Bookish Rambling from the South

There’s no disputing the fact that we are all born with DNA, and the instant we make our appearance in this world, we’re affected by the environment. There are some psychological experts who believe that our personalities are formed by the time we’re four years old. I’m not sure about that, but it sounds right.

You are You 

We are who we are who we are … Why do some people fight it? Are they ashamed or embarrassed by some part of themselves that will reveal a hidden secret that will make them seem less than desirable if people ever find out?

In my opinion, that’s just silly. It doesn’t change anything, and if someone thinks less of you for any part of you, that’s their problem, not yours.

Even though my dad was in the Air Force and I’ve moved all over—from Alaska to Hawaii and Japan to a bunch of places in between—deep down, I’m a southern woman since both of my parents were from Mississippi. I grew up saying, “y’all,” without thinking there was anything different about that. And I like a sushi appetizer before chowing down on fried chicken and turnip greens.

As an author, I enjoy writing stories set in the South because I can relate to the culture, the relationships, and the food. (I mean, it’s always about food, right?) I like to show that everyone has the same feelings and needs, regardless of where they come from.

Old Insecurities 

Something I've learned over the years is that everyone has insecurities. While some people may project an image of total self-confidence, somewhere beneath that veneer is a real person who has the same issues we all have. They might be concerned about what you think, wonder if they're actually as good as people think they are, or worry that people will think they're a fraud. That's normal.

My 3-book Class Reunion series has characters from all walks of southern life, and when they come back to this fictional town of Piney Point, Mississippi, for their 10-year, 15-year, and 20-year reunions, they resort to some of their old behavior until they realize a few things about themselves and their classmates. Some of them take a little longer, but they all eventually see the world through a more mature and developed viewpoint. I think the takeaway from this series is that everyone has insecurities, even those who seem to have all the confidence in the world.

Pretty Is as Pretty Does

Bless Her Heart

Tickled Pink

Messed Up Family (Gotta Love 'Em)

Now I’m working on a 3-book Family Reunion series set in another fictional southern town—Pinewood, Mississippi. The people in these stories come from farming roots, and they find their way through life the best way they know how. Some start out as poor rednecks, strike oil, and become rich rednecks. Others work hard and find a way to accomplish their goals. All of this is done with southern sensibilities and of course plenty of food. I’ll let y’all know when these books are available. It should be sometime in 2017.

Belles in the City

As I mentioned last week, I've been working on a new romance series, "Belles in the City." The first book, Trouble in Paradise, is already available on Kindle. I'll eventually add it to other online retailers, but at the moment, you'll need either a Kindle e-reader or app (free on Amazon or your device's app store). 

Now back to the series. All of the main female characters in the "Belles in the City" books are southern gals with accents, southern sensibilities, and a love for down-home cooking. These women are strong but feminine, and they truly appreciate a true gentleman. 

Since all of these books have a common theme, I chose covers that show each woman's "walk of life." Here they are:

I've labeled them as "Christian Romances," but I think they're much more than that. These stories are about the lives of normal women who find themselves in all sorts of normal and abnormal predicaments. The heroes are unlikely love interests, but as you get to know them, you'll eventually see what Charlene, Bethann, and Sunny find so alluring. And just as much fun is the interaction among the women who form relationships with each other. They all met in New York, but their bond is the South.

Trouble in Paradise

I absolutely love southern fiction, so it makes sense for me to write it. My Class Reunion series (Pretty Is as Pretty Does, Bless Her Heart, and Tickled Pink) are all set in a fictional town near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Most of my other books are also set in the Southeast, but you'll often find my characters making their way up to New York City - one of those places I love to visit as often as possible.

Order here: Trouble in Paradise

One of the things that I find fascinating is when you take a southern girl and place her out of her element. Her accent will grow thicker, and she'll make everyone around her smile - even when what she's saying isn't intended to be funny.

This month, I published Trouble in Paradise, the first book in my "Belles in the City" series. Here's a blurb:

Southern belle Charlene Pickford finds herself in a pickle after landing the job of her dreams in New York City. Her boss Alan might be attractive, but when it becomes obvious that he's hiding some deep, obviously very dark secret, she feels an overwhelming urge to flee. 

She could go back to Georgia to help her parents—even though they've made it clear that they don't want her hovering. Or she can stick around and see what happens with her career and her feelings for Alan. Decisions, decisions, decisions … 

The second book in the series, One Foot Out the Door, is currently in production. I've written it, and now it's being revised and edited. As soon as it's available, I'll post the information here.

It's Free!

Not only have I published Gun in the Garden at Amazon, I've made it free for a few days! Here's a blurb:

Summer Walsh will do anything to avoid going back into law enforcement, so when she has an opportunity to leave Nashville and run a day care center in Atlanta, she grabs it. To her parents' chagrin, she stumbles on another dead body and can't resist the urge to get involved. Over the next several days, Summer encounters several suspects including a man who has threatened to take down the victim's tree that drops fruit into his yard, a nosy neighbor, a man who will stop at nothing to get her car, and the garden club president who thinks the victim is pond scum.

Order here: Gun in the Garden