I love reading series, starting from beginning to end. In 2018, I came across a series, written by five authors. I was amazed at how seamless the read went from one book to the next. Each book stood well on its own, but the story line grew with each new book. It was as though one author wrote all five stories, and each one had something unique about it. While each story focused on one brother or sister, a bond is created between the books.
I’m talking about The Return of The Blackwell Brothers and The Blackwell Sisters.
Today, I am thrilled to welcome all five authors to Still Moments Magazine!
Welcome, Amy, Anna, Cari, Carol, and Melinda!
Before we get comfortable and start chatting, what can I get each of you to drink from the bar? Any preferred snack items?
Anna - Ooooh, my weaknesses are Cheez-Its or Sun Chips so if you have any lying around.
Cari - I like Cabernet red wine
Carol - Thank you, Darlene, how lovely. I’ll take coffee if you have it – black. And a family-sized bag of peanut M & M’s.
Melinda - I’ll have a caramel latte, please.
Let’s start talking about The Blackwells...
Who came up with The Return of the Blackwell Brothers concept/idea?
Amy - All of us worked together on it at RWA National Conference when we were in Orlando.
Anna - That’s going back a way, but I believe this was all Melinda Curtis’s idea.
Cari - I believe the idea came from Melinda.
Carol - Melinda! Mel has the best ideas.
Melinda - Back then, Harlequin Heartwarming hadn’t done a continuity (connected books by different authors), and I thought it would be great fun. The five of us had already worked together on the Christmas Town series of connected books published independently, and I knew we all had a similar sense of humor and heart.
Amy, Anna, Cari, and Carol, what were your thoughts when Melinda asked you to be part of this series?
Amy - I would do anything with these ladies, so there was no hesitation when jumping aboard.
Anna - I’ve learned not to say no when Melinda has an idea. I was excited for sure. Something new to try my hand at but also there wasn’t a lot of trepidation or nerves. Because we’re all good friends, it just felt like a natural fit.
Cari - My first thought was count me in. These women are my good friends and my writing tribe. Any time I can write with them on a project, I’m all in.
Carol - This is going to be the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book!
Welcome, Amy, Anna, Cari, Carol, and Melinda!
Before we get comfortable and start chatting, what can I get each of you to drink from the bar? Any preferred snack items?
Anna - Ooooh, my weaknesses are Cheez-Its or Sun Chips so if you have any lying around.
Cari - I like Cabernet red wine
Carol - Thank you, Darlene, how lovely. I’ll take coffee if you have it – black. And a family-sized bag of peanut M & M’s.
Melinda - I’ll have a caramel latte, please.
Let’s start talking about The Blackwells...
Who came up with The Return of the Blackwell Brothers concept/idea?
Amy - All of us worked together on it at RWA National Conference when we were in Orlando.
Anna - That’s going back a way, but I believe this was all Melinda Curtis’s idea.
Cari - I believe the idea came from Melinda.
Carol - Melinda! Mel has the best ideas.
Melinda - Back then, Harlequin Heartwarming hadn’t done a continuity (connected books by different authors), and I thought it would be great fun. The five of us had already worked together on the Christmas Town series of connected books published independently, and I knew we all had a similar sense of humor and heart.
Amy, Anna, Cari, and Carol, what were your thoughts when Melinda asked you to be part of this series?
Amy - I would do anything with these ladies, so there was no hesitation when jumping aboard.
Anna - I’ve learned not to say no when Melinda has an idea. I was excited for sure. Something new to try my hand at but also there wasn’t a lot of trepidation or nerves. Because we’re all good friends, it just felt like a natural fit.
Cari - My first thought was count me in. These women are my good friends and my writing tribe. Any time I can write with them on a project, I’m all in.
Carol - This is going to be the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book!
Before the writing started, how long was the collaboration to get the setting and characters in place?
Amy - The first series came together faster than the others, that’s for sure!
Anna - It didn’t take too long. Maybe a few (then) Skype conversations. So, a few online chats, a few email chains and we were off and running.
Cari - The initial setting and characters came together over texts, emails and video calls. Or wait … I might be thinking of the current proposal. Someone help me here? lol!
Carol - I remember Skyping about details in August, and my book (the first in the series) was due at the end of November.
Melinda - We created a series outline, synopses for each book with epilogues that introduced the next book, and a first chapter.
How did the brainstorming continue?
