Saturday, August 13, 2016

Sipping Sangria!

When I first wrote NO SWEAT PANTS ALLOWED- WINE CLUB I knew I wanted to also write a sequel. In the course of writing, sometimes a writer's muse takes a detour. Mine did. I wrote another book (I'd Rather Be Growing Grapes) instead of the sequel. For that, I could kick myself in the butt because it delayed things and some readers have forgotten the characters. One good thing came of the delay, instead of just a sequel I decided to make it a 3-book series -- appropriately named: Wine and Sweat Pants Series.

It's been an incredible journey creating Elaina Samuels and her band of unruly cohorts -- Tawny Westerfield, Stephanie Mathews, and Grace Cordray. These women had me in stitches a lot of the time, but I admit to a few tears as well. The humor is plentiful. The situations I put them in are realistic, although some may not share the same opinion. If those folks only knew my fun-loving, quirky relatives that these characters are fashioned after. (Truth. I swear.)

Through Elaina, Tawny, Stephanie, and Grace, I wanted to convey the message that life will always be unpredictable but when you surround yourself with positive energy you can survive just about anything that comes your way. These women found themselves single at a time when they should've already weathered most of the storms in their lives. But the big guy in the sky had alternate plans for them. In their forties, with no clear plans for starting over, fate stepped in and put them together at a cash-for-gold event. Their destinies began at that moment. They formed the No Sweat Pants Allowed - Wine Club in book one. In this book - book two - Sipping Sangria - they teasingly and affectionately call themselves The 4 Hussy Homestead as they move forward in their attempt to get life right-side-up. You can expect some surprises, mischief, chaos, tender moments, and laughter.    

I hope you'll discover (or rediscover if you read book one) and connect with Elaina, Tawny, Steph, and Grace. 

Side note: I've started book three -- Merlot in Maine.