This month, I put my characters through the big D. And I do mean Dallas.
While I thought I had written my second roadtrip romance last November, my publisher didn't love the way I had gone about it. So, in order to get the contracts, I needed to rewrite it.
I don't know about you, but once I get my head wrapped around something one way, it's hard for me to picture it any other. Especially after pounding out about 60,000 words about it that way.
But, onward and upward. This month, I finally got to tackle it. And, I have to admit, I like this version better.

2020 took a lot of things away from us, but one thing it killed was the writers' retreat I love attending so much. So, when they announced we were for sure having it this June, I was excited. And when they announced we wouldn't even have to wear masks, I was thrilled.
It was wonderful to be back at Montgomery Bell State Park, to see friends and acquaintances I hadn't seen in two years, to meet even more, and to soak up the writing jokes and atmosphere that comes only when surrounded by other people who think a lot like you do.

One of the authors I've enjoyed getting to know via social media and zoom meetings with our mutual publishing company over the last few years is Pamela S Meyers. I've also enjoyed reading her series of books set in Lake Geneva, WI. Her fourth book just released and I'm super excited to see where she took the story (besides WWII). Read on to find out more about her and her beautiful series.

Pam, this is the fourth book in your series, and each is set in a different time period. Did you find you enjoyed researching one time period more than another? Why?  

I didn't expect to like the time period of the first book as it was set in 1873 at the time of the Great Chicago Fire, because I'd never written a story set before phones were commonly used and people drove cars, not buggies. But as I got into the story I found I really enjoyed it and enjoyed the challenge of being careful to not use vocabulary that was not in the vernacular of the time. Each time period after that which is about 20 years or so after the previous book had certain challenges and I learned a lot about each one. My favorite, though is Book 4, set in 1942-43 homefront WWII. I loved the forties and the way the U.S. pulled together with a "can-do" spirit. 

I don't think I would've even though about vocabulary! Great job on the details.
As you've followed this family through the years, have you included anything from your own family's history in your stories? 

Not anything specific. My family didn't move to Lake Geneva until around 1946 so they weren't around even during the time period of the first one. But the unique thing is the town itself didn't change a whole lot from the 1930s going forward until the 1970s. I used the bowling alley for a good part of Rose Harbor. It was the same bowling alley I learned to bowl in and where my dad bowled in a bowling league for years. I pretty much described it as it was. I also bring in some of the real townspeople such as the family who owned the bowling alley back then. Grace, my heroine, although proficient at flying large bomber airplanes was a lousy bowler, as am I. Mac, the hero in the story, teaches her how to throw a hook and she vastly improves. Where was Mac when I needed him? LOL. 

Ha! I'm not great at bowling, either.
What made you choose Lake Geneva as your main setting for these stories? 

Lake Geneva is my hometown. I was born in Ohio but we moved to L.G. when I was two and I have no memory of ever living in Ohio. The town and area have a rich and interesting history, just ripe for story ideas :-).