Happy 75th Birthday, Elvis!

Wow! Elvis would have been 75 today. Hard to imagine. We thought he seemed kind of old when he passed away at age 42 in 1977 (of course, I was just a kid at the time and all adults seemed old!). In retrospect, 42 was darn young. Just think of all he could have continued to accomplish in the years since. He was so incredibly talented, handsome, and had an awesome stage presence. Elvis was the first to do so many things in the entertainment industry. No wonder he became such an icon and is still a legend today. And I, for one, still miss him! I never tire of his music and listening to his wonderful voice!


That's why it was such a thrill for me to visit Graceland this past June. My dear husband indulged me and we spent a whole day there (I splurged on V.I.P. passes) and we ended up touring the house twice and taking our sweet time on the grounds. It was great. If you are an Elvis fan, I highly recommend going V.I.P. Having the time to explore and not be rushed is the only way to go if you really want to maximize your Elvis experience.

As we were touring the house, I felt just like Alex and Casey did (Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge) and half expected Elvis to come around a corner, or to see him sitting at the piano, or watching TV. Graceland is still very much alive with his spirit. As I was writing Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge, I really developed a new appreciation for Elvis. I'd had been a fan since I was a kid, but when I was brushing up on my Elvis research, I really began to understand and appreciate all that he did for others, and what he accomplished in a rather short period of time.


In Woman in Charge, I try to honor Elvis in a respective and fun way. And like me, Casey develops a new appreciation for the King of Rock 'n Roll. Casey learns a lot of neat, fun things about Elvis while learning to give love a chance.

Some of my favorite memories of Elvis are his '68 Comeback Special (black leather never looked so good!), his Aloha from Hawaii Concert, plus too many more to bore you with. How about you? Do you have a favorite Elvis memory? Celebrate Elvis' Birthday with me by sharing your thoughts!

Vacation Blog Contest Day 2--Graceland

Wow! What a great day we had. We arrived at Graceland at about 9:30 this AM with rainy skies hanging over us, but it turned out to be a beautiful, although a bit sultry, day, and a great day to take pix outside. I splurged on the VIP Entourage tour and I’m so glad I did. It was sooo worth it. It gave us access to almost everything and it was nice to tour the mansion a second time. The first time through felt kind of rushed and crowded, so going back later in the afternoon gave us a chance to see the things we missed the first round, plus do it at a leisurely pace.

I have to admit when I wrote Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge, I hadn’t ever toured Graceland. I wanted to come, but my dad’s illness, and a super tight deadline, didn’t allow me the pleasure. So, to get all the details right for Alex and Casey’s trip here, I had to do a lot of research. Thank goodness for the internet, books, and DVD’s! And thanks to my good friends Kathy and Noelle who shared with me their personal photos and experiences.

Well, after touring today, I’m happy to say I got it right. And it was fun to think of Alex and Casey and the various scenes where they see the lions at the front of the house for the first time, or when Casey looks up at Elvis’ bedroom window with a feeling that maybe Elvis is watching. I feel I did a good job of nailing their reactions and thoughts about Elvis and Graceland while they took the VIP tour. The mansion is really cool, the grounds are beautiful, and the meditation garden very peaceful and soulful. And the staff was super nice and very personable.

One of my big highlights of the day was meeting Elvis impersonator Mark Eskew. We just happened to run into him in the car museum. He was very nice, but it took me a while to work up the courage to ask for a photo. He graciously obliged and I just love it! Thanks, Mark! Then later we even ran into Mark at Walgreens and said howdy again!

I loved the famous musical gates, although they seem much smaller than I expected, and I even signed the wall! I took a total of 183 pix and went through three sets of batteries. I wasn’t leaving anything to chance! We felt like we walked 10 miles by the time we headed back to our hotel. And guess which hotel? If you read Woman in Charge you’ll remember that Alex and Casey stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel. Yep, that’s where we are! Once again I splurged by getting a suite for us. Not one of the themed suites mind you, but a nice suite where I’m lounging on the couch as I write this. I did have an Elvis movie on the TV, but hubby switched the channel after Double Trouble was over, apparently he needed a break from Elvis after being emerged in the King for eight hours. What’s up with that?

Okay, I’ve rambled on long enough. I could easily go on, and on, and on, but I won’t bore you. So, have you ever been to Graceland? What was your favorite part? And if you read Woman in Charge, do you have a favorite scene? Remember, every time you post this week, your name goes into the drawing for a Sherry James T-Shirt!