Welcome to Palm Beach Notes

There is something about Florida that has always stayed with me.

Maybe it is the way the morning light settles over the water, the sound of palm fronds moving in a warm breeze, or the long stretches of sawgrass where the horizon seems to go on forever. Maybe it is the old neighborhoods, forgotten cemeteries, back roads, small towns, and places most people drive past without ever wondering what happened there before.

I have always wondered.

That curiosity is at the heart of my writing.

Over the years, I have written stories about law enforcement, forgotten history, family, mystery, loss, courage, and the secrets that can hide behind even the most beautiful places. Florida has provided the perfect backdrop for many of them because this state has always been more than beaches and sunshine. Beneath the surface are generations of stories waiting to be remembered.

That is one of the reasons I decided to start this blog.

Here, I want to go beyond the pages of my books. I want to share the stories behind the stories, the real places that inspire me, pieces of Florida history, photographs, research discoveries, memories, and some of the unusual things I come across while working on a new book.

I may also share stories and photos of the cemetery headstones I find and clean for people. It can be a real adventure sometimes.

I will also share news about my writing, upcoming books, current projects, and occasionally a look at how an idea grows from a simple thought into a finished story.

Most of all, I want this to be a place where readers can stop for a few minutes and discover something interesting.

Some posts may take us deep into the Everglades. Others may lead to an old cemetery, a forgotten South Florida neighborhood, a hidden Palm Beach via, a historic building, or a story that deserves to be told again.

Florida has changed tremendously over the years, but its stories are still here.

You just have to know where to look.

I hope you will join me as we search for them.

Again…Welcome to my blog…Palm Beach Notes.

I am glad you are here.

Howard Mark Hines