Folly Beach is known to be a laid back community with an eclectic group of people, but author and fine art photographer Bill Noel sees it as a perfect place for a murder. Beginning his fictional writing career at age 59, Mr. Noel has garnered acclaim for his easy beach reading and attention to detail. Incorporating real life entities such as the Lost Dog Café, Tides Hotel, Ritas and other establishments makes each of his works feel like an actual scenario. On March 25th, we were able to catch up with Mr. Noel at the Lost Dog Café for a book signing.
Having been published successfully and achieving a bit of local celebrity status, we asked him why he chose Folly Beach as the location for the series. Noel states, My wife and I discovered Folly about ten years ago. We were looking for a beach located near a nice city, something more rare than many would think. Charleston is a fantastic city and we lucked into discovering Folly. After spending a week there, I realized that the islands character, and characters, were both fascinating and special what better place than Folly as a setting? Certainly, the attention to detail in his books about the scenery, marsh and local flavor make them feel like home to many visitors to the area.
The main character in the series, Chris Landrum, is a baby boomer who anticipated retiring in the coastal community until accidentally stumbling upon a murder scene where things then go awry. Making friends in the local joints, he goes on to become involved in an easily addictive set of dramas that will have you craving one book after the other. As common to Folly as the name suggests, Noel states that the actual name was created from a close friend who is deceased and the name of a potential future son, which as you can guess wasnt (what happened).
Bill Noel anticipates writing many more follow up books for the series, as hes actively receiving kudos from readers and support from the community. His ranking on Amazon average about 4.5 out of 5 stars with comments ranging from Im so glad I found these to Addictive, and I want more. His favorite comment was when readers have said that they liked the characters so much that they would like to take them home for supper.
More visits to the Lost Dog Café for book signings are planned for the future. He tries to come out a couple of times a year to enjoy the atmosphere and get more inspiration for his writing. Folly Beach appreciates his efforts and look forward to seeing more as they come available. Thank you, Mr. Noel!
