Growing up, I always thought people of sixty were old … really old. Heck, I thought people of forty were old. Then I turned forty, and immigrated to Ireland for 18 months. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe it was my midlife crisis? Anyway, I didn’t feel old at forty. I still felt young – in my mind at least, because the body … well, that had started to develop a few aches and pains.
I’ll never forget how my dear mom used to tell me that her mind still felt twenty-one. I think, by then, she was in her seventies.
And now I can’t believe that on Friday I’ll turn sixty. Sixty!!! I’m a pensioner! I can probably get a few of those special cards some of our stores offer that give you pensioners’ discounts on Wednesdays. Of course, I’ll never be a true pensioner because I think I’ll write until the day I die – or until my mind no longer feels twenty-something. My knees and back telling me sixty is true, but my mind remains stubbornly locked in those glorious twenties.
Fortunately I’m not doing anything as drastic as immigrating to the northern hemisphere for my sixtieth birthday, but hubby and I are taking a somewhat spur of the moment trip to Cape Town. After all, a special day like this needs to be spent with family (at least, that’s how I sold the idea to my hubby), and I can think of nowhere better than in the fairest Cape with my grandkids, son, and daughter-in-law. Hopefully I won’t get stuck there for five months again this time around.
My beautiful sister, almost seventy years young!
There’s a bonus to this trip as it’ll be a double celebration. My sister is flying down to Cape Town two days before me. It was totally unplanned to coincide our trips, but I couldn’t be happier. You see, she celebrates a milestone birthday four days after me. A decade older, she’s turning seventy. Gosh, even though so much life has happened over the past decade, it feels like yesterday that our hubbies got together and surprised us with a huge party and lunch when I turned fifty and she sixty.
This time, the hubbies have nothing to do with conniving to surprise us. My daughter-in-law and my sister’s daughter are the ones putting their heads together for another special family get together (hopefully on a relaxing wine farm). This time it’ll be a far smaller gathering, and not only because of Covid-19 regulations. Since our last celebrating-a-decade party, our mom and dad are no longer with us, my brother and his wife have immigrated to the UK (as has his youngest daughter and her husband), my sister’s other daughter and her hubby are now living in New Zealand, my oldest brother and his family have moved to the other side of South Africa, and my youngest son is currently in Finland for a season. No longer do we all (or most of us) live within ninety minutes of each other.
That’s the one thing in life besides God that remains constant … change.
I have a few books with characters aged around forty, and two with characters in their sixties (and both are dealing with major changes). In A Time to Laugh, Elizabeth Dunham is faced with a late life pregnancy, and in A Time to Push Daisies, the third and last book in the same series, Elizabeth’s best friend and neighbor, JoAnn Stanson is learning to live life as a widow. This is one of my favorite books and I guess that of readers, too, as it took first place in the Inspirational Novel category of the Oklahoma Romance Writers IDA contest last year.
Both these sixty-something ladies are young at heart, so I guess there’s a little of me in them. Elizabeth embraces motherhood for the first time, and JoAnn takes a luxury cruise for her sixty-fifth birthday (although a little reluctantly at first). Someone told me recently that sixty is the new forty. I think I believe them (my knees and back don’t).
My good friend, Autumn Macarthur, also has two books with much older characters. In their eighties, Isabella Rossi and Giovanni Bartolini from Innamorata are by no means old. How could they be when they enjoy seeing the Tuscan countryside from a motorbike and sidecar?
Adore Me, the ninth book in the Chapel Cove Romances series, will release soon with it’s sixty-one-year old heroine, Paula, and seventy-two-year-old hero, Richard. I’m looking forward to reading their story. Autumn has kindly allowed me to share the cover of her soon-to-release book with you.
To celebrate my upcoming birthday, I’m giving away an e-copy of A Time to Laugh and A Time to Push Daisies to two readers who comment.
Do you love books with older characters? Why not tell us about your favorite book with an over-sixty character?
USA Today bestselling author, MARION UECKERMANN’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa and are setting their sights on retirement when they can join their family in the beautiful Cape.
I read mostly books with a younger hero and heroine, but with such a book that you mentioned, it can freshen your mind about love. There aren’t many authors who write about that, so thank you for your book tip!
I think i read a book with a character that was in her 40’s not many books out there with 60 or older characters.
Hi Marion! Cheers to Sixty and Seventy! Having celebrated the 7th decade this year, I enjoy reading stories with older heroes and heroines. Enjoyed reading all the stories mentioned above. Maybe that is why I enjoying cozy mysteries with a Golden Year sleuth. In the Golden Years characters approach life in a different way drawing from history and life experiences. Safe travels my friend and enjoy your celebration surprise with family, especially your adorable granddaughter, who I know holds a special place in your heart. Best wishes and Happy Birthday.
