Where the River Ebbs
Where the River Ebbs is the author site for D. Eric Lowdermilk (“Papa”) and Lia Marie Pacurari (granddaughter).
Here we celebrate our children’s book by the same name, Where the River Ebbs.
Where the River Ebbs is more than just a book or a website, it’s a way of life. It’s a journey to the slower life, to a life outdoors, adventure, and to renewal.
"Where the River Ebbs is great! I loved reading it! The book had a surprise ending. I’m so glad that I got to read this book, and I’d love to read it again!"
Anna (age 10)
Lia's Why I wrote...
I wrote this book for people to read and enjoy because I love books, and I thought the world needed more books. So instead of waiting for others to write another book I’m interested in, I wrote one myself. Also, I wanted others to enjoy the book. And show that the color of someone’s skin does not mean anything. And I also wanted to show that even if you are young, it doesn’t mean that you can’t do hard things.
Eric's Why I wrote...
I want to use my writings to introduce things I love to others. So why write Where the River Ebbs? Because I loved my childhood (for the most part :-o), and I wanted to share my childhood with my children, grandchildren, and other families. I wanted to share the slower ways of the rural south, and encourage children to read, get outside, and grow, and understand some of the values that drew us to Maple Springs Church, and Sunday afternoons outdoors.
About our Book
Where the River Ebbs is the story of young Owen and Luke, exploring the outdoors on Sunday afternoons in the rural south. Told from the perspective of 12-year-old Owen, it opens with his attempt to prove his mettle and wisdom to his friend Luke by his nervy attempt to pick grapes, standing on an old bullet-ridden car with a nest of angry hornets inside. Subsequent chapters narrate Owen and Luke’s back-stories, their adventures outdoors, and the church-centered community’s slower ways of the south. Frequently, Owen, the less rural and more insecure of the two, tries to grow up a bit too fast, sometimes tripping over his own wild notions of how things ought to be done, and trying to prove his worth to the wise and woodsy Luke. A mysterious theft from the church gives Owen a reason to demonstrate his skills of deduction. In the end, sorting through clues, experiencing a dramatic reversal, and guided by the wisdom of others, Owen learns the biblical lesson of not judging a book, or a Samaritan, by its cover.