Ever been to Maine? Travel editor Serena Brower has invited
a special guest to join us today to discuss the beauty of that state. Top
producing Realtor Vicki Doudera uses high-stakes, luxury real estate as the
setting for a suspenseful mystery series starring crime-solving, deal-making
agent Darby Farr. A broker with a busy coastal firm since 2003 and former
Realtor of the Year, Vicki’s latest mystery, Deadly Offer, takes Darby
to a winery where murder, mayhem, and Merlot all mingle. As in the popular Killer Listing and A House to Die
For,
Darby discovers a dangerous truth: real estate means real trouble. Read more
about the Darby Farr Mystery Series and Vicki at her website,
Vicki is offering a copy of Deadly Offer to one of our readers who posts a comment to the blog this week. -- AP
Take a Hike --- in Vacationland
I live in the state famous for its
rugged coastline, pristine lakes, spruce-dotted islands, and a variety of
rock-loving crustaceans known as lobsters. When I tell people “from away” that
I reside here, some of them look panicked, as if I’ve said I’m from Siberia or
Upper Mongolia. Actually, Maine isn’t all unforested wilderness and craggy
cliffs. My town is what most people would call “civilized,” although we did
have a moose run right down our street one spring afternoon!
The heroine of my mystery series,
Darby Farr, also hails from Maine.
She was raised on an island called Hurricane Harbor but fled the state
as a teenager after her parents’ tragic death in a sailing accident. In the
series’ first book, A House To Die For,
Darby returns to Maine and tries to face her painful past. It isn’t easy, but
as the books go on, she’s appreciating more and more just how special this
easternmost state in the country can be.
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| Gulf Hagus |
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| Borestone Mountain |
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| Vicki and Lexi on Mount Katahdin |
Maine’s most famous hiking spot is
Mount Katahdin, located in Baxter
Park. I’ve climbed it several times, but the trip I made with my daughter is my
favorite so far. There is a super scary section of the climb called “the Knife’s
Edge,” a thin path with sheer drop-offs on either side of a foot-wide trail.
The day we hiked it was extremely windy, making a traverse of this narrow pass
impossible. Luckily, when we got to the top of Mount Katahdin (the end of the
Appalachian Trail) the winds had died down, and we proceeded cautiously across
the ridge. It was one of those special mother-daughter times when we both felt
exhilarated to be alive!
If you come to Maine, be sure to visit our National Park, Acadia, whether you are a hiking enthusiast or not. A beautiful loop road takes you past peaceful ponds, booming ocean vistas, and up majestic Cadillac Mountain.
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| The famous Jordan Pond House popovers |
You can walk, bike, or horseback ride on the carriage trails mapped out by the
Rockefeller family, and eat lunch in the old-fashioned (and delicious) Jordan
Pond House. For a real taste of Maine, try one
of the Jordan Pond House’s famous popovers or a slice of their wild blueberry
pie. Until then, give one of my Darby Farr Mysteries a read!
And one of you lucky readers will be able to do that for free (read a
Darby Farr mystery, not eat a popover or wild blueberry pie!) as Vicki is
offering a copy of Deadly
Offer to one lucky reader.
Simply leave a comment, and check back on Sunday to find out if you’re the
winner. -- AP
Vicki, great post, better photos! I have loved Maine since I was a little girl - we went every summer, sometimes more than once, to Pemaquid Point, and explored from there. We spent a week on Deer Isle a few years ago, and last summer I was in the Brunswick area for 10 days. Going back in July! Thanks for the review/preview :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a Mainer living in exile. Thanks for the photos. I needed a fix of my home state this morning. I hiked Katahdin a while back. I awoke to see a moose running around in the campground, spilled my water on my LLBean's chamois shirt that I meant to use to stay warm at the top, and so it was a long thirsty day, but still worth every step.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a beautiful place. I hope to get to visit there some day.
ReplyDeleteI love traveling. I love seeing different places, people and history or just plain of beautiful scenery. Keep having fun.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to plan a Maine vacation with my daughter for years. This post on top of your very entertaining first book in teh series "A House to Die For" are very motivating. Keep those new books coming!
ReplyDeleteI'm heading up to Wiscasset and then to Greenville the third week in June. My husband and I have been vacationing in Maine for the past 25 years. We don't do much hiking, but we do love to sit and read on the shore of Moosehead Lake. I'll be looking for your books in the Little Shop on the Corner in Greeneville. They carry lots of books about Maine and by Maine authors.
ReplyDeleteSheila, be sure to let me know when you come in July so we can get together. Marcille, those chamois shirts from Bean's are the best -- until they get wet! Karen and Mary -- you need to plan your trip to Maine.. and Cindy, you too! Kathy, I love Moosehead and often stay at "The Birches" in the winter.
ReplyDeleteAll of you Maine lovers can also check out www.mainecrimewriters.com, a group blog with lots of great writers.
Cheers!
Thanks for this wonderful Maine post. What a great, beautiful and special place. When we lived in Montreal we used to drive 6 hours to stay for a week's vacation every summer at Old Orchard Beach and loved every minute of it. What a gorgeous beach and place. memorable. I miss it.
ReplyDeleteMaine has always appealed to me for its beauty and place in my heart. We drove there many times when I was very young and each summer we rented a cabin. Those were the days. Spending days exploring, at the beach, and loved every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Vicki. Love Maine. For over 10 years, we've been vacatioining in various New England states. In August, we'll make our 4th visit to Maine, staying for the first time in the Moosehead Lake region at the Blair Hill Inn. I'll make certain we stop by the book store you mentioned, Kathy. We'll split the time with a return trip to Bar Harbor. Camden is also a lovely little town as is the York Beach/Kennebunk area. Wish the state were closer. From Central Texas, it's pretty much a day of travel. But, oh so worth the effort. Gee. Maybe I could get a job with the Maine Tourism department. LOL
ReplyDeleteWatched the interview on your web site, Vicki. Nicely done, and I can't wait to read your first book, A House to Die For. Good luck with sales on the third one.