Amy –We were all kind of writing at the same time, so there was a lot of emails to clarify things about
each others’ characters.
Anna –We always knew when one of us was creeping up on deadline because we were texting like crazy.
Cari – I have text threads about the series that could probably be turned into Blackwell stories, lol!
Carol – There were tons of emails, texts, and a few phone calls.
Melinda - For the second series about sisters, we met face-to-face at a conference and then used Zoom. It was actually harder the second time around.
Who picked the character names and titles of the books?
Amy – We pick our own character names. The book titles were bit a of a group effort and then we always get input from Harlequin as well.
Anna –For The Return of the Blackwell Brothers, those titles were pretty much our ideas. For the Blackwell Sisters, using Montana for each book came from on high.
Cari – Ah, character names. Those are always fun because you don’t want to use the same first letter as another character or the same name. I usually take longer I think to find my names. I wait to see what everyone else picks and then work from there. Titles are not my strong suit. Melinda usually has a good handle on titles and hooks.
Carol –We wanted “strong” names that sounded good together.
Melinda - Our original series title for books 1-5 was The Boys Are Back, which turned into Return of the Blackwell Brothers.
How did you keep track of all the town’s characters and details?
Amy – We have an online bible for all of us to reference. It was very helpful.
Anna – We did do one map I think, of the Blackwell ranch. We also had a spreadsheet of characters (occupations, ages, descriptions with links to our inspiration photos), and that first sheet came in really handy when we wrote the second group of books.
Cari – Carol has a very nice word document that she shared from the first series.
Carol – Thankfully, we have a Google doc for everything.
Melinda - Amy created a Pinterest board. I had a scribbled map of the businesses and ranches I used. We had great editorial from Kathryn Lye to ensure consistency.
Did you have a say in your character’s story/plot?
Amy – We got to decide how our characters fell in love and their backstory. We did have to agree on the plot points that drove the overarching story, however.
Anna – We had pretty much full control over how we wanted to tell our stories. It was definitely a collaboration and we got a say specifically when our own character creations popped into other books.
Cari – We each seem to have tropes and hooks we prefer to write and others we’d like to avoid. Or maybe that’s just me – I can’t actually remember Carol ever saying no to a particular trope, lol! I often reach back out to the group for plot help as I write.
Carol – Yes! Mel suggested that we rely on popular tropes for our plots. After tossing out every idea we could think of, we all picked different ones. And once we settled on these, the story took off in its own direction.
Melinda - We just had to make sure that we didn’t choose the same hook and that we started and ended family relationships to be consistent with the books that came before or after.
What was the easier part of the collaboration?
Amy – Working with people I love. Getting to brainstorm with them and learn from them.
Anna – I think what made it easy was that we trust each other. And also that we’re always there for each other.
Cari – I feel like the book order – who’s writing which book – falls into place rather quickly.
Carol – For me, it was establishing my characters. We discussed birth order, backstory, and personalities of all the leading players so that we wouldn’t have any too similar. This helped bring my characters to life before I ever started writing. So, when it was time to begin, I couldn’t wait to tell their story.
Melinda - Just agreeing to do it, lol. We’re all busier now two years later.
What was the hardest part of the collaboration?
Amy – We are all smart and opinionated ladies. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to listen as often as we want to talk!
Anna – There was one character in particular some of us (ahem, you know who you are) thought should be killed off. Thankfully we convinced her that was definitely not the way to go, lol. Reader reaction since has proven that to have been the right choice.
Cari – For me it can be keeping track of the small details and threads that are introduced into previous books and that need to carry through my own book. It’s those details that make the series connected and they need to be right.
Carol – I always worry about keeping the other authors’ characters consistent with their personalities.
Melinda - I find making sure each book feels different and has a unique plot within the series of five is the most difficult. It’s easy to agree to a general plot twelve months before you begin writing. But then once you start writing, invariably something doesn’t work. However, you can’t just change things up in case it impacts the next book.
How did you manage to keep the transition from one book to another so smooth to make the reader feel like the stories are written by one author?
Amy – I think we just lucked out and all have very similar styles. I suppose that’s why we chose to write this together.
Anna – Going in we knew we wanted to end each book in a way that led into the next one, and that came in the guise of using Big E (in the first series) and then the continuing mystery of Thomas Blackwell in the second. It’s a relay, writing books like this, and those story threads were handing off the baton.
