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My daughter and her husband who live in the northeast have been trying since Tuesday to get to Arkansas so my daughter could serve as maid of honor in a dear friend’s wedding tomorrow. They had hoped to spend a day or two visiting their families before the festivities this weekend. Because of the “monster storm” that hit most of the country on Tuesday, they were unable to depart until yesterday (Thursday). Though they had expected to land in Little Rock and spend one night here with us, their connecting flight from Chicago was canceled and they were forced to change their plans yet again. They landed in northwest Arkansas (where the wedding will be held) at midnight. Now the concern is whether they’ll be able to get back to Massachusetts in time for my daughter to report to work Tuesday, as scheduled!

Being on the receiving end of several exasperated calls from her, I couldn’t help thinking back a few (cough) years. My husband and I were married on February 4 (happy anniversary, John!). We planned every detail of the wedding – the clothes, the music, the food, the program … but we learned to our dismay (being very young and very naive), that we could not control the weather. An ice storm hit central Arkansas that very weekend, making it impossible for several of my husband’s out-of-town relatives to attend, and somewhat tricky for my in-town family to be there.

So when my daughter told us what date her friend had chosen for a wedding, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Arkansas doesn’t have a lot of snow and ice, but late January and early February are always iffy for making travel plans. Already this year, we’ve had several snow events, as they’re called by weathercasters, and I am watching snow fall as I type this. Three inches or so is predicted for today and more snow is expected in the middle of next week. Nothing like what my daughter and son-in-law have seen in Massachusetts, of course, but any snow in Arkansas is a big event, shutting down schools and making roadways treacherous. That’s the time of year I am most likely to cocoon in my den with hot tea, a crackling fire, a bowl of popcorn and my always-toppling stack of books I’ve been eager to read.

I’m sure the wedding will be lovely. Having been privileged to visit with them several times during their almost 10-year friendship with our daughter, I know the bride will be beautiful and the groom very handsome as they exchange their vows. I predict a long, happy marriage for this charming, bright young couple. I hope the weather cooperates for all involved so that their memories of this special weekend will all be happy ones.

Congratulations, Jenn and Lance. As someone celebrating 34 years of marriage today, my only advice to you is to always nurture the friendship that has drawn you together. You’ll find that the challenges life will inevitably throw your way are much easier to handle with your best friend at your side.

 

The winner of the February drawing for two Valentine’s Day themed books is Rose McKinney of Oklahoma! Congratulations, Rose.

I know I’m behind on blog posting — I’ll be back later this week with an update. The next drawing will be held on May 1, and it will be another choose-your-prize contest! If your name is drawn, you’ll win any two titles from my backlist (subject to availability). Click on the Enter to Win! tab above for details on how to enter.

I have always loved fiction. Reading it in books, watching it unfold on screens, and especially creating it for my own pleasure and to entertain my readers. I’ve mentioned before that I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a storyteller; it was a career I seem to have been born into rather than something I chose deliberately.

People ask how much of my real life creeps into my stories, and my answer is – less than you might suspect! I don’t deliberately model my characters after people I know, though I’m sure I file away interesting little quirks and observances about people I meet or read about.  I enjoy making up little towns or resorts, and when I use a real location, I often take creative license there, too. I do research to try to get my facts correct, as much as possible, but I remind all my readers that I write fictional stories about made-up characters in a wholly-created world. That’s the fun part of my job for me.

I’ve written several medical-themed books during the past couple of years. Anyone who knows that one of my daughters is in medical research, the other a medical resident and my son is also preparing for a career in medicine probably wonders how much of our “real life” has worked its way into those tales. I’ve spent hours quizzing my very helpful offspring about medical facts and medical school experiences, but my questions usually begin, “What if … ?” Rather than use the anecdotes they’ve told me, I like to imagine my own scenarios, then discuss with my “consultants” to make sure I’m getting the basic facts straight (when it matters). Which is why I always acknowledge their assistance, then add that any mistakes are mine alone, coming from my own imagination.

My new Silhouette Special Edition series, Doctors in the Family, premiers this month with THE M.D. NEXT DOOR, available in stores now. The three books (all of which stand alone) focus on the Baker family, two sisters and a brother who have chosen to become physicians. I can see why anyone who knows about my family would wonder if I’ve let real life creep into my work! But I can assure you again that I’ve had a wonderful time making up these stories, playing my “what-if” game, and creating adventures and romance for Meagan, Mitchell and Madison Baker.  Book two, A HOME FOR THE M.D., will be available in June. I’ll let you know the publication date for the final story (which I’m writing now).

Don’t forget to enter your name in the February 1 drawing for two Valentine’s Day themed books from my backlist. It’s easy to enter – click the Enter to Win! tab above for details.

Happy New Year to you all. May your 2011 be filled with joy, adventure and romance!

To all of you who celebrate Christmas – I hope yours is filled with blessings. And to everyone, happy new year! May 2011 be especially rewarding for you.

This past year has had its challenges, as life often does, but still I try to find time to stop and be grateful for the good things. My family, especially. My dear friends.  A career I love. Precious memories of loved ones no longer with me.

