Every family begins somewhere, right? All the way back to Adam and Eve. Stories are no different. Characters all need a back story, a beginning, a place to come from.
Well, when Heather Greer, Regina Merrick, Erin Howard, and I all started planning out our stories, we realized this. Heather discovered a neat website where you can actually plug in names and dates and make a family tree. Since all of our stories are based on the same family, this was perfect. We could add and update as we wrote, and each could see the other's changes. Some of us even added pictures of our inspiration. Erin's the only one still needing to plug in her people, but hers are way in the future, so this could look interesting. ;)

Do you love history? I have a fondness for it, though maybe not as much as my history teacher husband. ;) And now, my friend Heather Greer has dabbled in it too. She's taking over my blog today to tell you a bit about her newest book.

​Did you know that even though potato chips were first invented in 1853, it wasn’t until 1926 that someone had the brilliant idea to package them in wax sealed paper bags so they could be marketed to the masses?
Did you know that in 1926 what is considered the first aerial bombing on US soil took place outside Marion, Illinois at the site of Shady Rest, a known gangster’s establishment?
Did you know that Harper’s Bazaar was Harper’s Bazar in the 1920s?
Neither did I. Not until I began writing Window of Opportunity.
Being a contemporary romance writer, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began developing Evangeline and Brendan’s story. I’d read a lot of historical fiction. Not being a fan of history class, fiction was where I learned the most about the past. But I’d never attempted to write a historical story. Too much research was involved for my liking. At least, that’s what I believed. 

You've met the main characters of Roadtrip for Two, but how about some side characters? I mean, you've already met Katie and Skye in Destination: Romance, and they don't play a huge role in this story. Though Bree talks to Katie a few times. But there are a couple other characters you see. Some fun church people in Dallas. And then, Nathan's brother Josh, and Mama Hart. 

My last Roadtrip Romance book was set in several different areas, but this one is different. Roadtrip for Two isn't supposed to be a roadtrip at first.
If you remember at the end of the first book, Bree and Nathan's friends are talking them into taking their honeymoon cruise despite the engagement being called off. And they're not telling the other one, so it will be a surprise when they both show up on the same ship.
No one was expecting a hurricane to mess things up. So, when Bree and Nathan run into each other in the Dallas airport ... and get stranded by bad weather ... plans change.

Are you ready to start meeting the characters for my next novel?
Roadtrip for Two releases in just over two weeks and that means it's time to give you more information.
In the first book in this series, Destination: Romance, Bree was more of a side character. She's Katie's best friend and was one of their roadtrip trio all through college. Now, however, she gets her own trip. Or does she?
At the end of the first book, Bree and Nathan have broken up, called off the wedding, and she's heartbroken. Her friends decide to convince her to take the non-refundable honeymoon cruise to start moving past her heartbreak.
She never expects to see Nathan at the airport, with the same plans ...

What is it about a quilt that is so special?
And why did I choose to make it the center of my novella, The Missing Piece?
I've talked about quilt shops already, but why quilts in particular? Why not any other part of sewing?
Well, let me tell you about someone really special to me. My Grandma Reeve. She was one of the most amazing women I ever knew. And she taught me a love for quilts fairly early on. First, with a twin-sized quilt, each block appliqued with various women in different jobs. Then, when I graduated high school, with a queen-sized quilt made in the colors I requested.
And she didn't only make quilts for me. No. There were thirteen of us grandchildren and every single one received two Grandma-made quilts.

Spring has sprung,
The grass is riz,
Wonder where the flowers is?
They are nowhere to be found,
‘Cause they’re underground.
 
I’ve always had an affinity for springtime in Kentucky, being born in March, so it was no stretch for me to write a story based on the season!
I could also say that, like my character Maia Pascal, I have a love/hate relationship with the season.
In the LOVE category are the feelings of refreshing, new birth, plus the colorful flowers and budding trees after a somber late winter! It brings hope every year.
On the flip side (I can’t use the word HATE, unlike Maia!), there are the following issues:

• I have curly hair (as does Maia), and damp windy conditions do not play well with naturally curly hair. You leave the house feeling like you’re having a pretty good hair day, and you look in the mirror when you arrive at your destination, and WHAM! Humidity strikes again. Sigh. No amount of hairspray can fix that.
• For many in the Southeast/Midwest, allergies do crop up as soon as the pollen hits the air. Maia suffers greatly—my allergies wait until fall!
• Spring weather in my part of the world can be quite unpredictable. Maia deals with fluctuating temperatures (what to wear??), snow (are you KIDDING me? It’s March!), and flooding (the most serious issue). Throw in a tornado, and you’ve got spring in Kentucky—although some of our worst tornados have been in Winter, lately!

You know the old joke that everyone, in every town repeats? If you don’t like the weather today, just wait for tomorrow!

For almost a month now, I've been giving sneak peeks into MY story in the novella collection releasing TOMORROW! But today, I'm passing the torch and letting Heather Greer post about her story and why winter is such an intrinsic part of it. Be sure to read to the end so you won't miss the next clue in our scavenger hunt!

Spring is too wet and the ground is a big muddy mess. Summer is too hot and not even the draw of a great glass of lemonade can make it less so. Autumn is perfect. Always. Winter is often cold and dark.
​
Why, then, did I choose winter for my novella, Sugar and Spice? While the temperatures may leave something to be desired, I cannot deny the beauty of the season.

Despite the cold, there’s beauty in winter. When snow blankets the bare branches of trees and rests on the needles of evergreens set against a wintery blue sky, the result is breathtaking. When sunlight hits the snow-covered ground creating an ocean of sparkling diamonds out of the field behind my house, the two sights blend with the unique hush accompanying snow to evoke a sense of serenity. 

So let's talk shop today. And by shop, I mean quilt shops. Why? Because my story, The Missing Piece, is set in one. One based off a few others I've been to.
I don't know if you've ever been in a quilt shop or not, but if you haven't, let me tell you. They're a lot of fun. You walk in and automatically your eyes are drawn to multiple things. Because fabric is fun. Full of colors and patterns and ideas of projects yet to happen.
And as far as I can tell, women who work in quilt shops are fun, too. Because they have a passion for the art of sewing/quilting. And that's definitely something that speaks to my soul.
So, my story is set in a quilt shop called The Missing Piece. It's in an old house that was redone into a store, but still has the character of different rooms and areas for fabric to be. There's a classroom in the back corner of the house (the former master bedroom), a room set up for people who need a place to sew, cutting tables here and there, and, of course, shelves of fabric.
Did I model this after a real shop? Yes and no.