About 18 months ago, I was approached by an author friend, Amanda Tru, to be part of a box set that was a little different than the standard box sets. This one would have a common theme running through it and the final book would tie all of the other books together. Amanda named the series Crossroads Collections, and Out of the Blue Bouquet Box Set was created. In this collection, every book had to have something to do with a misdelivered flower delivery.
It was very easy to decide what to write about. I was in the process of planning my Dixon Brothers series. My Dixon brothers are identical triplets who own a major construction company in Atlanta, Georgia. I have plans to write a book for each brother (and am currently finishing the one for the first brother), and thought I’d write a novella introducing the series using some peripheral characters.
Calla Vaughn is a file clerk at Dixon Architectural and Contracting Services and is drowning under a sea of debt due to someone close to her stealing her identity. She’s had to quit culinary school, sell (almost) everything that matters to her, and work and work to try to get out of this debt. One day, her car that should have died years before finally gave out — right in the entrance of the Dixon parking garage. Blocking all of the lunch traffic coming back into the garage, overwhelmed, and at the END of her rope, Samuel “Ian” Jones helps push her car out of the way. She is mortified, in tears, and so embarrassed – made worse by the fact that she has had a crush on mechanical engineer Ian since the week she started working there. Then, when she’s wishing the ground would just open up and swallow her whole, her best friend, Sami Jones, swoops in to the rescue. She promises Calla she’ll handle the car, get it towed, and offers to buy her dinner on her way home that night.
A little while later, Calla hears a contest on the radio to win a bouquet of flowers and dials the number – becoming the winner! Knowing how much Sami has done for her and would do for her that evening, she sends Sami flowers with the card saying:
Can’t thank you enough for yesterday. You were a lifesaver. Dinner at my place. Six tomorrow night. Won’t take no for an answer. Want to thank you properly. Calla
Well, as you can imagine, the flowers are not delivered to Sami Jones, but to (Samuel) Ian Jones. He is confused, intrigued, and just attracted to her enough to take her up on her offer of dinner.
Everything goes well until he discovers her secret – but only after it’s been too long into their relationship, and only after the police arrest her.
This was so much fun to write, because I was able to include conversations with Amanda’s characters at the flower shop. That was the first Crossroads book, and since then there have been three more, and two more are being planned. I was also in the Yesterday’s Mail Collection, which all had to do with misdelivered mail and the final book written by Amanda was about the postal employee who found all this missing mail. Readers love the idea of the books all tying together that way. Recently, our own Carol Moncado wrote about the latest Crossroads book, Betwixt Two Hearts on this blog post.
It really is a fun series to be part of.
I’m excited because Out of the Blue Bouquet authors have just been allowed to release our individual books! So, Courting Calla officially published on Valentine’s Day! You can read more about it on my website at this link. In the meantime, check out our birthday bash prizes — I’m giving away a paperback copy of Out of the Blue Bouquet! You want to make sure you can enter all the ways you can enter so that you have a chance to win this collection.
With over half a million sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. Subscribers to Hallee's newsletter get her bestselling contemporary romance COURTING CALLA for free! Sign up by clicking the newsletter icon below or going here: http://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter
Sounds like a cute and funny novella
I was able to insert a little bit of humor into it. :-)
Hi Hallee, I loved Out of the Blue.. and am enjoying the other Crossroad sets as they release. The connections between the stories are lots of fun! You guys must have had fun collaborating and writing the stories:)
Looking forward to reading the rest of the Dixon Brother’s series,
Blessings:)
It is quite a lot of fun to plan and write. Amanda Tru has the hard job with it — of tying all of our books together!
This sounds like a fun book and box set. Love the confusion and how it leads to the two getting together.
It was quite a lot of fun to write and be part of! We have so enjoyed the readers’ enjoyment of it over the months it’s been released.
Sounds like a great series of books! Thanks for sharing about it!
You’re welcome!
Hi Hallee! I have enjoyed all three unique Crossroads collections. I enjoyed that the stories all had a common motif of flowers, letters, or on line dating. Congratulations on your Valentine release. Thanks for sharing the background story. Best wishes.
Renate: I’m so happy you enjoyed them! There’s one more, a Christmas one, too, that’s tied together with ornaments.
I have so enjoyed your books over the years, and this one was wonderful!!
Thank you so much, Paula!
I love the premise of this series! I just added your book to my TBR list. I’m also intrigued by the series to come about the brothers.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the story!
I enjoyed reading Courting Calla and am looking forward to reading Betwixt Two Hearts. I already have it borrowed through kindle unlimited.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I have that collection. Need to make time to read it in between the ARC’s I have going (or in my case also reading the books before the ARC’s if it’s a series, lol). Sounds like a great story Hallee, and I’ll have to be watching for the triplets stories.
My triplets story has been in my mind for a long time. :-)
I hope you enjoy the collection!
I read the that collection and really enjoyed Courting Calla!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Hallee–I love the concept of your story. :) How cute! Sounds like a great boxed set. Thank you for sharing your Dixon brothers series.
It is my pleasure to share the Dixon Brothers with you all. :-)
Sounds good. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome!
oh this really does sounds like a fun book. Im in. :) Thanks
Awesome! I hope you love it!
I really enjoyed the stories with the flower delivery mix ups. They were believable and funny. Looking forward to the series with the brothers.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the stories! That’s great. :-)
These sound like fun collections and I love the idea of the last book tying everything together.
Lots of reviews have praised that concept. We are so happy they’re so popular with the readers!
I think it was a brilliant concept. I’m so blessed to be involved with them.
I love how you are tying everything together in the last book. Sounds like a great collection!
I think it was a brilliant concept from Amanda. I’m so blessed to be involved with them.
Sounds wonderful!
Thank you!
Happy 5th Birthday!
The books will be a wonderful addition to our Church Library, that is, if I win.
Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
I would be mortified in my car died in the parking garage entrance! And then doubly mortified when I’d find out the flowers were delivered to the wrong person. I’m hoping the book has a HEA. :)
I enjoyed Courting Calla and the other books in the box set. It was a fun way to intertwine the stories.
Wow, it sounds so cute! Thank you for sharing!
Sounds so amazing Thanks for sharing!