The next few weeks will be filled with doctor and therapy visits with our older daughter, as the past seven weeks have been, but we’ll pause to celebrate Christmas and the special meaning it has for us, and to be grateful we’re all together again this year. Our daughter is working extremely hard and making excellent progress with her recuperation. She’s eager to get back to her life and her research career in the Pacific Northwest. Our second daughter is thriving in her medical residency in New England and her husband has just successfully completed another semester of graduate school. And our son begins his final semester of college in a few weeks, after which he’ll spread his wings to begin an independent life of his own. I’m sure Christmas morning will be accompanied by moments of nostalgia for when they were little and squealing with delight over the toys Santa left behind, but I am so proud of the adults they have become.

Speaking of family (is this a good time for a segue?) …

THE M.D. NEXT DOOR will be on the shelves next week. The January Silhouette Special Edition is the first book in my newest series, DOCTORS IN THE FAMILY. For more details, check the Books Available Now! page.

And don’t forget to enter your name in the February 1 drawing for two Valentine’s Day themed books from my backlist. It’s very easy to enter. See the Enter to Win! page for instructions.

Again — Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year.

On Halloween, my husband and I received news no parents want to hear. Our daughter who lives in the Pacific Northwest, the medical researcher, had suffered a stroke the evening before. Only 30 years old, our slender daughter stays physically active, eats healthily, has low blood pressure and cholesterol, earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and regularly practices yoga. In other words, she was the least likely person I know to have a stroke, or so I thought. Fortunately, she responded quickly to her symptoms, going straight to the hospital emergency room even though she tried to convince herself she was overreacting (“This can’t be a stroke. I’m only 30!”). My husband and I flew to Washington that very afternoon, as did our other daughter, the medical resident who currently lives in New England. She was able to stay a week, and my husband and I were there almost a month until our older daughter was released from the hospital and we could bring her home to further recuperate.

An acquaintance whose taste in reading leans toward dark, grim, anti-hero tales once told me the books I write are filled with people who are “just too nice.” She wasn’t sure that was entirely realistic, since her world-view is more pessimistic than mine. Unlike my cynical friend, I’ve always chosen to believe that most people are basically good and well-intentioned. After the past month, I am even more firmly convinced.

Diane, the agent at American Airlines who made the initial arrangements for our flight out, gave us compassion fare on a flight leaving only a few hours after I called. Of course, I was upset and rattled when I made that call and she was very patient with me while I scrambled through papers and cards and tried to answer her questions coherently. She sincerely wished our daughter a quick and complete recovery. Two later agents changed return dates for us when the hospitalization was extended longer than we expected, handling all the details and also wishing us well. Our daughter’s coworker and her husband picked us up at the airport at almost midnight and delivered us to the hospital, even though both had to work the next day. Another coworker had dropped everything at our daughter’s call to take her to the hospital that Saturday afternoon of October 30. Her boss and all her other associates visited often, encouraged us to call if we needed anything, and brought food and gifts and silly cards to make our daughter smile. Her pastor, yoga instructor and members of her church came by with encouragement, sent cards and soup,  and delivered a pretty, cheery lap quilt made by a church quilting group. The children in her church drew pictures for her, which meant so much to her when we hung them in her room. My husband and I received several invitations for Thanksgiving dinners, even though we were strangers to the people warmly inviting us to join their family festivities.

The staff at the University of Washington Medical Center — from doctors to nurses to technicians to therapists to clerical staff — were all so amazingly kind, professional and caring. We were confident from the start that our daughter was receiving excellent care by people who wanted the best for her. Volunteers brought sweet-natured dogs to visit the hospital wards, delighting our animal-loving daughter who enjoyed petting the friendly border collie and golden retriever she met in consecutive visits.

Friends from home called frequently, volunteered to take care of things at our house, picked up our mail and newspapers, and asked about my husband’s elderly mother, who he usually visits and cares for daily. On-line friends I’ve never met in real life sent notes of encouragement and much-appreciated prayers. My agent and editors called and sent notes offering any assistance I needed. Extended family members made sure our college-senior son had a nice Thanksgiving, even though he was separated from the rest of his immediate family for the first time on that holiday. My husband, daughter and I had a quiet Thanksgiving meal in her apartment, giving her a chance to rest and prepare for the long trip the next day and all of us the opportunity to express our gratitude that she will recover from this medical crisis.

The return flight home on the Friday after Thanksgiving, two days after our daughter was released from the hospital, was somewhat grueling, especially for her, but we’ll never forget the kindness of the flight attendants who helped us with pre-boarding, with stowing the bags, wheelchair and walker we brought home with us, with arranging an escort to help us change planes (and terminals) during a too-brief layover in Dallas. Our daughter will continue her therapy here  until she is able to return to the active and productive life she was leading prior to the stroke, hopefully soon! Already we’ve encountered many acts of kindness here  from family, friends and medical providers.

So, to my cynical friend, I’ll say that the characters in my books aren’t perfect. They have flaws and vulnerabilities. I include a few “bad guys,” just as there are bad people in real life. But most of my characters are basically good, well-intentioned individuals — just like so many of the people I’ve been lucky enough to meet in my real life. I don’t think that’s unrealistic at all.