The Inn at Rose Harbor

Debbie Macomber

Years ago, while waiting for a meeting of the Orange County Chapter of the Romance Writers of America (OCCRWA) to begin, I saw a sweet-faced woman coming towards me.  I had no idea who she was, but I had noticed her making her way through the room speaking to the various women who had arrived early for the meeting.  As she took my hand and introduced herself, I think I muttered some inanities and she finally moved on to greet the rest of the crowd.

In those few moments, however, Debbie Macomber (pronounced MAY-cum-ber, "Like cucumber," she says) made a fan out of me.  She was so sweet and unaffected and her spirit just radiated goodness and kindness.  I felt an immediate kinship with this smiling, energetic woman.

Later in the meeting, she was a featured speaker.  I listened to her speak of the trials she had in getting her first book published.  She was an entertaining speaker, and very motivational.  

Not long after, I found one of her many books at a local bookstore.  I was surprised.  I hadn't realized she was already a New York Times Bestselling Author. That fact made me feel pretty stupid, actually!  

Okay.  I broke down and bought the book. It was the least I could do after she had been so very nice to me. Then I devoured that first book, and discovered, to my joy, that she was not just a sincerely nice person, but she was a darn good writer and story-teller as well!

My friend Abbie attended the TCAs recently and brought me back a copy of Debbie's latest and greatest novel (see above cover), The Inn at Rose Harbor.  (Thank you, Abbie!)  In case you don't know, the TCAs are a series of media events for folks who write about TV in magazines and newspapers, as well as the folks who review TV shows on TV.  All the networks come to roll out their new shows and promote their products.  It's an exhausting few days, according to those who attend, but days filled with panels of famous actors, promotional information, and fun previews.

It turns out that The Hallmark Channel plans to air a two-hour "Cedar Cove" movie in 2013, starring Andie MacDowell, with the intention of possibly creating a TV series based on Debbie's books.  I think that would be great!

Andie MacDowell

You may remember the likeable actress Andie MacDowell from movies like, "Green Card", "Four Weddings and a Funeral", and my favorite: "Groundhog Day".

I can't think of a better idea for a TV series than one of the Cedar Cove books, or the recent Inn at Rose Harbor, either!  Ms. Macomber's stories are heart-warming tales of "real" people you feel like you know, or have met, or should know.

Being interviewed for The Sacramento Bee fairly recently, Debbie Macomber was asked by columnist Allen Pierleoni:

You debuted 30 years ago as a pure romance writer, but segued into writing about friendships between mature women, who are inspired to overcome life's hardships. Why the switch?

Her reply:

Age and the process of maturing. I'm not the only one who's aging, and I've always wanted to write stories that are relevant to my readers. Life becomes more complicated, and as you grow older you think about things other than romance. So it just became harder to write about a 25-year-old falling in love. Still, there's always romance in my books, but the stories are richer and deeper.

In case you are not convinced, here is a link to the latest promotional video for her Rose Harbor book:

The Inn at Rose Harbor

If you're looking for a cozy read, you can't go wrong with one of Debbie's wonderful books!  And her latest, is no exception.  I cried through the ending of The Inn at Rose Harbor.  It's a beautiful book about the power of forgiveness.

I think you'll like it.