Our theme this month is romance in bloom. Guess what? I married a guy with the last name Bloom! LOL. Bill and I have been married twenty years, so I think we’ll keep each other. After all, we’ve survived the Covid-19 quarantine—so far!
I believe in second chances, because—although I had the best of intentions—I didn’t get it right the first time. But I had another chance and Bill came into my life as a blind date. We talked about kids and computers. We had plenty in common.
I write stories about second chances. My upcoming book is called Darby. It’s book one of a trilogy I call Ghost Mountain Ranch. Darby is a forty-something (well almost fifty-something) widow who goes home to Montana after thirty years. Her hero is Hank, a secondary character from a series Maddie James and I wrote called the Montana McKennas. Hank has his own novella called Home for the Holidays. It sets up his move to the Ghost Mountain Ranch in the book Darby.
That’s all I’ll tell you right now. Darby: Ghost Mountain Ranch (Book 1) will go on pre-order at most retailers by the end of May. I’m frantically writing the third book, and because there’s sort of a mystery in the trilogy, I want to finish it before making the other books available.
Speaking of blooms, one thing I’ve been doing during social distancing is working on my flowers. I don’t have a good flowerbed, so I’ve bought two large flower boxes from a local youth organization. In them I’ve planted milkweed for monarch butterflies and marigolds to try to keep the aphids away. I’ve scattered seeds for hummingbirds and bees. If they don’t come up, I’ll have to go shopping again. This year in Kentucky we’ve had a beautiful, wet spring. Last year we went straight from winter to summer. I prefer this way. So, have you been outside during the shutdown? Have you walked or planted flowers?
I tell you what I miss the most—my horseback riding lessons! It’s been a long time since my horse fix!
Don’t forget our Monthly Giveaway. I know our gift card winners always appreciate them. Good luck!
Jan, I friend who went out with a young man whose name was Bloom. Her name was June. We loved it June Bloom. They broke up. You do a lot to get the hummingbirds. I just put up red flowers and am hoping. No signs yet at my yard but others say they've spotted one. Here's hoping you get your horse fix son.
ReplyDeleteNora, Bill tells the story when he used to live on Blossom Lane -- the Blooms on Blossom. LOL
DeleteI love your story. I also love the name Darby... I have no hummingbirds yet this year--sigh--but the songbirds have been thick and joyously loud.
ReplyDeleteLiz, I used Darby as a "nom de plume" for a while. That didn't work out so I thought I'd give the name to a character.
DeleteJan, I believe in second chances too! Living proof! My second chance came with my high school boyfriend. :) I remember getting an email from you some twenty years ago or so saying something like, "Well, we got married." You did it! I can't wait for Darby's story to come out. I liked Hank so much in the McKenna series.
ReplyDeleteKim, we've been writing buddies a long time!
DeleteYes, indeed!
DeleteI love your story and also second chance romance! I do sit outside on my porch every day and go for walks a few times a week. It hasn't been too bad for me. Writing is solitary so it's been easier to stay away from others.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't mind staying at home as long as I can go to the grocery.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story, Jan. I’m glad you found your second chance and were smart enough to grab it! I absolutely love your cover for
ReplyDeleteDarby and look forward to reading this one!
Lovely post, Jan. I don't know if lantana grows in your area, but it attracts hummingbirds like crazy. I have Radiation lantana, the orange-red variety, in the front yard of our house in the country, and it attracts monarch butterflies and hummingbirds.
ReplyDeleteSuch a positive, upbeat post. I'm a big fan of second chances and hummingbirds. Your new series sounds fun. I'm doing something similar with a secondary character readers loved.
ReplyDeleteJan, I got it right with my second chance, too. I'm looking forward to your new trilogy. We have a few pot plants on our patio and some seedlings almost ready to transplant. Thanks for such a nice post!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny. My mother-in-law's best friend's husband is Bill Bloom, but he's in his 90s!
ReplyDeleteAll I have is a screened in balcony and I didn't sign up for a garden plot in time, so no blooms for me.
Ghost Mountain sounds really cool already, and love the cover.