You all know the rule: Location, location, location!

Well, my next series is set in a Gold-Rush era town in the Sierra Nevada range near Yosemite National Park. Sound familiar? Oh, yes, that’s near where I live. 😉

So, if you happened to read my new novella that was part of the CUPID TO THE RESCUE anthology, then you know I set the story in a town called: “Prospect Creek.”

The problem is: I can never remember the name. I fear that bodes poorly for my series. So, please, help me rename the town.

(I can’t use the name of an existing town in the California foothills for a number of reasons, including but not limited to the fact people are quick to point out when you make a mistake. That’s less likely to happen with an imaginary town.)

Here’s my current list of contenders:

1. Whiskey Ridge (new personal favorite) “Whiskey Ridge – where love is served straight, no chaser.”
2. Fremont Junction (John C. Fremont owned lots of property in this area.)
3. Carson Creek (after Kit Carson)
4. Stockton Creek or Sierra Creek or Sierra something...
5. Agua Fria (actual 1880s town, but not one any longer)
6. Vallecita (original name of my little town)
   

Please email me* and feel free to LIKE/HATE any of the above and/or SUGGEST a new name. If I pick the town name you like, I’ll draw one winner to name a secondary character in Book 2 in the series. (Can be your name, your favorite child’s name, your pet’s name…you get the idea.)

How “suite” it is!

As you might recall, we have been replacing the siding on JP’s fixer upper recently. This is a much bigger job than I anticipated. In part because the old house is a mishmash of different styles, trim, and poor construction. Paul and JP are the saw and screwgun guys; I paint. Unfortunately, weather hasn’t been conducive to exterior work, so the guys turned their attention to the last remaining interior fixit—the master bedroom ensuite.

Last week's Q&A was: Are you doing something “romantic” on Valentine’s Day? Yes or No?

I don’t know how much the pandemic had to do with your answers, but the majority of you said, “No big plans.”

That was my answer, too. However, we did celebrate an interesting milestone on Sunday. Around this time last year, Paul was working on a little job for our friends, the Kidds (Rita and Tony). While there, he stumbled across a 1965 Corvair. The car had belonged to Tony’s late mom, who bought it new and drove it until she couldn’t drive anymore. The car got parked in Tony and Rita’s barn where it sat for 30-some years and became the home of who knows how many generations of mice? I swear we removed a wheelbarrow full of mouse poop. We called it the “Covid Corvair” because Paul spent the first three months of the pandemic bringing the old girl back to life. The next nine months were devoted to getting her running well enough to drive. And on Valentine’s Day we drove her back to her original family. There were happy tears, I do believe. 

Then, later in the evening we were called to judge a Pie Making Contest at our daughter’s house: kids vs adults—with one variable (the person making the pie had to be blindfolded). Both pies were delicious, but we called it for the cherry pie, which happened to be the kids!!! What a super way to make Valentine’s Day fun for kids, too.

My two randomly selected winners this week are:

Teresa W.
and
Hilda Etherton

(Teresa and Hilda congrats. Please email me your pick of either a $5 Starbucks or a $5 Amazon gift card.)

Q&A

This week’s Q&A: Can you whistle? Yes or No?

This question was triggered by a song I heard recently. Sadly, I discovered I no longer can whistle. Dang! Will share the song next week.

(Two winners will be chosen by random drawing to receive either a $5 Starbucks gift card or a $5 Amazon gift card. Please reply the usual ways:
email or on my DebraSalonenAuthor Facebook page. *Feel free to include your town name suggestion with your Q&A answer.)

Stay well, my friends, and happy reading,

Deb

Next week: More help, part II.