo and leave. But Little River Falls will hold you there. Plan a half-hour, not for a massive hike, to chill. The falls are right off the large parking lot, starting with a sign memorializing the trail of tears about a massacre of Native Americans.

A boardwalk paves the way to the impressive waterfall. You have two more opportunities to experience the river: descend the steps to the river by the road: highly recommended. Or walk across the river along the bridge to the other side with benches and more photo ops. You can see this in ten to fifteen minutes, but we chilled by the gushing river, down the steps, where we met with a kayaker, readying to plunge down the falls. We didn’t wait for it, as we had two more hours left of our day-long itinerary.

  • Little River Falls
Little River Falls

Food

For coffee, I recommend the Spot Coffee shop in Fort Payne.

Coffee in hand, we entered Georgia briefly. The mountain ranges were the hallmark of the drive. Near the Lookout Mountain, which we had seen before( and I highly recommend), we entered Tennessee. In the pouring rain, we reached our hotel in Manchester, southeast of Nashville.

Though the drive from Dauphin Island to Manchester was nine-plus hours, it didn’t feel long owing to the frequent and breathtaking stops. The area is strikingly different from central Alabama and the coast. The best time, in my opinion, to visit here is Springtime when the water volume is high, blue, and puts on a show.

This blog wraps up our Alabama series. Next time, I will share more about the Door County of Wisconsin. Until then, I wish you beautiful destinations. If you haven’t already, check out my new release, House of Milk and Cheese.

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Travel

New Orleans With Children

New Orleans

The Bakeries. The French Quarters. The Riverwalk and plazas. The Garden District.

I used to think that New Orleans was for the party people, perhaps not appropriate for little children. I was wrong. Yes, it’s a happening place. But it’s for everybody. A unique charm and the sweet aroma of pastries roams the flower-studded streets. We stayed at Dauphin Island, Alabama, which enjoys proximity to this city–about two hours away. Owing to it my son’s eleventh birthday that day, we wanted New Orleans to be grand. It delivered.

1. The Bakeries

Every corner seems to have one: French bakery shops and cafes. These shops go well with music, art, and books of New Orleans. Our first stop was Bittersweet Confections. With brilliant customer service, a small but bigger-than-a-pastry cake, available candles at the shop, we weaved the birthday spirits. They provided the silverware and a lighter as we enjoyed our second warm breakfast of the day.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, experience this city through your taste buds. Sweetness! My son opened his gifts and made a wish before cutting the cake. Birthday at a bakery—bravo.

Birthday Memories

2. The Walk Along the River

While Spanish Plaza was under construction, strolling along the misty and mysterious Mississippi River with ships gliding by inspired a meditation. The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial and the Steamboat Natchez hallmark the walk. Admiring its personality and sheer command of the coast from the outside, we skipped the food and cruise.

3. Jackson Square

This square is a famous landmark in the French Quarters described beautifully as a park where artists paint, draw, and sell. Hey, and I write. And me children climb its trees. But this was a moment I fell in love with this city that dedicated a square to artists. The St. Louis Cathedral rings across from it, and large crowds, maskless in March 2021, too, haunt here. Yes, that ensured we hastily exited and toured the Royal Street till Frenchman St with the restaurants and Washington Square Park.

We did avoid Bourbon street, avoiding the weed smell. Bring good walking shoes, a determined mind, and in my case, bribes of cheap gifts for children to walk on for miles and miles. We rested at the Washington Square before venturing to the Dauphin Street, lining colorful residences, people chatting on their patios to Louis Armstrong Park.

4. The Parks

The city is sprayed not just in color or cafes but lovely green stretches of parks. We spent a considerable chunk at the Louis Armstrong Park with the sculptures, the fountains, the wooden bridges, and the flowers.

5. The Garden District

My favorite. We started the experience in this neighborhood at the quaint Garden District Bookshop. When I conversed with the owner regarding my books, my youngest emerged out of the children’s book room, carrying five books reaching over his head. We did raid the bookstores and spoiled ourselves with more. New Orleans’s respect for art and culture commanded my respect. How do I describe Garden District? Veils climb atop giant trees and street walls, the emerald canopy of trees folds over your head broken by ivory cemeteries, an eclectic array of restaurants and coffee shops, including Starbucks. We ate at the Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine. It was great.

Coffee in hand, we drove back to Dauphin Island, having rewritten the best birthday memory for my oldest, who will cherish New Orleans forever.

