My name is Lynn Hones. I’m a new writer with my first book published by Devine Destinies in July. It was a long time in the making, worked on here and there in the confusion and fuss of raising my two girls, one Old English Sheepdog and two stray cats, adopted and brought into our home. They thanked us by infesting us with fleas. But, we LOVE them with all our heart, even as we battle the fleas. My husband is very supportive and happy I’m blossoming in my love of the written word. My second book, “The Cult of Light and Lies” will be available from Devine Destinies at a date to be announced.

My book “Those Who Wait,” takes place on a beach, my idea of heaven. I love the sand, the shells, the waves, the sun… As a special thank you to anyone who buys my book from now until Christmas I’m offering as a special thank you one of my handcrafted, one of a kind pieces of beach glass jewelry. The jewelry I make, I actually sell, but want to give it away to my readers. I’ll tell you a little bit about beach glass, because I’ve found a lot of people aren’t really aware of what it is.

Beach glass. What is it?

Sea glass

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sea glass in several colors and shapes.

Sea glass (also known as beach glass, mermaid’s tears, lucky tears, and many other names) is glass found on beaches along oceans or large lakes that has been tumbled and smoothed by the water and sand, creating small pieces of smooth, frosted glass.^[1]

Sea glass is one of the very few cases of a valuable item being created from the actions of the environment on man-made litter.

a piece of red sea glass, one of the rarest colors

an old bottle top made of cobalt blue glass, one of the rarer colors

The color of sea glass is determined by its original source. Most sea glass comes from bottles, but it can also come from jars, plates, windows, windshields, glasses, art, flasks, containers, and any other glass source that has found its way into the ocean. Some collectors also collect sea pottery.

The most common colors of sea glass are kelly green, brown, and clear. These colors come from bottles used by companies that sell beer, juices, and soft drinks. The clear or white glass comes from clear plates and glasses, windshields, windows, and assorted other sources.^[2]

Less common colors include jade, amber (from bottles for whiskey, medicine, spirits, and early bleach bottles), golden amber (mostly used for spirit bottles), lime green (from soda bottles during the 1960s), forest green, and soft blue (from soda bottles, medicine bottles, ink bottles, and fruit jars from the late 1800s and early 1900s, windows, and windshields.) These colors are found about once for every 25 to 100 pieces of sea glass found.^[2]

Uncommon colors of sea glass include green, which comes primarily from early to mid-1900s Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, and RC Cola bottles, as well as beer bottles. Soft green colors could come from bottles that were used for ink, fruit, and baking soda. These colors are found once in every 50 to 100 pieces.^[2]

Purple sea glass is very uncommon, as is citron, opaque white (from milk glass), cobalt and cornflower blue (from early Milk of Magnesia bottles, poison bottles, artwork, and Bromo-Seltzer and Vicks VapoRub containers), and aqua (from Ball Mason jars and 19th century glass bottles.) These colors are found once for every 200 to 1,000 pieces found.^[2]

Rare and extremely rare colors include gray, pink (often from Great Depression era plates), teal (often from Mateus wine bottles), black (older, very dark olive green glass), yellow (often from 1930s Vaseline containers), turquoise (from tableware and art glass), red (often from nautical lights, found once in every 5,000 pieces), and orange (the least common type of sea glass, found once in 10,000 pieces.) These colors are found once for every 1,000 to 10,000 pieces collected. Some of the black glass is quite old, originating from thick eighteenth-century gin, beer and wine bottles.^[2]

Like gathering shells or stones, collecting sea glass is a hobby among beach-goers and beachcombers, and many enjoy filling decorative jars or making jewelry from their finds. Hobbyists both enjoy searching for and collecting sea glass, as well as identifying its original origins.

Sea glass can be found all over the world, but the beaches of the Northeast United States, Mexico,Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Maine, Nova Scotia, The Chesapeake Bay, California, and Southern Spain are famous for sea glass. The best times to look are during spring tides and perigean and proxigean tides, and during the first low tide after a storm.

Beach glass, as it is called on inland lakes, such as the Great Lakes, is similar to sea glass. However, this glass is weathered by sand and tidal action and not by the saline waters where sea glass is found.

Authentic sea glass has become much less common in many areas due to littering being increasingly discouraged – and so has become increasingly expensive.

Artificial sea glass produced to meet craft demand at a cheaper price, and a wider range of colors, is often produced using a rock tumbler. Such glass lacks the romantic provenance of true sea glass, and differs in many technical ways, (e.g. long-term exposure to water conditions creates an etched surface on the glass that cannot be duplicated artificially^[3]), but for professional sea glass collectors, authors, artisans, and retailers the main issue is honesty regarding the source of glass^[4].

While some prefer the term termed “craft glass” for the artificial product, this usage is by no means universal

Author wearing little bottles filled with beach glass made into earrings.

Author wearing necklace and earrings made from amber colored beach glass.

Just a few of my pieces.

Bookmarks included in giveaway have small bottles of beach glass attached. People seem to love these as I pass them out to friends and family.

