Cherrywood Inn: A Legacy is all about picking up a legacy and making it what you want. It is funny, in an odd way, that completing this first book in my Cherrywood Inn series is like fulfilling a legacy. In total, it took me about 2 years to complete this story. For most indie authors, the publication of titles is done a lot faster. Grief has a funny way of shaping and slowing your words. I took my time with this story. And grief took its time with me.
I am still here in it. It honestly never leaves, but I have learned how to move and flow with it. For example, today I went to visit my grandma’s old house. Her house was always home. This home which has stood in our family for over 50 years is the main inspiration for Cherrywood Inn. The visual representation and my main character Natera’s connections to her Grandma Mae’s old bed and breakfast is seen throughouth my new novel. Cherrywood is a character all by itself, mirroring the importance of my grandma’s West Dayton home.
Walking through it I was fine. It was fun being reminded of the funny kitchen moments, no-touch living room and falls off of the side porch. Looking at my grandma’s perfume bottles, pictures, and empty places where key furniture sat; that was harder. Honestly, I lasted 20 minutes longer than I thought. But just like waves of grief flow, so do memories. I had the pleasant chance to chat casually with my uncle and walk down memory lane. Learning new stories of the families on the block, the neighborhood, and my grandmother’s wishes as a young single mother, from her oldest child really lifted my mood.
Writing this book took me up, down, and through the grief process. I know that will still be moments of memory but I am thankful God gave me the storytelling talent and the words to create this beautiful novel. My novel is about finding love, legacy, and family.
To learn more about my new novel Cherrywood Inn: A Legacy, head over to my Projects Page for the official description and Subscribe to my blog to stay up to date on the full cover reveal, presale day, and my upcoming book launch on June 22, 2024.