I asked Katherine to tell us a little about writing her novella. Here's what she has to say:
For a long time I’ve had Annie Prudhomme in my mind. I had this image of a woman who was driving out of a small town, middle finger in the air and promising herself to never come back. But 15 years later, life looks different to he and she has no choice but to go home. A lot of this character stems from my own life and my divorce after 17 years of marriage. Starting over when you thought you’d never have to is a big challenge and I was lucky to have my family and friends to support me. But Annie didn’t. She hadn’t wanted anyone and now she has nowhere to go but home. So I started with Annie and built everything else around her.
Here is a little snippet that really captures Annie:
He stopped in front of a seven-foot
tree and tipped his head toward it.
“This one is yours.”
“Mine,” she said. It was odd, the things she owned post-Davis. A rundown house, a drooling dog, a beat-up Mustang and a seven-foot Douglas fir. She started laughing at how ridiculous that was, compared to what she used to own. Suddenly her laughter turned to tears. She didn’t know why she was crying or how to stop it now that it had started.
Carson started to ask her something but she shook her head and turned and ran away. Just had to get away from everything. Her breath sawed in and out and the cold air burned as she inhaled but she didn’t stop... just kept running as fast as she could.
Life was too much. Being with this sweet cowboy who could have been hers if she’d chosen a different path. Being alone in the midst of this fragrant Christmas forest and knowing that she’d continue being lonely. And it was no one’s fault but her own that she’d wanted to get away.
“Mine,” she said. It was odd, the things she owned post-Davis. A rundown house, a drooling dog, a beat-up Mustang and a seven-foot Douglas fir. She started laughing at how ridiculous that was, compared to what she used to own. Suddenly her laughter turned to tears. She didn’t know why she was crying or how to stop it now that it had started.
Carson started to ask her something but she shook her head and turned and ran away. Just had to get away from everything. Her breath sawed in and out and the cold air burned as she inhaled but she didn’t stop... just kept running as fast as she could.
Life was too much. Being with this sweet cowboy who could have been hers if she’d chosen a different path. Being alone in the midst of this fragrant Christmas forest and knowing that she’d continue being lonely. And it was no one’s fault but her own that she’d wanted to get away.
***
We all have disappointments in life, is there one thing you would change if you could? It doesn't have to be a big thing. :) For me I'd tell my 21 year-old self not to eat Big Macs everyday.
Post your answer to Katherine's question in the comment section to be entered to win a copy of A Cowboy For Christmas in Kindle ebook format. Thanks and good luck!
