While I've participated in regular Nanowrimo several times (at least twelve or thirteen, I think), I've never gotten around to doing Camp Nanowrimo. It's an event they run in July where you set your own personal word goal and tackle it during the summer months, when things maybe aren't quite as busy as November, when the regular one occurs. It's a bit more laid back. You don't even have to aim for 50,000 words like normal. It's whatever you want to accomplish.
And for one reason or another, it's never worked out for me. But I'm changing things up this year.

If you've ever been to New Orleans, you'll know Jackson Square is one of the best places to visit. It's full of history, museums, shops, and the sidewalks often have vendors and artists. So, it was a no-brainer to have my characters exploring the area in Destination: Romance. 
Of course, as an author, I get to play a little loose with reality as I describe things that happen there. When I visited New Orleans as a teen, I don't remember seeing a caricature artist there. But let's be honest, it fits. So, when my characters find one, it feels right even if it never happened to me in real life.

Of course, a book needs more than just two characters. Today, we're going to chat about a few of the other characters in my book that releases NEXT WEEK, Destination: Romance.

Today, I'm delighted to help you get to know one of my favorite people I've never met in real life. Beth Westcott is a fellow Scrivenings author and one of the best encouragers I've ever known. She lives way up in New York, but I've enjoyed chatting with her online and always feel well-supported by her as my own books release. She's about to have a new book come out, too, and I'm thrilled to find out more about it (I just finished reading the first one in the series and am eager to know what happens next). So, settle in and read on to find out about Beth and her books.​


Congratulations on your third book being published next month! I'm excited to read it. Do you feel you learn something new with each one?
 
Thank you, Amy. Yes, I learn much more about writing well with each book, more about character and plot development. We have some great editors at Scrivenings Press, and I’m thankful for their help.
 
This is the second book in your Three Sisters series. How hard did you find it to make sure everything tied together smoothly between the books (I'm learning with my own series that it's not always the easiest)?
 
A Heart’s Journey was the first book I wrote, although it’s the second book in the series. Once I wrote Heart’s Desire, I had to make sure the second book lined up with the first. I’ve written the third book, Her Heart’s Longing, but because of changes I made in A Heart’s Journey, I must make changes in the third book. It’s certainly a challenge to keep the details straight. I began writing the series many years ago. Developing character biographies and flexible outlines has helped.