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| Shannon Taylor Vannatter |
It’s always a challenge for me to come up with interesting
occupations for my characters. When I first got a contract for what became A Texas Holiday Reunion, it was a
Heartsong Presents title set in a jewelry store in Arkansas . After nine titles centered around
the rodeo, I was ready to do something else. In the original version, the
heroine owned the jewelry store and the hero was a gemologist. Boy was I
dreading the research since most of my baubles come from the $1 Jewelry Galore store.
Before I could blink, Harlequin ended the Heartsong line as
Barbour had before them. But my agent called with good news - the editor at
Love Inspired was interested in continuing my contract, but she wanted cowboys.
That I could do. As I reworked my story and moved it to a Texas ranch, I struggled for an occupation
for my heroine.
Until we visited my husband’s Texas branch of his family in
tiny Medina, near Bandera where I’d moved my story to. Since we’re avid flea
marketers, we’d hit all the places in Bandera looking for bargains. And a
cowhide rug. We found several, but none of them were exactly what we wanted for
our rustic family room. On the way back to the family ranch, we noticed a log
furniture store. Inside, we found our cowhide rug, along with dining tables,
dressers, four poster beds, futons, and desks—all made of logs as smooth as
glass.
Amazed by such craftsmanship, inspiration hit and I knew
Resa would be a log furniture designer. Initially, Colson was a furniture
crafter, but my new editor didn’t think he was cowboy enough. I changed it so
that Colson had once been a crafter and worked with Resa, but this time he came
to fill in as her ranch foreman. By moving her designing office to the barn, I
kept them in close quarters.
Stumped on what to name the store, I asked my Facebook
friends for help and they came up with several great ideas. I ended up going
with Rustick’s and the suggester got a free book for their help.
Originally slated as a fall title, I was excited when asked
if I’d like to do a Christmas book. Since it’s my favorite holiday, I jumped at
the chance. I had lots of fun creating furniture for Resa to design, sending
her and Colson on tree cutting adventures, and wagon rides in parades. Throw in
a cute little girl and lots of tension to disrupt their Christmas and it’s the
stuff romance is made of.
About A Texas Holiday Reunion
His Christmas Homecoming
With her
foreman out of commission, Resa McCall needs horse trainer Colson Kincaid to
run her family ranch through the holidays. But having the handsome single dad
back in Bandera , Texas
Giveaway details:
Comment to enter the drawing for a copy of A Texas Holiday
Reunion. Six copies will be split among names drawn during the blog tour from
Oct 18 – Dec 8. One winner will get to pick the theme for a custom made memory
board personally crafted by the author. Deadline Dec. 8th. Winners will be
revealed on the author’s blog on Dec 10th. Go to my website http://shannontaylorvannatter.com
and sign up for my newsletter to enter more giveaways and get a free book
download.
Follow my blog tour for more chances to win A Texas Holiday Reunion:
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Oct 18 – https://allbettsareoff.wordpress.com/
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Oct 19 - http://www.inspyromance.com/
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Oct 24 - http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/
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Oct 24 - http://brendaandersonbooks.com/blog/
·
Oct 24 & 27 - http://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/
·
Oct 26 - https://saralfoust.com/blog/
·
Nov 3 - http://chirpnchatter.blogspot.com/
Such a great story idea! I'm like you, I don't do expensive jewelry. I would just lose it or break it! LOL
ReplyDeleteI like to have a lot of jewelry, Kim. With it all costing $1, I'm out of control. My husband bought me the waist high jewelry armoire a few years ago. It's overflowing plus tons of necklaces hanging on the wall.
DeleteWelcome, Shannon! It's a pleasure to welcome you to my blog, after having visited yours more than once. :) Congrats on your new release!
ReplyDeleteThanks Delia. I've enjoyed your visiting my blog and it's nice to be on yours.
DeleteShannon, love hearing how this story came to be. Can't wait to read it. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI've learned inspiration strikes anywhere. Even on vacation.
DeleteLove the story about your book!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun setting the story so close to my husband's stomping grounds.
DeleteI added it to My Wish List. Thanks for sharing all the back story info to your story in all of these blog posts. It sounds really good.
ReplyDeleteHey Linda, an author's back story for the book makes the book more interesting to me.
DeleteI share your love of inexpensive jewelry, that's why I sell Paparazzi...everything is $5! Looking forward to adding this to my Shannon collection!!!
ReplyDeleteWow Jennifer, I didn't know about Paparazzi. Usually when people sell jewelry, it's expensive. I force myself not to buy anything new unless something old breaks or I get a new outfit and have no jewelry to match. The same was with shoes. I have to work to keep myself under control.
DeleteI loved learning the back story to this book! I am adding it to my wish list.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna. The Texas Hill Country is a special place to my family. It was fun sending my characters to the places we've visited there. The Old Spanish Trail or OST is our favorite restaurant. They have saddle stools at the breakfast bar and an elk mount that's so huge the servers have to duck under its antlers to serve customers.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good book. Glad you moved it to Texas.
ReplyDeleteHi Gay. Thanks. I am too. Texas is my second favorite state :)
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