Florida native Carolyn Reno Merryman relied on her experiences growing up in the Sunshine State when writing “Jimmy’s Adventures in the Green Swamp.”
But she wasn’t able to get everything squeezed into those pages.
So now she recently published the sequel, “Jimmy Returns to the Green Swamp.”
Merryman grew up in Eustis. Being an ardent nature lover, her family spent many hours in the wilds of Florida. Her late husband Toby worked 14 years for the Florida Forest Service and fought forest fires on several occasions in the Green Swamp area.
“As a result he discovered many interesting places to take us as a family to explore. We would pack a lunch and along with our two young daughters our adventure would begin with canoeing, or swimming in one of the four rivers that flow from the Swamp area. We enjoyed hiking many of Florida’s trails. Silver River State Park was one of our favorites,” she said.
She has fond memories of spotting deer, wild pigs and wild turkeys.
“On a hot summer day we spent many hours swimming in one of several fresh water spring in the Ocala Nation Forest. I wanted our northern friends to get a good look at a lifestyle that is slowing dying out. The stories show a true Cracker lifestyle and are designed to be educational as well,” she said.
She was a volunteer for the Crystal River State Park for about nine years.
“I took people from this area to Crystal River for an educational boat tour on the river. I always enjoy sharing my Florida, ‘The Real Florida,’ with our northern guest and friends,” Merryman said.
She sold the first book “Jimmy’s Adventures in the Green Swamp,” to three local state parks for their book stores and it has also been picked up by a few teachers to add to the school library.
Merryman attends New Covenant United Methodist Church where she has a ministry called Toby’s Encourager, named after her late husband. The ministry helps residents of a local assisted living facility.