There is a long-standing tradition in our household that goes something like this:
Me: What should I <insert conundrum regarding a book>?
Hubby: Llamas. You need llamas.
See, hubby and I have been fairly obsessed with llamas (and alpacas, to be honest, but llama is more fun to say) for some time. In fact, now that llamas seem to be making a little foray into the world of culturally acceptable awesome (reference seeing llamas on more things of late), I’ve been tempted to make hubby a shirt that says “I lloved llamas before it was cool.” Or something.
I can hear you wondering exactly how this has anything whatsoever to do with contemporary Christian romance.
It’s a reasonable question.
When I was writing the most recent Peacock Hill book, A Heart Realigned, it turned out that Azure (the heroine) was a bit of a runner. Have a problem? Run away. That was kind of her philosophy. And so I needed a place for her to escape to after leaving her parents house in Arizona. Enter her grandparents. Who she’d never met. Who own a ranch in Northern New Mexico.
Here is me sledding. And being herded by our Sheltie, Prince, in some of our lovely New Mexico snow.
Why Northern New Mexico? Well, mostly because I grew up there and lately I’ve been longing for a little taste of home. So getting to visit virtually while I scoped out places to set the Hewitt’s ranch was soothing. And it turned out, when I was finished with Azure’s visit there, I had a Christmas novella to write. And I needed somewhere to set it. And Northern New Mexico is awfully pretty in the winter (well, all year, honestly, but they get so much lovely snow in the mountains that it’s hard to beat.) So why not set it at the Hewitt’s ranch?
I hadn’t intended, really, to do a series with Azure’s siblings, but that’s what seems to be happening. Which just meant I got to do even more arm-chair vacationing to Northern New Mexico.
I grew up in Los Alamos, which is a lovely small town full of nerds and their families, who also usually end up being nerdy. I’m sure there are some non-nerdy people who live there, too, but I’ll admit not remembering them. As much as I am a big fan of nerd pride (read my books, there’s usually at least one in there. Cause nerds are awesome), there’s nowhere in Los Alamos to put a ranch. So I wandered south west a tad to the Taos area to plop Rancho de Esperanza (Ranch of Hope) on the top of a nearby mountain. If you’re from New Mexico, I’ll apologize now, I took liberties. I made up a mesa. But there are mesas there, so it’s not a huge stretch.
I started digging through my old photo albums, thinking surely I would have a ton of pictures of the landscape around where I grew up (which is not altogether that much different than the landscape around Taos.) Bzzt. Apparently, back in the stone ages when you had to buy film and then pay to have photos developed, you actually wanted people in the pictures you took. So there are a few nice landscape shots, like that mesa over there, but the rest? They’re all me and my sister in our living room or backyard, and as cute as we were? Not super conducive to setting details.
If you think of anything when I say Taos, you probably either think of skiing or the church pictured at the right. That’s the San Francisco de Asis church in Rancho de Taos, which is actually a little south of Taos. But it’s still factored into my story, because it’s one of the landmarks you simply can’t escape. It’s beautiful. And everyone who goes to Taos stops to photograph it.
On your left, you see the type of landscape you find in the mountains of Northern New Mexico where Hope Ranch is found. In fact, that cabin could well be the place where Maria Sanchez, the heroine of my Christmas story lives. (In reality, it’s one of the cabins on some property that my parents owned when we were younger.)
At this point, you’re probably wondering what any of this has to do with llamas. Well, Rancho de Esperanza doesn’t have a llama herd. Yet. But they’re going to down the line and finally, finally, my husband will have his llamas in one of my novels.
But if you want to get to the llamas, you should probably start with the first book in the series, so you don’t get as lost as this blog post encourages you to. The great thing is, you can read Hope for Christmas (Hope Ranch book 1) very soon in the box set A Christmas to Remember. This box has novellas by eight InspyRomance authors in it. I’m very excited for you to get a chance to read it, because they’re all quite good.
My novella, Hope for Christmas, will introduce you to Azure Hewitt’s brother, Cyan. (All the kids in the Hewitt family are named a shade of blue. The lovely Renate asked me to explain why and the only answer I have is: because their parents are weird. I’ll try to come up with something better for a future book, but that may have to be how it stands.)
Here’s the back cover:
He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. She wasn’t looking for anything.