Cari – For me, it’s reading the other books, so I have a solid feel for the heroes and heroines. We also share our scenes to make sure everyone is happy with their characters.
Carol – There is such a delightful compliment in this question – thank you! I would credit our conversations and communication for the smooth transitions.
Melinda - We actually mapped out the epilogues when we created the series idea each time.
Once The Blackwell Brothers was completed, who came up with the idea of The Blackwell Sisters or was the concept already in the making?
Melinda - For the second series about sisters, we met face-to-face at a conference and then used Zoom. It was actually harder the second time around.
Who picked the character names and titles of the books?
Amy – We pick our own character names. The book titles were bit a of a group effort and then we always get input from Harlequin as well.
Anna –For The Return of the Blackwell Brothers, those titles were pretty much our ideas. For the Blackwell Sisters, using Montana for each book came from on high.
Cari – Ah, character names. Those are always fun because you don’t want to use the same first letter as another character or the same name. I usually take longer I think to find my names. I wait to see what everyone else picks and then work from there. Titles are not my strong suit. Melinda usually has a good handle on titles and hooks.
Carol –We wanted “strong” names that sounded good together.
Melinda - Our original series title for books 1-5 was The Boys Are Back, which turned into Return of the Blackwell Brothers.
How did you keep track of all the town’s characters and details?
Anna – We did do one map I think, of the Blackwell ranch. We also had a spreadsheet of characters (occupations, ages, descriptions with links to our inspiration photos), and that first sheet came in really handy when we wrote the second group of books.
Cari – Carol has a very nice word document that she shared from the first series.
Carol – Thankfully, we have a Google doc for everything.
Melinda - Amy created a Pinterest board. I had a scribbled map of the businesses and ranches I used. We had great editorial from Kathryn Lye to ensure consistency.
Did you have a say in your character’s story/plot?
Amy – We got to decide how our characters fell in love and their backstory. We did have to agree on the plot points that drove the overarching story, however.
Anna – We had pretty much full control over how we wanted to tell our stories. It was definitely a collaboration and we got a say specifically when our own character creations popped into other books.
Cari – We each seem to have tropes and hooks we prefer to write and others we’d like to avoid. Or maybe that’s just me – I can’t actually remember Carol ever saying no to a particular trope, lol! I often reach back out to the group for plot help as I write.
Carol – Yes! Mel suggested that we rely on popular tropes for our plots. After tossing out every idea we could think of, we all picked different ones. And once we settled on these, the story took off in its own direction.
Melinda - We just had to make sure that we didn’t choose the same hook and that we started and ended family relationships to be consistent with the books that came before or after.
What was the easier part of the collaboration?
Anna – I think what made it easy was that we trust each other. And also that we’re always there for each other.
Cari – I feel like the book order – who’s writing which book – falls into place rather quickly.
Carol – For me, it was establishing my characters. We discussed birth order, backstory, and personalities of all the leading players so that we wouldn’t have any too similar. This helped bring my characters to life before I ever started writing. So, when it was time to begin, I couldn’t wait to tell their story.
Melinda - Just agreeing to do it, lol. We’re all busier now two years later.
Amy – We are all smart and opinionated ladies. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to listen as often as we want to talk!
Anna – There was one character in particular some of us (ahem, you know who you are) thought should be killed off. Thankfully we convinced her that was definitely not the way to go, lol. Reader reaction since has proven that to have been the right choice.
Cari – For me it can be keeping track of the small details and threads that are introduced into previous books and that need to carry through my own book. It’s those details that make the series connected and they need to be right.
Carol – I always worry about keeping the other authors’ characters consistent with their personalities.
Melinda - I find making sure each book feels different and has a unique plot within the series of five is the most difficult. It’s easy to agree to a general plot twelve months before you begin writing. But then once you start writing, invariably something doesn’t work. However, you can’t just change things up in case it impacts the next book.
How did you manage to keep the transition from one book to another so smooth to make the reader feel like the stories are written by one author?
Amy – I think we just lucked out and all have very similar styles. I suppose that’s why we chose to write this together.
Anna – Going in we knew we wanted to end each book in a way that led into the next one, and that came in the guise of using Big E (in the first series) and then the continuing mystery of Thomas Blackwell in the second. It’s a relay, writing books like this, and those story threads were handing off the baton.
Cari – For me, it’s reading the other books, so I have a solid feel for the heroes and heroines. We also share our scenes to make sure everyone is happy with their characters.
