Today, my mother, Charlotte Bucklin Peabody, would be
95.
One summer, many years ago, when I was bored and had read
all my books for the umpteenth time, she introduced me to romance novels. I was hooked and have read them since then
and eventually began writing them.
So, when I got the idea for Wishes and Dreams, my book
releasing July 26 (which, coincidentally is my father’s birthday and he would
be 97), Culinarians Day. I decided it
would be fitting to use some of my ancesters on Mum’s side. She was a great cook and should have been a
food critic.
I had lots of fun writing it, remembering my mother and
stories she told about my great-grandfather.
Can a grumpy old ghost stand in the way of a woman's wishes
and dreams?
What can go wrong for Dakota Bucklin in one morning? Everything, when her great-great-great
grandfather is meddling and her long-time friend, Will Graham, is distractingly
attractive.
And here’s a taste:
Dakota stood to one side holding a flat pan in her hand, her
sherry-colored eyes wide open as she surveyed the mess. A few wisps of her dark
brown hair peeked from under a crooked red bandana.
Will stepped into the room, the door swinging shut behind
him. "You doing some heavy-duty redecorating?" He regretted his teasing
in case she'd been hit by one of the falling pans. "Seriously, are you
okay? Did you get hurt?"
Dakota shifted her gaze to his chest. Her eyes widened even
further.
At that moment, Will realized he wore only his pajama
bottoms. In his haste to discover what had happened, he had neglected to slip
into his jeans and pull on a T-shirt.
"No, I'm fine. It's just… I don't know what
happened."
Her voice sounded dazed, worrying Will that she had indeed
been injured in spite of her assurance she wasn't. He didn't see any blood or
bruising, so he had to assume she was okay.
"I reached for this," she waved the flat pan she
held, "and everything came tumbling down."