Cyan Hewitt drifts onto his estranged grandparents’ New Mexico ranch in time for Thanksgiving… and stays. As a cyber security consultant, he can telecommute, so why not from here, where his restless soul is soothed and his heart is awakened by the attractive ranch housekeeper?
Maria Sanchez works at Rancho de Esperanza to provide a stable life for her son. She’s content—mostly—in her roles as housekeeper, part-time student, and mom, but when her precocious seven-year-old is diagnosed with diabetes, her world shatters. There’s no time for distractions from the long-term visitor who’s stirring a longing in her for more.
Cyan may think her faith and courage are inspiring, but Maria feels vulnerable. Relying on others has only ever resulted in broken dreams. Christmas might be a season of hope, but does she dare risk everything for love?
You can pre-order A Christmas to Remember (and consequently Hope for Christmas). It’ll be on Amazon only for 99 cents and in Kindle Unlimited. The set releases October 2nd and will only be around for a limited time. I’m sure in the coming days you’re going to get a chance to hear about the other books in the set — but trust me on this, it’s not a set you’re going to want to miss!
This is me dressed up for Easter by the Aspen trees in our front yard. Of all the things about New Mexico I miss, Aspen trees top the list.
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for sharing your photos and memories. We enjoy getting out the photos and reminiscing:) One of my best friends loves llamas, she and her husband now have a couple of alpacas on their property to guard their sheep from foxes. I look forward to reading a story from you with llamas:)
Blessings:)
Hi Elizabeth! What a delightful post about llamas, sharing your family’s time in New Mexico, and nerds. Love the first picture of your Sheltie Prince herding you. We have had two Shelties McBeth and Penny, who loved to herd their children. I also enjoy seeing llamas at the county fair. There are several llama farms in Michigan and northern Indiana. Yes in our area llamas are considered awesome. Been married to a nerd for 45 years (just have to love them).
I briefly drove through New Mexico on a road trip to California. Open blue skies of all different shades, not wonder the Hewitt kids are named a shade of blue. (Kind of answered my own question.) Enjoy reading your Peacock Hill series.
Dear Readers: A Christmas to Remember order your set today. Eight fantastic novellas written by eight talented Inspy Romance writers. Best Wishes.
Hi! How funny, like Wemble, one of my best friends loves llamas too! I preordered the Christmas set when I first found out abut it, I can’t wait!
Dearest Elizabeth…..I cannot tell you how much fun I had reading this post!!
I have a running joke at my office whenever someone comes to my desk and says “question” I immediately answer 12…..one of these days I may be right…and I am seriously considering changing the answer to llamas now!!
I am excited about reading your story!!
Oh fun! I’m taking the boys to a nearby alpaca farm soon (I hope soon at least – need to contact them again and firm it all up.)
It is fun to sit and look at photos from childhood. And then my kids are like wow, papa had long hair. And my dad did, because it was the late 70s/early 80s and that’s what men did. :)
Renate! I think maybe that IS the answer to the names. Thank you! :)
Shelties are the best dogs. They just are.
Yay for llama lovers :) I was amazed that there were school supplies with llamas on then this year (but they were all on a pink background so I didn’t think hubby would want to take them to work )
Thanks for preordering!
Thanks, Paula! It was fun to gather the photos and try to make cohesive (still not convinced I got there but oh well :) )
I love that you say 12 – but llama would work too ;)
Thanks for the fun post! Must say I didn’t even know what llamas were until my children started reading those fun “Llama Llama” books ?
We love the Llama Llama books! I was so sad when the author passed away (last year I think, maybe the year before.) They are on almost constant rotation at bedtime here.
Thanks for New Mexico tour. I’ve never been there so it was fun to hear about it. My grand daughter has a really neat llama shirt. I didn’t realize they were in now until I saw her shirt.
You’re welcome! Thanks for swinging by!
I ordered this collection the minute I saw it, but your Hope for Christmas has really whet my appetite to get a hold of it even more. I love the cover, whoever does your covers does great work, totally charming.
I’m not familiar with New Mexico having lived on the East coast my whole life, except
for the year I was born, in Texas. One of my favorite things about reading, I can travel the world from the comfort of my own easy chair.
Congrats on the new collection Elizabeth!
Thanks, Tracey! I love to armchair travel through books, too! (And I also adore my cover designer. She always has such great ideas.)
What a fun post. I love the idea of the t-shirt for your husband.
