Erin Austen Abbott

06/11/2026

Does anyone else dream of having a waterside storefront? I worked at a beachside one-screen movie theatre in 11th grade...it was so idyllic. I was both the ticket person and the concession seller. On rainy days, customers would pile in to see whatever was playing. In the winter, lines would be out the door, and locals would be given the break to move about the town freely. I would stand in the back and watch whatever independent film was showing, bit by bit, taking me around five or six showings to piece together the whole film. ⁠
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Anyway... here are a few of my favorite waterside spots I’ve snapped. ⁠
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Waterfront Living is out now, everywhere books are sold. Tag a shop or bookstore below where you think Waterfront Living or Small Town Living would be a good fit, and I’ll reach out to them! THANK YOU! ❤️⁠
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06/09/2026

I’ve never set foot on a surfboard, but I certainly have a love for the culture. One thing I love about my new book is all the fun extras in the back. I round up a whole list of surfing towns. And now I’ve rounded up some images I’ve taken in some of my favorite surf towns. ⁠
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1. Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia⁠
2. Hatteras Island, North Carolina⁠
3 - 5. Between Tofino and Ucluelet, Vancouver Island, British Columbia⁠
6 - 10. Hatteras Island, North Carolina⁠ ⁠
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I visited a surfboard maker’s studio in Hatteras—so cool! Thanks for taking me there, ⁠(talk about an amazing surf photographer, Brooke is incredible). Link to order my new book is in the link in my bio.

06/09/2026

There’s something so charming about the idea of riding bikes to the local bookstore, maybe grabbing a tea, and taking the slow ride back to your beach cottage or riverside home. I remember being on Cape Cod for a couple of weeks many years ago, riding bikes to get everywhere, with a basket filled with books or groceries, whatever I found along the way, really. ⁠It was part of what I love about a small water town. ⁠
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Two of my favorite waterside bookstores are on Shelter Island, NY, and in Pass Christian, MS. I can’t wait to visit more of waterside book shops in June, like in Seaside, FL, and in Alys Beach, FL. Or the yet-to-open in Ocean Beach, MS, later this summer, once they open.

05/30/2026

I have this thing with boats. Sailboats, old wooden boats, vintage ski and fishing boats... I love them all! Here are some of my favorite boats I’ve taken over the last year or two. ⁠Most taken while traveling to take the photos for my new book, Waterfront Living. ⁠I love the quietness and stillness of a boat.

Although, growing up in Florida, there were a lot of cigarette boat races, and I don’t think I’m that fond of that type of boats. ⁠Not quiet, nor still.

05/28/2026

I am realizing we have incorporated water into so many of our travels! This picture is from a family trip along the California coast, near the incredibly sweet town of Point Reyes. My new book, Waterfront Living, is all about grounding yourself in small towns near water. I interviewed 21 people from across the country, representing all types of water towns. Some live near rivers and lakes, some near oceans, and some have found homes only accessible by ferries, on tiny islands. ⁠Available everywhere books are sold.
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I hope you feel grounded while reading this book and that the stories transport you to a small town, surrounded by water in some way. I also hope you are encouraged to get involved in your towns, large and small, preserving the culture and charm that make them special and helping them grow in ways that don’t diminish the place. ⁠
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When I was five, I typed on my mom’s typewriter a note to my grandparents that read, “Dear Mamaw and Papaw, I’m going to be a writer when I grow up. Love, Erin.” Then, in 9th grade, I auditioned and was accepted to a performing arts high school. I dropped out after a year because I realized I’d rather write what was performed than act in it. I didn’t take the traditional path to writing, but it’s been a passion for my whole life, and I hope my books spend even a moment with you, giving you pause. Thank you so much for helping me live out this lifelong dream by supporting my work, telling your friends to read my books, checking them out from your local library, or using them as a travel guide for a small-town trip. I’m truly grateful! ❤️