In Conclusion:

So go to New Orleans with your Children. It’s a city surrounded by water, lakes, river, and sea, fighting their mighty forces, and so green. It’s a city worth protecting and preserving.

Next time, we visit the waterfalls of Northeastern Alabama. Stay tuned.

Author Update: My second book is available now at here

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Newsletter

Mars D. Gill’s Wonderful Life

The beauty of life centered around books is it’s easy to overlook mishaps and not perceive life seriously. I released my second book House of Milk and Cheese. While it’s true I bypassed traditional publishing to bring the book straight to the readers, convincing others on the quality of a book is one thing, getting them to read is another. Do we have readers left out there in the world? Do we have people who would bury themselves in a book instead of online social media or streaming?

If you exist and are listening, rather reading this, please find House of Milk and Cheese on Bookshop, Kindle, or Nook. Read and review it. New Indie authors make it on reviews.

My travel tips continue to roll every Wednesday, the next one being on June 2 on New Orleans with Children.

On a personal note, my oldest graduated from elementary school. I remember bringing him home, him weighing at five pounds eight ounces. He had cried the entire way in car seat, letting me know that harnessing in a foreign object is not the same as a mom’s cuddle. People would see him and say, “You baby is so tiny.” And look at him now!

In case you missed the launch of my second book, I am leaving you with these milestone event videos.

Events

Last Travel Blog

When in Montgomery, Alabama, You Must See This

House of Milk and Cheese – Released May 8, 2021

Book Cover Reveal

Book Cover

Book Trailer

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF THE LAUNCH OF MY FREE AUTOGRAPHED BOOK!!

Where to buy?

  1. Message me for autographed paperbacks at a discount
  2. Bookshop.org – House of Milk and Cheese (bookshop.org)
  3. Amazon Kindle – House of Milk and Cheese – Kindle edition by Gill, Mars D.. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
  4. Barnes and Nobles: House of Milk and Cheese by Mars D. Gill | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

New Giveaway

If you share a photo of yours with a book or the book itself (House of Milk and Cheese) or if you leave a review on Amazon.com, share it with me. I announce e-gift card winner on JULY 22, 2O21.

Future Events

I book read every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. CST. Catch me LIVE on Facebook or Youtube.

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Travel

When in Montgomery, Alabama, You Must See This

Books. Mars D. Gill

The National Memorial of Peace and Justice. Civil Rights Memorial and vicinity. Riverwalk

Montgomery. A town easy to love, remember, and admire. This capital town has a charm like no other. History rains down its streets like a black and white film. Here is my list of what you must see when you are here.

1. The National Memorial of Peace and Justice

It is free with informative guides to help you around. Carved into its walls is poetry, arisen from the ashes underground are sculptures, or so it seems.

Days earlier, we had read names of soldiers at USS Alabama and Fort Gaines who served during World War II and the civil war. We had wondered if their descendants proudly visited to see the names shining through the plaques. When the thought about family seeing their relatives’ initials at this memorial crossed my mind, sadness boomed. Broken by state and country, engraved in columns are four thousand and four hundred names of those lynched. As you walk amongst the amber metal columns, regret folds and unfolds: why were there so many names? Why did justice take so long?

  • Montgomery
  • Montgomery
  • Montgomery
  • Montgomery

2. Downtown Montgomery

Take the easy stroll through downtown Montgomery next. We parked by the Civil Rights Memorial, our first stop. The cherry blossoms swayed overhead as we walked to the first White House of the Confederacy across from their state building. The trek to the Court Square Fountain with sculptures and quotes from Rosa Parks also fits a meal like lunch in one of the many restaurants here like the Irish Pub.

Two blocks away, the Rosa Parks Museum offers tours ranging from forty-five minutes and more with a movie. We bought Rosa Parks biography book for the family and a picture book for my youngest. We then lumbered to Hank Williams Statue leading the footpath under the railway tracks to the Riverfront Park.

  • Montgomery
  • Montgomery
  • Montgomery
  • Montgomery
    Rosa Parks’ Spirit lives on

3. Riverfront Park

Lastly, to soak in the historic tale of events that shaped America, ponder over the sacrifices of Rosa Parks, who had to eventually move out of Montgomery to Detroit to find a job because she sparked and led revolutionary marches, I simmered under its weight at the riverside park.