Happy birthday, Marion. I, too, am turning 60 this month. But I’m a lot younger than you since my birthday isn’t until the 26th! Lol. I enjoy books with older characters occasionally but I admit I prefer them to be younger. Probably because that’s where I am in my mind.
Happy Birthday! I am just starting to read books about older characters although there aren’t many books in that genre to read.
Happy Birthday to you and your sister. I am 61 almost 62 so I totally understand. So fun that you can celebrate like this. Have a blast. These books look wonderful. I am now starting to enjoy books with older couples. But not knowing some of the authors and being on a budget has impeded this venture some. thanks for the give a ways and the recommendations.
I am so happy that you are getting to spend your birthday with the kiddos! I love all the books you mentioned and am so looking forward to Autumn’s new one!
Happy birthday! I hope you enjoy your time with family for your special day. I haven’t read many books with a more mature H/H. I’m totally open to it, but they seem to be scarce.
Happy Birthday!! I do like reading stories with older couples, as I’m only a few years behind you! I’ve read Autumn’s Innamorata, and I’m looking forward to Adore Me. Karen Kingsbury’s Baxter series has an older couple, the Mom and Dad in the series, John and Elizabeth. When Elizabeth passes, he eventually meets a new love and remarries. Heather Blanton has a book with an older male character, though the heroine is younger. It’s a re-telling of Ruth and Boaz’s story. The Tales of the Grace Chapel Inn have older heroines, and a few have one of them dating, but they’re all friends with men and women older and younger, so it’s a good mix.
Since I am over the age of 60 I love reading books with characters of distinction LOL. There is a lot to be said about the “I’m old not dead” saying.
Thank you for the opportunity to win a free book.
Stay safe, strong and healthy and Happy birthday to other you and your sister.
I usually read books with younger heroes and heroines, but I enjoy stories with older ones too. Its kind of fun to have the older characters be the main one in books as it can give us an example to look up to as we get older too.
I have not read many. A great concept.
Happy Birthday 🎈 Hope you have a lovely day,. The books sound good to an older reader.
Being 68 myself I do enjoy reading about older characters, although there aren’t a lot of books out there. Happy birthday to you and have a wonderful weekend!
Happy 60th birthday! It’s not so bad, especially if you stay young at heart.
I’m in my mid-60’s and would love to read books with characters in my age group.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Happy Birthday Marion! May you have a blessed day and year!
As I’m 77 years old now, I love reading books about older , strong, caring women! One that I thoroughly enjoyed was Allie & Bee by Catherine Ryan Hyde! I always did want to take off in an RV and go wherever! These books in this post will be added on my TBR list, for sure! Thanks for the chance!
Happy Birthday Marion to you and Happy Birthday to your young sister. LOL I just hit the BIG 75 mark this last week, and I hear you. I mind is still wanting to run along the trails with under 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 year old grandkids and keep up to the 7, 9, 10, 15 and 20 year olds grands in the swimming pool. I want too, I really want too, but sometimes the knees just won’t obey. What a wonderful celebration you will have in Cape Town again! Have an absolutely wonderful time. Blessings to all.
You’re welcome, Marilene. I hope you get to read the stories that I mentioned.
The Chapel Cove series I’m collaborating on with Autumn Macarthur and Alexa Verde, mostly has heroes and heroines in their forties (but a few are a little younger). It’s a great series. Yes, I definitely think there is a gap in the market for older characters.
Thank you so much, Renate. We can’t wait (and yes, I was out today buying a few pretty summer dresses for that little munchkin … and pants and shirts for the boys). I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed our older character stories. I must say, I enjoy writing with older characters.
Happy birthday, Sherri :) You’re on the same day as my sister-in-law (who is like a second sister to me). I enjoy writing my characters from 30 up :) And yes, as I’ve said in the post, I think one’s mind gets stuck in the twenties and the body just ages.
Thanks so much, Lori. I hope you get to read the books I mentioned with older characters.
Happy birthday. I can totally relate, and I’m older than you. I always say I feel really young until I look in the mirror. :)
Thanks so much, Lori. I’m looking forward to all the family fun. Good luck in the draw and I hope you get to read the stories I mentioned.
