My Book was almost a Movie...by Jannine Gallant

I thought I'd share a funny story with you. This happened a few months ago, and honestly, I'd forgotten all about it until something triggered the memory the other day. Have you ever imagined turning your book into a movie? Yeah, I think we all have, but I got one step closer than dreaming...

I was checking my email one morning when I noticed something from a production company in England asking about my book, Road To Serendipity. My immediate thought: What the hell? Who's trying to scam me now? I didn't want to click on the link to their website in the signature line...just in case it took me to some awful virus. So I typed their company name into a search engine instead. The same website came up, so I check it out. They seemed legit, small but they had a few actual movies and TV shows out with offices in London and Los Angeles. My second thought: What do I have to lose? So, I emailed the owner of the company back saying sure I'd be interested in a movie deal for my book and gave him my phone number. He emailed back that he'd be in touch the next day.

No phone call came, and I figured it was all a big misunderstanding. Mind you, Road To Serendipity is a self-published anthology made up of three novellas revolving around a high school reunion. It was originally part of a Wild Rose Press series called the Class of '85. I'd taken my rights back to my three stories, changed the location, and published them in a single book. How would anyone even have heard about this book that didn't sell squat?

Shockingly, a phone call came after the weekend. A man with a British accent asked me if I'd be interested in a movie or perhaps TV deal for my book. I, of course, said yes. Then he asked me what the book was about. (Head-desk. Seriously?) I told him then asked why he was interested. He said he'd had an idea for a movie or TV series that was a compilation of short vignettes in the vein of the Twilight Zone called Road To Serendipity, though not necessarily with a supernatural theme. When he googled the title he wanted to use, my book popped up. So he contacted me through my website. Un-freaking-believable, right? What are the chances? He asked if I'd be interested in turning my book into a script and assured me there were guidelines for this process. I said, "Sure, I can handle it!" Probably a lie, but whatever. LOL Then he said he'd buy my book and read it and get back to me.

This time I waited in vain for a call that never came. But I did sell a copy of RTS a couple of days later. I figured he needed time to read it. Well, this was back in February, so I think my movie debut is shot. LOL Obviously, my romances weren't what he had in mind for his series/movie. Still, it was fun to dream about while it lasted. However, it just goes to show strange things can happen when you least expect it. (Cue Twilight Zone music...)

If for some odd reason, you'd like to read Road To Serendipity, buy it on Amazon. It really is a great series of stories. Or check out all my books on my website. Happy reading.

Photo Op! Emerald Bay by Jannine Gallant

I've had a busy weekend and was scrambling to put together my blog post by Sunday night. On Friday, my youngest, Kristen (a high school junior) and I spent the day driving all over Northern California to look at colleges. Okay, maybe it just seemed like all over... We checked out Sonoma State in the wine country then stopped at UC Davis (my alma mater) on the way home. Both beautiful schools, but it was a looooong day. On Saturday, a group of Austrian exchange students arrived for a week long stay in Tahoe. We're keeping two girls for the whole week but had two extras Saturday night since their host family wasn't home from spring break yet. This is the second time we've hosted Austrian students, and it's always fun for our kids to learn a little about a different culture.

Sunday morning a group of us took some of the kids down to Emerald Bay for a hike. Emerald Bay is one of the most photographed spots in America. A real "gem" on the south-west corner of Lake Tahoe. I've used the Tahoe area as a setting for a few of my books and mentioned Emerald Bay in a couple of them. Take a look at the photos, and you be the judge. When it comes to sheer natural beauty, our little corner of the world is hard to beat!

Austrian exchange students with a few of our kids. Kristen is front row in the blue windbreaker.

Emerald Bay from the top of the hike down. Fannette Island is in the middle.

Beach at Emerald Bay.

A goose who thought I was going to feed him. Didn't happen!

Vikingsholm, a small Scandinavian castle built just behind the beach at Emerald Bay in 1929.

Cascade Creek feeds into the lake at Emerald Bay.

I hope my pictures have brightened your Monday morning! If you want to "experience" Lake Tahoe in my books, check out Every Move She Makes and Road To Serendipity. Or visit my Website for info on all my books. Have a great week!

Fall Into The Holiday Season by Margo Hoornstra

      I’m taking liberties with the theme choices for this month. Correction, this goes beyond liberties. I made up my own.
      It happens fast, doesn’t it? Summer ends, school starts, Halloween hits and – boom – before we know it we fall into the holiday season.
      Parties, shopping, decorating, shopping, tree lighting ceremonies, shopping, family dinners, followed by shopping.
      In our family, the transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas isn’t quite as smooth as it could be. In our family, which includes me, my husband, our four children, three in-law children and four grandchildren, we have six birthdays to celebrate before we can fully break out the holiday cheer.
     

