Rey Bowen is not the only one at Lake Serene with secrets and a desire to reboot his seriously derailed life. Meeting Echo reminds him that life can sparkle with joy and laughter and passion, but can he show the cautious Echo how to love again even as he struggles to trust his own heart?
I’m willing to bet I did something no other writer (or human being) has. I moved a mountain lake named Lake Serene from Oregon to Montana and took a total of ten major characters with me. And yes, that was a lot of work.
To explain, when the idea for a four book/one novella series set in the wilderness and spanning the four seasons took hold of me, I had every intention of setting it in Oregon. Why you might ask and even if you don’t, please play along. I’ve lived in Oregon since three months after my husband and I spent time in this beautiful state on our honeymoon. Of course it being May might have something to do with how deeply I fell in love with it, but we also discovered we could make more money working in Oregon than in California where we were living.
Our children were preschoolers when my husband’s parents bought a lakefront cabin in a forest about an hour’s drive from Crater Lake. As a result, we spent countless summers at the cabin doing such fun things as putting up a new roof, chasing bats out of the attic, trying to catch tadpoles, and feeding chipmunks. Yes, having an old summer cabin is a lot of work, but I can’t think of a more beautiful place to scrape paint and repair shutters.
As I started outlining the series I initially called Lake Serene Romance but is now known as Montana Lakeside, I believed research on the setting would be at a minimum because I’d be writing about a locale I know as well as I do my back yard. My initial intention had been to self-publish the series. Then I started hearing glowing things about Tule Publishing and approached them. They said yes, I said yes, and we were off to the races.
All except for one thing.
Tule Publishing has staked a claim on Montana. Their best-selling contemporary romance series Montana Born is obviously set there. The publisher asked me to consider picking up my lake and heroes and heroines and moving them to a state I’d only visited once. Hmm. I thought. Do I want to? In order to help answer my question, I spent hours on the Net researching that incredible state with all those awesome mountains. The more I read and the more photographs I drooled over, the more I fell in love.
Oh and it didn’t hurt that my hiking/camping/mountain climbing grandson works there in the summer and posts his jaw-dropping photography on Facebook.
Yes, I said again. Good, the publisher said.
And that’s the story.
As for the book I’m promoting right now, His Montana Rescue is about a female forest ranger who nearly lost her life fighting a forest fire (a possibility my family sweats over in real life every summer) and the builder charged with overseeing renovations at the small Lake Serene Lodge as part of his attempt to salvage his career.
To explain, when the idea for a four book/one novella series set in the wilderness and spanning the four seasons took hold of me, I had every intention of setting it in Oregon. Why you might ask and even if you don’t, please play along. I’ve lived in Oregon since three months after my husband and I spent time in this beautiful state on our honeymoon. Of course it being May might have something to do with how deeply I fell in love with it, but we also discovered we could make more money working in Oregon than in California where we were living.
Our children were preschoolers when my husband’s parents bought a lakefront cabin in a forest about an hour’s drive from Crater Lake. As a result, we spent countless summers at the cabin doing such fun things as putting up a new roof, chasing bats out of the attic, trying to catch tadpoles, and feeding chipmunks. Yes, having an old summer cabin is a lot of work, but I can’t think of a more beautiful place to scrape paint and repair shutters.
As I started outlining the series I initially called Lake Serene Romance but is now known as Montana Lakeside, I believed research on the setting would be at a minimum because I’d be writing about a locale I know as well as I do my back yard. My initial intention had been to self-publish the series. Then I started hearing glowing things about Tule Publishing and approached them. They said yes, I said yes, and we were off to the races.
All except for one thing.
Tule Publishing has staked a claim on Montana. Their best-selling contemporary romance series Montana Born is obviously set there. The publisher asked me to consider picking up my lake and heroes and heroines and moving them to a state I’d only visited once. Hmm. I thought. Do I want to? In order to help answer my question, I spent hours on the Net researching that incredible state with all those awesome mountains. The more I read and the more photographs I drooled over, the more I fell in love.
Oh and it didn’t hurt that my hiking/camping/mountain climbing grandson works there in the summer and posts his jaw-dropping photography on Facebook.
Yes, I said again. Good, the publisher said.
And that’s the story.
As for the book I’m promoting right now, His Montana Rescue is about a female forest ranger who nearly lost her life fighting a forest fire (a possibility my family sweats over in real life every summer) and the builder charged with overseeing renovations at the small Lake Serene Lodge as part of his attempt to salvage his career.
“I’m under pressures you’ll never understand,” he said so softly she had to strain to hear. “Pressure that goes much deeper than being able to bring in roofing trusses.”
Both fascinated by what he hadn't said and determined not to go beneath the surface with the big, distant man, she started back toward her vehicle.
“We all do what we have to,” she said over her shoulder. “Priorities that drive us. I’ll leave a printout with you so you know exactly what you can and can’t do until the restrictions are lifted.”
“Who made up those rules?”
She was tempted to counter that the rules hadn’t been fashioned out of thin air as he seemed to be indicating but that wouldn’t get them anywhere. For as long as Rey and she were at Lake Serene, they’d have to work together. She had no control over how he handled his side of the relationship, but she intended to be as professional as possible.
Professional?
Easier said than done, because he’d joined her and was matching his stride to hers, his arm occasionally brushing hers. Touching her in ways she'd nearly forgotten were possible. Reminding her she was a woman.
She started to put distance between them but was distracted by what might be the chipmunk she’d seen earlier. Its life could depend on what she said today.
“Your employee can’t smoke outside,” she told Rey as they neared the cabin with the cigarette-smoking workman now standing in the doorway.
“That’s one of the regulations.”
He stopped, gave her no choice but to face him. “That goes without saying. I’m not an idiot.”
Both fascinated by what he hadn't said and determined not to go beneath the surface with the big, distant man, she started back toward her vehicle.
“We all do what we have to,” she said over her shoulder. “Priorities that drive us. I’ll leave a printout with you so you know exactly what you can and can’t do until the restrictions are lifted.”
“Who made up those rules?”
She was tempted to counter that the rules hadn’t been fashioned out of thin air as he seemed to be indicating but that wouldn’t get them anywhere. For as long as Rey and she were at Lake Serene, they’d have to work together. She had no control over how he handled his side of the relationship, but she intended to be as professional as possible.
Professional?
Easier said than done, because he’d joined her and was matching his stride to hers, his arm occasionally brushing hers. Touching her in ways she'd nearly forgotten were possible. Reminding her she was a woman.
She started to put distance between them but was distracted by what might be the chipmunk she’d seen earlier. Its life could depend on what she said today.
“Your employee can’t smoke outside,” she told Rey as they neared the cabin with the cigarette-smoking workman now standing in the doorway.
“That’s one of the regulations.”
He stopped, gave her no choice but to face him. “That goes without saying. I’m not an idiot.”
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As they reminisce about their honeymoon and dreams of a life together, the couple realizes that perhaps the sparks that ignited their romance may not have entirely burned out. Then Jes hands Shyla a note that impacts both their futures.
Will their stay at Lake Serene burn away the mistakes of the past and rekindle their love?
The Montana Lakeside series
Book 1: Romancing the Montana Bride
Book 2: Redeeming her Montana Love
Book 3: His Montana Rescue
Book 4: Saved by the Montana Hero
Book 5: Taming His Montana Heart
Win several photographs of Montana's wilderness sent via email!
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ReplyDeleteYes, indeed, thank you for hosting me. It's a cold and foggy morning here in Oregon but Romance Novel Giveaways is the perfect pick me up.
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