Southern Diversity with Sherri Fulmer Moorer

Are you ready for some football? If you come to South Carolina, you’d better be! College football season starts in a few weeks and the big question is; do you bleed garnet or orange? Meaning, are you a South

Carolina Gamecock or a Clemson Tiger?

Yes, our in-state football rivalry is legendary. Personally, I’m a Gamecock. I’m a lifelong resident, born and bred in Columbia, SC, and alumna of the University of South Carolina. This state is my life. Yes, we are a rural state, but there’s so much to see here.

 There’s the historic beauty of Charleston, where you can see the roots of our state through historic houses, tours, the beauty of Rainbow Row and The Battery, and yes, ghost stories everywhere. The history of the city naturally gives rise to plenty of visions of past tragedies that continue to haunt the city to this day. Just up Highway 17 is the Grand Strand, with the tourism crown of Myrtle Beach offering entertainment beyond belief. Whether it’s soaking up the sun, shopping, or live shows, you can’t run out of things to do in Myrtle Beach. Travel northeast up I-26 to the

“famously hot” capital city of Columbia, with the hustle and bustle of city life mixed with the fun of university life. State House tours show you where the business of being a South Carolinian takes place.
 If politics isn’t your thing then you visit museums, shopping, or dining. Want to get outdoors? There’s plenty of opportunity for that too in my hometown with hiking in several parks, rafting on the rivers, and boating and fishing on Lake Murray.

 Keep going up I-26 and you’ll find Greenville; a city with a unique blend of business and art, right at the foot of the mountains. Take to the state roads and you can find lush farmland giving way to the awe-inspiring beauty of the mountains, where more hiking, fishing, and just relaxing in nature can take you away from the cares of the world. And we have state parks and lakes everywhere. Literally anywhere you go in South Carolina, you’ll find a lake or a state park to settle down and take it all in

for a while. Our diverse topography is why hunting and fishing are almost as popular as football. We have beautiful outdoor spaces to enjoy, and our mild climate makes it possible to enjoy life outside year round.

But there’s more to South Carolina than football and nature. You’ll find smiling faces and hospitality

everywhere you go. Sit down a while in a restaurant, and you’re sure to find somebody to share a bit of their life with you, whether it’s just asking directions or giving you the history of their town (or themselves). Our people are as diverse as our topography. We have everything from farmers to CEO’s in South Carolina, and all of them would love to sit down and tell you their stories. There’s a reason why our state is a popular place for retirement. The sub-tropical climate, friendly folks, and relatively low cost of living make this a great place

to live, work, and play.

There’s a reason why most of my stories are set in South Carolina. It’s not only my home, but my world. Whatever setting I want, whatever characters I want, whatever situations I create, can be found right within our borders. It’s hard to be bored here, and the variety feeds inspiration in ways you can only imagine.

Yes, we are a small, rural state, but we’re more than a spot on the map. South Carolina knows how to pack a lot in a little space, and I believe we do it well. So come on down to slow down and enjoy life for a while, and share your stories with us! 

By day, Sherri Fulmer Moorer is a humble program assistant working in professional licensing. By night, she’s an independent author writing mystery novels. She has published several titles including Blurry, Quarantine, Anywhere But Here, and Move. Her next book, an apocalyptic science fiction novel titled Splinter, will be published in November 2013. You can more on her books, her writing, her blog, and her life at http://www.sherrithewriter.com