In 2003, standing in a checkout line at a grocery store, I saw Kimberly Williams Paisley on the cover of a Woman’s Day magazine. I liked her and I liked Brad Paisley, her husband, and just tossed the magazine onto the conveyor belt with the rest of my groceries. Eventually, I settled down with a cup of coffee and a five-minute break at work and read the article. In it, she talked about how she and her husband surprised their friends and family by having a real wedding in what was supposed to be the wedding rehearsal. They did it to throw off the press who hounded them about their nuptials. Only their parents and two ministers knew what was happening. Kimberly wore her wedding dress under a trench coat, and when it was time, she threw the coat off and revealed her dress and people started to realize what was going on.
I loved that so much.
I wrote Sapphire Ice, which was the love story between a barmaid who was the daughter of a heroin addict prostitute Robin and billionaire Tony. It was a story about redemption, and God’s love and amazing grace, and how all of us are worthy. I finished it with Tony on one knee, proposing to Robin on a Florida beach on Christmas Eve. I’d dreamt of that proposal from the moment I started writing the book. I had no intention of going beyond her, “I do.” The next book in the series was Robin’s sister Maxine and Tony’s best friend Barry and their love story.
When Sapphire Ice was published, my (at the time) 15-year-old daughter read it. Actually, she inhaled it, binge-reading it over the course of a weekend. At the end of the book, she screamed, “That’s it!?” and threw the book across the room.
I was shocked. I asked what the issue was and she said, “I’ve waited the entire book for her billionaire wedding. You totally cheated me out of that experience.”
Obviously, that wasn’t going to do. So, I sat down to write Greater Than Rubies, all about the wedding Tony gave Robin. It ended up being more than just the fluffy wedding story and became a powerful novel of forgiveness and trust. But, it was also about the wedding. As I wrote toward it, all I could think about was that article I’d read ten years before, about how Kimberly wore her wedding dress under her coat and whipped it off at just the moment of surprise. I had no hesitation as I worked that into my story. Robin had a terrific reason for wanting to get married the day before the big “Boston’s Royal Wedding Extravaganza”. Tony had absolutely no reason not to indulge her in her desires. They still had the big royal wedding, but did it as husband and wife.
It was so much fun. I only wish I’d done something silly like mailed Kimberly Williams Paisley a copy of the book so that she’d know how her article inspired one of the best selling books in my history.
Have you ever encountered something in real life that you thought would have an amazing place in a romance story? One commenter will receive autographed copies of Sapphire Ice and Greater Than Rubies. I will pick a name on Friday, April 24th, at 5pm EST. International entries are welcome.
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
Thank you for sharing this! I have loved that scene so much of the wedding and thought you did an amazing job of it! The Jewel series is fantastic and anyone who has not yet read it needs to 😀!!!
I LOVE your jewel series!!! That’s how I found you! I’ve seen locations that would be cool in stories, and quaint shops that would fit in some other small towns, but I don’t think I’ve seen an actual circumstance that I think should be in a book. I did, however, make up a story for a friend once when we were on vacation. We were staying at a B & B and watched a flower delivery there, and I made up a whole story about why the person was getting flowers. The next morning, we happened to eat breakfast with the husband and wife and found out the real story!! I was kinda close, actually!
thank you so much!
That is very cool! Wow!
Hi Hallee, I actually listened to Gene’s audio of both these books last summer. I love the story behind the wedding (especially your daughter’s billionaire wedding request)! Thanks for sharing!
God bless you, hope your having an amazing morning in the middle of all this turmoil that the world is facing. I have to agree with my fellow reader I found The Jewels series while my family and I were living abroad and I was facing a period of very heavy depression The Lord showed me many things while I read them. I have not encountered anything that would be written in a book but would love to read a modern love story on the book of Ruth. Have a blessed day sisters.
Ruth would be a fun one to write modern-day!
Gene’s audiobooks are amazing! What a talent he has!
Yes, the encounter when my husband and I first met is a great story. I am using part of the meeting in a current WIP. :-)
That’s awesome!
My life story would make a good HEA romance. What others meant for evil God worked out for good.
I love that!
Yes, my parents love story. Thank you for sharing.
How cool! I love my parents’ love story, too.
Wow, that’s so cool! I’ve always liked those two as a couple too. Thank you for the chance to win! I haven’t really encountered much in real life that would make it in a romance novel, at least nothing comes to mind right now :) .
My wife and I have had a life of romantic stories. From initial repulsion to fearful discovery to me being the man of her dreams (okay, they were nightmares at first, but you start where you can!). One year, for her birthday, I told her that on a particular Saturday she should be ready to leave the house, dressed to the nines. Up pulled the stretch limo which took us to lunch at a restaurant that was a landmark in Washington, DC. From there, we were taken to the Kennedy Center to enjoy our box seats for Shakespeare. From there, back home. After the limo dropped us off, we took our own car to a nice local restaurant for dinner and ended our day visiting with family. Apparently I made life difficult for some of my friends at church when their wives heard the tale. Well, here’s to raising the bar!
It’s always interesting the little things that spark ideas. I think that must be the writer mind. :-)
You obviously love your wife. :-) I love that.
A friend released a book yesterday which has some parallels in my life.
I hope they’re good parallels!
My husband proposed to me in front of the national Christmas Tree in DC. I love christmas and Christmas decorations, so that made it special, but I hadn’t ever been to the National Tree before, so that made it even better.
What a wonderful memory. That would go great in a Christmas story!
I love Brad and Kimberly!
They just come across as genuinely nice people.
Haven’t read these books yet they sound awesome though please enter me in this giveaway My Parents Love story Was always amazing to me Thank you for this post!
I really enjoyed the Jewel series. The wedding before the wedding in Greater than Rubies was a brilliant idea. My future daughter in law is nervous to be watched by many people at their wedding. I have encouraged them to do the same as Robin and Toni, and get married before the big day.