Magic Skagit

Photo Narrative for Skagit Valley, WA

If you have been reading my short fiction and poetry, you will have found several nods to Skagit Valley in Washington State. This is a farm valley about an hour’s drive from Seattle. It’s in Skagit County and has the Skagit River flowing through it. And Mount Vernon is the county seat.

Although I haven’t uploaded chapters or scenes from my fourth novel, Love Quadrangle, the story takes place in La Conner and in Bellingham (Whatcom County). La Conner is referred to as the little fishing port.

My story, Magic Skagit (White Swan Lady) takes place between La Conner and Mount Vernon in the farm valley when the fields are filled with trumpeter swans and snow geese.

Next on my list is Edison. My story, On the Road to Edison features this pocket-size town. Edison is often combined with another rural town, Bow. Thus you get Bow-Edison. You reach these towns via the Chuckanut Highway (which I highly recommend) or there is an exit off I-5.

I believe it was this trip in which I took the photos of Edison, that I came up with my characters for The Road to Edison. It’s definitely worth a read. I believe you have to subscribe as a paid sub to read the entire story. But it’s worth it.

Next up, is Mount Vernon where I lived for four years and wrote several short stories that are part of my Magic Skagit Series. This includes Magic Skagit, The Maiden of Mount Vernon, as well as Apples of Seduction (a humorous flash fiction piece).

I also uploaded several poems here, including The Flood that were inspired by Mount Vernon.

It seems challenging to choose the right photos for this narrative. I’m digging through my photo archives.

I’ll leave you with one more photo from little old Edison. And phrases from my poem, The Flood.

We knew she would come,

Tumbling down the mountains,

Pregnant with rain.

We knew the earth

Would slide into the river and block

The roads and prevent travel.

Twenty-nine feet and rising, just

Past flood stage, cresting, no,

Water gushes out of the sky's faucet,

Unmerciful rain, the river rages on.

Rain coming down, faster, drumming,

Frenzied, crazy, syncopated jazz,

Bebop'in on my rooftop, lulling

Me to sleep--I dream of muddy waters

Rising fast over my head, deeper I drown…

(Excerpt from my poem, The Flood)