The Wedding Planners

Looking forward to getting to know each of you and your characters. Welcome to the boards!

Rae

Sorry, wanted to tag/title this to attempt to draw people in.

Who came up with the idea for the series? And how were you all picked to write for it?

Rae

Hi, Rae,

As Myrna said, this series was amazing from start to finish. We are all so privileged! We weren't chosen, we thought of the series ourselves and pitched it to our senior editor, who loved it and took it with very few changes. As Shirley had the original kernel of the idea, she asked us on an email loop we share, if we wanted to do this with her, and we all were thrilled! 

You see, we were friends from when we were asked to make the jump from Silhouette Romance to Harlequin Romance. We knew and trusted each other, knew none of us are prima donnas or would demand pride of place.

And that's also how we pitched it: the editors would have no trouble with us. I'm not sure they believed us at first, but it's exactly what happened. I can thank Shirley, Myrna, Melissa, Linda and Susan from my heart for the support, understanding (especially when I made the overseas move in the middle of the book!) and always being willing to help me with anything I needed. They are truly some of the nicest, kindest women I know, and I would write a series again with them, any time.

And special thanks to them all for their patience with me because I'm a technophobe. They've all worked so hard on this series, setting up ads and blogs and I don't have a clue about it, I just write books...

More soon, not as the final author in this wonderful series, but as a mother of a very recent bride, and the trials and tribulations of a modern wedding...

Melissa

Just popped over to this page too.  It's so pretty.  Very wedding-ish.

I love continuity series, love finding out what happens to other characters as it makes me feel like i'm part of the family!

Regards

Jane Beckenham

I'm looking forward to reading this series. When does the first book hit the shelves? Not that I'm anxious or anything.

Melissa, I hope your little one is feeling better soon.

Gail

Thanks so much to everyone who has wished us well on this series (hello to Rae, Jane, Liz, Gail and Sheandeen)! It truly was a joy to get to work with five wonderful and talented women I've grown to count among my friends (I love the Internet. Where else can a person talk daily with like-minded women around the world)?

And Sheandeen, yes, "The Heir's Convenient Wife" is the second book in the series (I am so glad that you enjoyed the story. I cried with those characters, laughed with them, fretted over them and was finally relieved when Dell and Regina told me to stop worrying and fussing. They were going to have their happy ending, thank you very much).

And yes, Shirley Jump's "Sweetheart Lost and Found," the first book in the series is wonderful and romantic and fun and fast-paced (I've read it, of course, and you're all going to love it). It should hit the shelves in early April, I think. The exact date could vary from store to store but the one I've seen is April 8th, so somewhere around there.

By the way, Sheandeen, I saw on your profile that your avatar is your outdoor reading spot. I am sooo envious. That looks totally gorgeous! (Definitely a reminder that I need to do something with my profile, too. I set it up years ago and never did anything with it).

I hope everyone here has a wonderful day!

Thanks for everyone's post!

 As for your question, Rae, Shirley was the one who suggested we do a continuity together, but at that time we had the idea of friends at the monthly poker party, nothing more.  She posted a draft of a first scene where several of the heroines are introduced.  We weren't sure how many books it would be at that time.  There were other authors on the original loop, but it ended up being the six of us who committed to giving the continuity a go.

We tossed around ideas about what would tie these six stories together.  We brainstormed all kinds of ideas.  I cannot remember who came up with wedding planners, but it was a brilliant suggestion.  We originally named the series Knot Mr. Right.  Shirley came up with that one, too!  From there, we each took a character from Shirley's scene (and created a couple of new ones) and made them our own.  I'd already written an SR about a wedding planner so wanted to do something a little different with my heroine and it worked out perfectly.  

 Shirley took Callie, the florist.  Myrna got Regina, the photographer.  Me, Serena, the wedding dress designer.   Linda wanted Natalie, the baker.  Audra, the accountant, was perfect for Susan.  And Julie, the assistant, went to the other Melissa.  Of course, Belle Mackenzie, the owner of The Wedding Belles, is in all of the books.

