The Girls Give Thanks by Carol Ross and Amy Vastine

Carol and Amy both have books coming out in December and we realized we have heroines with the SAME last name. Not sure how that happened. We swear we didn't do it on purpose. But we think it definitely shows we are writing soulmates!

With Thanksgiving approaching in the US, we thought our heroines could share some things they are thankful for. Amy's up first ...

Ruby Wynn is a midwife and single mother. She’s also one of my favorite heroines because I can relate to her. She’s doing the best she can and doubting herself every step of the way. I think when you’re a parent of a teenage girl, life is filled with drama. I love my dear daughter like nothing else, but she can sure make my head spin with her mood changes. Ruby is dealing with a lot of teenage drama and doing it without much help from Violet’s father. Luckily, they moved to Grass Lake, TN where they've both found some support.


Things might be tough, but Ruby also has lots of things to be thankful for. As Thanksgiving approaches here in the US, here’s Ruby’s Gratitude List.



Doing what’s right for Violet is what drives Ruby in Catch a Fallen Star. That’s why Violet would most definitely top this list. Violet is trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. She loves her mom but desperately wants her dad to prove he loves her. There’s a heart of gold hidden under all that teenage sarcasm and rebellion and Ruby is extremely thankful for that.




Next on Ruby’s list is Helping Hooves Equine Therapy Farm. Helping Hooves is run by the heroine from the first book in the Grace Note Records series, Faith Stratton. It’s a safe haven for Violet. Jesse, the new social worker, is a godsend. He empowers Violet and helps Ruby understand why her daughter sometimes does the crazy things she does. Ruby is so thankful places like this exist.




Holly Davis is Ruby’s best friend and the reason she came to Grass Lake. Holly helped her establish her business and provides her with that shoulder to lean on that’s been missing for so long. We all need one really good friend and Ruby is so thankful to Holly for being that for her.






Ruby isn’t much of a cook. It’s one of those things that makes her question if she’s a good mom or not. But she is ever so grateful for fast food restaurants since Violet loves fried chicken and biscuits.





Lastly, Ruby has to admit that she’s thankful for Boone Williams. She had no idea who he was when she first met him, but it didn’t take long for him to change her life. Boone gets to Ruby through Violet. It’s his care and compassion for Ruby’s daughter that makes her forever grateful.









Let's see what Carol's heroine is thankful for ...


C:\Users\ross_\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCacheContent.Word\Lindsey Vonn.jpegWith her physically and mentally demanding job as a United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer, it’s not surprising that Aubrey Wynn is a classic Type-A personality. She’s competitive, ambitious, stubborn, and opinionated. She doesn’t tolerate disloyalty and hates secrets. Now, I know you might be concerned about her likability factor but I promise she’s lovable, too. She’s compassionate, caring, and brave to the point where she puts others needs and safety above her own. Sure, she’s tough, but she has a vulnerable side too. Frogs freak her out. She has a soft spot for Christmas, the down and out, and her old flame, Eli Pelletier.


When Eli comes back to Pacific Cove he turns her life upside down. Thank goodness for the “constants” in her life. Here are a few things that Aubrey is eternally grateful for…

C:\Users\ross_\OneDrive\Pictures\Aubrey\big-sur-1087144_1920.jpg
Aubrey is the most thankful for her family, especially her sisters Nina and Camile. Her older sister Nina is epileptic so Aubrey is constantly watching out for her. While Nina’s method might be a little less invasive, she does plenty of looking out for Aubrey, too.  And when Nina goes missing? Well, let’s just say that Aubrey will risk life and limb to find her sister.
Swimming is the one thing that Aubrey has always excelled at. It literally gives her strength and it’s always bolstered her confidence. She loves the water in pretty much any form. Whether it’s the wild ferocity of the stormy Pacific Ocean or the peaceful calm of the community swimming pool she’s trying to save, she’s grateful that she’s been able to turn her love for the water into her life’s work.

C:\Users\ross_\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCacheContent.Word\blackberry-1652426_1920.jpgWhen Aubrey was a kid she had two best friends; Alex and Eli. One of them broke her heart while the other remained firmly planted in her heart for all these years. She’s not sure she can ever forgive Eli’s betrayal. She’s always treasured Alex’s loyalty and friendship.
Aubrey is grateful for the athleticism that allows her to do the job she loves. She doesn’t take that for granted and takes care of her body. She’s a health food nut who believes in the power of yoga and that sugar is toxic. (Of course, she isn’t afraid to spread either message.) And even though she sticks to a healthy diet, she has a soft spot for buttermilk pancakes. Especially when Eli makes them for her for dinner.

