anniversary

When I started writing the first Women of Whitfield book, I didn’t intend to write a series, but as I wrote, the secondary characters– the good friends–all seemed to deserve their own time in the spotlight.

Today is the publishing anniversary of book three, Barefoot Days. It’s Mary’s story. Mary is happily married to a great guy, with three grown children who are also part of the story.

I enjoyed writing this one. Mary started out as a side character, but readers kept saying how much they liked her. She’s a good person and friend–generous with her time, money and influence. In Barefoot Days, she hits some unexpected bumps that affect not just her but her family:

–Mary Logan believes in the goodness of people. She believes in grace under pressure. But when the ugliness of human nature touches her family, and a series of seismic events shake up her world, she’s put to the test again and again.

She and her husband are supposed to be enjoying the benefits of early retirement. Their nest is empty. It’s time to travel and re-focus. It’s their time. Then an alarming diagnosis and an unexpected announcement from their daughter change everything. Facing the possibility of heart-wrenching loss, Mary finds herself breaking commitments, forcing smiles, and keeping secrets.

Until now, her cup has always been half full. Will a positive outlook be enough to withstand the challenges ahead?–

Can’t believe it’s been eight years. I’ve written several books since then. But Mary remains one of my favorite characters. If you like character-driven women’s fiction, I think you’ll like her, too!

Here’s what a couple of reader had to say:

–‘Barefoot Days’ is a lovely book! Warm, real, and deeply satisfying.–

–You’ll cheer, cry, and enjoy this journey where you’ll be reunited with these great friends (you met them in the first two books of this trilogy) who remind you of the important role our gal pals play in our lives. Bravo!–

–This author once again struck a chord with me. Compelling story line with characters I could relate to. All set in a town that felt like I could live there. The third in her Women of Whitfield series, but it stood alone. You won’t have to read the others in the series to enjoy this book, but you’ll want to!–

Cheers and Happy Anniversary to Mary and Grant and the cast of Barefoot Days!

Happy Reading!

Darlene

Barefoot Days is available in ebook and digital formats at most popular online booksellers.

Thirty five years is a long time. At least it’s a long time to buy someone gifts. My husband and I are celebrating our 35^th anniversary today, and I’ve been running around trying to find something meaningful, functional, interesting, desirable (I’d settle for one of those qualities!) as a gift suitable for the occasion.

The fact is, I’m gifted-out. The creative juices in that department have dried up. And he’s pretty short on offering up ideas. He doesn’t need anything. Doesn’t want anything. In fact, he’s all for clearing out cupboards and closets and throwing things away! All of my cool ideas seem to relate to his business, so nix those. They’re business expenses. Tax write-offs. But . . . but . . . it’s our anniversary. Shouldn’t I do something to mark the occasion? I mean, I get flowers, probably a nice piece of jewelry and maybe a little chocolate, too! I’m easy!!! Those things work. Every. Time.

I remember when we used to celebrate, or at least remember, the anniversary of our first date. Of our engagement. Hahaha! Really? These days I’m more than happy to let those things petrify in the past.

Sure, anniversaries are special. And they only come once a year. But, hey, so do birthdays and Christmas and other holidays. Valentine’s Day!?! Are you kidding me? I just bought you a Christmas gift! And once we had kids? Oh, great, throw Father’s Day in there, too. Every year.

Don’t get me wrong. I actually like giving gifts. I usually enjoy the process of finding the perfect present. I like the creative task of wrapping the packages. But the rapid succession of birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and anniversary has really taken its toll this year. Today is also our daughter’s birthday, so there’s that. Spring break is next week, so there’s that. Not to mention a few books to write!

People say give experiences instead of gifts. Sure, we’re going out for a nice dinner. We’ll have wine and dessert. On our 25^th, we took a trip to Hawaii. But those dream vacations are expensive. They require time off from work, a ton of coordination, details, decisions, etc. Maybe next year.

For now, I’ll just have to hope that the “it’s the thought that counts” sentiment still holds true! I tried! 🙂

Do you have any go-to gifts that always hit the mark?