Of Small Towns and Crazy Lives by Melinda Curtis


"I was born in a small town."

Yeah, that's a great John Cougar Mellencamp song.  And it describes me.  I grew up on a 50 acre sheep ranch on a narrow, winding road in remote Sonoma County.  It took us 30 minutes to drive into town (if it wasn't raining).

Fast forward to Victoria Curran asking me if I wanted to write for Heartwarming.  Of course, I thought of small towns.  But not just any small town.  I wanted a small town in trouble.

Welcome to Harmony Valley!  Things aren't as harmonious here as they once were.  Jobs have dried up and almost everyone under the age of 60 has moved away, leaving the population rather gray-haired and peaceful.  Too peaceful for some residents, who want to make sure the town doesn't die off with them.  Each book in the series explores the relationships between young and old, small town traditions and newfangled developments of the outside world (like the "interweb" - LOL), and the joys and challenges of falling in love.

I also wanted the series to have a light tone, because that's how I deal with the serious issues in life in general.  Hence the roots of a scene in the first book, Dandelion Wishes, where Granny Rose enters wearing long johns, rain boots, and carrying an Elvis umbrella.  Anyone who's dealt with an aging parent sneaking off in the night in his thermal underwear to drive through Jack-in-the-Box for tacos and a senior coffee can probably relate to this.  You hug, you softly scold, you take away their car keys every night, and then laugh about it with you Facebook friends.

Or maybe that's just my crazy life.  Ahem...

I'd love it if you'd share some of your life's craziness involving family - young or old - by commenting on this blog post. 

In the meantime, here's my beautiful cover one more time (sigh).


Dandelion Wishes is available on the Harlequin site, Amazon, iTunes, and BN.  To stay in touch with my life's craziness, you can sign up for my book release newsletter at my website, follow me on Twitter (@MelCurtisAuthor) or like me on Facebook (MelindaCurtisAuthor).  Looking forward to hearing your life's crazy drama!

And per Victoria's request, here is my new puppy!  Tally is 1/2 Yorkie, 1/2 ShiTzu (a Shorkie!).

Comments

  1. That is a beautiful cover, and I love the title. Had to snicker about the drive-through adventure, though. My husband and I do that occasionally (fully dressed) and I sometimes go to Walmart in the middle of the night not because we need to, but, I guess, because we can and it's fun. :-)

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    1. Liz, you are a braver soul than I (or perhaps have a more upscale, safer Walmart). Shop on, my friend.

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  2. Love your cover, Melinda! And oh my gosh, how cute is that Talley?!! Look at the expression in those big brown eyes. You're giving me puppy fever.

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    1. We actually prefer to rescue older dogs, but I saw her and I was lost. (sigh)

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  3. Cute puppy! Love the glimpse into your small town series:) I think it will definitely be my kind of reading-I tend to be on the 'lighter' side as well:)

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    1. Thanks, Jen. Poor Victoria sometimes has to pull me back from the lighter side...

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  4. love you writing style, Mel! You go, girl!

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    1. Thanks, Aimee (and thanks for all your help getting on the blog)

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  5. What a great cover and love, love the puppy. Look forward to reading your series.

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    1. Roz, you always set such a good example with the skill and heart you put in your books. I'm so glad to be part of this talented group.

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  6. Hi, Melinda! Being an oldster myself, I already love Granny Rose. And have had several older rescue dogs, so love you, too! Your book sounds like my kind of story. Fortunately, we don't have a Wal-Mart, so I might be there in the middle of the night, but I have been known to do the dog's last potty run in my nightgown and my husband's old Navy peacoat.

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    1. Forgot to mention that Tally is adorable. Young dogs are wonderful, too!

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    2. Ah, Muriel, I do the midnight potty run in my jammies and rainboots. Makes me feel so sexy

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  7. You mean it's wrong to go through the drive through in long johns? Egads, I'm glad someone finally told me. The puppy is adorable. And, tell us more about the sheep ranch! Too cool.

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  8. Melinda, love the idea of small town living. I'm drawn to them too even though I live in a suburb just outside Detroit. I guess that's why I write about them too. LOL

    I lived with and took care of my Grammy for about three years when she was in the beginning stages of dementia. I would come home from work and find a burner still on or her keys hanging from the door knob on the front door. She was also partially deaf and slept with the television on, so I'd have to go in about midnight and turn it down. Which of course woke her up. I miss her.

    Tally is adorable! How did you come up with the name? There's a memory that I can't seem to access about reading a book where there was a minor but loved character named Tally. Anyone remember that book? She was like a governess or nanny or companion or something to the main character. It's been bugging me for days! LOL

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