Marilyn Baron of Historic Roswell, Georgia

I was born in Miami, Florida, went to college in Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators), and have a vacation condo on the Atlantic Ocean in north Florida. But I’ve lived and worked in Atlanta, Georgia, for some 40 years, so it was difficult to decide which of the two states to represent because I love them both.

Instead of writing about the entire State of Georgia or even its well-known capital city, Atlanta, I thought I’d write about my little corner of the world, Roswell, Georgia. Population: 94,501, Roswell is a big city with a small-town feel.

When people hear the name Roswell, their thoughts inevitably turn to aliens, flying saucers, Area 51, UFO coverups, The 1947 UFO Incident in Roswell, New Mexico and other secrets. Roswell, Georgia, may be the best kept secret in the country. A native Floridian, I’ve called Roswell my home sweet home for 40 years. And I still don’t know everything there is to know about the city. But what I do know is all positive. When I first moved to Roswell it was mostly cow pasture. You’d take GA 400, which was only two lanes with sparse traffic, to get there. Today, it’s bumper to bumper and traffic starts at 2 in the afternoon going in either direction. But, if you stay in Roswell, you can avoid all that gridlock. And there are plenty of reasons to stay.

The historic town of Roswell, Georgia, is situated just 20 miles north of Atlanta. Whether you’re a nature lover, history buff, art aficionado or a foodie, you can indulge in all of your favorite pastimes in Historic Roswell. We have a 640+ acres historic district, with antebellum museum home tours. There’s The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, watchable wildlife and the Chattahoochee Nature Center and a lively a lively shopping, dining and arts scene. There’s also a professional theatre, ghost walk, and an array of special events. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking and biking (Roswell is a nationally designated Bicycle Friendly Community) add to the city’s cultural offerings. 

Roswell has approximately 300 restaurants—more than 200 of them are independently owned. A list can be found on this website www.visitroswellga.com.

I really enjoy lunch or dinner and shopping in Roswell’s Historic District. Recognized as a “foodie” destination, Roswell has dozens of restaurants for every taste—barbecue and bistro, tapas and Thai, down-home Southern cooking and continental cuisine. At the heart of the historic district, is Canton Street, with its period storefronts, art galleries, restaurants and sidewalk cafes. Canton Street is bustling with vitality, and it has been designated as a Great Places in Georgia – Great Street. The third Thursday of each month, from April-October, brings the “best street party in metro Atlanta” – Alive in Roswell –   Canton Street and the Historic Town Square.

The Roswell story begins in 1828 with the discovery of gold in the North Carolina mountains. New economic prospects attracted the attention of wealthy businessman, banker, and coastal planner, Roswell King. It was waterpower, however, that inspired him to move to the area. With his son, Barrington, Roswell King built a productive and lucrative mill empire on Cherokee lands along the northern banks of the Chattahoochee River; about a day’s carriage ride from what would become Atlanta. The Kings and five other founding families traveled from the Georgia coast to start a new life here. 

Surviving the Civil War, reconstruction, Atlanta’s urban sprawl, and more, Roswell is an enchanting example of preservation. Roswell has a number of historic homes that tell the story of the American South from 1838 to the present: Native Americans, railroads, slavery, politics, agriculture, war, shipping, reconstruction, aristocracy, civil rights, and technology. A trio of antebellum homes—Barrington Hall (1842), Bulloch Hall (1839) and Smith Plantation (1845), are open to the public.  Historic Site Tours

Let’s just take one of the Southern Trilogy, Bulloch Hall, an elegant Greek Revival home built by Major James Stephens Bulloch, one of Roswell’s first settlers. The Bullochs were Roswell’s social aristocrats. Mittie Bulloch, grew up at Bulloch Hall, and married Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., in this home in 1853. Their son, Teddy, became the 26^th President of the United States.

Roswell has great parks and libraries. In fact, Little Free Library 44541, the second such library in Roswell, was recently dedicated in the Roswell town square. These libraries contain new and used books for the public to enjoy at any time. Leaving a book in return is encouraged. The library is a scale model replica of Barrington Hall. In fact, my books and some books written by my fellow Roswell authors were donated to the project.

I’m a big fan of libraries. For the past three years, I’ve served on the Roswell Reads steering committee, where the whole community reads and discusses a common book, and we plan various activities around the selection. I’m also on the Atlanta Authors Committee, which gives local authors the opportunity to share their work.

Roswell is filled with a variety of things to do, explore and enjoy. You can take a sculpture tour of Art Around Roswell, celebrate A Festival of Black History and Culture with Roswell Roots in the month of February. Some of the top projects in Roswell in 2016 have been the Rotary Dream Field, a new Adapative Therapeutic Sports Field and the new Adult Aquatics Center. 

The Roswell Visitors Center provides information on tours, attractions, restaurants, events and happenings. You can bring your family and friends by to view a short video, enjoy exhibits, and receive brochures and maps to help you explore Roswell. If you need to expand your sleeping accommodations, they can assist you with lodging information and arrangements.

This link will provide a brochure that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Roswell. I hope you’ll visit. I know you’ll enjoy your stay as much as I enjoy living here.  http://visitroswellga.com/brochure-visitors/rvg%202.25.2016.pdf

Although I love Roswell, I usually set my books in places I’ve visited, such as Bermuda (Under the Moon Gate), Italy (The Widows’ Gallery), or Australia (Sixth Sense). For example, my latest book, Stumble Stones: A Novel, a dark and humorous Romancing the Stone-style suspense, is set in contemporary and World War II Europe, specifically in Italy, Berlin and on a Scandinavian cruise.

Here’s the blurb for Stumble Stones:

Hallelujah Weiss, writer for the steamy sudser As the Planet Spins, gets a second chance at love when she flees to Italy to get over her recent divorce, courtesy of her cheating ex-husband’s credit card. A woman scorned, Hallelujah has sworn off men and is determined to reinvent herself. The new Hallelujah is eager to live life on the edge, more like Polly, a character she writes and idolizes.

Lonely Berlin hedge fund manager Alexander Stone, a number cruncher who puts his faith in numerical data, still believes in destiny, despite the fact his fiancée just dumped him. Always a man with a plan, Alexander did not plan on Hallelujah.

After a chance encounter on a flight to Rome, the unlikely pair faces danger when they team up to return to their rightful owner a stash of WW II vintage jewels. The hidden diamonds hold the key to an unsolved mystery and a promise of love. 

I studied art history in Florence, Italy, in college so some of my books are at least partially set there and deal with art theft. If you want to find out more about my books and short stories, visit  my Web site at www.marilynbaron.com. 

My 12^th book with The Wild Rose Press, The Vampire Next Door, Book Four in the Psychic Crystal Mystery Series, will be published sometime in 2017.

Leave a comment, with a contact link, for your chance to win a prize from my favorite shop on Canton Street, Roswell Provisions http://www.roswellprovisions.com/the-market/.

I write in a variety of genres, from humorous coming-of-middle age women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy.  Stumble Stones: A Novel is my 11th book with The Wild Rose Press, Inc. AmazonEncore republished my book Sixth Sense on September 15, 2015. I have published five short stories with TWB Press and self-published two books and a musical. I’ve received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel With Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. I’m a Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) Maggie Award winner, a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and GRW and winner of the GRW 2009 Chapter Service Award. A public relations consultant in Atlanta, I graduated with a BS in Journalism and a minor in Creative Writing from the University of Florida. I worked in Public Relations for AT&T in Atlanta for 13 years before starting my own PR firm. You can read more about me and my books at www.marilynbaron.com.

Author Media Links:

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