Mossy Creek

Mossy Creek #1

by Deborah Smith, Debra Dixon, Sandra Chastain

Welcome to Mossy Creek, your home town. You'll find a friendly face at every window, and a story behind every door.We've got a mayor who cleans her own gun, and a Police Chief who doesn't need one. We've got scandal at the coffee shop and battles on the ballfield, a cantankerous Santa and a flying Chihuahua. You'll want to meet Rainey, the hairdresser with a tendency toward hysteria, and Hank, who takes care of our animals like they were his children. Don't forget to stop in for a bite at Mama's All You Can Eat Café, and while you're there say hello to our local celebrity, Sue Ora. Like as not, she'll sit you right down and tell you a story. People are like that in Mossy Creek.Award winning authors Debra Dixon, Donna Ball, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Nancy Knight, and Deborah Smith (Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes) come together once again to blend their unique southern voices into a collection of tales about the South, this time focusing their talents on the fictional town of Mossy Creek, Georgia. Chances are, you'll recognize it. But even if you don't, you'll want to come back, again and again.So welcome to Mossy Creek, the town that ain't going nowhere and don't want to.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Southern, Anthologies, Humor, Chick Lit, Romance

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

aka Jackie Leigh
aka Della Stone
aka Leigh Bridger

Bestselling Author
Co-founder, co-publisher
Vice-president, Editor in Chief
BelleBooks, Memphis, TN

Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home, and the No. 1 Kindle Bestseller The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and other acclaimed romantic novels portraying life and love in the modern Appalachian South. A native Georgian, Deborah is a former newspaper editor who turned to novel-writing with great success.

With more than 35 romance, women's fiction and fantasy novels to her credit, Deborah's books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Among her honors is a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine and a nomination for the prestigious Townsend Literary Award. In 2003 Disney optioned Sweet Hush for film. In 2008 A Gentle Rain was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.

For the past fifteen years Deborah has partnered with Debra Dixon to run BelleBooks, a small press originally known for southern fiction, including the Mossy Creek Hometown Series and the Sweet Tea story collections. As editor, she has worked on projects as diverse as the nonfiction Bra Talk book by three-time Oprah Winfrey guest Susan Nethero, and the In My Dreams novella by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen.

In 2008 BelleBooks launched Bell Bridge Books, an imprint with a focus on fantasy novels and now expanded to include multi-genre fiction--mystery, suspense, thrillers, women's fiction, nonfiction and other. In 2013 BelleBooks acquired the late Linda Kichline's paranormal romance press, ImaJinn Books, and hired legendary editor Brenda Chin, formerly of Harlequin Books, as editorial director. Chin will expand the imprint to cover a diverse mix of all romance types.

Deborah's newest books are the Crossroads Cafe novellas: THE BISCUIT WITCH, THE PICKLE QUEEN, THE YARN SPINNER, and THE KITCHEN CHARMER (2014). She released a mini-short story, SAVING JONQUILS, in March 2014. A sexy romantic novella, A HARD MAN TO FIND, is scheduled for later in the month.

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mossy Creek is a fictional place in Northern Georgia populated by some very interesting characters, including the mayor, Miss Ida, and many others who exemplify their town motto "Ain't going nowhere and don't want to." Mossy Creek was written by several different authors as a series of interrelated short stories about various characters in the fictional Bigelow County and town of Mossy Creek and its adversary, Bigelow, the town seat. This place reminds me of my own home area and many other small towns in my part of the world. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read others in the series. Thanks to Kindle, I got this book free. These short stories are comical, with a touch of sweetness at their heart. I presented this one to our book club for consideration recently. I think it would be good choice for book clubs,based on the numerous short stories to choose from.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a collection of short stories all centered around the same southern town. It was OK. It was filled with what I call fluffy stories because they are mildly entertaining to read but there is not really a whole lot of depth to them. The stories are short which in this book limited the character development. The stories were cute situational happenings and the all had a happy ending....of course. The thing I disliked the most about the book was the blatant set up at the end for the sequel.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the first free books I downloaded from the amazon store to read with my kindle app. Its the first in the series and did capture my attention to search out good buys on the next couple of books in the series to purchase. Its like going back in time to simpler times and life in a small southern town and everything that goes with it. If you grew up in a small southern town, you'll understand the quirkiness of the people and happenings of this quaint little town and it's residents. Each chapter is told by a different person from the town but all the characters and stories tie together and reading it will definately make you chuckle if you understand the ins and outs and ups and downs of small town southern life. Great read when you just want to relax and take yourself back in time and visit simpler times.

