Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Marrell, Montana. It’s a wide-open place where dreams come true. At least for Carrie Kellem and Jack Hanson.

When I think of Montana, so many possibilities come to mind. The beautiful landscape, the friendly people and the Native American heritage. I brought some of that Native heritage to this story, though not from my own background. It’s a rich history of an amazing people who have endured, and still endure, many hardships to maintain their identity. The tribe I chose was Salish. Mine is Cherokee.

In Healing Her Boss’s Heart, Carrie and Jack are trying to find their identities. They’re struggling with it, both realizing that until they find it, they can’t be together. Jack suffers guilt from his past life, while Carrie fights to overcome the disadvantages of hers. Yet they love each other. And in that love, they find a way to create a new identity—one that belongs to the two of them, together.

I have an old Native American bow on my wall, made by my great-grandfather. It’s not a decoration—it was used for what those bows were used for in those days. As a girl, I used that bow for target practice, never realizing the significance of it. Now I do, and it’s so much more than just a bow. It’s my heritage. My past. It’s part of what made me who I am. We all have those things. And my advice is, embrace them. It’s amazing what you’ll discover. It’s amazing what Carrie and Jack discover when they finally embrace their pasts and use that discovery as the beginning of their future.

As always, wishing you health and happiness!

Dianne