When I’m not writing romance novels or working at my day job, I enjoy working with my hands. I’m no expert at any particular craft or hobby; I don’t knit or sew, and unlike Daisy Lansing, the heroine of The Lady Who Drew Me In, I don’t paint or draw.
My favorite projects involve making something old seem new again. I have a tendency to hang on to things of sentimental value. When there are memories attached, it’s hard to let go, and my basement is crowded with old furniture I plan to refinish one day, and other items I can’t seem to toss out. These stored treasures include special cards, letters, and various paperwork as well.
Like most proud moms, during my daughters’ childhoods, I’d put away special school papers; award certificates, programs from school plays and science fairs, drawings, and every report card and school photo since kindergarten. By the time my eldest daughter was a senior (thirteen years ago!) I had a large stack of papers crammed in my hope chest. I knew it was silly to keep it all—I had to get rid of it—it had to go…but where?
Scrapbooking had become popular, so rather than trashing the material, I decided to use what I’d collected to create a book to give to my daughter for her high school graduation. A keepsake that depicted the years of her school life, the years that—to me, anyway—had flown by in a flash.
Armed with some basic scrapbooking supplies and no experience, I tackled the project, working for weeks in my spare time, in secret, so the book could be a surprise. With scissors and decals, and a heart filled with nostalgia, I worked on the book, poring through the old school papers and programs. There were mementoes and photos from every year, and I enjoyed reliving the memories while creating each decorative page.
My daughter loved the book. With smiles and tears, she flipped through the pages, remembering the activities and accomplishments of her school days and amazed by the things I had kept for all those years.
My younger daughter loved the book too, and she couldn’t wait until her graduation a few years later, to see what memories she’d find inside the book I’d put together for her.
Daisy Lansing’s ability to transfer images from people’s thoughts onto paper was a novelty she used to trot out to amuse her friends. But when her “entranced drawing” begins to cause serious trouble for her guardians, she is banished to the country and forced to marry a man twice her age. After the joyless wedding, Daisy is determined to bury forever the strange skill that upended her life. However, she soon finds herself a widow and in dire financial straits. Suddenly, her curse may be her one chance at true independence.
Jackson Gallway’s reputation as a rogue has far surpassed his success as a lawyer. In the wake of yet another scandal, he decides to head west. But before he can escape Misty Lake, Jax makes a promise to find an elusive killer. When he encounters a lovely young artist with an unusual talent that could help him in his search, what he finds is something neither of them can escape . . .
Uncover the Truth With These New Mystery Series