A picky eater with lots of allergies and her friend visit Casey’s Cafe

Novelists

I am a huge fan of Charles Dickens.  I even own a first edition copy of The Pickwick Papers, Dickens’ first work published in 1836. Of his twenty works, I have read nine, which were undoubtedly the most well known. I read several as required reading in high school: Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations. The others I read on my own. I’ve loved them all, but my most favorite was A Christmas Carol. Perhaps because it;s the shortest, or perhaps because I wasn’t forced to read it for school. But I think it had to do with the overall Christmas theme. I didn’t celebrate Christmas growing up and there was something about A Christmas Carol that brought me joy, despite Scrooge’s miserable temperament. Spirits and the afterlife fascinate me and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future had me mesmorized.

Taverns

In preparing to write this blog, I learned that Dickens hailed from Portsmouth, England. This has been the home of the Royal Navy dockyard and base since the early 1600s. I can picture horses pulled carriages leaving dusty trails as they meander down the road. Maybe there’s some seagulls flying overhead and the fish market is bustling with activity. In the center of it all, an old clapboard tavern full of men chug down pints of ale after a busy day at sea, maybe some women and children enjoy a bite to eat on the outside terrace. It’s this scene that I find most reminiscent of Casey’s Cafe.

Afternoon Tea

I met my friend, Author Sarah Whelan, on a warm afternoon in October for lunch. Casey’s Cafe is located in the business section of a rural town which has plenty of horses and tractors of its own. Several restaurants are lined in a row on the main street, each tavern-like in their own way. As we walked in, a waitress greeted us and gestured for us to help ourselves to one of several wooden tables dotting the floor. We chose one away from the giant square shaped bar in the center of the room. The bar was already busy with men enjoying a beer and telling stories of their farms and town happenings.

Writing Women

Sarah and I were happy to be away from the raucous laughter at the bar so we could enjoy our conversation. Sarah and I are close in age, with kids in college and empty homes. With not much else to do besides go to work and spend time with our husbands, we both spend a lot of time writing. We met a couple years ago through an ad at the local library looking for writers to start a critique group. I have had the pleasure of reading and critiquing her second novel Humbug: Scrooge Before the Ghosts and was thrilled that we were able to celebrate her novel at a Charles Dickens-esque tavern.

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah Whelan and her newly released book Humbug: Scrooge Before the Ghosts, be sure to click here. Sarah’s book is currently available online in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook through Mascot Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Millon. Paperback will be available early December 2023.

Click the meal to read all about it

Sarah – Tuna Melt

Lis – Beef Burger

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