Happy Thanksgiving from the beach!
I’m coming to you this week from Port Aransas, Texas, one of my favorite places on earth. We’re here to celebrate my birthday and unwind for a week before the family arrives for Thanksgiving – our first in the new house – back in Lockhart.
One of my favorite things about Port Aransas is the quiet beauty of the beach this time of year. On today’s long walk along the jetty, I met a new friend—a feathered local who seemed more than happy to pose for his photo so I could share him with you.
Last night, I took advantage of the Gulf’s fresh bounty and made Betty’s Southern fried soft-shell crab recipe. If you’ve never tried soft-shell crab, it’s a real treat! November is the tail end of the season, so I seized the opportunity to cook them fresh, but don’t worry if you can’t find fresh ones, frozen works just as well. I’ve included a link to the recipe for those of you who want to try it. If you don’t like crab, you can use shrimp or fish.
If you’re a fan of my Merit Bridges Legal Thrillers, you know Port Aransas holds a special place in Merit’s journey. She comes here in every book during the dark night of the soul, when everything seems lost, and she needs to regroup. For her, the Coast is a sanctuary—a place to breathe, reflect, and find her next steps forward. As you may recall, a few villains have followed her down here!
When Merit visits Port A, she makes a stop in Houston to pick up Ace from boarding school so he can enjoy the beach and visit Pepper, his Cairn Terrier. This connection to the Gulf Coast is just one of the ways I infuse real-life inspiration into Merit’s world. Writing about her time here feels like giving a piece of myself to her journey, and I hope that sense of renewal comes through in the stories.
What are you cooking this Thanksgiving? Any special family recipes or traditions? I’d love to hear about them—just comment below and share your favorites with me! I’m particularly looking for new side dishes if you have some special ones.
Wishing you a holiday full of gratitude, good food, wonderful memories, and of course…
Happy Reading,
Manning
P.S. If you’d like to see more pics and videos of the coast, check my Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages.
