Lacey Baker Interview - Her Unexpected Match ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Lacey Baker

Lacey Baker, a Maryland native, is a wife, mother, Nana and an author. Family cookouts, reunion vacations and growing up in church have all encouraged Lacey to write heartwarming and inspirational stories about the endurance of family and finding love. She is the author of the Sweetland series and Hallmark Channel Original Movies: A Gingerbread Romance and Christmas In Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing. While Lacey’s books may touch on a couple’s physical relationship, that’s not a focal point in their journey to love and those scenes are not explicit.

Greatest thing you learned at school.
How to type. I’m convinced that one of the reasons I’m able to be so prolific is because I can type really fast.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
When my daughters told me how proud of me they were. As a parent, I’m always wondering if I’m doing this parenting thing right, so to know that they believe in me is the best gift ever.

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
Life. There were so many things going on in my life during the months I was writing this book—daughter recovering from second epilepsy surgery, planning a reader/author event, day job, close friend learned of a life-threatening ailment. It seemed never ending.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
Because there’s always so much to be learned from stories, whether it’s about different cultures, fun adventures, new recipes or just being immersed in another time and/or place.

Can you tell us when you started HER UNEXPECTED MATCH, how that came about?
I actually wrote the original proposal for the Crescent Island series about two years ago, but it never went further than my agent’s desk, just because we had other projects that moved along first. So, by the time I was asked if I had a heartwarming story idea, I’d almost forgotten about my lovely little island. But I was elated to finally get to bring this place to life on the page. The first story in the series, HER UNEXPECTED MATCH, came from the idea of a couple meeting on the beach to walk a dog every night at midnight.

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT HER UNEXPECTED MATCH

I’m afraid of heights but was determined to include the ferris wheel scene.
Ms. Annabelle was inspired by Ms. One, the good witch in The Wiz.
My youngest daughter wanted a Great Dane, but we got an English Bulldog instead. His name is Vader.
One of the law clerks I used to work with stopped practicing law to become a travel blogger.
The shoes Sophia wore in her first scene were inspired by my favorite pair of Dansko clogs.
Blue is my favorite color, so I was ecstatic when I saw the cover for HER UNEXPECTED MATCH. There’s also a lot of blue things throughout the book—houses, flowers, shoes, balloons, donuts!
I’d never wear high heels to an island like Allie did.
My grandchildren call me Nana, so Ryan and Sophia had to call their grandmother the same.
Many of the meals served at Parker BBQ were cooked at my house during the writing of this book, but I’m not a huge fan of BBQ sauce.
Ms. Annabelle bakes the best cinnamon rolls on the island. My experience baking cinnamon rolls consists of opening the can and putting them into the oven.

What is the first job you have had?
Cashier at a pizza joint.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?

True love.

When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

This gray hair is so disrespectful.

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?
Whatever book I’m working on.

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?
When I went into the hospital to deliver my third child and ended up in a medically induced coma for 30 days.

Travel writer Allie Sparks has one goal: to find the story that will save her career. So here she is, visiting her bestie on picturesque Crescent Island―with sun-warmed beaches, the briny smell of the ocean, and rumors of a secret astrologer-matchmaker who guarantees love. Of course, Allie doesn't believe in any of that stuff. If anything, she'll prove it's a total scam.

Ryan Parker believes in love―just not right now. He's focused on expanding his family's barbeque business, finding investors, and keeping his too-big Great Dane puppy from jumping on everyone, including his sister's pretty, whiskey-eyed best friend. Besides, falling for a tourist is definitely not in his astrological forecast.

Allie is doing everything she can to resist the charm of the town and its beauty, not to mention her attraction to Ryan. But there's a lot more happening on Crescent Island than anyone knows...and when her story goes to print, this tiny, close-knit town might never be the same.

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