All my pieces are original and my daughters and I collect every single piece I work with. It is all original, true beach glass from Lake Erie, where my book takes place.

Here’s an excerpt from my paranormal romance. It’s rated PG 13. It’s an old-fashioned kind of romance, like the movies of the thirties and forties. Sweet, innocent and dear. Something my Mama would have loved to read if she would have lived long enough to see me published. (Sniff, sniff) I do miss the darling lamb. Take care, and keep in mind my jewelry is the perfect gift for that someone on your holiday shopping list who is impossible to buy for.

I’ve seen similiar pieces going for $25.00 to $30.00, but mine is priced way lower. Check out my website for more information and remember, none of us is promised a tomorrow, so live and love today as if it were your last.

Love,

Lynn Hones

“So, you’re rentin’ the Chase cottage, huh? Nice couple them two. Got money, no doubt, but nice none the same.”
“She’s my boss. She…” The car hit a bump and rattled so loudly a frightened Simone grabbed the handle above her. Convinced only a matter of time remained until the entire contraption gave way at the seams and dumped her, Vinnie and Madge into the middle of the rutted road, she swallowed hard. Madge turned as if she wondered why Simone stopped.
Her mouth dry, Simone began again. “She’s lending me the place for a couple of weeks.”
Her head took a pounding on this short trek to the cottage and she longed for it to end. Vinnie eyed her reproachfully and she flicked a cobweb off his ear. Madge rolled her window down and the car became a wind tunnel. Simone tried to gather her long, brown hair together with one hand and calm a terrified Vinnie with the other.
“You want me to roll my window up, sweetie?” offered Madge. She stared at her in the duct-taped-on rearview mirror.
“No, it’s fine,” Simone lied. She brushed a strand of hair off her lip.
Weathered cottages tucked along the lakefront looked barren, waiting for the broods of happy families to take residence in them for the long, happy summer days ahead. Further down, the island became more remote and they turned onto a dirt road that ran through a field of tall grasses. Simone concentrated on every detail to remember the way.
Madge took a right by a grove of trees and the Chase cottage came into view.
It took Simone’s breath away and she let out a relieved sigh. An enchanted cottage, right out of a book by Beatrix Potter, Simone half-expected to see Tom Kitten or Jemima Puddle Duck stroll down the pathway to greet her. The fairy tale feature of ornate trim, inherent in cottages of its kind, invited her mind to simpler, quainter days of old.
A large wraparound porch surrounded the entire structure, yet it stayed true to its purpose and provided a cozy place of solitude and repose. The light blue shingles and rose-colored shutters reminded her of butter cream icing that begged to be scraped from a gingerbread house and licked off eager fingers.
Beyond a small incline in the yard, the lake beckoned visitors in all its majestic beauty. The captivating scene recharged Simone. She gave Vinnie a nudge and hopped out to help retrieve the luggage from the trunk. “How much do I owe you?” Her attention shifted between the beauty of the cottage and the sights and sounds of the great lake. The sun’s rays beat onto her fair cheeks, making her glad she brought sunscreen. Freckles are cute on fourteen-year-olds, but not adults.
“Why, honey, that wouldn’t be neighborly of me, takin’ money from a friend and all. You’re on the island, so that makes you my new friend.”
“Thank you. How kind.” Shocked by the unexpected hospitality, Simone smiled.
Madge put a bag on the ground. “You ever been up here…to the islands, that is?”
“No, this is my first time.” Simone sensed a slight change in Madge’s countenance.
“Be careful, little lady.”
Simone studied her. “Be careful of what?” The strange woman’s comment baffled her out of her reverie.
Madge came close and gave her an intent stare. “Of things appearing to be what they ain’t.”
“What do you mean?” Simone swore coffee grounds clung to the eccentric woman’s teeth.
A queer gaze overtook Madge’s face. “When it gets dark out, you get inside, don’t you wander.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Simone retreated a step. “I have to say you’re making me nervous.”
Madge burst out laughing. “Me, little old Madge, makin’ you nervous? Well, ain’t that a hoot!” She squeezed behind the steering wheel, shook her head and snickered loudly. She turned the car around, stopped beside Simone and said loudly, “What a hoot.”
She pulled away as her disturbed laughter echoed shrilly in Simone’s ears. Simone watched the rusted, green heap go around the bend and disappear. While she choked on the clouds of dust it left behind, she gazed at Vinnie as he trembled beside her.
“Hey, pal, our new neighbor is kinda creepy, don’t you think?” Vinnie glanced up at her, his concerned eyes spoke volumes. Simone knelt in front of him and rumpled his ears. “But she don’t scare us none, huh, Buddy Boy.” She nuzzled her face into the scruff of his graying neck. “Come on, Vinnarooni.” She stood and grabbed his leash. “Let’s check out our new digs.”
Bordered by an English Garden leading to the porch, a brick walkway summoned her to her respite from the world. Vinnie hesitantly followed, caution in his step, tail tucked firmly between his legs.

www.lynnhones.com

www.devinedestinies.com