Some books are written with a plan.
This one started with a road trip and a deep, aching need to breathe again.
Escape to Port Isabel is a journal-style reflection of the winter Melody and I packed up our lives, left the snow behind, and headed to the Texas Gulf Coast. It wasn’t just about sunshine—it was about survival. Healing. Renewal. Letting go of the noise and reclaiming the joy that had been buried under years of stress, grief, and obligation.
This book is for anyone who has ever needed to start over—even if just for a season.
A Real Trip, A Real Reset
We drove south after the first frost. Two rescue dogs, one cat, a packed RV, and a quiet prayer that we’d find something better waiting for us.
What we found in Port Isabel wasn’t a vacation. It was a slower rhythm of life that gave us space to rediscover:
- Daily rituals that mattered
- Conversations that weren’t rushed
- Meals cooked with intention
- A community of strangers who quickly felt like friends
Every page of this book captures what we saw, felt, tasted, and remembered during that winter. And maybe more importantly—what we released.
The Stories That Made It Real
In these pages, you’ll find:
- Poolside friendships that turned into sacred conversations
- Walks with Melody where we planned the “best of the rest” of our lives
- Quiet mornings with coffee, ocean breeze, and a soul finally learning to rest
- Unexpected moments of reflection brought on by palm trees, shrimp tacos, or the kindness of a local shop owner
- Real-time grief processing, especially after the passing of my mother
It’s not a novel. It’s not a travel guide.
It’s a memory in motion.
Who This Book Is For
- For anyone who dreams of escaping winter—literally or emotionally
- For RV travelers or winter Texans seeking connection
- For couples navigating a new chapter together
- For anyone needing a reset after loss or burnout
- For those who believe healing sometimes begins with packing a bag and heading somewhere warm
This book is a gentle nudge to go, even if it’s not far. To change your view, change your pace, and let new places shape new insights.
Why It Matters
Escape to Port Isabel isn’t just about geography. It’s about permission.
Permission to rest.
Permission to change.
Permission to choose joy again—even when it feels like too much has been lost.
We didn’t go to Port Isabel to run away.
We went to remember how to live well.
And that’s what this book hopes to offer you too.
Get Your Copy
Escape to Port Isabel
Genre: Travel Memoir / Journal
A journal-style memoir from time spent as a Winter Texan, filled with transformation, joy, and quiet moments.
Amazon | Books.by | Barnes & Noble