I spent a lot of time in those woods growing up, but it would be a few years before they appear in my story. I was born in Dunedin, Florida just 30 minutes north of my childhood home in Saint Petersburg. There is nothing particularly remarkable about Dunedin, but its name does come from the Gaelic word for Edinburgh, so they've got that going for them.

I like to dwell on the happy memories of my childhood there. Finding a praying mantis in the front yard with hundreds of her babies. Excitedly looking for those bright green tree frogs on the tree outside my bedroom window. Making silly face cupcakes in the kitchen with my grandmother on an extra hot day. Getting up early to see a sunrise at the pier. Writing book reports about the various exotic animals at Busch Gardens. These are the moments that defined me as a kid, and an adult.

Growing up in St. Pete was great. Sure we had a pool, but the real treat was the beach, and boy was it close! Close enough to walk if we wanted. We were basically in the middle of a peninsula, so we were surrounded by beaches, which is why they are still my favorite place to visit on vacation.

But life happens, and change follows close behind.

At the time, St. Pete was not the best place for a family to live. The schools were all low rated, the neighborhood could get a little rough at times, and crime levels weren't optimistic. It's amazing how much the city has changed today, but my parents were worried at the time, and decided to move up to North Georgia to be closer to my grandparents. They had a farm with 50 acres, and a log cabin rental business. The town was quiet, peaceful, and friendly.

A perfect place to raise a family.