Carol – There is such a delightful compliment in this question – thank you! I would credit our conversations and communication for the smooth transitions.
Melinda - We actually mapped out the epilogues when we created the series idea each time.
Amy –I remember being in a conference room around this big table and everyone was throwing out lots of ideas. Some of them better than others!
Anna – It was always in the back of our minds (or at least mine) that we wanted to find a way to come back to Montana and the Blackwells. Given the history we’d given Big E, he was the natural solution to finding a way. Even before the first series came out we were tossing ideas around, under Melinda’s leadership of course.
Cari – I’m going with it was already in the making. Mainly sidebar comments during the writing of The Blackwell Brothers.
Carol –The Blackwell Sisters were ‘born’ at the 2018 RWA national conference. Sadly, I missed out that year due to a death in my family. But afterward, they filled me in on the details, and I was happy to go with the flow.
Melinda - I think Anna and I discussed Round Two when the brothers were launching.
Was the writing process for the second series any different from the first?
Amy – It was very similar. The big change for me was going from being one of the last books to one of the firsts. That was a different writing experience because in the Brothers books I had to kind of know what the other books were all about and in the Sisters books I only had to worry about what had happened in one book before mine! A little easier and a little harder. It was an interesting change though.
Anna – I think the second group of books was a little tougher to write, at least it was for me. We had built up some pretty big expectations from the fans of the first series and, added to that, we all had a lot of other books in the works and deadlines to meet so the pressure was bigger with this one. I’ve found the process for each of my books has been different. I’ve stopped trying to anticipate how anything’s going to go.
Cari – I’m going with fairly similar. I lot of conversations and back and forth over details. A lot of laughter and a lot of jokes.
Carol – ‘Montana Match’ was a bit easier for me to write. I think this is because the ‘world’ was already created. But I also didn’t feel as much pressure as the first go-around.
Melinda - In the first series, the brothers were estranged, while in the second series the sisters were relatively close. The dynamic the second time around meant there were a lot of questions to each other about what they might have done together or how they’d interact.
What was your favourite and least favourite part of writing the new series?
Amy – I loved revisiting old characters and going back to the Blackwell Ranch! I get attached to characters, so being able to continue their story in a little way was nice. I didn’t really have a least favorite part!
Anna – My favorite part is creating the backstory and crafting all the ‘what came before’ the stories begin. Figuring out how the sisters’ lives were and what led them to our launch part was tough but rewarding. Discovering all the different personalities and what shaped them into the characters we got to write about, for me, is one aspect I always enjoy fleshing out.
Cari – I liked writing the last book set during Christmas with a wedding included. I was excited to revisit the entire Blackwell family at Christmas as Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I don’t think I have a least favorite part. I really like the Blackwell series.
Carol – Hands down, my favorite part was writing Fiona’s bad date scenes. I didn’t enjoy making her feel so lonely and alienated. I have a difficult time ‘watching’ my characters suffer.
Melinda - I wrote Book 1 this time and I loved setting up everyone’s characters and the series premise. It was somewhat easier to get author buy-in to the series idea and then bring it to life, rather than write Book 3 and carry plot threads without giving away too much of the last two books in the series.
Other than your book, what is one thing each author can take ownership of in creation of the series?
Amy – I guess I got to create a little of the backstory for Big E. In my Montana Wishes book, my characters get to hear the story about how Big E’s parents started the ranch and such. I got to do that on my own. I got to create some of the places the characters visit - the ax throwing bar and the ice cream shop.
Anna – Oh, wow. I don’t know if I can separate anything out. We all kind of blur together at this point for me as far as who presented or created what in the series. I do remember being convinced that birth order was very important. The older siblings would have a totally different mindset and character definition than younger ones, but I’m sure I’m not the only person who presented that.
Cari – I believe Carol has ownership of the street names in Falcon Creek. I believe Amy has a claim to the bakery in Falcon Creek and the chocolate delights created inside. Oh, and Amy owns the vision for the restored and renovated Blackwell guest ranch, including the wedding barn. I believe all songs and song lyrics for Chance were written by Anna. Mel owns the tropes – she keeps us focused on the tropes and using different tropes for every story. The petting zoo on the Blackwell Guest ranch is all mine, lol! And now I’m wondering if I answered this correctly.
