St. Simons Memoir: The Personal Story of Finding the Island and Writing the St. Simons Trilogy of Novels

by Eugenia Price

1st Edition. Only very slight signs of age or use. Page edges slightly browned. Eugenia Price (1916-96) retired to the Georgia coast from an earlier career writing spiritual uplift books for young readers & began a long series of popular historical novels set in her adopted state. Among her most popular are the trilogy covered in this Lighthouse, New Moon Rising and Beloved Invader.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Eugenia Price was born in Charleston, WV, June 22, 1916, to Walter (a dentist) and Anna Price. At the age of ten, she decided she wanted to be a writer and entered a poem in her school's literary magazine. She was raised as a member of the Methodist Church, but had left the church behind by the time she graduated from high school, at the age of 15, in 1932. She decided to leave writing behind to follow in her father's footsteps and pursue a career in dentistry. She attended Ohio University for three years, declaring herself an atheist during this time. In 1935, she became a student at Northwestern Dental School, the only woman admitted that year. She studied dentistry for two years, but writing continued to draw her. In 1939, she was hired to work on the NBC radio serial In Care of Aggie Horn. She continued as one of the writers for the show until 1942. She left NBC, going to work for the Proctor and Gamble show Joyce Jordan, M.D. from 1944-1946. In 1945 she founded her own television and radio production company, Eugenia Price Productions, developing other serials for Proctor and Gamble.

In 1949 Eugenia Price underwent a profound life change, giving up her college atheism to embrace Christianity. She considered a career change, but accepted a position with WGN Radio as writer, producer, and director for Unshackled, another radio serial. The popularity of the show led her to a lecturing career throughout the United States and Canada for several years.

Price began yet another career in the early 1950s when she was approached by one of the owners of Zondervan publishing. The 1953 publication of Discoveries Made from Living My New Life, a chronicle of her newfound faith and the experiences that led her to it, launched Eugenia Price into a new career as an inspirational writer. Other inspirational books followed, addresses issues of importance to women and children and other self-help concerns and urging readers away from advances in psychology and analysis and toward a life based on Biblical tenants. Many of her inspirational books are still in print, a testimony to the comfort and empathy many readers found in her works.

Eugenia Price gained a much wider audience though when she began publishing historical romances set in the American South. These novels were praised as "compelling sagas that blend personal stories of love and tragedy. . . with the dramatic events of a region's history." Her first historical romance, The Beloved Invader, was inspired her visit to Saint Simons Island, Georgia and based on one of the island's nineteenth-century inhabitants. The Beloved Invader was published in 1965 and followed by two other romances, New Moon Rising (1969) and Lighthouse (1971), to form the St. Simons Trilogy.

Her historical romances made Price a frequent member of the best-seller lists and brought her millions of readers. Although she continued to write and to publish inspirational works, it was her romances that brought her the greatest attention.

Eugenia Price died May 28, 1996, in Brunswick, Georgia of congestive heart failure and is buried in the Christ Church cemetery, Frederica, GA. Many of her books remain in print and have translated into 17 languages, charming readers of all ages and nationalities. Her manuscripts are housed at Boston University.

Reviews

[Charlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the St. Simons historical trilogy (Beloved Invader, etc.) in my middle teens. Eugenia Price was a prolific and popular historical novelist back then.

Just before visiting St. Simons again, I came across this memoir and enjoyed being reminded of the history of the island and its landscape. Eugenia Price, and her writer friend Joyce Blackburn, moved from Chicago to St. Simons in the early 1960s, when it was much less populated, still had the natural landscape and many descendants of longtime island settlers.

I especially enjoyed the parts about the research process in writing the novels -- back in the days of hunting down obscure books and going from clue to clue. Her books always felt historically accurate and one gets a real sense of the research and immersion she did to make that happen.

But, this memoir, published in 1978, seems a bit superficial and dated. Everything and everyone in it is described as wonderful.

[Graceann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my review at:
Grace's St. Simons Memoir Review

Eugenia Price describes how she and her companion, Joyce Blackburn, discovered St. Simons Island and how it became their home, thus leading to the beloved novels that are still in print today. This is fascinating reading, and takes one back to the time before St. Simons was built up with McMansions and when there were still residents on the Island who actually knew some of the people about whom Genie wrote. I read this first in August 1993 and revisit it regularly.

[Jarm Boccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

The making of a trilogy. Although Eugenia tends to ramble a bit in this autobiographical account of the years spent researching and writing her St. Simons Island novels, it’s still an interesting read. She fell in love with the place - it’s welcoming inhabitants and the story of Mr. Anson Dodge. It was Eugenia’s labor of love- and the joy of her later years.

[Cece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I have never read any of Price’s books, this was a nice glance of the research and editing process of writing. The most fascinating part for me is how she happened upon St Simons Island jn GA and was smitten with the area, history and townsfolk. We traveled thru St Simons a few years ago long enough to just see the lighthouse and I had several friends ask if I read any of Price’s books so that is how I came to know about her books. Now that I have read this memoir, I will probably read The Lighthouse and possible the rest of that trilogy. The writing was more of a 3.5 stars for me, however because of the subject matter of the location and all it boosted it up to a 4.

[Amy Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed her telling of finding the island, writing her books set there, and establishing her own home on the island. She engaged me in her memoir regarding her as a writer. Other aspects of her life came as a surprise to me and I was disappointed in learning these. She didn’t flaunt this. For that I am thankful.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting as to how she researched her St. Simon's trilogy, but also a bit dated. Sad in that so many of her "dear friends" passed away durung this period. Also, while she laments all the new development on the St, Simon's, it is her own glowing descriptions of the island, and her novels that brought many of the tourists! Regardless, St. Simon's is indeed a lovely place.

[Patricia Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just gives you a great perspective of their journey in writing these books. I am so glad I started with this before reading the St Simon novels.

[Cathy Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful author ... her research, writing, and friendships with those who helped her with research about this wonderful island and the families that lived there!

[Dawn Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written memoir of Eugenia Price. I highly recommend if you haven't read any of her books about St. Simons that you start with this and learn how she fell in love with the Island.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like a conversation with an old friend. One of my mother's favorite authors talking about one of my mother's favorite places. I remember reading the St. Simons trilogy several times as a young girl and reading her story about how it all came to be was a trip down memory lane. A remarkable woman coming to the south in the 60's is fascinating. A deep dive into the power of story.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this memoir of a special Christian author and now want to visit St. Simons Island but I am sure it is no longer the quaint unspoiled island of the 60's.

[Jes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted more on her writing process, research, etc. Though it DOES say it's a memoir. ;) Didn't finish it.