Me too, Paula. Can’t wait. It was a good idea. So glad you’ve enjoyed all our golden oldie books :)
I recently turned 50 (a Big 5-0!!) in August so yeah, definitely feeling it in my body and not my mind. Didn’t I just turn 20 something or even 30? I saw a meme not too long ago that said, “I don’t mind turning older, I just thought it would take longer!”….lol! Isn’t that the truth? :-D
I do like stories with older people in them because I have a harder time relating to the 20 or 30 somethings out there. Their lifestyle and attitude is so much different than when I was that age. The culture is different, so many more “hip” things and then add to it, the internet and computer generation. I see young folks who constantly rely on their cell phones for just about everything…me, I just use it for a phone & occasionally for looking up something like a phone number or address of a business. And besides, why do I want one (a mini machine) that THINKS it’s smarter than me…lol! :-)
Since I’m a hopeless romantic, some of my favorite stories are those who have lost their spouses, but find love again. They know what it takes for marriage to last & what true love is. Not that the first blush of love can’t make them feel young, but they are much less impulsive when it comes to dating (maybe?). It’s so sweet to watch an older couple fall in love in books. I don’t personally know anyone who has lost a spouse and then fell in love again. Well actually I take that back, I do…my husband lost his first wife in ’95 and we married in ’97…but neither one of us were old.
I can come up with at least one book that features this story….Karen Kingsbury has a series of books about the Baxter’s. Well John Baxter is the father, he lost his wife Elizabeth to cancer (I believe) and then found love again with her best friend. It’s such a sweet series and I was so happy that he did. At first, the “kids” (most of them grown) didn’t agree, but eventually came around :-) I also read one last year called “The Encounter” by Robin Densmore Fusion about a 52 year old widow finding love again in a hospital Chaplin (Lance) who came to comfort the family when her husband died. It was a good one and love grew slowly between the two. For obvious reasons, she had to have time to grieve for her husband & Lance was there to help guide the family through it. God used that to bring them together….so sweet!!
I need to read more books like this :-)
Thanks so much, Kim. We always have a good time with the family. I hope you get to read the books I’ve mentioned, and yes, there aren’t a whole lot out there. But, readers do love them.
Thanks for the wishes, Trudy. Thanks so much for suggesting more books with older characters.
LOL, I like the diplomatic “characters of distinction.” All the best in the draw, Glenda. You stay safe too, and thanks for the birthday wishes.
Thanks for your comment, Megan. Glad you enjoy the more mature characters too. They can be fun to work with.
Thank you, Kelley. I hope you get to read some soon.
Thanks so much for the wishes, Carol. I’m sure it’s going to be a fabulous day. Hope you get to try out the books.
Thanks for your birthday wishes, Kathy. Sounds like us writers who do write older characters need to write faster and write more :)
Age is just a number they say. All the best in the giveaway, Susan. Hope you get to read these books.
Thanks so much for the wishes, Rebecca, and for adding my books to your reading pile. All the best in the draw.
Thanks so much, Sandra (I’m the baby, by the way :) ). Oh, tell me about those knees. I think the famous saying should be … “The spirit is willing, but the knees are weak!” I’m so looking forward to seeing the beautiful Cape again and my grandkids and family.
Thanks, Merrillee. LOL, I feel young until I look at photos :)
LOL, Trixi, I love that saying! Thanks so much for sharing your story and other books with older characters. My widowed sister met her second husband when she was in her mid fifties. He’s a few years older than her and was a widower. Love definitely can happen again and in the golden years.
Forgot something! I used to think 30, then 40, then 50, etc., was old, and especially 80’s and 90’s. However, the older I’ve gotten, and the older my Mom has gotten, even 96 isn’t that old! She still gets around pretty good, she can still crochet, she still makes cards, so old is only old if you let it make you old. A neighbor who is only 13 or 14 asked me one day how old Mom is. I told her, and she couldn’t believe it, as her grandmother is much younger than Mom and acts likes she’s much older! Of course, everyone is different, but honestly, nothing really seems old anymore.
Haha…The baby eh? My youngest sister keeps insisting she’s the baby too, but the 12 of us were all so close, it hardly matters. I have 4 siblings younger than me, and had 7 older than me, but once we all got past 60, it hardly seems to matter anymore.
Hope your birthday year is splendid. Why would you ever leave Ireland? Sounds like a dreamy (though perhaps wet) place to live! Isn’t it funny how we thought people in their 40s were old, until we arrive there and realize we still have a lot of life left, don’t we??
Happy Birthday Marion! I hope you have a wonderful get away/birthday! I really need to read A Time to Laugh again! I haven’t read A Time To Push Daisies yet. I can’t wait to read the whole series!
Dear Marion,
Happy birthday this week.
