[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]

Today’s post:

This will be brief. I wanted to post it last Friday, but did not. So, please bear with me on my ‘Halloween’ themed post.

On Elvis radio, I heard a story of a couple who visited Scotland and had a strange encounter. The story goes like this…

On a trip to Scotland, Tony and Agnes went to a pub where they drank until three in the morning. They staggered out and headed to the place they were staying, but they lost their way and ended up in the countryside. They headed down a dirt path, guided by a full moon. After they walked for what seemed like hours, Tony noticed a flickering fire in the distance. When they reached the fire, they discovered a barn. Loud hammering and banging came from inside. They stepped into the doorway and discovered it was actually a blacksmith shop. A man stood with his back to them, hammering away on a glowing orange horseshoe on an anvil, unaware of Tony’s and Agnes’ presence. Tony called out to him, and the blacksmith turned. The couple thought he looked familiar, perhaps an actor… But the black hair and sideburns suddenly registered…Elvis Presley. The blacksmith wiped his brow and spoke in such a thick Scottish accent that even Agnes, who was Scottish, couldn’t understand him. He wielded the hammer and glared at them. Freaked out, they hurried on their way, making note of where the shop was located so they could return the next day, in the safety of daylight. The next morning, they returned to the spot and there was nothing there, no barn, no blacksmith, no fire…only rocks, dirt, and grass.  They learned that other people had seen this ghostly blacksmith and his forge.

In 1973, an American publication called Weekend Magazine printed the story. Elvis read it and loved it, he thought it was fantastic. He learned that his ancestral home was Lonmay,  a remote Scottish hamlet in Aberdeenshire, and that a blacksmith named Andrew Presley lived there. Andrew married Elspeth Leg in Lonmay in 1713. Their son, Andrew arrived in North Carolina in 1745.

How spooky-cool is that? And, as if Elvis weren’t sexy enough already, his ancestry is Scottish. Here is a timeline of his roots:

This past Halloween, Elvis radio took votes on the ‘spookiest’ Elvis songs and held a countdown to number one, which was Edge of Reality from the movie, Live a Little, Love a Little. I’ll have to say, this song/performance kind of freaked me out as a child. Check it out… 

 

 

Fun stuff, right? Did you know about Elvis’ Scottish ancestry?

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EOLS Charity

Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.

Learn more here, including how to donate:

http://www.graceland.com/epcf/

END OF LONELY STREET – Now Only 99 Cents!

On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

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