[Michael Charles Yett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally finished this book after starting it almost two years ago when a move from one place to another got it set aside. First thing about this book is it is a book of characters if fictional seem just as real as God's great green earth. I have traveled a lot in my life across this great country and even had some time overseas in Europe, but the best travel and time spent was in small southern towns, and this story brings it to life. I have lived around and in Atlanta, Ga and spent some time in Greenville, SC, and lived in between in various small cities and have known and related to small town folks full of character. I have also lived in some major cites like Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, and Charlotte, VA and people wiz by you like you aren't even there, when you meet someone you can almost relate everything about yourself and it's almost like a confessional never to be brought up again.

Well in small town life you can't do that because everyone knows you or think they do. In small towns you either have a reputation, good or bad, or someone will make one up for you, guaranteed. This book is a gem of a find because it shows you the aspects of small communities that most folk don't experience unless they come from one. The stories are great and reveal different characters in their own narrative. It's like reading books inside of a book. I am glad I rediscovered this book on my kindle list and finished it, it was well worth my time relating to the folks and characters.

Please don't think this is some hick kind of read, it's life and knowledge all rolled into one book.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of many free books I've picked up on my Kindle.

This one, like many of them, is the first in a series. The idea is to hook you in so you'll buy the others. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't.

For me, this one dose of Mossy Creek is enough. They're pleasant enough, the people of Mossy Creek, but quickly forgettable, and with so many truly great books out there, why spend money on a series I know to be middling?

If you enjoy the small town, everyone knows your business kind of atmosphere in a book, this one may be just your speed. The revolving cast of characters will either make your head spin or keep you fully engaged with Mossy Creek.

[Sheena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I downloaded this for free on my new Kindle. The concept is a little strange. Each little story narrated by a different member of the town of Mossy Creek. It was OK and kind of cute at times. I don't feel the need to pay for further "down home" stories of this type despite the thrown in at the last minute, cliffhanger ending. Just a little too formulaic for my taste.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories centered around the residents of Mossy Creek. The individuals stories range from heart wrenching to heart warming. Filled with hope and love they wisk you away to a small southern town with the motto "Ain't goin' nowhere, and don't want to." This is the first in a series and I intend to read them all.Easy comfortable reading

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a few days hindsight, I am giving this lovely southern "small-town" eccentric tale, a 4-star rating, as encouragement for this writer to bring us more of those wonderful characters. Each of the dozens big chapters presents us with a new, and extremely well-thought out, and, original character of Mossy Creek, one more adorable, and likeable, then the other. First, I was a bit confused that there was no interaction between those characters, except at the end, everything comes together and - is a prelude to the second book. I especially liked the sense of community in Mossy Creek, and their very strong-willed and protective mayor, Ida Walker, who carries on the tradition of feuding with the neighboring town of Bigelow. Her introduction to the readers, tells it all by the 1st chapter's title: Ida shoots the sign. I immensely and truly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the next.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mossy Creek by a collective group of authors including Deborah Smith is actually a collection of short stories about the people of Mossy Creek, Georgia, tied together with the frame story of a series of letters to a descendant of one of the MC families who now lives in England.

The stories have an element of "zany" either because of funny situations or eccentric characters. The one title "Naked Bean" was very touching and nearly brought a tear to my eye. There are nine books in the series. I will try book 2 and go from there. Author Karen White is a participant in book 4; she is the only name I have recognized.

I'm not usually a short story reader but I have enjoyed this book.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute set of short stories, all focused on the town of Mossy Creek, mainly dealing with it's feud with the bigger town in the county.
All short stories, each focused on a different resident or family in town.
Nice read, I got the ebook from my local library.
Not sure if I will seek out the rest of the series or not, even with the teaser thrown in at the end.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book. It was certainly a fluff book; made up of many short stories and not meant for more than just some good entertainment. I'm not in any hurry to read the sequel but I could see myself reading more Mossy Creek books in the future.

[Sandy Carmichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you live down South or are from the South this is a funny book and I love all the stories set in the small town. Will read more in this series.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful story of a small town and its quirky residents, told through different viewpoints. Sad, funny and heartwarming. I’ll be continuing with this series.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, interesting short stories. Entertaining short read. Every town should be Mossy Creek.

[Linda Ballenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters in the book so much, I wanted to read all the Mossy Creek books! It's a place I'd like to live

[Victoria Goins · Rating 5 out of 5]

So truly southern. Loved it, laughed and cried. Sure hope there are more!

[Bbainbridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Southern humor at it's raw and good nature d best.

[Shari Harvey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Style of conversations was too irritating for me to continue reading!

[Sally Kinane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t know if I would like a book written by many authors but I loved this one. Each character is unique and memorable. Can’t wait to read the next one.

[Laura L]

At first I didn't like it. As I kept reading, it began to grow on me & I enjoyed it.

