Confession: I have had the cover to this book for five and a half years.
Yep.
I thought I’d write this book in 2016, when I went to Scotland for the first time, staying in Edinburgh for nearly two weeks for a large book signing event.
But while I began Hamish and Amy’s book then, it stalled. Not for any bad reasons. Other books called out to me, but one other reason: I wanted more of Scotland.
In 2018, I was able to go back, but became trapped there in the superstorm. For whatever freaking weird reason, my brain decided, “Hey! Let’s not write about your awesome Scottish hero! Let’s imagine a woman who accidentally finds herself on an adult film set and runs into her former high school crush!”
That’s how my book, Fluffy, in my Do-Over series, begins.
The book you’re reading now originally took place half in the U.S., and half in Scotland and Europe, but imagination (for me) only goes so far. I needed to be there.
I couldn’t, because of the pandemic.
Earlier this year, I re-imagined Hamish and Amy’s story, and decided to plunge in, but now here we are. They’re together - forever - and Amy needs to meet the Scottish McCormicks in their native environment. Eventually, Fiona and Maria meet.
I canna wait. Dinna fash. We’ll get there.
As for people who’ve helped me with this book, I am indebted to Kelly Allenby, my “Brit Checker,” yet again for her help in making me look significantly less foolish as an American trying to write a British character. Kelly’s steadfast attention made a world of difference.
Karen Kerr really helped as well - a Scottish reader I met in my first trip to Scotland in 2016 at the RARE Author Event.
My editor, Elisa, always improves my books, but on this one she sweetened it even more.
Maria Connor saved my butt a few times as we worked on a VERY tight timeline right before Christmas to get the final version to the narrators, Shane East and Emma Wilder, so that audio releases on the same day as the eBook and print. Maria read the first draft and also proofed the “last draft,” via audioproofing, and I’m so grateful.
My husband, Clark, researched so much of the sports stuff for me, or already knew it. HUGE SHOUT OUT to my guy of twenty-five years.
That also means all sports errors are his LOL.
I’m debuting a brand new series (possibly 2) in 2022, and Hamish and Amy will have to stay paused, hopefully having loads of awesome sex, while I wait to travel again.
But you know what’s not paused?
My imagination or anyone’s desire for some fun escape. ;)