Montgomery
Riverfront Park with a Open Concert Stage, Ship, and passing trains

We spent our day well and headed back to Dauphin Island, where we had rented a beach house, just in time for another spectacular sunset. Montgomery shed light on how small I was despite having written HOUSE OF MILK AND CHEESE on the state of race relations in America. My accomplishment was nothing compared to the true heroes, who had to move, die, lose income to bring about equality. We have ways to go, but we are here because of them. Montgomery, well spent!

Announcement: HOUSE OF MILK AND CHEESE is launching early, this weekend, Mother’s Day Weekend, May 8, 2021. Catch me LIVE on YouTube and/or Facebook. If you join, comment to let me know, and you can win a FREE AUTOGRAPHED copy.

Categories
Newsletter

Important Life Landslides. Second Book Launch

Books. Mars D. Gill

What you must win on May 22, 2021?

Letter to you – Book Launch

Dear reader,

I wish your life is an open sky of endless possibilities and dreams. You are healthy and peaceful. I have a promise to deliver to you.

You are cordially invited to the book launch for my second book.

Late last year, I had given you my word that if you subscribe here, you enter a raffle and become the first pair of eyes to read my new book, House of Milk and Cheese.

The time has come: my second book is releasing on May 22, 2021! And I want you to win. Pay attention. This notification is not spam. Please email me your name, email, and an RSVP to attend the launch at bookofdreams.us@gmail.com to officially enter the raffle. I will announce the winner during the launch.

I look forward to hearing from you. You are welcome to tell your friends and show them how they can enter this raffle, too: Subscribe here; Email me; And attend the launch. There will be more than one way to win multiple prizes.

Here are raffle rules to maximize your chances:
  1. Please email me your name, ‘yes’ RSVP, and email address.
  2. Refer a friend. They subscribe here and repeat step one.
  3. When you let me know that you brought a guest along, your name goes into the raffle twice, or as many times you bring someone along.

In the coming weeks, series of live events will begin, including the Book Cover Reveal. I will be LIVE on Facebook and YouTube every Saturday in May at 10:30 a.m. CST (11:30 a.m. EST, 8:30 a.m. PST, 11:00 p.m. IST), culminating in the final launch event on May 22, 2021. And I bring surprise guests, too.

You will get to know me better. But if you engage, I may get to know you well, too. Those who love the idea of spending an afternoon lapping in the arms of a book will appreciate these events. Please spread the word. 

My second promise is the delivery of a story that pulls you away and keeps you reading. House of Milk and Cheese belongs next to your coffee.

Thank you for your continued support. Here’s to dreams that beacon us and keep us working. I wish you success and more.

Your author,
Mars D. Gill

Important Reminders

Open your Eyes, for this World is only a Dream.
– Rumi

House of Milk and Cheese – Preview

Books. Book Launch
An Athlete.  A Therapist.  A Murder.  A Medal.

Siana Singh can run fast; she is just slow in discovering where she belongs, wedged between her traditional Punjabi family and her western beliefs.

Dr. Silverstone is a therapist whose primary purpose has been one of being an exemplary mother but has lost her daughter and her son is in jail. She understands loss well and is eager to help her patient Siana.

An #ownvoices narration of what it is like to be an Asian American immigrant in the US, specifically a Sikh, this story rings true to our modern world.

House of Milk and Cheese is the poignant yet heartwarming story of a young woman whose pursuit of overcoming her demons makes for a nail-biting drama as she realizes . . . 

To seek redemption is to pursue the impossible dream.

Letters from the Queen – debut novel

Amnesiac. Pregnant. Abandoned.

In a women’s shelter in Hawaii, Anna is known by a different name. When she unearths a stash of letters, she wonders if she’s a native or a tourist. On one side, there’s the new life, new love sprouting in Hawaii, on the other is a hollow past indicative of heartbreak and deceit. But not pursuing the truth could cost Anna her life, let alone love.

Alone, the past seems to have abandoned her in a lonely hospital bed with the medical staff and charity workers as her only companions. That’s when she discovers that she is pregnant, too. Perhaps not that alone as she once thought. And a new worry grips her heart. Hawaii is a famous tourist destination: what if she was only visiting here, she would never discover the truth about who she used to be?

It would be easier to move on from it all with Adam, but a stash of letters surface that beckon her despite reluctance to chase deceit and uncomfortable truths. Little does she know, she has no choice and must embark on a fascinating journey, looking into her life, thirty-six-years full, through the eyes of an outsider, just like the readers.

