Farmer & Rancher Newspaper

Patrick Smith Authors New Book: A White Deer

A Book Review
By BARBARA OEHLBECK
Florida’s most sought after author has given this state another priceless gift. His latest book is a collection of stories mostly set in the “Old South” that exemplify his life-long philosophy regarding writing....about which he says: “I believe that writing ability is a sacred trust and should be used as such – that writers should not only entertain but should also use their talent to illuminate the unfortunate and unjust things in life and to thus enlighten the human heart.”
A White Deer: “His bare feet splattered little puffs of dust as Dave Warren walked along the dirt road leading to the store. “Sure wish we could git a good rain afore long,” he muttered. As he strolled around the bend, the big, white-washed store of Jeff Willicot came into view.
“Howdy, Dave,” Mr. Willicot said. “Go on in. Lucy’s inside.” Dave’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Lucy. She was sitting behind a counter, shooing filies from a barrel of soda crackers. Dave and Lucy had gone to school together until the fifth grade, then Dave’s father died and he had to quit school to help his mother run their farm. To Dave, Lucy was the prettiest girl in all of the Steel Bayou country...
•••
James Drury Allen sat on the edge of a bed in the motel room, watching his wife toy with her hair in front of the mirror. She’s still a good looking woman even at forty-two, he thought. Her blonde hair showed few traces of gray and the green eyes still sparkled of youth.
James stood up, took his coat from the closet, then walked to the door and hesitated...wondering if he were doing the right thing...thinking that perhaps they should leave immediately and let sleeping phantoms lie...but he knew he would take the walk anyway.
This was what he had come for, his reason for being here. San Diego was where it had happened...or had it happened? For a moment he was not sure....
•••
Cathy Flanagan stood in front of a display window of Banks Mercantile Store, staring at a pair of shoes. They were blue with silver buckles and white straps. She had been there for a half hour, peering through the specked glass, her eyes transfixed on what seemd to her to be the most beautiful pair of shoes ever created. Finally she turned and went into the store reluctantly. Clifton Banks came from behind a counter and said, “Why hello, Cathy. Haven’t seen you in some time. How’s your ma and pa?”
“They’re fine”, she said, casting her eyes downward.
“Something I can do for you?” he asked.
“How much are they ... the blue shoes in the window?”
“Oh,” Banks said. “The blue shoes...let me show them to you.” He removed the shoes from the display window and handed them to her.
She held them as if they would shatter if dropped. Then she said again, “How much are they?”
Banks replied, “Well, Cathy, they’re real fine shoes...best I’ve ever had in the store but it seems that everybody wants black or brown shoes, not blue. So you can have them for five dollars. You want to try them on?”....
•••
And so Patrick Smith’s stories continue on through this new pearl in the book world.
The final offering is a poem titled “Talk To The Wind.” Here again Mr. Smith’s philosophy shines through as the poem ends with:
So if you miss their presence,
Just stop and talk to the wind,
And the flowers and birds
And leaves on the trees
Will talk back to you again.

To order your own copy of Patrick Smith’s “A White Deer”, send check or money order for $10.95 plus tax .77 plus postage $2.00, total $13.72, to Barbara Oehlbeck, 25075 Grassy Run, LaBelle, Fl. 33935. Call, write, fax, or e-mail. Phone-fax same 863-675-2771, e-mail doco@strato.net

More Florida Author Choices...

By BARBARA OEHLBECK

According to experts in the field, printed books were made in Japan and China over one thousand years ago, while the first printed books in Europe appeared about half that time ago, and in this country, well, we go around to book printing long after that but we ’re catching up rapidly, especially in every southern books.

Regardless of how or when a book was printed, be it a new book, used book, or an out-of-print book...the gift of a book keeps on giving. It’s a little surprising to learn how many books of local origin there are in Florida...some well known, some little known, both old and new.

Naturally we expect to find books in book stores, however, it’s a little surprise to find books in other places of busines that primarily have no connection with books. This, of course, mostly occurs where there are few if any full time bookstores. It’s well known that few bookstores can survive in small towns, particularly since there are limitless book offerings on the internet.

However, as much as the internet offers in the way of books, there’s nothing quite like personally browsing through books, new or used.

In Clewiston for instance, the historic Clewiston Inn offers Florida books in their glassed lobby desk, and in LaBelle, the landmark restaurant, Flora & Ella’s offers dozens of Florida books including a huge selection of cookbooks.

Cracker’s Mule by Billy Moore, a strictly southern book that warms the heart and allows the reader to feel the pull between animals and people. Perhaps the subtitle says it best: A Blind Mule Teaches A Boy To See. $12.95, softback.

And when looking for plant books, how to select, how to plant, what to do when and where with a Florida yard or garden, in a pot or on a stoop, don’t overlook garden centers which frequently feature specialty plant and flower books, both identification and how-to books that are often unavailable elsewhere.

A world of information, entertainment, educational and inspirational, is at our finger tips between the covers of books that give and give, then keep on giving. Specifically here are few: A Land Remembered, Patrick Smith’s classic saga that is Florida’s most in-demand book: Hardback $19.95, soft back $18.95.

The Lawrence Will series includes Okeechobee Hurricane, Cracker History of Okeechobee, Swamp to Sugar Bowl plus others from $9.95 to $14.95.

For children there’s The Panther & The Windigo. As one sixth grader said, “It’s better’n TV any day!” Softback $10.95.

Florida My Eden by Frederic Stresau is considered the “Bible” for Florida plants. Color illustrated throughout, this book is highly detailed with the most sought after information including propagation, likes and dislikes, origin, rate of growth, etc. $22.95.

The Everglades, River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas 60th Anniversary Edition is the most sought after writing on the Everglades. Handsome hardback edition $19.95.

Also available are my own two latest books, For The Love Of Roses, a love story for roses and those who grow them, 8-½x11, in color and highly detailed. I’ve said many times to those who want to grow roses and say they can’t, that if they have a question about growing roses that’s not answered in the book, call me “collect” and get your own personal answer!

And then, there’s MAMA, Root, Hog, or Die. Patrick Smith wrote this about MAMA which appears on the back cover: “Mama grabs your heart, mind, and soul and never lets go. You laugh one moment and cry the next, and Mama becomes so real you expect her to step right out of the pages and sit down beside you....” Hardback, illustrated in sepia tones, dust jacket, 360 pages. $24.95.

All these books are available from Barbara Oehlbeck, 25075 Grassy Run, LaBelle, Fl. Telephone 863-675-2771 or fax (same number), or e-mail doco@strato.net