It had always been a dream of Pittsburgh native James Meehan to publish his own book. His time spent along the Delaware and Maryland shore in the summertime had always been intriguing, and after he started an ad agency in 1969, he was determined to pursue his joy of writing and display his creative side.
Coastal Point • RYAN SAXTON
Author James Meahan displays his latest book, ‘When Life Was a Day at the Beach.’
Meehan finally got that chance after retirement, when he released his first book in 1998, “Bethany Beach Memoirs: A Long Look Back.” Two years later, he followed up with “Rehoboth Beach Memoirs: From Saints to Sinners.” The two were a compilation of stories and the reflections on the change of eras in the respected shore spots from those who lived and vacationed in the area for generations.
He didn’t stop there, though, as he put out “My, But the Wind Did Blow” in 2003, recalling the dangers of the sea off the Delaware shore and its defense systems, including lightships, lighthouses and the history of the Coast Guard.
Earlier this month, Meehan finished his fourth book, “When Life Was a Day at the Beach,” the latest addition to what he calls “Four for the Shore.” His latest is an oral history of the Delaware beaches, from Lewes south to Fenwick Island, dating back from 1907 through 1952, the year that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened up to traffic.
“That sort of changed a lot in the area as far as vacationing,” said Meehan, “so I decided to cut it off there.”
Following his retirement from the ad agency, Meehan moved to Sussex County with wife, Joyce, and Dalmatian dog, Archie. “I’ve always liked writing,” he said, “and even after retiring, I always felt a need to be productive. I simply have to be doing something.”
Writing his “Four for the Shore” has given him countless opportunities. “It’s been a really great time working on each one of these books,” he said. “You get to meet terrific people, make great friends and learn a lot. I like the format of oral history. It’s nice to hear people explain in their own words how they grew up.”
Gathering information for the books has worked the same way, for the most part, he noted.
“I’ll start with a small list of people to talk to,” he said. “Then one of them will refer me to someone else, and then I’ll talk to them, and they’ll say, ‘Make sure you talk to so-and-so.’ Sometimes, when you hear a story, it leads to an interesting circulation.”
Meehan said he even stays in touch with many of the people who have lent their time and patience to his efforts, calling many on a monthly basis, and paying others regular visits.
One of the drawbacks of assembling memoirs is finding people who can remember back that far, Meehan noted.
“Most of the people I talked to about this last book were 70 years old and up,” he said, “and, unfortunately, several have already passed away since I spoke to them. It really saddens me.” But, he added that it is nice, in a sense, to be able to capture someone’s recollections and memories before they are lost.
While he said he couldn’t quite admit to a favorite among his four books, there are aspects of each that he enjoys. His work on “My, How the Wind Did Blow,” whose title came from one woman’s expression referencing a past storm, saw much more research than the past memoir-based books. “It was a nice balance and a good change of pace to be able to go out and find new information,” he said.
Hal Dukes, who works as an attorney in Georgetown, has helped Meehan with his books as the publisher. After meeting with Meehan and looking over some of his past writings, Dukes proposed the idea of writing a book.
“He said that Bethany Beach needed a book,” said Meehan, “and I loved the idea.” It turned to be a great success for the two men, who, according to Meehan, complement each other and have worked well as a team. “We feed off of each other,” said Meehan. “We really know how the other one works. We trust each other 100 percent.”
The two have kicked around the idea of a fifth book, though nothing official has been started.
The books, most commonly sold at Browseabout Books and Café in Rehoboth and Bethany Beach Books along Garfield Parkway, have gained Meehan local recognition. “Bethany Beach Memoirs” still remains on the bestseller list at the Garfield Parkway location, and, according to Browseabout’s owner, Steve Crane, “Rehoboth Beach Memoirs” and “My, How the Wind Did Blow” have been the two best-selling books in the history of Rehoboth Beach.
“I have a really good return with the book stores and a great relationship with the owners there,” he said, “but I don’t do this for the money. If I never made a dime on these things, I’d still be doing it. Writing is just my hobby. I like sharing the stories that I hear.”
All four books are now available at both locations. And Meehan will talk this Friday, May 25, at Browseabout about “When Life was a Day at the Beach,” as well as lend some time on talk-radio station 92.7 FM, WGMD.
A book signing is scheduled this summer, on June 10 at Browseabout. Another one at Bethany Beach Books is expected in June, though no date had been set at Coastal Point press time. For more information, contact Browseabout Books and Café at (302) 226-2665 and Bethany Beach Books at (302) 539-2522.