 It was so funny as we were writing these books to suddenly find out there was a Fox television show called about wedding planners called Wedding Bells when the name of the wedding planning company in our books is The Wedding Belles! 

 I have to admit the best part of this has been growing closer with the five other authors.  I'd met Shirley in person at the RWA conference in Denver, but that was it.  Still, you don't need face-to-face interaction to be friends.  This continuity truly is 6 friends writing about six friends.

 Four of us, Shirley, me, Susan and Linda, though, met at the Dallas RWA conference and had so much fun together.  I'll be putting the pictures up on the blog eventually.   We also gave a talk on writing an author generated continuity with Kim Young, the Sr. Editor of HR.   I just wish Myrna and Melissa could have been there, too.   Someday!

 Melissa 

 P.S.  Thanks Gail.  My daughter is doing and feeling much better today.  Right now, she's napping right next to me as I type.

I'm excited about this series - I love a continuity and this is such a great idea to connect them. Thanks!

Whew! I'm finally here. I have excuses for why I'm late but I won't bore you with them.

I had a great time writing my book for the Wedding Planner series, but I was even thrilled to be a part of this group. We had a great time coming up with the stories and I know the blog we're creating will be great fun too.

That was the first book. I remember reading that one, it was lighthearted and fun. I can't wait to read the rest of the books.

And big hi to my mate Nicola - hi Nic! Hi to Liz and all the others who posted, thanks for coming...

And I was sad to miss the conference last year. I'd actually booked it but my mother-in-law passed away just before then, in early July, and of course family took precedence. I'd have loved to see all the girls face to face! I think I met some at the NY conference in 2003 but at that time we didn't know each other very well. It's just been since the HR/SR merger we've become such good friends.

Melissa J

I know they're all sitting here saying it was my idea, LOL, but truly, without these gals, there would be no series. I had a few pages, maybe 10?? that had been sitting on my computer forever, about a bunch of friends playing poker. I'd been waiting for the right friends to come along to write a series with friends. I just always thought it would so much fun to write with my friends (though I did worry about it a bit because you know what they say about working with friends or family...but this group was AWESOME. I'd do it again in a heartbeat).

So when the Silhouette Romance/Harlequin Romance merge happened, all of us became really close and talked a lot, and I realized how much I liked these gals, and thought they all had the right strengths to merge with this idea I'd had forever. So I threw it out there, and then they just RAN with it. All I had was a few pages, but they had the brain power to create this amazing series. And incredible characters. I was just blown away with how powerful these gals made each and every ounce of this series. From Serena to Regina, to Belle, to everyone, it's just AMAZING.

Truly, this series is all about the power of friendship. Every one of us left our egos at the door and put the books and the good of the series ahead of everything else. Without the other authors (who are all so incredibly talented!), this series wouldn't be here. So credit them :-)

Sounds like not only are you a group of authors, you are also a great support group to each other. We, the readers, are the beneficiaries of all that great energy. So, are you going to tackle another joint project sometime in the future?

This sounds like a great series.  Who doesn't love weddings!   Weddings take a lot of planning & a lot or work!!  I'll be looking for the books where can I find out more about the whole series so I don't miss any of them? 

The Internet is a wonderful thing, I've met some great people here on site that have become efriends.  I love that we all have reading & romance in common.  My reading has expanded to try more authors & more lines.  My TBR pile continues to increase & my checkbook to decrease!!  All the high gas prices & rising cost of everything is not helping.    It means less money to buy books!

Sheandeen comes from my three daughter's names. My name is Nancy. I took the first 3 letters from my middle child's name, then the first 3 letters from my eldest's name and finally the last 3 letters from my youngest's name and voila: Sheandeen--the middle child and the youngest have names with an Irish origin

Rae,

How funny that you should mention wondering what Belle looks like, because she was the one character where we actually visualized a celebrity when we were discussing what she should look like.  We all agreed that Belle looks like Paula Deen. 

Belle is a bit of a mother figure for our heroines and we knew she had to be someone warm and charming and beautiful in her own right. 