That’s right, three of my four children and three of my four grandchildren made their entrances into this world in the short span of days between these two major holidays. Not all in one year, of course. But, they’re all here now. So, in addition to the hustle and bustle that comes with The Season, we squeeze in an assortment of birthday parties with presents and cake and all the age appropriate trimmings.

      I will admit I was the one who started this abundance of birthday-parties-in-the middle-of-the-Christmas-season flurry by giving birth to my second child, a girl, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. A few years later, in mid-December, we welcomed a boy and a girl.

      In my defense, the twins weren’t due until sometime in late January, but came early. Still . . .
      It seems each of my two daughters inherited their mother’s poor planning of childbirth dates gene. In subsequent years, they followed my lead, having children, all boys, in December. One even made his appearance in the early hours of Christmas Eve.
      My only granddaughter was born a couple of weeks before my birthday in the spring. The way birthdays are supposed to happen in order to better space out the giving and/or receiving of gifts.
      But I digress.
      For someone like me who is not fond of shopping anyway, having so many gifts to buy at one time can present (pun intended because I’m too tired to find another word) a challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I love giving my kids and grandkids gifts, I’m just not that much into fighting the holiday crowds to obtain said gifts to give. Others around the malls and such are in the Ho-Ho-Ho Santa mode when I’m looking for some non-holiday themed items. I’ll admit it, sometimes I simply resort to taking the easy way out.

      The older grandkids have my Amazon sign in name and password. They shop, put the items they want/like in my virtual cart. I go in click, click and voila – Instant Presents. They may not get surprises, and they are okay with that because they do get what they want.
      Gift cards are another solution to my aversion to shopping, as is the simple inclusion of cash in a card. Anyone who has kids—daughters in particular—knows that unless you’re terribly gifted (oops, there’s another pun) at picking out things they like, will wear or even use, gift cards are a great addition to our shopping portfolios. (While I know a couple of mothers who have the talent to choose acceptable gifts, I’m not one of them.)
      One stipulation we sometimes make in the grandkids getting gift cards situation is that Gram and Pa (that’s us) will be the ones to take them shopping. AFTER the holiday frenzy. Like in the middle of January. When the stores are replete with displays for Valentine’s Day, which is just around the corner. Yikes! Here we go again. Before you know it, we’ll be back into Summer.
      Until then, speaking of shopping and gifts and holidays and such – starting tomorrow and running into Thursday, do I have a sale for you. Actually, fellow Rose of Prose Jannine Gallant and I have a couple of sales for you. A couple of pre-Black Friday sales.
      Two, three book anthologies, for the reduced price of 99 cents each.
      Road To Serendipity by her and Saturday In Serendipity by me, again, just 99 cents each from November 24 - 27.
      A high school reunion leads six former classmates to unexpected futures. Join Kate and Tyler; Chantal and Flynn; Chloe and Adam; Amanda and Barry; Blane and Matt; and Bethany and Jake as they become re-acquainted with old friends and rekindle elusive loves.

 

       Beat the rush, get your deal ahead of time. Put the turkey in to roast and put your feet up to read. Before you put your head down to forge into the Black Friday brouhaha.

      Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! However you spend it, enjoy this holiday and the others to come.
      Join me next month on the 10th, 11th and 12th for a special short story, my gift to you, Santa's Second Chance.

       For more about me and my stories, please visit my website

When Things Fall Into Place, You Can't Help But Fall In Love - Again by Margo Hoornstra

Did you ever throw a concept out there and have it reworked and expanded on by someone else then given back to you more fully formed and developed? That happened to me recently with CP Jannine. As the back and forth volley of ideas and possible situations continued, two books, containing a total of six stories, were resurrected and given new life.

A few years ago, we each wrote three novellas based on the premise of what would happen if former classmates came together for their twentieth high school reunion. Unfortunately, they didn't go far. Why not reclaim our rights, rework then release them ourselves? That was the original concept. To be honest, I'm not sure which one of us thought of it first. The important thing is, based on that initial conversation, everything started to fall into place.

I know, Jannine told you about this a few days ago, but stay with me.

The location for our Serendipity books became the fictional town of Serendipity, Vermont located on the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain.

In Saturday In Serendipity by me, a twenty year high school reunion changes the lives and former classmates and leads to unexpected futures. In Road To Serendipity by Jannine, a question is answered. Will a twenty year high school reunion inspire old classmates to risk it all for love?

The most fun, for me, was writing a phone conversation between her character, Kate Abbott and mine Blane Weston. Check out the same dialogue with two different points of view.

Kate's plan, to arrive in Serendipity the Friday night of the reunion happens to fall by the wayside.

