Story by Karen Parr-Moody
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – It isn’t unique, that familiar nostalgia that swirls around summers spent at the shore. Everyone who has dipped their toes into frothy waves likely remains misty-eyed about beach vacations. But the ability to capture every facet of that nostalgia is unique, which is why Nancy Glascock Sneed’s new book,
“Grains of Sand: Beach Poems,” is such a lovely creation.
Published by WestBow Press, the self-publishing division of Thomas Nelson, this book contains poetry that is at times funny, bittersweet and deeply poignant. It also features cheery watercolor illustrations by Lynne Waters Griffey. The book is available at various sellers, including www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com and www.christianbook.com, and may be purchased as an eBook or as a paperback.
Clarksville locals Sneed and Griffey recently held a book signing at the Hilldale branch of Planters Bank, which is turning into quite the local stage for area artists.
“I’m just a beach bum,” said Sneed, who described summer vacations at the beach and now has a vacation spot in Florida where she can carry on that tradition with family.
A retired teacher, Sneed has penned poems that would easily resonate with a child or an adult. There are funny ones about getting sunburnt or witnessing a lobster wave from a restaurant tank. Then there is the bittersweet “The Album, Too,” in which a family flips through an album of beach vacation photos and sadly notes that Grandpa, who has passed away, will no longer be along for the fun.
Griffey, who is known in Clarksville for her watercolors — particularly those of historic buildings — has taken a loose approach with her paintings that illustrate this book. Children frolicking, a lobster waving, a solitary sun worshipper — Griffey brings personality to these in this charming book.
“I just want to do loose and free and colorful and fun paintings, and just be glad that I don’t have to be restricted,” Griffey said of her new style of painting seen in this book. “I have confidence in myself now that I can paint whatever I chose to paint and be happy that I’m at this point in my life.”
And now that Griffey has joined with Sneed for “Grains of Sand: Beach Poems,” readers can practically smell the salty spray of ocean waves with the turning of each page.
Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.