As we speed closer and closer to Boas & Tiaras we decided to give you more insight into our attending authors. We’ll highlight one author in each newsletter with five quick questions. First up, one of our Guests of Honor, Jodi Thomas.

Pitch us your newest book in one sentence.

MORNINGS ON MAIN is a powerful, heartwarming story about generations of family, their lives, their loves and the ironclad bonds they forge. Nominated last week for the National Readers Choice award. (Congratulations!)

What book made you fall in love with the genre(s) you write?

I learned to write women’s fiction when I wrote THE WIDOWS OF WICHITA COUNTY, but I fell in love with it writing RANSOM CANYON. Strong Texas men, ranching, and a great love story.

Tell us about your favorite character you’ve ever written.

Tyler Wright was 42, overweight, balding, hadn’t had a date in two years and was the town funeral director, but he loved people. When he stepped on stage in the first book of the Harmony series he came alive. In fact, for that year he often got more fan mail than I did.

What do you do to de-stress when you’re on a writing deadline?

I usually don’t de-stress. I push and push later every night toward the deadline. Even when I think it’s written, I go through one more time. Writers are like painters. They say it takes two people to paint a picture. One to paint and one to tell the painter it’s finished.

When I get through the rewrites and the copy edits I’m usually exhausted and brain dead. Tom usually pours me onto a ship and we take a cruise. Once I took a four hour nap everyday. We were only gone two weeks, but I thought it was a month.

What’s one thing you want our Boas & Tiaras guests to know about you?

I never know the ending of my books until I write them. This year I’ll finish my 50th book. With RWA Hall of Fame and five RITA’s on my shelf I still want the next book to be the best I’ve ever written.

Tables are filling up fast for Boas & Tiaras. Don’t miss your chance to wear a tiara, sit with one of these lovely authors, and participate in our exclusive signing!

Tickets are on sale for Boas & Tiaras – Afternoon Tea and Book Signing. Join Jodi Thomas, Jane Porter, and more on Saturday, June 9th at 1:00 pm.

Coming from out of town or just want to treat yourself for Boas & Tiaras? We’re happy to announce the room block is now open at the Hilton Garden Inn in Allen, TX where the event will be held. Just go to the Hilton Garden Inn website and enter the code FRESH. The rate is good for up to two nights between 6/8 – 6/10.