A Note from the Author

There is a place in old Fernandina named the Walnford Inn. As in the many shorts pieces I’ve written on the subject, it’s a bed and breakfast. The Waln Family are the proprietors of the inn. My wife and I have been the guest of the Walns at the Walnford, as have many of our friends. We have always found it and our host to be most gracious and accommodating. The beauty and majesty of the old home is unquestionable. The peacefulness and history of the area is memorable. The view from the porches of the Walnford is every bit as romantic and moving as it sounds. The Walnford Inn is a wonderful place.

All of the pieces I have written about the Walnford are fiction. The people, their experiences, all references to the town and the inn are fictional accounts from fictional characters. I have chosen to use the beautiful setting of the Walnford as an inspiration to write about dedication, sorrow, commitment, love and romance. The image of the Inn helps me envision the characters in a setting that brings them to life and allows me insight into their emotions.

I can’t tell why the name, The Walnford Inn, moves me to write or why I find the place so peaceful and romantic. I can only assure you, it does. I was blessed to have had a friend tell me about the Inn and invite me to stay there. I started writing about the place soon after hearing the name and before ever visiting the town or the Inn. I just felt moved by the name. I found it inspiring and felt it created the image I needed to tell the stories of my characters.

The beauty of the Inn is something you’ll have to see for yourself. I don’t know the romance in your heart or the passion you feel for life. As for me, I’m moved by the majesty that is the Walnford Inn. When I stayed there my heart was touched as I ate breakfast on the porch. My wife and I sat in silence in the Walnford’s porch swing and enjoyed the view. We rocked in the rocking chairs and talked about the beauty and comfort that surrounded us. We walked the streets of the old town and shopped in the shops. For us both it was a wonderful romantic weekend. For me it was like visiting old friends and stirring old coals. It touched me deeply.

The Walnford or bed and breakfast in general, might not be something you are interested in. The focus of my Walnford based pieces has never been intended to be the Inn or the town. The focus of my pieces is intended to be the heart of the people whose stories are being told. I do invite you to experience the Inn for yourself and please let the Waln family know where you heard about them. Once you’ve been there and had the experience you too will dream of spending another night at the Walnford.