SIT-DOWN SATURDAY WITH LINDA HOPE LEE AND SILVER RIVER SECRETS

What is this story about?

     Silver River Secrets is about Rory Dalton and Lacey Monroe. They meet in high school, fall in love, and plan to marry and spend the rest of their lives together. Then, just before graduation, something terrible happens that tears them apart. Rory stays in town, but Lacey leaves, returning only periodically to visit her grandmother.
     Fast-forward ten years. On one of her visits, Lacey discovers something that prompts her to search for the truth about that fateful day. Will Rory help her? Or does he just want to bury the past and move on?

Where did you get the idea for this story?

Silver River Country
My stories often begin with a setting, and such was the case with Silver River Secrets. On a trip to Idaho, I visited a small town in the central part of the state. Driving along the highway, I happened to glimpse an old abandoned house. Not unusual to see abandoned houses and barns along the highway no matter where you go, but this house for some reason intrigued me. It looked so forlorn and lonely sitting there beside the road, stuck in time, with life passing it by. Why hadn't it been torn down? Why hadn't it been kept up? Why did no one live there anymore?
     That's when "what if" took over. What if something terrible happened in that house? And what if the people who lived there couldn't bear to remain but neither could they bear to destroy the house? And so there it stands, a bittersweet reminder of both happiness and tragedy.

Do you have a favorite scene?

     One of my favorite scenes is the one in which Rory and Lacey visit the house together. Something they have never done:
   
     Rory held open the screen while Lacey unlocked the door, and they went inside. The air smelled of mold and dust and made her choke. She let her eyes adjust to the light of rooms long hidden behind drawn blinds and then stepped into the living room, where an overstuffed chair with torn upholstery, a scarred end table and a couple of straight chairs were the only remnants of occupancy....
     In the hallway, they approached the stairs leading to the second floor. Rory stopped and looked up toward the landing.
     "No," Lacey said. "You don't want to go up there."
     "I do. I want to see the room where it happened. All these years I've only imagined what the room was like. Now I want to be there. You can stay here or wait in the truck."
     "No, if you're going up, I'll go."
     Gulping down a shaky breath, she climbed the steps, Rory behind her.

     Will their experience in the old house bring them closer? Or will it drive them farther apart?

Did you do any research for this story?

One of Rory's favorite classics

     Rory collects and restores classic cars, a subject I needed to research. Lacey likes the classics, too, and has one of her own.

What are you working on now?
 
     Another book in my Return to Willow Beach series. After that, I'd like to set another story in Silver River.

       Happy Holidays, everyone! Please take a look at the other December Heartwarming books. Catch a Fallen Star, by Amy Vastine; Christmas in the Cove, by Carol Ross; and Meet Me on the Midway, by Amie Denman. 


   
      

Comments

  1. Linda, Congratulations on Silver River Secrets! What a great title. I love how your story idea began with the setting and the old house. I'm so intrigued by the mystery of what happened in the house?! I'm already hooked(;

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  2. Thanks for you interest, Carol. I love adding a mystery element to my stories. Maybe that comes from reading all those Nancy Drew books when I was growing up!

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  3. It's next up on my TBR stack. I hope to get to read more over the holiday time. I love romance and mystery combined. The December books are all so great.

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    1. Thanks, Roz. I hope you enjoy the story. I'm going to try to use this holiday time to catch up on my reading, too. So many good books out there.

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  4. I offer my congratulations to you, too, on the release of SILVER RIVER SECRETS! I'll add to what Carol said above...I love the cover, too!

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    1. Thank you, Kate. Having a book published is always an exciting time for an author, as I'm sure you know!

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  5. That's a very effective teaser, Linda! Have to know what happened in that room. Beautiful cover, and Ron says, "Beautiful car!" Congratulations on your book-baby!

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    1. I appreciate your comments, Muriel. Yes, the classic cars, when restored, are elegant. I enjoy the show they have here every summer, with all the cars parading through town.

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  6. Congratulations, Linda! You've got me hooked...can't wait to read this. The cover is absolutely gorgeous.

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    1. Good to have your comment, Jill. Yes, I think the cover is perfectly suited to the story. Both Rory and Lacey enjoyed walking along the path that followed the Silver River.

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  8. So happy to have a December book with you! This one sounds amazing. I can't wait to read it over the holidays. I need to know what happens when they go upstairs!

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  9. Nice sharing December with you, too, Amy. I hope that after throwing out that teaser about going upstairs, the story lives up to expectations!

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  10. This book sounds intriguing. I want to know what happened in that abandoned house.

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  11. Hi, Laurie, thanks for your interest! A bit of intrigue does add to a story, doesn't it? As long as we still focus on the romance!

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