Behind the Story
I’ve always loved the story behind the story. If I like a song, I can’t rest until I know what all the imagery means and what the singer was going through when they wrote it. If I like a movie, I’m looking up trivia immediately after. (I’m absolutely one of those people who can’t wait to tell you that Viggo Mortensen actually broke his foot and that’s why he screamed while filming Lord of the Rings.) So, in case someone wanted to dive deeper into one of my stories, I wanted to provide some additional insights.
What’s in a Name?
Jaqueline Lace — My sister’s name is Jaci. Growing up, we had an older gentleman at church who called her Jackie no matter how many times my mom corrected him. It became kind of a family joke, and we started calling her Jackie as well. The nickname evolved and we called her Jaqueline so much, some of her classmates thought it was her name. Naming my heroine Jaqueline was a fun nod to my beautiful sister Jaci. I made her last name Lace because I thought it was pretty and went with the book theme.
Colt Carson — I met a young man in college named Colt. He was as cowboy as they come, and the name suited him so well. I always thought if I wrote a book with a cowboy in it, I would name him Colt. Honestly, I picked Carson for the alliteration.
Mama Lou — This name gets a lot of mileage. My mom’s name is Lucy, and we call her Mama Lucy. Mama Lou has many of her characteristics. My sister-in-law and dear friend is named Lori. We lived together for a time (that’s how I met Tommy) and I started calling her Lori Lou. I hope she likes the nickname because I married her brother and she’s stuck with it forever. She has been a wonderful example, mentor, and friend for many years. I always say God gave me a double miracle when I married Tommy. I got the man of my dreams and my best friend for eternity. Growing up, I either lived far away from my grandparents or wasn’t very close to them. We went to church with a lady named Mary Lou. She was our town’s very first homecoming queen and she always felt like a queen to me. She had an entire closet filled with shoes to match every outfit. She was elegant and beautiful. Her husband was the kindest, most gentle man I’ve ever known. I loved being around them. On top of everything else, she was a playwright. She put on productions for our community for years. Somehow, she took a liking to me and treated me like a granddaughter. I loved and admired her so much. In so many ways, Mary Lou was my Mama Lou. Finally, Mary Lou had a daughter named M’Lu. She was one of my youth leaders at church. She always watched out for me. We spent hours in her car talking about anything and everything. I loved her dearly too. If Mama Lou seems too good to be true, it’s because I based her off four of the best women I’ve ever known.
Caleb and Dana — Caleb is my youngest brother and his wife’s name is Dana. However, we call her Janay which is her middle name. Caleb and Janay have an incredible story. Before they met, Caleb joined the national guard. They met, dated, and talked about getting married. Caleb had to complete some advanced training in Texas, and they decided after that they would take their time and plan a wedding maybe the following year. However, while he was still in training, his unit was called to deploy for eighteen months. He would leave almost immediately after returning home. He told Janay he knew it was asking a lot for her to wait. Maybe they should just go their separate ways and if she was still around when he came back they could try again. Janay told him she wanted to get married instead. I hope their strength and courage comes through in their characters. Also, Caleb was a very good runner, so I had to make his character do at least a little running.
Gavin and Molly — My brother Gavin is a very good horseman. He worked several summers breaking horses. He actually does have a mule named Molly that he loves. We have some great family stories involving that crazy animal. It was fun to include them both in my book.
Marshal Roberts — The marshal’s name is a nod to my brother Chad. He always gives my mom a hard time because he says she gave him a frat boy name and it’s hard to be distinguished. He also deployed with the national guard. Where he served, they encouraged them to use fake names as a safety precaution when they went into town. Chad used Roberts as his last name, which is our great-grandfather’s name.
Mr. McDaniel — Erica and Ritchie McDaniel are family friends. They were also my Sunday school teachers when I was a teenager. They are an incredible couple who have been to hell and back together. Their kindness and faith made such an incredible impression on me in my youth. I still regard them as two of my heroes. I love that Mr. McDaniel comes to Jaqueline’s aid in pivotal parts of her journey, just as my McDaniels did for me.
Kent and Olivia Wall — I’ve always liked the name Kent and thought it was a good cowboy name. Wall comes from the last name of another family I greatly admire. Olivia was the name of a little girl I nannied. She was such an angel and I loved her dearly. When my family moved, I think I was more sad about leaving her than anyone.
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
One day, I saw a painting of a little attic room with lace curtains and walls covered in painted flowers. I was drawn to the work. I started thinking about the type of person who would paint their walls with flowers. That’s when I first started thinking about Jaqueline Lace. Eventually her story grew. I know different authors have various methods. Some like to map everything out while others like to begin and let the story unfold. I find that I lean more to the latter. My story started with Jaqueline arriving to a new place and why and how she would make her room like the one I had seen.
My final story is very different from the original. I hired an editor who offered amazing insight. I also rewrote and edited my book extensively before it became what it is. However, at its heart, it started with my awe at a beautiful painting. The saying goes that art inspires art. I will forever love that little painting for inspiring Love & Lace and I truly hope my work will inspire another artist as well.
Cover Story
Creating the cover of my book was one of my absolute favorite parts of the entire process. It was like watching my book come to life. I owe so much of that to my cousin Hannah Lundberg who is a wonderful photographer. However, I knew my request would be outside the norm. When I approached her about possibly taking pictures for my book cover, she was so excited and passionate about it that it dispelled all my nervousness. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my cousin Emery. She is one of the most beautiful women I know in every sense of the word. Again, it was kind of a strange thing to ask but she graciously accepted my offer and became my Jaqueline Lace.
When you look at the cover, you might just see a picture. However, there is so much behind the scenes. At the time we went to take pictures, Hannah had recently had a baby. A feat in and of itself, but her previous pregnancy was traumatic and almost fatal. I remember being amazed watching her climb hills and tromp through streams to get the perfect shot. I couldn’t believe how much her body had endured and yet here she was, strong and beautiful. Sometimes I think we underappreciate the absolute heroism of women. They can literally almost die bringing a child into the world and then turn around and do it again a few years later. If that isn’t the kind of bravery admired in song and story, I don’t know what is. Not only is Hannah an amazing mom and photographer, but she also runs a small bakery out of her home. And those are just a few of her roles and accomplishments. I remember watching her that day and thinking to myself what an extraordinary woman she is. I was struck by the realization that most people we consider “ordinary” are oftentimes incredibly exceptional. Hannah is exceptional.
Emery absolutely fits into that category as well. Her junior year of high school she was in a boating accident. She was being pulled on a large tube, and it was getting dark. The person driving the boat was careless and steered too close to the shore. By the time he realized there were rocks in the path, it was too late. Emery was smashed into a huge rock. She was flown to the hospital where she faced a long, painful recovery. Among the trials she suffered, wondering what her future held was among them. She had sustained a traumatic brain injury along with extensive broken bones in her face and jaw. She would need several surgeries to help her recover. A devastating prospect for anyone but especially a vibrant, beautiful young woman months away from her prom. Some time later, I heard Emery speak about her experience. She talked about how prayer and trust in God sustained her. Although she still suffers from the aftermath of her accident, I could discern no animosity towards those who had caused it. She graciously thanked all who supported her and praised her doctors. I was in awe of her character along with her beauty. I will be forever grateful that she agreed to grace the cover of Love & Lace. I can’t think of a better person to embody the beauty, courage, and grace it takes to overcome and begin again.
Finally, we took the pictures on my Grandma’s property. The wildflowers in front of Emery on the cover are wild irises, but my Grandma Shirley always called them flags. They were one of her favorite flowers. I love that the picture we chose contains a sweet reminder of her.
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