Perceptions

While having a brainstorming session at a friend’s house her roommate walked by picked up a copy of my LI book and smiled. “This is cute. How long did it take for you write this? A weekend?”

            I didn’t even comment. There was no point. Unfortunately LI authors often hear a variation of that comment mainly from people who have never read one of our books. Their  perception is that a book that small can’t be very hard to write. They equate being small in size and word count with lacking in significant content. Most of us will tell you writing for LI is hard work and we’re blessed to be their authors.

            Perceptions colors everything. My husband was in the car business for decades. He sold Chevy’s. People would swear they only wanted GMC vehicles. But guess what. They are the exact same car. Made at the same factory, same chassis, same design all around with the exception of the logo on the front. Yet customers would swear there was a difference. Perception. Sometimes he’d receive a new shipment of vehicles with the Chevy bowtie on the front and the GMC logo on the back.

            Part of the fun for me is coming up with those differing perceptions for the hero and heroine and trying to come up with logical points of view for both. Why does he want to maintain the status quo? Why does she insist on change? What happens to each if they lose? What happens if they compromise?

            In Their Family Blessing, Carly and Mack have very different reasons for dealing with their inheritance and are confronted with their long held assumptions and perceptions. They must reexamine their memories from childhood, of their parents, of events, and what they’ve been told and what they think they’ve seen. As the truth emerges they are forced to adjust their beliefs about people and memories. Something we all do as we go through life. I remember the moment when I looked at my parents and realized that their relationship wasn’t what I’d always assumed. I saw them as separate people and not my parents.

            If we believe a certain product is better than another, no harm done. But if we have perceptions of others that aren’t true then we can damage and distort relationships and bring heartache to everyone.

            Have you ever had to realign your opinion of someone or something once you had more information? How did that impact your life?

            I hope you’ll enjoy reading how Carly and Mack sort out all their misconceptions and find their happily ever after. 

    

                                       Their Family Blessing

                           She owns the lodge but he owns the land.

    When single mom Carly Hughes the Longleaf Lodge, she gains a heap of trouble – her teenage crush Deputy MacKenzie Bridges. Her father left Mack the land around the lodge. While Carly wants to sell for her daughter’s sake. Mack wants to stay for his niece’s. and if they can’t work together, they’ll both lose everything… including the renewed spark between them.

https://tinyurl.com/yauex3y7