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Can you fall in love during a boat race? It's a different concept for a romance, isn't it? And yet, guest author Mary Pat Johns wrote about just that. See what you think.  My latest book release, Glitter and the Grouch centered around the Texas Water Safari, a legendary river race. Many of my readers have mentioned they knew nothing about the race and particularly enjoyed the setting. I love following the annual race. So when two minor characters from Books 1 and 2 of my series, Romance in Valiant, insisted on having their own story, I thought the race would be a marvelous place for them to fall in love. Many readers had the impression Glitter and the Grouch was going to be a romantic twist on “Row, row, row your boat.” They were delighted it was so much more. Read the race logistics and see if you agree. The race is 260 miles long. The average time to finish is 3+ days with few breaks. There are ten established checkpoints for participants to exchange water jugs, but they also serve to officially document the time each participant passes through. Completing the race is considered a win in itself. The conditions are so rugged, many participants settle for a DNF—Did Not Finish. The race starts at Spring Lake in San Marcos, then feeds into the San Marcos River. The San Marcos part of the race can get clogged with tubes, rafts, and hordes of people. Once it converges into the Guadalupe River, the paddling is swift or slow depending on the amount of rainfall. It comes with its own set of obstacles—alligators, portaging, and logjams. There’s even a stretch of river the participants call “Hallucination Alley,” where people start imagining all sorts of nightmarish images. This race is not for the directionally-challenged. It’s easy to get lost and not be able to find the way forward. The last leg of the journey is the most difficult. It’s where the Guadalupe River merges with the San Antonio Bay. It’s choppy and a rough go on the best of days. Oftentimes, racers carry their boats to the finish line. From a research perspective, my friend, Bill Stafford, has completed the Texas Water Safari thirty-two times. He has written a book about his many years of racing, The Texas Water Safari Has a Polecat in It. My copy of his book is dog-eared, yellow with highlights, and still holds bookmarks. Bill was easy to work with and very gracious to answer my questions. He even inspired a minor character in the story. Glitter and the Grouch is a much better book because of one man’s willingness to share his experiences. It made the book more fun to write, because I was able to see my characters through his perspective and keen sense of humor. It was a privilege to have such a great connection. So, what do you think? Would you be up for a river race? Could you find romance in such a setting?  Glitter and the Grouch Silas only has one choice: his sanity or his future. Silas and Nat don’t get along, but they can’t leave each other alone either. When a prank goes terribly wrong at their workplace, they face an impossible choice. They must compete in a canoe race to prove they can work together or forfeit their futures at Peeps. Good thing quitting isn’t in their DNA, because their boss isn’t backing down an inch. He assures them they can accomplish anything they set their minds to, even if it means covering 260 miles of river. There’s only one catch—they’ll have to be in the same boat. Will they reach deep inside to find out what they’re made of? Or will they succumb to the physical rigors of the event and the machinations of a controlling ex?  Mary Pat Johns’ writing career began once she retired from years of teaching speech and writing. She’s written devotions for an online publication and had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She currently writes a weekly faith column for the local newspaper. Countin’ On Jesse, her first novel debuted in 2023, and books 2 & 3 of the Valiant series, Lovin’ On Red and Glitter and the Grouch released in release in 2024. God put it in her heart to tell stories of brave veterans and their reintegration into civilian life after suffering the traumas of war.
She lives in South Texas with her husband and their two dapple dachshunds. Her grown children and five grandchildren are useful sorts who keep her grounded with her reading/writing obsession. You can find her at the gym, at her computer, or reading a good book. Links: Amazon link for Glitter and the Grouch: https://scrivenings.link/glitterandthegrouch Newsletter sign up and free gift: https://subscribepage.io/sZ8NZR FB link: https://www.facebook.com/marypatjohnsauthor/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marypatjohnsauthor/ Website: https://www.marypatjohns.com Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-pat-johns
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