With a sigh she flipped open her phone and pushed the speed dial button for Blane. Her friend answered on the third ring.

"Hi, Blane, it's Kate. How are you?"

"Well, hello, stranger! I'm hanging in there thinking about what to wear on the cruise tonight." Her voice lowered. "After I get some issues resolved with one of my construction sites."

That was Blane, never giving herself a break. "You're working?"

"Remotely through my computer. It shouldn't take long. Are you in Serendipity? Have you checked in yet?"

She cleared her throat. "That why I'm calling. I'm not going to make it tonight. I'm so sorry, but we're still in Ohio, and there's just no way to get to Serendipity in time."

Blane was quiet for a moment. "Don't worry about it. I've had a few complications, but I'm sure everything will work out fine."

Her grip on the phone tightened. "What complications?"

"Long story." She let out a sigh before her voice regained some its usual spirit. "Wait a minute, did you say we? Who's with you?"

Kate took a deep breath. "Do you remember Tyler North?"

Her friend's squeal nearly deafened her. "Are you kidding me?"

"We ran into each other on the road, literally, and we've been traveling together."

"What!"

Kate held the phone away from her ear. "Like you said, long story. Anyway, we'll be there for the dance tomorrow night."

"Oh no, you don't get to hang up now. I want details, girl! Old love 'em and leave 'em North. Bop 'em and drop 'em, do 'em and shoo 'em, this is the guy we're talking about, right?"

Her cheeks heated. "He's changed."

"I hope so. I can't picture you with Tyler North."

Kate glanced at Tyler who kept his gaze fixed on the road. She wondered what he was thinking. "Uh, we'll talk at the dance."

"Can't wait. Have you done the deed yet?"

"Blane!"

"Fine, you can tell me about it when you get to Serendipity."

"I really am sorry I can't be there for you this evening."

"Don't worry about it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed everything will work out."

"I'll cross mine too. So, you and Aaron?" She sighed as she pictured her friend's old flame. "Did he keep his looks?"

"You bet. Unlike some of us, he's improved with age."

Kate let out a spurt of laughter. "Speak for yourself about the age thing." She leaned back in her seat and gazed out at the scenery rushing by. "Aaron always had a way of making a girl feel special. Is he still and smooth and charming as ever?"

"He is that." There was a brief pause before she spoke again. "I'd better get to work. I'll see you tomorrow night. Bye, Kate."

"Bye, Blane." She clicked her phone shut and smiled. "It looks like I could have saved myself a cross country trip."

He glanced sideways at her then gave his attention to the semi he was passing. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Blane told me she has everything under control." Her brows knit. "At least I hope she does. Anyway, she took the news of our delay well."

Blane tries hard, after hearing the news, not to fall to pieces.

Blane struggled through the door to her standard, nondescript hotel room and dropped her cumbersome bags on the floor. She was about to set her purse on the cherry wood dresser when her cell chimed. Digging it out, she answered on the third ring.

"Hi, Blane, it's Kate. How are you?"

A friend at last. "Well, hello, stranger!" She walked over to flop down on the bed. "I'm hanging in there, thinking about what to wear on the cruise tonight." Her voice lowered. "That is after I get some issues resolved with one of my construction sites."

"You're working?"

"Remotely through my computer. It shouldn't take long. Are you in Serendipity? Have you checked in yet?"

Momentary silence was followed by some throat clearing. "That's why I'm calling. I'm not going to make it tonight. I'm so sorry, but we're still in Ohio, and there's just no way to get to Serendipity in time."

Blane closed her eyes as an uncomfortable emptiness hit the pit of her stomach. Alone again. "Don't worry about it. I've had a few complications, but I'm sure everything will work out fine."

"What complications?" Kate's voice was edged with worry.

"Long story." Letting out a sigh, she shook her head and sat up. "Wait a minute, did you say we? Who's with you?"

Her friend inhaled before answering. "Do you remember Tyler North?"

Standing, Blane let out a squeal. "Are you kidding me?"

"We ran into each other on the road, literally, and we've been traveling together."

Mouth open, Blane sat back down and tightened her hold on the phone. "What!"

"Like you said, long story. Anyway, we'll be there for the dance tomorrow night."

"Oh no, you don't get to hang up now. I want details, girl!" The grin stretching her cheeks felt fabulous. "Old love 'em and leave 'em North. Bop 'em and drop 'em, do 'em and shoo 'em, this is the guy we're talking about right?"

Kate let out another breath. "He's changed."

"I hope so." She moved the phone to her other ear. "I can't picture you with Tyler North."

"Uh, we'll talk at the dance."

"Can't wait." The grin felt so good, she held on to it. "Have you done the deed yet?"