Carol – Since ‘The Rancher’s Twins’ was the first book of the Return of the Blackwell Brothers series, I had the fun job of laying out and “creating” much of the town of Falcon Creek. I can stake a claim on businesses like the Silver Stake, Maple Bear Bakery, White Buffalo Grocers, and the Misty Whistle Coffee House.
Melinda - The journey within each book is different. This allows the author to play to their strengths. For example, Cari creates really strong extended communities, while Amy usually writes a smaller cast of characters. Anna loves a mystery or element of suspense. Carol enjoys a fish-out-of-water. And I love a good redemption or come-back story.
What was the easier part of writing your book in both series?
Amy – Nothing is ever easy when writing a book! I will say, I do find it easy to come up with the happy ever after. And it did help to have an on-going plot that I just had to add to.
Anna – Being first in The Blackwell Sisters took a lot of pressure off. I got to set everything up for the rest to follow. Not sure if that was easier than having tied everything up with the last book in the first series. It felt easier? A lot fewer threads to have to tie off.
Carol –The Blackwell Sisters were ‘born’ at the 2018 RWA national conference. Sadly, I missed out that year due to a death in my family. But afterward, they filled me in on the details, and I was happy to go with the flow.
Melinda - I think Anna and I discussed Round Two when the brothers were launching.
Amy – It was very similar. The big change for me was going from being one of the last books to one of the firsts. That was a different writing experience because in the Brothers books I had to kind of know what the other books were all about and in the Sisters books I only had to worry about what had happened in one book before mine! A little easier and a little harder. It was an interesting change though.
Anna – I think the second group of books was a little tougher to write, at least it was for me. We had built up some pretty big expectations from the fans of the first series and, added to that, we all had a lot of other books in the works and deadlines to meet so the pressure was bigger with this one. I’ve found the process for each of my books has been different. I’ve stopped trying to anticipate how anything’s going to go.
Cari – I’m going with fairly similar. I lot of conversations and back and forth over details. A lot of laughter and a lot of jokes.
Carol – ‘Montana Match’ was a bit easier for me to write. I think this is because the ‘world’ was already created. But I also didn’t feel as much pressure as the first go-around.
Melinda - In the first series, the brothers were estranged, while in the second series the sisters were relatively close. The dynamic the second time around meant there were a lot of questions to each other about what they might have done together or how they’d interact.
What was your favourite and least favourite part of writing the new series?
Anna – My favorite part is creating the backstory and crafting all the ‘what came before’ the stories begin. Figuring out how the sisters’ lives were and what led them to our launch part was tough but rewarding. Discovering all the different personalities and what shaped them into the characters we got to write about, for me, is one aspect I always enjoy fleshing out.
Cari – I liked writing the last book set during Christmas with a wedding included. I was excited to revisit the entire Blackwell family at Christmas as Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I don’t think I have a least favorite part. I really like the Blackwell series.
Carol – Hands down, my favorite part was writing Fiona’s bad date scenes. I didn’t enjoy making her feel so lonely and alienated. I have a difficult time ‘watching’ my characters suffer.
Melinda - I wrote Book 1 this time and I loved setting up everyone’s characters and the series premise. It was somewhat easier to get author buy-in to the series idea and then bring it to life, rather than write Book 3 and carry plot threads without giving away too much of the last two books in the series.
Amy – I guess I got to create a little of the backstory for Big E. In my Montana Wishes book, my characters get to hear the story about how Big E’s parents started the ranch and such. I got to do that on my own. I got to create some of the places the characters visit - the ax throwing bar and the ice cream shop.
Anna – Oh, wow. I don’t know if I can separate anything out. We all kind of blur together at this point for me as far as who presented or created what in the series. I do remember being convinced that birth order was very important. The older siblings would have a totally different mindset and character definition than younger ones, but I’m sure I’m not the only person who presented that.
Cari – I believe Carol has ownership of the street names in Falcon Creek. I believe Amy has a claim to the bakery in Falcon Creek and the chocolate delights created inside. Oh, and Amy owns the vision for the restored and renovated Blackwell guest ranch, including the wedding barn. I believe all songs and song lyrics for Chance were written by Anna. Mel owns the tropes – she keeps us focused on the tropes and using different tropes for every story. The petting zoo on the Blackwell Guest ranch is all mine, lol! And now I’m wondering if I answered this correctly.