C:\Users\ross_\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCacheContent.Word\pair-843320_1280.jpgDespite Eli’s annoying habit of always trying to keep her safe, Aubrey becomes grateful for him, too. Never more so than when her life is in danger and he ignores her insistence that she doesn’t need him. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason why he has always tried to keep her safe. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all.

Love these ladies. We hope you will too! Wynn for the win :)
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Comments

  1. What a fun way to celebrate being thankful. The Wynn girls sound like winners. Can't wait to read those books.

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    1. Thanks so much, Sandra. It was fun analyzing our characters in this way.

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  2. Great way to give thanks and introduce your characters, ladies! Congratulations to both on your releases, I'll look forward to reading them.

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    1. Thank you, Jill! I love Thanksgiving for this reason. It's such a nice time of year to reflect on how many blessings I enjoy. Hope you enjoy both stories!

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  3. What a great introduction! I'm really intrigued with the female coast guard swimmer. And teenage drama in the other book!!! I'm soooo there! Can't wait to read these.

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    1. Thanks, LeAnne! It was so much fun researching the Coast Guard for this book. Rescue swimmers are truly phenomenal individuals. So grateful for these men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our waterways safe and to rescue people in life and death situations. I'm looking forward to Amy's book, too. Between having teenagers of her own and working with them daily, I think we're all in for a fabulous read!

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  4. I'm looking forward to these stories. I wonder if they are distant cousins, maybe. Love the name and the descriptions.

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    1. Beth, I love this idea of our heroines having some kind of familial connection. (Sometimes I think Amy and I must be distantly related.)

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  5. Love both of these must-read books! Carol, I may have to find out where you researched as I am writing a cozy mystery involving the Coast Guard. :-)

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    1. Pat, how fun! The Coast Guard element will add endless possibilities for a mystery. It's such an important and fascinating branch of our military, isn't it? I feel like people aren't as knowledgeable about it as they are the larger branches. (At least I wasn't.) I would be happy to share my info with you. I read a couple of really wonderful books.

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  6. Very intriguing books, both of you. Love your Wynn for the Win. There's a Coast Guard station in Astoria, and I sometimes meet one of the swimmers on my walk. He's gorgeous. He wears the big orange suit with the top pulled down and tucked into the pants, and just his black shirt across a great chest. One of you has to make him a star. Patricia, look up Coast Guard Station Astoria if you need stuff. Or let me know, and I'll try to find it for you. Congrats, Carol and Amy!

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    1. Hi, Muriel! Air Station Astoria is the setting for my book. Well, a little fictional town nearby is, but my hero and heroine are stationed there. (And of course, Astoria is mentioned.) I did a ton of research on it, read books, and watched every episode of Coast Guard Cape Disappointment. As for that rescue swimmer.... You probably need me to come over and help you walk your dog, huh?

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    2. Absolutely. He's like one of our covers come to life.

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  7. I do love these ladies already and they have me hooked. I chuckled at the fact that your heroines have the same last name. I realize you have a close relationship, but I didn't know you were quite this connected!

    Best wishes with your upcoming releases!

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    1. Thank you, Kate. We did some chuckling ourselves as we only realized it when we were doing the blog post. Amy's friend named her heroine while my niece named mine. So odd. And it's not the first time. Last year when we wrote our novellas we had secondary characters with the same name. Amy noticed when she was editing my story and changed hers. I'm going to make a point of running my character names by her first now(:

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    2. You two have a wonderful connection and it shows! :-)

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  8. I started Amy's book last night when I couldn't sleep. Really liking it so far. We all have much to be thankful for in our Heartwarming friendships.

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    1. Yay, Roz! Sorry you couldn't sleep. We sure do have a lot to be thankful for in this Heartwarming group. Not only do I cherish the advice and support I get, I love how so many of you often perfectly articulate how I'm feeling. (Like you're a bunch of writers or something.)

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  9. What a hoot about the last names :)
    My best friend Cathy McDavid and I often shake our heads at the similarities in our books. Love the covers, Christmas and cowboys can't be beat.

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    1. Pam, I'm so happy to hear this about you and Cathy. It's funny what brings friends together, isn't it? The thought sharing that comes from some mysterious place? I agree about Christmas and cowboys. Amy's hot cowboy looks suspiciously (and deliciously) like Tim McGraw who is one of my all-time favorites.

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  10. Loved reading about your heroines with the same last name, and what they're both thankful for. Congratulations on your new releases!! I'm in the middle of a Heartwarming read right now and so thankful for these beautiful stories that I enjoy so much.

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  11. Two very intriguing books. Look forward to reading them.

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  12. Both stories sound great. Can't wait to read them :)

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  13. Wow, these sound like must reads! I must say, the mother of a teenage girl and a female coast guard swimmer are neck and neck with tough jobs women tackle! Here's to strong heroines!

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