In my humble opinion, the hardest part of writing is coming up with the title!
Some titles are easy (my upcoming mistaken identity book revolving around authenticating an antique? How to Spot a Fake. Perfect!). But for me, most are complicated.
Summing up the book in a few words to catch a reader’s eye? Painful and difficult. Writers like to write. We like time to craft and create. Five words or less? Ouch.
The other issue is that titles can’t be copyrighted. Which means your perfect title might be splashed across a lot of other novels (including those by big name authors). How can you stand out in a crowd?
Her One in a Million refers to the discovery Sam makes in the first chapter that starts the action of the book. The tagline is: In a zero sum game, what are the odds of finding forever?
While the other books in the series utilize the word “home” in some way–including the last in the series! stay tuned–it didn’t quite fit this story. The heroine of this book has pretty much stayed in Harmony her entire life. The other heroines have returned (for different reasons and at various stages in their lives and careers) but Sam stayed put. I love her book’s place in the series and the unexpected title.
I’m delighted to host fellow Anaiah Press author, Michelle Lowe, on the blog today. Her latest release, The Autumn Keepsake, came out on September 6th.
Fresh out of a broken engagement, Tessa Stanley is in desperate need of a distraction from her ex-fiancé’s betrayal—and she finds it in the form of a man lurking around her 84-year-old neighbor’s home. Little does she know when she calls the police, the trespasser is none other than Nicholas Beck, local fireman and her neighbor’s great-nephew. Talk about a bad first impression!
Thankfully, Nicholas shows her the beauty of grace and forgiveness, and as the seasons turn, the two grow closer. But when her ex shows up on her doorstep, begging for forgiveness, Tessa might be at risk of losing more than just her heart.
Tell us three things we’d find if we looked under your heroine’s bed? How about the hero’s?
Under Tessa’s bed you’d likely find an old family picture of her with her late parents, a book about North Carolina history, and one of her dog’s old collars.
Under Nicholas’s bed, you’d find a rumpled-up fireman’s t-shirt, a receipt from the local farmer’s market, and an old church bulletin from a past service at his family’s church.
What is the theme of this book? If it’s part of a series, how does this book fit into the series?
The theme for THE AUTUMN KEEPSAKE is based on the knowledge that God has a perfect plan for our life, no matter the hardships or tragedies we face. And even when we’re not particularly feeling His presence, He’s always there with us. And in the case of Tessa Stanley, a tragedy-filled childhood and a broken engagement lead to a love deeper than she ever envisioned.
Why do you write this genre? What inspired this story? Do you write any other genres?
I’ve always loved romance novels and I’ve always enjoyed writing. My mom was my biggest fan but she is no longer living. She suffered with Multiple Sclerosis for many years. I have many of her favorite old hardback books, which I treasure and wouldn’t get rid of for any amount of money. All of my stories are written with her in mind and the gentle, Christ-like love with which she showered our family growing up.
Any tips to share with fellow authors/aspiring authors? What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard.
I’ve always heard you should write daily, even if you are busy and only have a few minutes. I do believe this practice keeps the creative juices flowing!
I tend to get in a hurry when writing. My thoughts are always ahead of my typing, so I make so many typos! I would suggest to proofread, proofread, and proofread! I have to remind myself constantly to slow down and do this. I also keep notebooks handy, I have one in each room of our home, so that I can jot down ideas when they come to mind.
Want to learn more about Michelle? Catch up with her on social media.
Her One in a Million(Book 3 Home to Harmony) was a book overflowing with very specific details and references from my real-life.
While the series kicks off with the attempted purchase of the MacKinnon mansion, the books haven’t had a chance to delve into the history behind the home. Until now! I am so excited for you to come along on the twisty journey to happily ever after.
As a kid, I loved history. I was sure I’d work in historic preservation (like Amy in book 1). To that end, I volunteered as a docent at a historic home in my town during high school.
Built in 1871, the Victorian home is a true time capsule of a bygone era. I loved learning the history and helping on tours. The MacKinnnon Mansion was built during the end of the nineteenth century. Like Evansville on the Ohio River, the fictional Harmony, Illinois owes its success and growth to the mighty Mississippi River. Many towns and cities developed during these years thanks to the rivers.
As much as I love old homes, I didn’t pursue historic preservation. In the end, I studied Art History and my first job out of grad school was at a local, family-run auction house. Like the heroine in this book, I worked for a few months at a small company that handled estate tag sales as well as major farm and land auctions.
My dream was a move to Chicago, and I was lucky enough to do just that and land a job as a specialist in furniture and decorative arts for a city auction, like the hero in this book. Working in a city meant instead of the antiques as an afterthought, collectors came to us to help sell their items.
It was fun to explore the differences and similarities (and the challenges) of both sides of the business with the hero and heroine.
They are brought together by the discovery of a set of Newcomb Pottery. Newcomb College (originally a college for women and now part of Tulane) produced many fine works of American art pottery. While I worked in a broad category at my auction house job, I learned a lot about many things. Art pottery remains one of my favorites and I love to continue learning! I have one piece of Rookwood that I inherited from my maternal grandparents.
Rachelle Paige Campbell 