Available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords and BOOKSHOP.ORG. Purchase below & support an independent bookstore.

Countdown to Launch

  • 32Days
  • 12Hours
  • 23Minutes
  • 40Seconds

My Events

Write Hive – Be discovered – April 17, 2021
Write Hive – Handling Negativity
Seven Reasons Why You Must Visit Dauphin Islands
Latest blogs – TRAVEL

Catch my travel tips first Wednesday of every month

When in Northern Alabama, See This
Seven Reasons Why You Must Visit Dauphin Island Now
join me every saturday at 10:30 over live events, learn more about this book, network with me, and meet other authors.

Only for my readers . . .

The third book is about a superstitious scientist, which is tricky because science and superstition don’t mix.

And now an unpublished poem…to be published. Just for you . . .

The Song of the Long-Awaited Spring
The geese glided down and up
Lemony setting sun, loudened by quacks
At our tousling hair and walnut-brown eyes
The trodden road slaked with melted ice.
 
Then goodbye to the winterized
The winds with whale-like whistles
The ice-bathed muddy slush
Tiptoeing around the tea-colored puddles.

Whispered the soaked-in sand
Splattered the icy water into gutters
For the love of tulips’ sways
Never look back, said the looking land.

The chill drank the wind, stiff as steel
Speeding into the drowsy dark
The sun sinking into the arms
Of the shy blushing line of land.

And the moon swarmed out of clouds
Blinking at the flirting spring squalls
So long to the pearly, ivory nothingness
We spray smiles at teasing Spring.

Important Dates – SAVE THE DATE

Saturday, May 1, 2021, 10:30 a.m. CST – Special Guest Live Conversation

Saturday, May 8, 2021, 10:30 a.m. CST – Mothers Day Weekend BOOK COVER REVEAL

Saturday, May 15, 2021, 10:30 a.m. CST – Surprise topic

Saturday, May 22, 2021, , 10:30 a.m. CST – THE BIG LAUNCH DAY.

As you can tell, I am thrilled, relieved, and psyched. Giving birth to a book that bakes for four years, borrows from multiple conferences and reviews, is like removing an organ from the body. You worry if the world will understand: Root for “her.” Love her. She is Siana Singh, the rebellious daughter who has to learn about her place in the world, her family, and her country.
I was honored to give an interview at work to the PMO group in Allstate on my writing journey. I have written since ninth grade, but it wasn’t until 2016 books rose from planted seeds. Avid reader, a budding Nanowrimo writer, I complete a rough draft of a book in four weeks. I wrote three books in quick succession. Madness rained hard. Editing? Years swallowed me whole. A journey, four years in the making, is culminating, leaving me excited.
Please do not forget to email me your details, so I can add you to the raffle and see you on May 22, 2021, if not before. I leave you with a teaser. Turn on the volume.

Categories
Travel

Seven Reasons Why You Must Visit Dauphin Island Now

Historic Town. Secluded White Sand Beaches. Bellingrath Gardens.

Affectionately called the unluckiest island in America, compared to Earth’s other endangered spaces like the Glacier National Park, Dauphin Island hides its secrets close to its chest. When you step into the island, your imagination can smell the gunpowder from the civil war, feel it in the swells of the air that this place has seen and endured. An island unlike any other we had been to before, here is why you, too, should experience its uniqueness:

1. History and Fort Gaines
“Damn the Torpedoes” are the famous words sculpted into the walls of Fort Gaines. French Louisiana Territory’s capital, ruled by so many nations: French, British, Spanish, the island has seen the vessels of slaves docking at its harbors, the US navy winning the civil war against the confederate ships at sea, the soldiers treading its cobbled paths during World War II. Repeatedly battered by hurricanes that have threatened its existence, stories ring from its shores. Hurricane Katrina destroyed 450 of the 500 homes of the west end sixteen years after hurricane Frederic destroyed the bridge connecting it to the mainland. Now with a fancy rebuilt bridge and new homes, the island symbolizes resilience. Our newly built, modern rental had the fresh wood smell intact, overlooking the bridge and quieter northern side of the island. Away from the strip, an elementary school slows the traffic, the vegetation thickens. Giant trees sprawl the landscape, rekindling the memory of greenery known to Hawaii. For Fort Gaines, reserve an hour. Ferries run between Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan on the other side of the bay.


