Am I in Your Book?

So, people ask me (sometimes nervously) if they might end up in one of my books somewhere.

Meet Jeff & Lyndsay

Lyndsay was my college roommate and a bridesmaid in my wedding, and, well, I was named after her mom, so we go way back. We met Jeff our freshman year and quickly befriended the golfer extraordinaire. Jeff and Lyns tied the knot exactly two weeks after my husband and me. Like many, Lyns, of course, picked up a new last name -“Rutherford.”

I know most folks don’t typically keep up with their college friends, but thankfully my college buddies and I haven’t been the norm. I text or chat every couple weeks with these two and make an effort to see them once a quarter via football games, beach trips, birthdays, and any other excuse we can conjure up.

Okay, so something you should know about Jeff, is that besides being an excellent golfer, the guy can make a joke off nearly every word that comes out of someone’s mouth. This is one of the key reasons I keep him around. He tells jokes for my personal entertainment, and I show my appreciation (no matter how corny) by laughing at every single one…though I have been known to have a delayed response at times.

These two found out about my book series long before most people. During one visit with them I was explaining the process for naming my characters and mentioned that I lacked a few names, the shopkeeper in particular. Jeff suddenly piped in, “How about Old Man Rutherford?” He was absolutely joking, but I knew right away the name was perfect.

 

Meet Miss Josephine and Miss Mary Katherine

Now I know it’s not polite to ask a woman’s age and worse still to reveal it, but I have to brag on these ladies. Miss Josephine is 95 and a half (I’m told you count the halves when you get to this age), and Miss Mary Katherine had a big 90th birthday bash late last year. Thanks to these ladies (and practice sessions with my father-in-love), I’m becoming quite the bridge player. These two set up the card table, spread out homemade desserts, and dish out lots of good advice during their once a week bridge club meeting.

It’s an amazing honor to play with these ladies, and our conversations range from friends passing away to friends having babies. We also take occasional jabs at one another’s generation – they can’t quite understand my blue hair, and I don’t see why it’s a big deal that the church organ was recently locked up in a closet.

You’ll see soon enough that the North and South in Waiz have issues getting along. Old Waiz versus New Waiz could be translated into the traditional, older generations versus the progressive, younger generations.

There seems to be a wider and wider gap among generations in our society today. I take this to heart when I play with these special ladies, and I’d imagine our friendship will have an impact on the rest of the series….

18 thoughts on “Am I in Your Book?

  1. I’m so glad to see your bridge friends! What a treat it will be to see them woven into your next book. And of course anyone who knows Lyndsay and Jeff would love them too. Hopefully I will recognize them or at least know that Jeff was responsible for a joke or two. Keep up the good work on the blogs for they are so much fun to read. Looking forward to the next one already! love you!

    • 🙂 The ladies were so excited. They told me what people use to say before taking a picture. It was far from “cheese.” I’ll tell you later.

  2. Love video on the making of the cover for your book. Very creative. Cannot wait to receive a copy. I have so many people asking me WHEN?????

    Did not understand the use of Xmas in wording.

    • I know – me too! 🙂 Late August. Thinking release party will be in September. Book One with proofreader.
      Can’t wait to see your new house!
      Xmas=Christmas (just trying to save space).

  3. If you ever need a child boy character I have a great boy to base it on lol.. I am excited for you and cannot wait til I can read it 🙂

  4. Awesome post and might I say a fine looking couple in the photo above! They looked good four years ago when that photo was taken at least! Looking forward to the book!

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