05/27/2026

In my late 20s to mid-30s, I worked as a travel nanny. I have a BS in Early Childhood Education and chose to spend it working as a nanny/traveling teacher instead of in one stationary location. Crazy that that’s a real job, but it is. I worked for two different bands, a clothing designer, and a NASCAR driver. I went all over the world, caring for their children wherever they wanted to travel. It was a wild time, but one I feel so lucky to have experienced. ⁠
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Now I enjoy traveling with my one child, teaching him from the road. I get asked a lot about what that looks like when we are away from home. We are usually gone for about four to ten days at a time, but we spent two months on a road trip through 38 states, taking the pictures for my new book, Waterfront Living… Below is what our road schooling schedule looks like currently: ⁠
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Tom is in a mix of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade (he would have just finished 7th grade if in traditional school) and does an online math, Spanish, and science class, from the hotel, at a coffee shop, or in the car on my hotspot if we are out and about. If he has to miss (like in the middle of a flight), he can watch the class recording to make up what he misses and email his teacher with any follow-up questions. He reads for 30 minutes a day. For language arts, I plan out his assignments before we leave for a trip, along with his daily journal and cursive practice. For history, I work in spots to visit on the road, and he’s also been working through Ken Burns for PBS classroom, which he can do from the hotel or car. He also reads a ton of history books (it’s his favorite subject). Other subjects I work into his week: geography, civics, art, nature studies, computer science, economics, cooking, and music. ⁠
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We’ve only been homeschooling for three years, but working towards it since before Tom was born. Let me know if you have any questions! ⁠
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Photo from a trip to the coast of Mississippi, two years ago. It was Feb, and we’d find a new coffee shop each day to work from. We played a math quiz from the hotel pool, and we also visited historic markers and art museums each day. It was nice to visit during the shoulder season.

05/26/2026

We don’t take a lot of traditional beach trips, but we’ve found ourselves on some very beautiful beaches all the same. I tend to be drawn to a cold, foggy beach, one where you are really there to walk along the beach, maybe do some beach combing and birding, but it’s cold, the water is cold, and it’s sweater weather. Tom never seems phased, though, and will get into cold, cold water. ⁠
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In my new book, Waterfront Living, I visited several people grounded near the ocean, both cold and warm beaches. Read their stories, book out now everywhere books are sold, at your local library, or through the link in my bio. ⁠
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Here is a round-up of some of my favorite beach moments. ⁠
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1. Hatteras Island, North Carolina ⁠
2 & 3. Stinson Beach, California, is our family’s favorite beach and a place we’ve been a few times. ⁠
4. Hahei Beach, New Zealand ⁠
5. Tutka Bay Lodge near Homer, Alaska ⁠
6. Pass Christian, Mississippi ⁠
7. Oak Harbor, Washington, Tom spotting a grey whale. ⁠
8 - 10. More from Hatteras Island, North Carolina ⁠
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Where are your favorite beaches, warm or cold?

05/18/2026

Jackson, MS, I'll be at Lemuria Books tomorrow night to talk about my new book, Waterfront Living. I hope you can join me! All the details are in the link below.

Buy Waterfront Living by Erin Austen Abbott (signed first edition) from a real book store

05/14/2026

I’ve been deep in my birding era for a long time, and here are a few I spotted while traveling around the country to take photos for my new book, Waterfront Living, out now. There are so many more I could share here, but here are a few of my favorites. ⁠Posted below is where each photo was taken. ⁠
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1. Oak Harbor, Washington - Also, we spotted a grey whale on the other side of this waterway, behind where I’m standing.⁠
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2 -3. Ocean Springs, Mississippi - I watched this heron fish for its breakfast while I was taking the photos. Sorry to the fish, but I found this scene so peaceful. ⁠
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4. Hahei, New Zealand - Not in the book, but a really sweet, little water village in NZ where I was obsessed with the gulls. ⁠
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5. Hatteras Island, North Carolina - I was here in January, and you can’t see it in the images, but there’s still snow on the beach! Also, stop by Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge for more slow birding. ⁠
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6. Ocean Springs, Mississippi - surrounded by the bay on one side and a bayou on the other. I took this at Gulf Islands National Seashore, part of the National Park System. ⁠
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7. Cameno Island, Washington - More seagulls. It’s always about the gulls for me.

8 - 9. Ocean Springs, Mississippi - Roosting and flying Great Blue Herons. I think I was more excited to spot this than anyone around me. The locals certainly looked at me taking photos as if I’d never seen a bird roost before. The truth is, I hadn’t, so their looks were warranted. I’d still get excited to see it again, though. ⁠
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10. Ocean Springs, Mississippi again. Do you know how good your birding is, ? Pelicans gathered around on a dock. I didn’t faze them. ⁠
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Another couple of places of note from the book for great bird watching: Patagonia, Arizona. Over 7000 species migrate through the area. And near Elkhorn, Wisconsin, we spotted Sandhill Cranes. There’s a reserve nearby for these majestic birds. Tom and I also spotted 13 Bald Eagles over two months on the road across the country. Well, that’s a small look at my birding adventure.
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What’s your dream bird to spot? Or your favorite small town spot?