Falling for the Hometown Hero

Jolene here. Checking in from the Texas Hill Country. We were asked about our own love story.

God gave me a clue how my future would unfold the first night I saw the man that would be my husband. It was August as I drove my sister and a couple of friends over the hill country from Leakey Texas to Junction to watch a high school football game. (there would end up being countless of Friday night lights in the years to come).  One of my friends was dating the  Leakey quarterback.

After the game, we all met at Dairy Queen. (How small town is that?) I thought the older brother was cute.  We asked if David, my friend's boyfriend, could ride back with us. Fred said no. You see, he’s a rule follower, and he had signed that his brother would be riding home with him.

So we followed. We would pass him then fall back. I guess it was some sort of flirting. BUT Fred just thought I was a bit crazy…I liked driving fast back then.

So a few months later at another football game, Homecoming.   I love fall. The bonfires, cool air, and football are in full swing.

In the small towns of Texas, homecoming is a big deal. (when I say small town we are talking population of around 400). My parents came back (my father had been the quarterback 20 years before),  my grandparents were there, and the population doubles.

 After the game, it’s time to cruise main. Somehow I got separated from my friends and ended up around the truck bed with a bunch of guys. One was trying to flirt, I think. Not very good at it and I started feeling uncomfortable. That’s when Fred showed up. Like a Knight on a white steed.

He was great, and we talked about so many things. I found out that  not only did he have the three younger brothers, but he had seven older siblings. He was a senior at Anglo State and was studying kinesiology and English.  We talked about our horses – he grew up on a ranch. I think I fell in love right then. 

About two years later in a pure act of love,  Fred, this small town ranch boy got a job in Houston just so we could be together as I finished art school.

It's amazing to look back and see how one night paved the path I wasn’t even looking for.  A little over thirty years later, four kids and many miles across Texas, we still love talking about life.

When I develop my heroes, I think they all have a small piece of Fred. You can see if this is true in the new anthology that was just released. Sweet Summer Nights.  You might recognize some of the other authors - it's six sweet stories for .99  cents   Sweet Summer Nights

  

What Goes into a Cover?

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Have you ever read a good book with a bad cover?

I can only speak for Love Inspired books, but bringing a cover to fruition takes teamwork. First, the author has a idea of what he/she wants. Actually we have to come up with three different ideas and then we have to convey those ideas to our editor via photographs and whatever means necessary. Once the editor narrows things down, they teleconference with Harlequin's art and marketing department to determine which cover concept will most appeal to readers.

After that, it's all up to the art department. If people are on the cover, a photo shoot is scheduled.

For my June 2016 release, Falling for the Hometown Hero, I wanted to incorporate one of the scenes in the book that takes place at Cascade Falls in Ouray, Colorado. I supplied my editor with pictures and a brief description of how I envisioned the scene. That my hero and heroine were sitting on a large boulder near the falls.

Cascade Falls, Ouray, Colorado



Cascade Falls, Ouray, Colorado

And after the art department worked their magic, they came up with this.

They captured the essence of what I saw in my mind to a tee. Right down to my hero's straightened left leg.

Now it's your turn, do you judge a book by its cover?