But I'm not talking about Rest Thy Head today. I'd like to tell you about one of my older books The Welcome Inn. I don't talk about it much, but I looked at it the other day, and I remembered why I always liked it.
I first decided to write a story about a motel manager after
my father retired. He had worked in the
insurance business all of his life, but after he retired, he worked a few days a
week at a local motel. The stories he came
home and told were just delicious!
I chose Julianna Martin as my heroine because I wanted to
write about a strong woman. She’s
outspoken, determined, ambitious and very beautiful, but at the same time she
isn’t perfect. She still has hang ups
and problems just like the rest of us. I
wanted to watch her grow and develop as she worked to fulfill her potential.
And of course a strong heroine needs a strong hero to
balance her. Buck Abercrombie is
definitely that. He’s been in charge of
Abercrombie Construction since his parents died. He’s also been a father to his little brother
Travis. Unhappily, Travis hasn’t turned
out too well. Buck carries a lot of
guilt because of what he sees as his failure.
He’s also scared of intimacy because of his failed marriage. And he’s every bit as determined, outspoken,
and ambitious as Julianna.
EXCERPT:
Julianna slid gingerly under the covers and Buck
reached for the lamp. He plunged the room into darkness,
and both he and Julianna lay tensely in the bed. Both were
careful not to touch the other.
Eventually, Julianna turned on her side and spread out, assuming her favorite sleeping position. Buck’s legs were in the way so she gave an impatient kick to scoot him over.
“Stop kicking me,” Buck protested. “You’ve got most of the space anyway.”
“I do not.”
“Yeah, you do. I’m barely hanging on over here.”
Julianna sat up and reached across Buck to measure the space. “You have all kinds of room left.”
“I don’t,” Buck argued. “If I turned over I’d fall off the bed.”
“Honestly!”
A short silence fell on the room.
Eventually, Julianna turned on her side and spread out, assuming her favorite sleeping position. Buck’s legs were in the way so she gave an impatient kick to scoot him over.
“Stop kicking me,” Buck protested. “You’ve got most of the space anyway.”
“I do not.”
“Yeah, you do. I’m barely hanging on over here.”
Julianna sat up and reached across Buck to measure the space. “You have all kinds of room left.”
“I don’t,” Buck argued. “If I turned over I’d fall off the bed.”
“Honestly!”
A short silence fell on the room.
“I can’t sleep on this side of the bed,” Buck
complained. “You’ll have to change with me.”
“I like this side. I’m not going to move.”
Buck turned over heavily, causing the bed to rock and shake.
“Be still,” Julianna smartly commanded. “How can I sleep if you keep bouncing me around?”
A minute or so passed, and Buck turned over again, bumping Julianna with his knees. Nerves on edge, Julianna kicked him again. This time he kicked her back.
War broke out with a flurry of shoving, kicking, and struggling that ended with Buck on the side of the bed that he favored with Julianna molded to his side. She shoved against the bed with her feet in an effort to root him off the edge, but Buck held fast.
“I like this side. I’m not going to move.”
Buck turned over heavily, causing the bed to rock and shake.
“Be still,” Julianna smartly commanded. “How can I sleep if you keep bouncing me around?”
A minute or so passed, and Buck turned over again, bumping Julianna with his knees. Nerves on edge, Julianna kicked him again. This time he kicked her back.
War broke out with a flurry of shoving, kicking, and struggling that ended with Buck on the side of the bed that he favored with Julianna molded to his side. She shoved against the bed with her feet in an effort to root him off the edge, but Buck held fast.
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