When Belle and Jolene met. A story of Friendship.

Belle Calhoune and Jolene Navarro checking in from...well Belle is up in Connecticut and Jolene is sitting on her porch in the Texas Hill Country.  Isn't technology amazing?

Jolene: When I was first asked if there was someone I wanted to pair up with to share a blog space I eagerly asked Belle if she wanted to be my partner.  Belle was the first Love Inspired author that reached out to me personally when my first book came out in October of 2013 (Lone Star Holiday).  I responded right away because I had just read her first book from June of 2013 (Reunited with the Sheriff).  The hero's name is Tate.  That's one of my sons' names, so I knew she had good taste right off the bat.  We both write for the contemporary Love Inspired line and work with the same editor.  It's become a great long-distance friendship.  It's fun to find out the things we have in common and our differences.  What do you think Belle?

Belle: I remember reaching out to you once I realized there was a new Love Inspired author in the line. My first book came out only a few months before yours debuted.  I quickly realized you were an art teacher from Texas.  It doesn't get any cooler than that, does it? Before I became a writer I wasn't employed in a creative profession.  I was a federal investigator.  So that's a big difference between us!  Jolene writes Texas cowboys while I write Alaskan cowboys lol.  Jolene is an introvert whereas I am an extrovert.  Although I must add that Jolene is a very extroverted introvert.

Jolene: Ha.  I had to develop social skills to make my dreams happen, so I'm a great faker in public, plus I do kind of like being in control of my environment.  That's the introvert in me.

Belle: You do a good job of it.  When we were in San Diego at the RWA conference, Jolene flagged down iconic romance author Jayne Krentz and asked if we could take a picture with her.  It was especially funny because Krentz appeared slightly annoyed.  But we took the picture anyway.  

Jolene: Now that's not fair.  You said you loved her and I asked if you wanted a picture with her.  She was in a hurry, but I don't think she was annoyed.  She was in a hurry and we were fast.  What do you think? Does she look annoyed?

Belle: I think she was probably stopped a million times at that conference, so I thought she was very cool and gracious to say yes to our request.  She's a legend! So, another thing we have in common is that we're both married to our college sweethearts. 

Jolene: Fred and I have been together since 1986.  I was a freshman and he was a senior.  How long have you and Randy been together?

Belle: Randy and I met in 1988, so right after the two of you  met.  We were both juniors at Syracuse University.  We've been together ever since! Yikes. That's a long time.  But we are romance writers.  We need our heroes!  We've done romance writing panels together.  

We support each other through the triumphs and the not so triumphant moments (yes they happen). 

Jolene: Ugh.  Some of those were tough. Tears and everything. But if you want to be a writer you keep writing, through the doubts and fears. It's the writer friends you develop along the way that make this such a fun journey.

Belle: And we love meeting up at the Romance Writers of America conferences.  New York, San Diego and Orlando.  We have had such good times at the Harlequin author parties. There's always great food, amazing music and an opportunity to party with our fellow authors. 

Belle: Jolene recently made this for me to celebrate my making the RWA Honor Roll.  Isn't she sweet?  

Jolene: And Belle created a celebration post for me when she heard I made the Publisher's Weekly Mass Market list.  Having writer friends to celebrate with makes it so much sweeter.  But even better than that - she has been known to post a picture of Hugh Jackman on my birthday. I'm a huge fan of him and his wife. Did you know that Belle has attended parties with them? This may be the real reason I call her a friend - she's met the Jackmans. On another positive note, this week Belle has an Amazon Bestseller out with three other authors. Faithful Women: Legacies of Grace.

Belle: I'm excited about "Forever and a Day" (Book 5 in my Pelican Bay series) and some other fun

projects I've been working on this summer.
           
Jolene: I'm looking forward to two releases.  Lone Star Christmas, Book 3 in the Bergmann series will release mid-October to November 1st. Also, the Christmas classic Lone Star Holiday is releasing as a two in one book mid-September through October 1st. 

                               

        Do you have any special friendships where you might not see the person all the time but still manage to stay connected?