Debbie Macomber - Orchard Valley Grooms: Valerie; Stephanie

Dear Friends,

Im excited that Norah, Valerie and Stephanie, three sisters I first introduced to readers in the early 1990s, are returning to print. Their stories were the precursors to the Cedar Cove series and the Blossom Street books. These three novels stand out for me for another reason, too. This was the first time I wrote such closely connected stories, and the lessons I learned in the process have stayed with me all this time.

Lesson number one: I will never again write books that take place simultaneously. I cant even begin to tell you how many headaches this brilliant idea of mine gave my editor, Paula Eykelhof, and me.

Speaking of my editor, Ive had the rare privilege of working with Paula for nearly twenty-four years. As she often reminds people, thats longer than some marriages, and shes right. (She generally is!) We make a good team and have from the start. Paula worked on these books when I originally wrote them and shes helped me refresh them all these years later.

As often happens, the idea for this plot came from my own life. My father nearly died following his second heart surgery, and the thought of losing him shook our entire family. Thankfully (unlike the dad in these stories) my father didnt wake up convinced he could see the future. Although the stories underlying premise is based on something serious, I believe youll find plenty of reasons to smile as you read about the adventuresand misadventuresof the Bloomfield sisters and their friend Sherry Waterman.

Oh, thats lesson number two: I didnt want to stop. Once I got to know these sisters and Id written their stories, there was another one begging to be told, so I wrote it, too. Youll learn more about Sherry in August (when Orchard Valley Brides comes outit also includes Norah ).

Now you understand why, when I write about Cedar Cove and Blossom Street, the stories just keep comingand I just keep writing.

Enjoy!

P.S. I love hearing from readers. You can reach me through my Web site, www.debbiemacomber.com, or by writing me at P.O. Box 1458, Port Orchard, WA 98366.

Ms. Macomber certainly has a knack for telling the story of small-town life.

Romance Communications

Debbie Macomber writes characters who are as warm and funny as your best friends.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs

Popular romance writer Macomber has a gift for evoking the emotions that are at the heart of the genres popularity.

Publishers Weekly

Debbie Macomber is one of the most reliable, versatile romance authors around.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinal

Its clear that Debbie Macomber cares deeply about her fully realized characters and their family, friends and loves, along with their hopes and dreams. She also makes her readers care about them.

Bookreporter.com

Macomber is a master storyteller.

Times Record News, Wichita Falls, TX

Macomber demonstrates her impressive skills with characterization and her flair for humor.

RT Book Reviews

Prolific Macomber is known for her portrayals of ordinary women in small-town America. [She is] an icon of the genre.

Publishers Weekly