Reunions

Reunions can provide wonderful opportunities to reconnect with classmates, old friends, or distant family members.  

Last September, my husband and I traveled to Branson, Missouri, for a reunion of the Johnson first cousins. Of the twenty-one cousins still living (two have passed away), nineteen (plus several spouses) came from all across the US to attend, so you can imagine the lively conversations that took place! Since we now range in age from 50s to 80s, countless hours were spent reminiscing about “the good old days,” paging through photo albums dating back to the cousins’ youth, and catching up on what’s happened in each other’s lives since the last time any of us were together. 

The Johnson Cousins
(group photo taken at the Dixie Stampede)

For some of us, though, reunions may be a source of discomfort, if not outright dread. What kind of impression will we make? Will the same old rivalries be in play? Will we spend the entire event comparing ourselves to others’ success? It often takes the passage of time to smooth the rough edges of old relationships and allow us to recast them in a more mature and forgiving light.

Time didn’t prove much help for former college sweethearts Tripp and Diana, the hero and heroine of Hill Country Reunion, my latest from Love Inspired. Twelve years after their painful breakup, Diana is stunned when Tripp arrives in town as the new veterinarian, and their unexpected reunion is laced with tension, blame, and regret. It’s a diffucult journey toward a new start, but as they form a shaky alliance and learn to respect and admire each other for the people they’ve become, romance is rekindled. 

What are your experiences with reunions? Do you look forward to them? Avoid them? Is there someone in particular you’d especially like to catch up with? What’s stopping you?

“I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.” (2 Timothy 1:4, The Message)

About the book: When veterinarian Tripp Willoughby accepts a partnership in his former girlfriend’s hometown of Juniper Bluff, Texas, he knows he has no right to ask for forgiveness for their breakup. He thought keeping his Crohn’s disease a secret from Diana Matthews was the right thing to do—but he ended up breaking her heart. Now Diana has a new life running a doughnut shop and working with animals. Reluctantly, she accepts his help with her pet therapy program. As the furry animals bring them together, Tripp remembers how things used to be with Diana—and is convinced he must find a way to reveal the truth and win her back.

About Myra: Award-winning author Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. Originally from Texas but now residing in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband love the climate and scenery, but they may never get used to the pulled pork Carolinians call “barbecue”! The Johnsons share their home with a very pampered rescue doggy who doesn’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They have also inherited the cute little cat (complete with attitude) their daughter and family had to leave behind when they recently moved overseas.

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The Call ...The Call by Jean C. Gordon

In a land long ago and not so far away, there was a young mother who had fairly recently discovered and fallen in love with romance novels. So, what did she do? Being a writer – tax and financial news – by profession, she wrote one, finding that fiction writing is much different than news writing. I’m sure you’ve figured out that young mother was me. My romance author dream was to sell to Silhouette Romance, Harlequin’s old sweet romance line. I sent my story, Bachelor Father off to Silhouette and quickly received a form rejection letter. But a friend in my local writers group told me about another sweet romance publisher, Avalon Books, that provided hardcover books to libraries.

Sorry for the tilt and glare.
It's affixed to the wall.

I submitted Bachelor Father to them and waited and waited and waited, meanwhile starting another sweet romance, Mandy and the Mayor. I submitted the first three chapters of that book to the New Jersey Romance Writers Put Your Heart in Book Contest and finaled in the contemporary romance category.

Off I went to the NJ Romance writers conference, my first romance writers conference, with an appointment to meet with Erin Cartwright, the very new Editorial Director at Avalon Books. I wanted to find out what was going on with Bachelor Father. I won first place in the contest. At my editor appointment, Erin was very interested in Mandy and the Mayor and disappointed that I had only the first three chapters written. Then, I told her I had another submission at Avalon Books. She said she’d look at it as soon as she got back to the office on Monday.

True to her word, Erin called me at my day job Tuesday with an offer. I’d like to say I went home with my news and my family was jumping up and down excited for me. But we’re kind of low key. Their universal reaction was, “you said you were going to sell a romance novel, so we knew you would.”

Fast forward 11 years, during which I continued to try, unsuccessfully, to sell to Silhouette Romance and did sell four more books to Avalon. I had started reading Love Inspired books and had written a proposal for the contemporary line. In an echo of The Call, I had an appointment at the NJ Romance Writers Conference with Love Inspired editor Emily Rodmell where I pitched my work in progress. Not too long afterwards, I received A Call from Melissa Endlich with an offer for my first Love Inspired Romance, Small-Town Sweetheart. While my First Call was exciting, I admit to being more excited about my Echo Call from Love Inspired.