I enjoyed both, Elizabeth’s story of having a miracle baby, and JoAnn’s, especially that she found Jesus.
I’ve read Innamorata as well.
Shalom from Germany .
Sorry, I didn’t realize that in my scrolling (on my phone) my post ended up as a comment on another reader’s.
“Happy Birthday to you and your sister!” Enjoy your birthdays . Your books sound like very good reads . I have read a couple of books with older book characters in them. One of them was of a grandma and how far she went to help her teenage grandaughter that she loved so much. I’m in my mid 60’s and I understand what you say about our minds feeling younger but there are some aches and some pains that accompany our age, but life goes on Thank God. Thank you so much for sharing about your books and for writing books about book characters later in their years. Have a Great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
Gelukkige verjaarsdag! I celebrated my 60th earlier this year. Come on in. The water’s fine!
I have a dear friend from church, in his eighties who has been a widower three times. Each marriage was its own special story to be told. He’s single at the moment but, if the right lady comes along, I can just see him with yet another dream come true.
I like the stories with older heroes and heroines. The couple’s relationship skills are so much deeper, the appreciation of one another so much greater.
Do you know why young people call us grown ups? It describes the sound when we try to stand. ;)
Happy Birthday to you and your sister.
Since I am 71, I like stories about older couples.
Happy Birthday!
Publishing makes it hard to find them, but I would read them.
Congratulations!!! Wishing you all the best and hoping Spring is blossoming around Cape Town.
I really enjoyed Autumn’s Love in Store book about an older couple. I have to say I don’t really know their age but I’ve always imagined them with gray hair. They are probably in their fifty’s though. I don’t think I’ve had a chance to read one of yours. I actually got Tuscan Legacy boxed set but never got around to reading them all. Too many books. Too little time.
I loved reading Innamorata , it was nice reading about a new love between an older couple. ❤️❤️
I look forward to more books with older people in them.
Happy and blessed birthday. I loved With Winter’s First Frost by Kelly Irvin.
Happy birthday and many blessings to you and your sister! I enjoy reading romance that feature older couples. I feel as I get older I am getting better!
Honestly, I haven’t read too many books with “older characters”. I’ve just started reading the Chapel Cove series, so I’m just getting to know the forty-something characters, though eventually I hope to read Adore Me :) I also have Innamoratta in my TBR list; and another series I’ve heard of that has over-sixty characters would be Juliette Duncan’s A Time for Everything.
And Happy Birhtday!! Hope you have a wonderful and blessed time with your family!!
I’ve read books with couples who the mother is teens to twenties & some are with an older man. I find all kinds of books with couples interesting because age is just a number.
Age is nothing these days & as long as your healthy & enjoying life it’s great. Couples of all ages & I’ve read alot of them. There great books.
Birthday Blessings <3
I hear you…I thought 35+ was old LOL and can't believe I'm nearing 40!
I still tend to read about younger couples 25-35…but I have read books with older too and enjoyed them,
Cheers to 60! I am ahead of you by 3 years! I love reading about characters that are in their 50s and 60s! Twenty and thirty-somethings make me think of my son!! Doesn’t work for me!!
Happy Birthday!
I can’t recall any stories where the main characters were that old – occasionally the grandparents or parents find matches but only as supporting characters.
Given how adventurous my grandparents and their generation were, we seem kind of tame to me. I imagine it comes down to marketing where everything is aimed at the 25-39 year age gap as presumably they have the most disposable income. I can just imagine a book editor saying, but that won’t sell. Though older characters like Miss Marple etc are brilliant.
Happy birthday, Marion! I hope you and your sister have a fun time celebrating. LOL, having beaten you to 60 by a week, I can promise you it’s just another number.
Thanks for mentioning my more grown-up characters!
Happy Birthday Marion! Enjoy celebrating your milestone birthday! ❤️
Happy 60th Birthday Marion! Hope you get to spend the time with loved ones. I like reading books with older characters. I realized that as I get older I wanted to read about people that I can relate to in life.
Arletta, culture shock is a real and difficult thing. When you’re not living in your own country, you feel like a square peg in a round hole. And, we missed our family terribly :)
Hi Anke, so glad you’ve enjoyed the stories I mentioned. Greetings and peace from South Africa :)
LOL, no problem :)
Thank you, Carol. Oh, you will LOVE A Time to Push Daisies :)
Thank you so much for your wishes, Alicia, and for sharing. I hope you get to read my books sometime soon.
Hey, Lincoln. How come you know the mother language? :) Thanks for the reassurance that 60 will be a splash!