As for our heroines, we each came up with our own descriptions and then found images that fit (which we posted in the proposal we presented to the editors) so that we all knew how to describe the other Belles.  The interesting thing is that while we have multiple heroines with the same hair color, you'll never mix them up on the page because their personalities are all so different.  I think that was a lot of fun, having all these great friends who are so different coming together and supporting each other through the trials they go through as the series progresses in the same way we supported each other. 

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic remembering the whole process.  Isn't sisterhood great?

I actually used two celebrities for my characters' looks, Rae. Sienna Miller (with her trendy short do post Factory Girl) was the model for my heroine, Serena James. And Gabriel Aubry, well a picture of him I found on the Internet that was oh-so-sexy, provided inspiration for my hero, Kane Wiley.

I'm very visual so having sort of picture or image of the characters makes the writing a little easier for me especially at the beginning of any story. Of course, I've been known to change mid-stream if I find someone who's a better fit.

Melissa

Whoo! Been away for the weekend and had to come home through snowstorms and ice (a first for us Aussies). Turned a 5 hour drive to 10...

I'd do another series with any of these ladies in a heartbeat. The whole thing was fun (well, except moving three times, and coming back and forth to Australia and Switzerland, in the deadline period), and I count them all as friends and confidantes. Trust is essential for a book like this, about friends, to work. And we had - still have! - that, completely.

I can't wait to catch up with them in San Francisco!

Melissa J

for posting info on The Wedding Planners! 

Linda G, Congratulations on getting a RITA nomination.  Maybe I will see you in San Francisco!  I'm planning on going to the book signing to meet some of my favorite authors.  I live about 70-75 miles north of San Francisco.  Can't wait!  It may be the only time I get a chance to do this. 

Donna, I will be signing at the signing so please come see me and introduce yourself as Donna from the eharlequin blog.

 Sorry for talking about this on the WEDDING PLANNERS blog. I got carried away. Now back to weddings!!!

 Anyone have a favorite wedding movie?

Linda goodnight

Many congratulations on the Rita nomination.  What fabulous news <g>

 Liz

Yes, Father of the Bride, The Runaway Bride, The Wedding Planner (hmm, does that sound familiar?) are both great. I actually own The Wedding Planner.

 Even though it is not a wedding move per se, SWEET HOME ALABAMA has a wedding in it. I love that movie. And Reese Weatherspoon was the model for my heroine in WINNING THE SINGLE MOM'S HEART, so that makes it extra special.

 Thanks to Liz and Rae for the RITA congrats. I'm still spinniing!

Linda Goodnight

I love The Runaway Bride, too.  And Sweet Home Alabama is a favourite.  And of course My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  And there's another one ... My Best Friend's Wedding (?)   Obviously, I'm just a sucker for a wedding movie :)

Liz

Oh yes, My Big Fat Greek Wedding!  Loved it.  (How had I forgotten that one)?

Linda, I'm sure your kids meant that comment about Sweet Home Alabama in the very best way possible.  And I'm impressed that you are actually prepared to feed people at a moment's notice!  I need to plan, so when guests show up unexpectedly my dh and I are apt to say, "Oh, food.  Do we have any?  What can we give them that won't make them laugh or pity our poor hostessing skills?  How long has this cheese been in the fridge, do you think?"  Not that any of you would have to worry if you came to our house.  Everyone has survived so far. (Or at least they haven't complained.  I'm kidding, of course.  We love having guests.  We're just a bit casual about it).

Which...speaking about being more casual and bringing the subject back to weddings (I do tend to wander off topic)...brings to mind garden weddings.  I love those, but I'll bet they're more difficult to control (bugs, weather).  Any interesting stories about wedding mishaps, garden-style or otherwise?

I went to an outdoor wedding on July 4--in Oklahoma, no less. The term 'hotter than the Fourth of July" must have been coined here in Oklahoma. Sweat dripped off everyone and I have never seen so much punch disappear so fast in my life.  I truly felt sorry for the bride and groom who had really thought ahead to how bad the heat is in mid-summer.

Ruined me on the concept of outdoor weddings--though I keep putting them in my books!  LOL

 Linda g