[Carrie Billig · Rating 5 out of 5]

5

[Melissa Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read!

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another to add to my "favorites" list! This is definitely my kind of book with southern charm, stubborn, quirky characters and some heartwarming storylines.

[Pamela Milin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just okay. I gave it only 20-some pages, and it didn't capture my attention and started to annoy me.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute and entertaining. I loved the different characters. Reminded me a little of Jan Karon's books and the way she portrays her characters.

[Bookphile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I didn't love every story in the book, there were a couple that I found extremely touching, particularly Casey at the Bat and the story about Jayne Austin. More detailed review to follow.

Complete review:

Mossy Creek's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. The book is really a collection of short stories, each one told from the point of view of one of the residents of Mossy Creek. The strength in this lies in the fact that the reader gets a real feel for the town and the colorful characters who define it. The weakness is that some characters' stories are stronger than others, resulting in a book that has some weak moments. Some spoilers to follow.

First off, I don't feel I can really do a well-rounded review without commenting on the formatting of this book. It was very hard to define sections at times, so when I first encountered the letters that form a bridge between one story and another, I was very confused about what was going on. I don't normally pay much attention to a book's formatting, but in this case it was very problematic because it created a clarity issue for me. The book would really benefit from page breaks before and after each letter by Katie, so that there are clearly defined breaks between stories.

That aside, I don't normally tend to read books in this genre, so I was kind of uncertain of it at first. However, I really warmed up to some of the stories as I went. While I enjoyed the quirkiness of some of the characters and thought the opening story of the mayor's fight against the new town sign was quite funny, what I really liked about the book were the touching stories of Casey, Jayne, and the town's resident who played Santa Claus. All of these stories were so suffused with genuine human emotion that they brought tears to my eyes. Casey's gradual emergence from her sense of sadness and loss to her understanding of and adaptation of a new purpose in life was really wonderful. I also very much enjoyed the dynamic between Jayne and Ingrid, as these two women come to a new understanding about one another. And the touching story of a man who loses his lust for life as his wife slips away was so wonderfully realized.

On the flip side, I didn't much enjoy stories like that of the darts competition between Mossy Creek and Bigelow. I know the humor was meant to be a bit over the top, but I found myself thinking of the residents as simply mean. In fact, I didn't much like the portrayal of the residents of Bigelow at all. While I appreciated the presentation of the character of Mossy Creek as people who felt fiercely loyal to their town and to one another, and who resisted some of the dehumanizing aspects of modern civilization, I felt the book did a real disservice to itself by portraying the residents of Bigelow in such a cartoonish way. It would have been interesting to have the point of view of at least one Bieglow resident, which would have lent the book more nuance when it came to the question of the old versus the new. For a book that showed such wonderful depth in exploring issues like love and loss, it was incredibly shallow in this regard.

Despite these flaws, I was ultimately won over by the charm that suffuses so many of the other stories in the book. The characters the reader encounters are so vivid and have such unique voices that I really felt like I had insight into what made Mossy Creek tick. I could picture the look of the town, with the Naked Bean and Ingrid's bakery, and I finished the book wishing I could pay it a visit.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! My family comes from a little town like Mossy Creek. Since I spent every summer of my childhood enjoying the unique experiences that country life and small towns where everybody knows each other and most people are family in one way or another, I could immediately relate to the town and characters. The sassiness and strong will of those southern women was definitely something I could relate to also. This is a great read for anyone that wants to know what life is actually like in a small southern or Appalachian town, or anyone, like me, that enjoys a walk down memory lane.

[Maurean · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the first Kindle books I downloaded, I didn't know this was a collaborative effort until I finished reading.
This is a collection of short stories, written as a series of letters to one Lady Victoria by Katie Bell, which all center around the characters in the small town of Mossy Creek, Georgia. I loved every single one, and was pleasantly surprised to find there are several more books in this series, so I can find out whatever happened at the Old Mossy Creek High School during that fateful game between Mossy Creek and Bigelow High!

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful quick read. Like walking into a town and being introduced to the citizens in small groups at a time.

Each chapter is a complete story yet they all come together as an anthology of the fictional mountain town of Mossy Creek, GA. While reading this in a coffee shop my suppressed giggles were overheard and when I answered a question with tears in my eyes I merely pointed to the page I was on, showed the name on the cover and shrugged. The stories are heartwarming and the citizens of the small town quirky. Just the sort of read I was looking for when I picked it up.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of stories about different town members was mostly okay. I liked some stories better than others. I mostly liked it because there was nothing offensive in it--nice for a change! But I felt that some of the stories were a bit contrived and I didn't enjoy the ending--I had no clue what was going on. Overall, this is a nice escape story but will not encourage any deep thinking or soul-searching.