Wow, your friend’s story sounds like it would make a fascinating book. Hmm, story ideas….
Thanks for sharing, and LOL at the joke. I love it!
Thanks so much, Paula. If you haven’t read my stories, I hope you are able to.
Thank you, Denise. I guess word of mouth is the best way of finding out these kinds of stories. And keywords in a search perhaps :) Hope you’re able to read my stories some time.
Hi Priscila, thank you for your wishes, and yes, Spring has sprung in South Africa.
The book of Autumn’s that you’re referring to is Least Expected and the couple are in their fifties. In fact, this book is one of the two books (the other is mine) that sparked the idea for the Tuscan Legacy series of which Innamorata is the final book. One of the characters in the Tuscan Legacy series (and the heroine of book 8) is Maggie’s of Least Expected’s now grown up daughter. Maggie also makes a brief appearance in book 9 I think.
I do hope you’re able to read my books as well as all the Tuscan Legacy books.
Thank you, Lucy. And thanks for sharing another mature characters book.
Thank you so much, Pam. Hope you’re able to read my stories, and find more similar books.
Thanks for the greetings, Priscila. Yes, Juliette does have a series with older characters. Hope you’re enjoying your time in Chapel Cove :)
That is so true, Amy. I’m glad you enjoy characters of all ages. I do too.
That is so true, Sylvain. Happy reading :)
Thank you, Natalya, and thank you for sharing :)
LOL, Linda :) I hope you’re able to find more books with characters in their golden years.
Thanks for your wishes, Dianne.
That is the beauty of Indie Publishing … the author gets to decide what kind of characters and stories they want to write.
LOL, thanks, Autumn. I’m sure we will have a great time in a wonderful city.
Absolutely my pleasure to mention your characters and books.
Thanks so much, Narelle. Can’t believe five years ago, I was celebrating 55 with you, Heidi, and Judith in Dallas :)
Thank you, Sonnetta. Well, hopefully we will be able to write more older characters. I have one planned for Chapel Cove with 60 something characters, but oh, I have several books to write before I get to that story.
I must confess to a knowledge no deeper than Google Translate, LOL! Many happy returns. My brother and I are ten years apart, too (he is the older). Our birthdays are several months apart, though, so we never celebrated together. That’s really special. Enjoy!
Happy Birthday! I’m in my 30’s, so older characters aren’t a draw for me, but they also aren’t a turn off.
Thank you for your comment, Katy :)
I know! Those 5 years have disappeared way too fast! It was fun celebrating your birthday in Dallas :)
Happy Birthday! I do enjoy books with characters over sixty, but they are harder to find. I have read a couple that have older couples. A Time to Treasure by Juliette Duncan and Reservations for Two by Anne Patrick.
I remember you and Autumn mentioned the connection to Tuscan legacy. I enjoyed Maggie’s daughter story.
I do hope I find time to read again. Life with a baby and a toddler in this pandemic hasn’t been easy, in particular as both me and my husband work 40h -/week in home office (some weeks more like 50h).
I love books with older characters. I am 55 years old so I can relate. I read out loud to my 82 year old Mom and my husband. I have read the Hannah Swensen books by Joanne Fluke. Hannah’s mother and her friend own an antique shop next door to Hannah’s bakery. She always wants to help her daughter with whatever crime she is trying to solve.
I also have read the Beach House series by Mary Alice Monroe. It tells the story of a family from Charleston. The trials and secrets that have been hidden in the past as it effected the children and grandchildren in today’s society in their views and attitudes.
Thank you for the opportunity. Happy Birthday. I hope you have a marvelous time.
I love books with older characters. I am 55 years old so I can relate. I read out loud to my 82 year old Mom and my husband. I have read the Hannah Swensen books by Joanne Fluke. Hannah’s mother and her friend own an antique shop next door to Hannah’s bakery. She always wants to help her daughter with whatever crime she is trying to solve.
I also have read the Beach House series by Mary Alice Monroe. It tells the story of a family from Charleston. The trials and secrets that have been hidden in the past as it effected the children and grandchildren in today’s society in their views and attitudes.
Thank you for the opportunity. Happy Birthday.
I don’t have any favorite books with older characters. But tomorrow (the 21st) is my 71st birthday and I would love a chance to read one of your books. And, happy belated birthday to you and your sister.
Happy birthday, Linda. Hope you have had a wonderful day. All the best in the draw, and I hope you get to read my books sometime soon.
Thank you so much for sharing, Debra.
Thank you, Debra. We had a fabulous time.
Thanks for sharing, Judy. Hope you’re able to find more 60 plus books.