Enjoyed reading this. My grandkids love llamas.
I read a book a few years ago about someone who inherited an alpaca ranch. I don’t remember the book or the author, but it was Christian fiction.
Thanks for the fun post! You are a new author to me and I’m really happy I ‘found’ you :)
Thanks! I need to figure out the art for the shirt, cause I can’t draw worth beans :)
Thanks! And yay for llamas! :)
Ooh. I’ll have to look for that!
I’m glad you found me too! :)
I look forward to seeing how you introduce llamas to the Hewitts’ ranch! I haven’t been to Los Alamos, but my dad used to go there on business trips (he was a nerd), and a really good friend grew up there.
Oh how fun! I don’t meet many people who have been (or know someone who’s been) to Los Alamos. :)
Try The Hungry Jpeg or Design Bundles for the llama art for that T-shirt. They’re all over the design sites!
And I LOLed at “because they’re parents are weird.”
Seems a good enough reason to me!
Great tip, thanks!
And yeah, they’re odd ducks, so… :)
Are you going to one in Clifton? I know there is one there and that shouldn’t be too far from you. I keep meaning to go but haven’t yet.
That was a fun post! Your hubby deserves his llamas. You could also knit him an alpaca sweater–we’ve seen some great knitting on Facebook lately, right? BTW, my cousins in Washington used to have llamas, but I missed out on meeting them.
Los Alamos sounds a lot like the wonderful town of Eureka!
Your husband sounds a lot like mine, Elizabeth. Only when I have a book problem, he always says I need a post nuclear world where only a handful of people are left and a barbarian finds the last copy of the Bible. Try working that into a romance :)
I think we have an alpaca ranch near us. It was a shock to see them while driving in the country.
I like the siblings all having shades of blue for names. I love any shade of blue.
Thanks for the post.
Oooh. There’s one in Clifton? That’s closer! I was looking at one in Culpeper and, while I don’t mind driving, Clifton would be way easier! I’ll look into that, thanks!
Haha, it is kind of like Eureka now you mention it! :)
And I do want to make him something out of alpaca, but man it’s pricey!
LOL! The two of them are definitely a pair.
Although…I’d read that romance. ;)
Blue is pretty amazing. It’s my second favorite color. :)
I’ve already pre-ordered the boxed set and really enjoyed reading your explanation.
But now I have a question for all of you authors: why so many single parents books?
I feel like I don’t get many choices of just any other random book conflicts because everyone is a single parent and it’s all about the kids. It’s fine here and there, but I’m either not reading the right book releases or everyone just decides to go in the same direction. It’s getting old real quickly
Oh interesting. I don’t actually tend to write a lot of single parents. I think this is my 2nd, maybe 3rd, out of 25 books. (I went and checked, this is my 3rd. So if you’re tired of single parents, avoid Operation Fireworks and Operation Back-to-School (although she’s a widow with kids if that changes anything?)). There is at least one other single parent story in the box. Sorry!
I do think single parents are popular because kids are fun to write and they add some mayhem and hijinx that are hard to work in otherwise. Plus, I think sometimes — particularly with a novella length book — you need a bit more of a reason to “rush” things. And kids can sometimes provide that (they can also in other situations provide a reason not to, so grain of salt there, but…I know when I write novellas I’m always trying to look for a reason that getting to that happy ending in under 40 thousand words is realistic.)
Does that help at all? There are non-single parent books out there though — promise!
I already read those books you’ve mentioned but I don’t recall been overwhelmed with books about single parents at the time. I also enjoy Peackok Hill stories (and already bought the boxed set), so I’m actually going to read it, I just don’t feel the same excitement…
I didn’t mention the blue name thing before bit that definitely got my attention too. And as for reasons to give blue names, I’m sure you’ll find something creative.
<3
Hopefully the fad will fade a bit soon for you. (I don't have any more single parents on the horizon in my books :) )
I pre-ordered this set, but am reading a copy now. I’m actually halfway through your story, and it’s really good! My brother-in-law had a llama, but it kept scaring the cows into a corner, so he had to sell it. It was fun to watch though.
Oh yay! Thanks. :)
Poor cows.
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I’m with your husband – I loved llamas before they were cool! I fell in love with them 30 years ago. I’m a fan of alpacas, too. I’m looking forward to a llama in one of your future novels!