Inspiration

So often I am asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” It doesn’t seem like a hard question, but the answer can be complicated.

Every story setting or plot comes from a different place, but most often it’s simply that the people in my head start talking and I have to create a story for them so they’ll shut up and leave me and my dreams alone.

The inspiration for the new series I’m writing for Tule Publishing was this guy. Karl Wente of Wente Vineyards in California and I’ve never met him personally, but I’ve been to his winery and tasted his delicious wines and this particular picture set off a whole lot of ideas.

Then I started my what ifs. What if  the owners of a family winery in southern Indiana suffered a series of tragedies–the winemaker’s young wife dies, leaving him alone to raise their two-year-old daughter. And what if the winemaker’s father, who started the winery, also dies. And what if the winemaker has three brothers. . . ah ha! Now we have a family. And the what ifs pile up and characters develop and situations change and stuff happens and it all becomes a story . . . or even four stories. Thus, Four Irish Brothers–both the place and the brothers–were born.

Here is the back cover blurb for Conor’s story, which I have titled TWICE IN A LIFETIME and so far no one at Tule has mentioned changing it:

Winemaker and single father Conor Flaherty is determined to make this Christmas holiday special for his daughter even though his family’s winery, Four Irish Brothers, is facing some challenges.

High-octane Chicago attorney Samantha Hayes is looking forward to some delicious food, fine wine, small town charm, and a break from her hectic big-city life when she agrees to do a favor for her boss and help his younger brother with a lawsuit that’s been slapped on his family’s historic winery in River’s Edge. She’s not expecting that her sexy new client will have a smile that will melt her heart and remind her that there’s more to life than work.

Sam falls hard for Connor, his daughter, and the small, friendly town, but can she trust her instincts and risk her heart? Sam hasn’t seen a lot of happy-ever-afters in her life, but Conor and the magic of Christmas make her want to believe.

I hope I’ll have a cover for Conor and Samantha’s story to share with you soon and that I’ll be getting you a release date soon, too!

Until next time, mes amies, hold your face to the sun, be grateful, and love well.

Nan