Melissa Keir-Small Town Romance Author
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Melissa's Books
  • Missy's Children's Books
  • Contact me
  • Privacy Notice
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Melissa's Books
  • Missy's Children's Books
  • Contact me
  • Privacy Notice
Search

Melissa's Musings

Memories of a TV-watching Childhood by Patricia Kiyono

7/19/2017

 
I'm very excited to share with you Patricia Kiyono's latest book. Like her, I was a classic TV junkie and often dreamed of hanging out among my favorite shows. 

​Memories of a TV-watching Childhood
 
I’ve always loved stories based on families, especially when there is a strong parent. I grew up watching shows like Bonanza, The Rifleman, and The Big Valley, and I remember being drawn to Ben Cartwright, Lucas McCain, and Victoria Barkley, even though I was young when those shows first aired. When the authors at Eskape Press agreed to do a multi-author series about a widower with several children, I immediately signed on to write the patriarch’s story.
 
As a group, the series authors decided that the family business was an alpaca ranch in Indiana (as a nod to our publisher, who lives there). Since the alpaca business is not as lucrative as it once was, I had to be sure my character had another profession to fall back on. I thought of careers that could continue on a part-time basis and decided the Tom Cooper would be a successful attorney who became an alpaca rancher when he inherited the ranch from his grandfather. Tom had a loving marriage, and has mourned his wife for ten years. To get him to take a chance on love again, I needed a compassionate woman who understands loss all too well, and former nurse Laurie Matthews came to be.
 
In creating a mental image of my main characters, I again went to my favorite TV shows. The hero is modeled after my favorite silver fox – Mark Harmon. He’s about the age of Tom Cooper, my alpaca rancher. He’s handsome, but not necessarily what I’d call pretty. On NCIS, his Agent Gibbs is intelligent, but not flashy. Actress Jean Smart was my inspiration for the heroine. I loved her as office manager Charlene Frazier on the show Designing Women. She’s sassy, but there’s an underlying layer of pain.
 
I’m not sure how well these two actors would mesh in a TV production, but they worked well enough in my mind to create a story I hope readers will love. 
Picture
​The Road to Escape by Patricia Kiyono
Book One in The Escape Reunion Series, a multi-author project
Blurb:
Tom Cooper left his high-pressure law practice in Indianapolis for life on an alpaca farm in the tiny northwest Indiana town of Escape. Though he continued to practice law, the farm provided a good life for him, his wife, and their four children. But when his wife died, grief consumed him and the children all left. He’s resigned to doing things alone, but a disturbing medical diagnosis could change things.
 
Laurie Matthews left her nursing job in shame. The town of Escape has welcomed her, and she now owns the local diner. She’s attracted to the handsome widower who comes in for coffee and a hot meal, but keeps her distance, because everyone she’s ever loved has died – her grandparents, her parents, her husband, and one other.
 
A romantic relationship isn’t on the agenda for either of them, but when the diner falls on hard times, Tom steps in to help, paving the way for them both to escape the loneliness in their lives.
 
Excerpt:
The familiar scents of good home cooking greeted Tom as he and John entered the diner. Laurie worked with local farmers to include their fresh produce, eggs, and meat on her menu rather than the canned and frozen fare Hal had preferred. Since most of the booths were full, the pair made their way to the counter.

Tom’s gaze zeroed in on Laurie, bent down and taking something out of the oven. She made a mighty fine sight, and Tom took a moment to appreciate it. Whatever she pulled out made him forget about eating something healthy. It smelled decadent. Along with her nutritious meals, Laurie had made a name for herself with her breakfast breads and desserts.

His appreciation was immediately cut short by a stab of guilt. The pain always hit whenever he thought about another woman. He’d been a widower for ten years, but not a day went by when he didn’t think of his Amy. The girl who stole his heart at age twenty and never let go. There would never be another woman like her.

As he did whenever he noticed an attractive woman, he pushed away his feelings. No use acting on his interest if he wasn’t able to let go of his feelings for Amy. Besides, after the news John gave him that morning, what woman would want to have anything to do with him?
 
The Road to Escape can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Kobo.

Picture
Author Bio:
Patricia Kiyono was born in Japan and raised in southwest Michigan, where she lives with her very tolerant husband, near their five children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her first career was teaching, which she still does part-time at a local university. In addition to writing, she likes to sew and scrapbook. She also loves to travel, always on the lookout for special locations and historical details for her books.
​
Patricia Kiyono can be found on Amazon and at her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest. 
 

Patricia Kiyono link
7/19/2017 04:03:51 pm

Thank you so much for having me on your lovely blog!


Comments are closed.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Melissa Keir

    Gator Girl Extraordinaire

    RSS Feed



    Archives

    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

Proudly powered by Romance
Melissa Keir-Author

Photos from emilyonasunday, imagesbyk2 Photography, Beverly & Pack, thisreidwrites, jDevaun, Ken Wilcox., jan_krutisch, wiesiek_kr, ginnerobot, Tim RT, erasergirl, wheatfieldbrown, fivehanks, Ⅿeagan, theilr, symphony of love, Abhishek Singh Bailoo, Max Braun, Daniel Leininger, EliJerma, sean_reay, DafneCholet, Pablo Tocagni, kevin dooley, CarbonNYC, Loren Javier, marco monetti, shannonkringen, Peter Werkman (www.peterwerkman.nl), tekkbabe, Aditya Rakhman, MilitaryHealth, almarWho, raganmd, snowkei, wuestenigel, Amal Hathaway, augustineisnotmyname, shixart1985 (CC BY 2.0), digitizedchaos, photologue_np, -stamina-, Jessica_Branstetter, I woz ere, Erháld, Tostie14, kdinuraj, feline_dacat, RobBixbyPhotography, glaciernps, aussiegall, Pink Sherbet Photography, Poul-Werner, Loren Javier, Diamond Farah, AForestFrolic, williamcho, shannonkringen, gagilas, ben.fitzgerald, Tony Fischer Photography, rufusowliebat, emilianohorcada, George Deputee, LadyDragonflyCC - >;< - Spring in Michigan!, brick red, citymaus, Emery Co Photo, midiman, Thragor, jdegrazia, dane brian, sibikos, nan palmero, r.nial.bradshaw, US Army Africa, bambe1964, lisaclarke, piermario, SurFeRGiRL30, ninachildish, shixart1985
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Melissa's Books
  • Missy's Children's Books
  • Contact me
  • Privacy Notice