Welcome, Susan! First off, tell us a little bit about the setting of the book and new series. I just loved how detailed you were in describing the island, not only in the book but on your website! So tell my Romantic Readers about Blackberry Island.
Blackberry Island… Where Life Is Sweet! www.blackberryisland.com
BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of my new Blackberry Island series. Blackberry Island is a lively tourist community between mainland Seattle and Bainbridge Island, Washington. It’s primarily a weekend getaway for Seattlites looking for a quiet, sophisticated escape. Every direction you look, you’ll see incredible water views. You can laze the day away at wineries, world-class restaurants, then return at night to a charming boutique hotel or B&B, such as the Blackberry Island Inn, which is an institution on the island. Unfortunately, the inn is in financial trouble, thanks to mismanagement by Michelle Sanderson’s late mother.
As BAREFOOT SEASON begins, Michelle has inherited the inn and all its problems. After serving ten years in the Army, Michelle was injured in Afghanistan, and she yearns for the solace of home. But solace is hard to find when she discovers that her former best friend Carly is living in the inn’s owner’s suite, and that the bank will force her to keep Carly on staff. Michelle and Carly’s friendship was destroyed when they both fell in love with the same man. He proposed to Carly, then slept with Michelle, and they both felt betrayed. Can their friendship recover?
I do love a happy ending, so the women will find their way back to friendship – and they will both fall in love with terrific men that readers will adore. (Not the same man this time!)
Barefoot Season is really the story of a friendship. What inspired you to make this the central theme of the book?
I will always love writing romance, and BAREFOOT SEASON certainly includes romance, but with my women’s fiction books, I have the chance to write stories about some of the other relationships that are so important. Friendship is one of the touchstone relationships in my life. I can’t imagine going through life without my friends, who support me, cheer for me, comfort me, inspire me… But female friendship is also complicated, and complicated relationships make for the best fiction!
I was so impressed with how well you wrote each character. I was on the side of whichever character’s POV was on the page. Michelle and Carly came across as sympathetic, believable people in the middle of a true conflict. Did you take sides as you wrote?
I did – but my allegiance kept shifting, too, depending on whose scene I was writing! I’m fickle that way. I love both these women, and they both have very valid reasons for feeling the way they do. These are the kinds of stories I like to write… and read. I love a story with two sympathetic characters in conflict, and I love bringing them both to a happy ending so that readers can close the book with a satisfied sigh.
So many books feature male military heroes, and they explore how being in battle affects them when they return home. What a thrill to pick up a book and read about a female war hero. Tell us about how you chose to make Michelle a wounded soldier and anything pertinent you discovered in your research about females who serve.
During my research, I was completely blown away by the dedication and the passion exhibited by the soldiers with whom I spoke, all women. There is such a culture of service in our military. Our soldiers are sincere in their desire to serve the country, to protect their fellow citizens. It’s inspiring and humbling, the sacrifices they’re willing to make and the risks they’re willing to take on our behalf. Michelle is my way of honoring their service, and of acknowledging the hardships they endure.
One of the most important characters in the book isn’t alive. Talk about Michelle’s mother and how she affected the story from beyond the grave.
Michelle’s mom is the source of significant conflict between Michelle and Carly. Not only is she the reason the inn is in financial trouble, she’s partly to blame for their estrangement. Now that she’s gone, Michelle stills feels resentful toward her, as many daughters do toward their mothers, while Carly knows her as the woman who helped her when she needed it the most, when she was pregnant, alone, and broke. Michelle’s mom made promises to Carly that Michelle doesn’t want to keep, promises Carly relied on, both for her own sake and for her young daughter’s.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Susan! Any last words for us about Barefoot Season, Blackberry Island, or Carly and Michelle?
BAREFOOT SEASON is a story from my heart. It’s the ultimately uplifting story of two friends who find each other again – and who find love along the way. I hope readers will come to love Michelle and Carly as much as I do. If you’re in a book club, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve included a Reader’s Discussion Guide in the book, with a suggested menu and recipes, plus some questions to get the conversation started.
Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery is a beautiful story about friendship and moving on, and I was so thrilled by it that I couldn't wait to fire my questions off to the author!