Carol – Since ‘The Rancher’s Twins’ was the first book of the Return of the Blackwell Brothers series, I had the fun job of laying out and “creating” much of the town of Falcon Creek. I can stake a claim on businesses like the Silver Stake, Maple Bear Bakery, White Buffalo Grocers, and the Misty Whistle Coffee House.
Melinda - The journey within each book is different. This allows the author to play to their strengths. For example, Cari creates really strong extended communities, while Amy usually writes a smaller cast of characters. Anna loves a mystery or element of suspense. Carol enjoys a fish-out-of-water. And I love a good redemption or come-back story.
What was the easier part of writing your book in both series?
Amy – Nothing is ever easy when writing a book! I will say, I do find it easy to come up with the happy ever after. And it did help to have an on-going plot that I just had to add to.
Anna – Being first in The Blackwell Sisters took a lot of pressure off. I got to set everything up for the rest to follow. Not sure if that was easier than having tied everything up with the last book in the first series. It felt easier? A lot fewer threads to have to tie off.
Cari – Again, for me the fun part was creating family traditions for the Blackwells during the holiday season. I wished I had some of those traditions with my own kids once I created them for the Blackwells.
Carol – Creating my characters! This is almost always the easiest part for me.
Melinda - I love to write humor into my stories. We all do. That’s what makes the tone of the books hang together.
What was the hardest part of writing your book in both series?
Amy – Keeping all the characters consistent and true to who their author made them out to be. Some of the feedback from the editor of my first book was - Ethan would never do that! Talk to Cari! It’s not easy to make other authors’ characters your own.
Anna – Probably the same thing. Setting everything up for the Blackwell Sisters was daunting and important. The books that followed relied on it. Tying everything up for Return of the Blackwell Brothers was a challenge, but it’s one of those challenges I love. All my books tend to have threads running through from other stories, so this was second nature to me.
Cari – For the Blackwell Sisters in particular, the hardest part was not getting lost in a Blackwell family reunion. I needed to keep my story at the forefront. However, I also wanted all of the Blackwell family members to be present and active in the scenes. It got a little overwhelming at times trying to balance both and still make the Blackwell family feel like they had more than a cameo appearance on the page.
Carol – Keeping the details consistent. Thankful for those Google docs!
Melinda - It’s hard to know what comes next and not put hints of it in the book.
My favourite characters are Big E and Pops. Who came up with these two strong leading characters?
Amy – Big E was a group made character. Pops, I think, was Cari’s creation. You’re asking me to dig deep into my memories and they are faded!
Anna – Having gone last in the first series, when both those characters first appear, I definitely cannot take credit. Big E is a creation of all of us, but he was also the lynch pin and starting point for the entire Blackwell family. Pops was a Cari Lynn Webb creation and for me, he’s one of real bright spots of the series. I loved getting to include him in both stories. One of those threads that connects everyone.
Cari – Big E was a collaboration, but I think he came from Melinda. (I’m looking at the others for confirmation, lol!) Pops was my creation – I adore him. Pops came onto the page early in my writing of The Rancher’s Rescue. He pulled up his rocking chair, pointed at his chess game and took over the scene.
Carol – Mel gets credit for Big E and Cari invented Pops.
Melinda - We collectively came up with Big E. And the wonderful thing about that is each grandchild had a different relationship with him, just as in any family. Cari came up with Pops in Book 2. Since my book followed hers, I latched onto him for comic relief. You’ll notice he makes an appearance in the first sisters’ book.
Rumour has it there is a Blackwell 3.0 in the making. Do you confirm or deny?
Amy – I don’t think I am allowed to confirm or deny right now. I will say I hope there will be a Blackwell 3.0 - does that help?
Anna – I cannot confirm or deny at this time *zips lips* But if readers would like to cross their fingers and keep a good thought, I’m hopeful those good vibes will be rewarded. Hopefully sooner than later.
Cari – I don’t believe I can confirm or deny. Although I may have already hinted at it in my answer to an earlier question. Let’s just say: I’m hoping there is a Blackwell 3 in the future.
Carol – I respectfully yield the remainder of my time to my esteemed colleagues...
Melinda - We are pitching Blackwell 3.0, but it has yet to be officially picked up. Anna and I pitched the Blackwell series as a TV series to a production company, lol. Dreams don’t happen unless you give them voice!