2. Wildlife and Audubon Bird Sanctuary
Dauphin Island provides the first rest stop for birds crossing the oceans, why it has so many bird sanctuaries. On one evening, rain and wind slapped both shores, sealing us at home over a Kahoot game and lavish dinner when the pelicans swooped and sailed over the turbulent sea. They seemed so comfortable in the arms of the storm.
Audubon Bird Sanctuary: We visited the Audubon Bird Sanctuary on another evening to gain more steps. A rooster greeted us at the well-shaded parking lot and trail. Though we didn’t catch an alligator, we spotted bright lemony birds and countless turtles in the lake. The prevalent serenity grows a prayer in your heart and calms your spirit. The trail leads to a south-facing beach where my children’s unfettered enthusiasm broke into high jumps, tall sandy mounds, deep canyons, and endless giggles. And I discovered my second book’s title as my fingers bowed to the evening sun and wrote House of Milk and Cheese on the sand.
You can walk across the trails in a half-hour, but I recommend an hour to two here to relax. I understand now why the residents and the mayor is protective of this oasis. We, too, can protect Dauphin Island’s vulnerable shores by reducing our footprint on the environment and slowing the raging oceans.

3. Origin and Indian Shell Mound Park
Did you know that Dauphin Island was once called the Massacre Island? When the founder of French Louisiana Territory first discovered the island, he stumbled across skeletons and named it the Massacre Island. But not a blood bath a Mississippian burial mound had broken open from a hurricane. So they rightly renamed the island to Dauphin, which not only rhymes with Dolphin, it means Dolphin in French though the namesake is after Louis XIV’s descendant.
Nonetheless, the Native American burial ground remains on the island. I didn’t see any Teepees or graves, but the park provided another shady, pristine fifteen minute walk through the woods.

4. Escape and the Pristine White Sands
To sink your feet into powdery white sand and leave an imprint, to walk solo uninterrupted for miles, to not slink shoulders, or deflect smoke from a crowd partying on a beach leaves you with a strange sense of ownership. It’s like you own the sand beneath your feet, the breeze on your face, the trees, the pelicans swooping on the water, and the cargo ships sailing into the horizon. The solitude at an island where you can see both sides of the ocean can tear into a spirit, weigh you down with a deep sense of loneliness, and leave you with hours to dwell on life. Experience it, and you will meet yourself on the other side.

5. Flowers and the Bellingrath Gardens
While Dauphin Island provides relaxation from the burnt-out, overworked existence I and my husband lead, the gardens at the mouth of the island sprinkle a dash of sweetness. On the first day, we checked out Fort Gaines in the morning, followed by this stop. I learned that Bellingrath was the first Coco-Cola bottler in the area. He has left behind his mansion featuring fancy china that we didn’t see from the inside. But the gardens delight with the Fowl River, Bamboo trees, lakes, and endless sprays of color. Two hours fit neatly here though you can spend the entire day. The leisure stroll will make you hungry, so plan accordingly.

6. Food and Mobile, Alabama
You can’t miss Mobile if visiting Dauphin. USS Alabama, the plazas for Spain, UK, Dauphin Street, Church Street, the fountains, and emerald parks are a hallmark of Mobile. It’s possible to see this in one day. USS Alabama stop, which features the warship and the submarine, requires at least 2-3 hours. When at Dauphin street, try the cappuccino and Mango smoothie from Serda Coffee and Blackened Chicken Alfredo from Wintzells Oyster House. Food options are endless in Mobile. If in the mood for Indian, Biriyani Pot didn’t disappoint. Their daal and biriyani were good.

7. Location. Location. Location.
 Dauphin Island’s location is an ideal distance away from Mobile, Bamahenge, and surrounding sculptures, Montgomery, and New Orleans to plan day trips. The island runs east to west, which allows for laidback sunset and sunrise, lining each side of the day.

So visit this gem. I leave with a few tips if you make it here. A gas station and series of restaurants are present on the island. But check their hours as the island exudes a laidback culture. You can find simple items like pizza and black coffee in the evening, but the breakfast places with specialty warm beverages shut early. Before taking the ferry, please check their Facebook page. They can quite frequently cancel rides owing to weather or inspections. But we made it on our third attempt after confirming online. The ferry accommodates about eighteen cars on a first-come-first-served basis. Arrive twenty to thirty minutes early at a minimum. That’s all I have on Dauphin Island. Next time, we travel to Montgomery.

House of Milk and Cheese is coming out on May 22nd. I hope you can join the launch and win the raffle.

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