The Story Behind the Story

The second book in my Chapel Lake series, Chapel Springs Survival, came from a real life event—and mother's revenge. Insert creepy music and evil laughter. The day started out normal, boring even. Then I got a phone call from our eldest son.

"Hey, Mom. I emailed you some pictures. Take a look and call me back." Click.

I hurried to my computer. The first photo was of a nice looking, very Latin appearing young woman. Something told me she wasn't from here. In the second photo, she wore a wedding dress.

I hit speed dial.

It seems our son, a widower with two children, had gotten himself a twenty-first

Century mail order bride. He'd met her in a chat room for women in Columbia, South America, to meet and marry American men. They communicated for a year, then he flew to Columbia and married her.

Without me knowing anything.

He came back and spent the next year trying to get her into the U.S. legally.

Without me or his dad knowing anything.

He didn't let us know until she got here. Our two grandchildren knew. His brother knew. But we didn't,

And for that, I told him it was going in a book. And it did.

Now, I do have to tell you that any similarity between our son's story and my book stops there. Our daughter-in-law turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to our Michael. We adore her and our two "step" grandsons and the newest Mulligan grandson.

But that wouldn't have made a good story. There was no conflict. But, mix Claire Bennett into that mix, and there's plenty. To find out how it turns out, you’ll have to read Chapel Springs Survival.

Chapel Springs Survival

A mail-order bride, a town overrun with tourists, and illegal art ~

Can Claire and Chapel Springs survive?

Claire Bennett's Operation Marriage Revival succeeded and life is good. That is until the mayor's brother blabs a secret: Claire's nineteen-year-old son has married a Brazilian mail order bride. When Claire tries to welcome her, she's ridiculed, rebuffed, and rejected. Loving this girl is like hugging a prickly cactus.

Lydia Smith is happily living alone and running her spa—then the widow on the hill becomes a blushing bride. Then her groom's adult son moves in—on everything.

From the first sighting of a country music star in The Painted Loon, Chapel Springs is inundated with stargazers, causing residents to flee the area. When her best friends put their house on the market, Claire is forced to do something or lose the closest thing to a sister she’s got.

With her son's future at stake and the town's problems to solve, it's Claire's who needs a guardian angel.