Click on the following links to read more on the captivating Blackwell Brothers and Blackwell Sisters!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LNXV27V?searchxofy=true&binding=kindle_edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0881HYT75?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=dbs_s_ks_series_rwt_tkin
Amy, Anna, Cari, Carol, and Melinda, thank you for visiting today. It was a pleasure to read the books in both series, which have become some of my favourite reads. I look forward to reading more books from all of you... AND I have my fingers crossed for a Blackwell 3.0
To learn more about Amy, Anna, Cari, Carol, and Melinda, and their book library, visit their sites.
Amy Vastine : www.amyvastine.com
Anna J. Stewart: http://www.AuthorAnnaStewart.com
Cari Lynn Webb: https://carilynnwebb.com/
Carol Ross: https://carolrossauthor.com/
Melinda Curtis: https://www.melindacurtis.net/
Melinda - I love to write humor into my stories. We all do. That’s what makes the tone of the books hang together.
What was the hardest part of writing your book in both series?
Anna – Probably the same thing. Setting everything up for the Blackwell Sisters was daunting and important. The books that followed relied on it. Tying everything up for Return of the Blackwell Brothers was a challenge, but it’s one of those challenges I love. All my books tend to have threads running through from other stories, so this was second nature to me.
Cari – For the Blackwell Sisters in particular, the hardest part was not getting lost in a Blackwell family reunion. I needed to keep my story at the forefront. However, I also wanted all of the Blackwell family members to be present and active in the scenes. It got a little overwhelming at times trying to balance both and still make the Blackwell family feel like they had more than a cameo appearance on the page.
Carol – Keeping the details consistent. Thankful for those Google docs!
Melinda - It’s hard to know what comes next and not put hints of it in the book.
Amy – Big E was a group made character. Pops, I think, was Cari’s creation. You’re asking me to dig deep into my memories and they are faded!
Anna – Having gone last in the first series, when both those characters first appear, I definitely cannot take credit. Big E is a creation of all of us, but he was also the lynch pin and starting point for the entire Blackwell family. Pops was a Cari Lynn Webb creation and for me, he’s one of real bright spots of the series. I loved getting to include him in both stories. One of those threads that connects everyone.
Cari – Big E was a collaboration, but I think he came from Melinda. (I’m looking at the others for confirmation, lol!) Pops was my creation – I adore him. Pops came onto the page early in my writing of The Rancher’s Rescue. He pulled up his rocking chair, pointed at his chess game and took over the scene.
Carol – Mel gets credit for Big E and Cari invented Pops.
Melinda - We collectively came up with Big E. And the wonderful thing about that is each grandchild had a different relationship with him, just as in any family. Cari came up with Pops in Book 2. Since my book followed hers, I latched onto him for comic relief. You’ll notice he makes an appearance in the first sisters’ book.
Rumour has it there is a Blackwell 3.0 in the making. Do you confirm or deny?
Amy – I don’t think I am allowed to confirm or deny right now. I will say I hope there will be a Blackwell 3.0 - does that help?
Anna – I cannot confirm or deny at this time *zips lips* But if readers would like to cross their fingers and keep a good thought, I’m hopeful those good vibes will be rewarded. Hopefully sooner than later.
Cari – I don’t believe I can confirm or deny. Although I may have already hinted at it in my answer to an earlier question. Let’s just say: I’m hoping there is a Blackwell 3 in the future.
Carol – I respectfully yield the remainder of my time to my esteemed colleagues...
Melinda - We are pitching Blackwell 3.0, but it has yet to be officially picked up. Anna and I pitched the Blackwell series as a TV series to a production company, lol. Dreams don’t happen unless you give them voice!
Click on the following links to read more on the captivating Blackwell Brothers and Blackwell Sisters!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LNXV27V?searchxofy=true&binding=kindle_edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0881HYT75?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=dbs_s_ks_series_rwt_tkin
Amy, Anna, Cari, Carol, and Melinda, thank you for visiting today. It was a pleasure to read the books in both series, which have become some of my favourite reads. I look forward to reading more books from all of you... AND I have my fingers crossed for a Blackwell 3.0
To learn more about Amy, Anna, Cari, Carol, and Melinda, and their book library, visit their sites.
Amy Vastine : www.amyvastine.com
Anna J. Stewart: http://www.AuthorAnnaStewart.com
Cari Lynn Webb: https://carilynnwebb.com/
Carol Ross: https://carolrossauthor.com/
Melinda Curtis: https://www.melindacurtis.net/
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