"Blane!"

"Fine, you can tell me about it when you get to Serendipity."

"I really am sorry I can't be there for you this evening."

"Don't worry about it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed everything will work out."

"I'll cross mine too. So, you and Aaron?" Kate's sigh brought back old memories. "Did he keep his looks?"

"You bet. Unlike some of us, he's improved with age."

Kate let out a spurt of laughter. "Speak for yourself about the age thing." There was a space of silence before she went on. "Aaron always had a way of making a girl feel special. Is he still as smooth and charming as ever?"

"He is that." She took a moment to take a breath. "I'd better get to work. I'll see you tomorrow night, Kate."

"Bye, Blane."

Pushing the off button, Blane tossed her phone on the bed. "Long stories. Turns out that's what this weekend is going to be all about."

Once Jannine and I got going, everything just started to fall into place. We didn't have anything really fall by the wayside. And, both of us were able to fall in love with some old stories made new.

My days to blog here are the 11th and 23rd. If you're so inclined, please visit my WEBSITE

Fall in Love with Serendipity! by Jannine Gallant

I love creating towns. Especially towns I can revisit in a series. When I wrote my Secrets of Ravenswood trilogy, I built Ravenswood from the ground up, a small town set in the High Sierra. For my cowboy Trouble books, I created Redemption, Texas. I got pretty elaborate with that one, making a map with a paint program so I could keep locations and street names straight. When Margo and I decided to reclaim our rights to our Class of '85 books and republish them ourselves as anthologies, we knew we had to change the location of the reunion. We moved the setting from New York on the shores of Lake Ontario to Serendipity, Vermont overlooking Lake Champlain. I love this area--absolutely beautiful! A lifetime ago I spent a summer on Stave Island, a private island smack in the middle of the lake up near the Canadian boarder. I cleaned house and mowed lawns and helped prepare meals for the people who owned it. Fun memories. This is the area where we dropped our fictional town of Serendipity. I insisted on the name. I've always loved the way the word rolls off your tongue.

In our lovely Vermont town, old classmates from Serendipity High are reunited at a twenty year reunion. These are stories of love rediscovered and second chances. Each is a stand alone book with three stories included in each anthology. Here's the good news! Right now both our books are absolutely FREE through Sept. 19th. I hope you'll grab your copies of both books and fall in love with Serendipity, too!

ROAD TO SERENDIPITY by Jannine Gallant  Click HERE to download Jannine's book from Amazon for FREE!

SATURDAY IN SERENDIPITY by Margo Hoornstra  Click HERE to download Margo's book from Amazon for FREE!

To stay updated on news about my books, check out my Website or follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Road Trip Through America by Jannine Gallant

I'm going to shamelessly plug my new release using our "America" theme for the month. In case any of you missed my big announcement, Road To Serendipity is now available on Amazon. A little background to bring you up to speed. This is a three book anthology that originally started life as three separate stories for the Class of '85 series. After several years of dismal sales, I took matters into my own hands (and dragged Margo into my devious plot with me.) We took our rights back, edited, changed the reunion to 20 years to make our characters younger since I'm getting the feeling no one wants to read books about old ladies like us, and relocated the reunion from the shores of Lake Ontario in New York to the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont. Yea! I've actually spent time in Vermont and thought it was absolutely gorgeous. If you saw Chris's post on the subject on the 14th, you'd have to agree. So, the town of Serendipity, Vermont was born.

Back to the Road Trip Through America my title promised. The first story in the Anthology, Lonely Road To You, takes readers from Seattle to Vermont on a cross country drive to the reunion. Kate crashes into Tyler in Montana (literally) and they continue the journey together, with stops in Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore and The Badlands along the way. You won't want to miss their trip!

In  Rough Road Ahead, Chantal leaves New York City for the backwoods of the Adirondack Mountains. Not by choice, mind you. Her cosmetics company is gobbled up in a hostile takeover, and the decrepit hunting cabin is all she has left. I promise you'll enjoy Chantal's transformation from a confirmed city dweller to a woman who learns to appreciate nature.

Finally, Winding Road Home features my hero, Adam, disappointed in Vermont at the reunion while the woman he wanted to see, Chloe, is in Hawaii getting booted off a reality dating show called Get Lei'd. Don't worry, they hook up at the Lake Tahoe Marathon where they're both hot and sweaty and gasping for breath... Moving on from Tahoe, the story wraps up at Chloe's home on the California coast. (Check Alison's post from the 15th for photos of this area!)

So, for a journey from coast to coast across America, you won't want to miss Road To Serendipity. You can also check out Margo's Serendipity stories by picking up a copy of Saturday In Serendipity. Hope you'll enjoy both books!

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