Janice Thompson's Blog, page 16

Weddings…Under Less Than Ideal Circumstances

Not every wedding day is bliss-filled.

I’ve spent the past couple of weeks talking (mostly) about light-hearted moments at weddings. As a mother of the bride (four times over) and as someone who has coordinated/catered weddings in abundance, I’ve seen my share! But not every wedding is fraught with humor. Some are just plain tough. So, I’m going to deviate a bit to share a personal story about a less-than-perfect wedding.

In 2007, just three days before my third-oldest daughter’s wedding, my 45-year-old sister passed away. She died in her sleep. We were devastated, as you might imagine. The very dress that she had just picked up from the cleaners (to wear to my daughter’s wedding) was used to dress her for her burial.

My sister’s viewing took place on the very same day as my daughter’s wedding rehearsal. If memory serves me correctly, the viewing was at five, the rehearsal at seven. The next day (Friday) was the wedding. The next day (Saturday) was the funeral. I remember carrying around a purple folder all three days. Inside (on the left) were my sister’s funeral arrangements. On the right, the plans for my daughter’s wedding.

If you look at pictures of me from my daughter’s wedding, you will notice that my eyes are red and swollen. Still, I wanted/needed to enjoy my daughter’s big day. We’d planned for months, after all! Somehow we all made it through that very difficult week, though it lingers in my memory as one I will never forget.

Shortly after my sister’s death, I was asked to write another Annie Peterson novel, PUSHING UP DAISIES. (Annie is a mother-of-the-bride, many times over.) I knew that I had to pay tribute to my sister. Breaking from my usual light-hearted tone, I added bits and pieces to the story that were intended to make the reader think (deeply) about our purpose in life. Annie struggles with the death of a good friend in this story. And, of course, she’s also in wedding planning mode, as always. As you can see, I pulled from my own personal experiences to write all of this, and (in doing so) felt a sense of joy, in spite of the pain I’d faced.

Pushing up Daisies

Here’s a blurb about PUSHING UP DAISIES:

Annie Peterson is beginning to feel like a perennial Mother of the Bride. . . She’s just married off her oldest daughter but still has another ceremony/reception to plan for Brandy’s twin sister, Candy.

When Annie and her daughter visit the Clarksborough, Pennsylvania, florist shop, Flowers by Fiona, to order Gerber daisies for the big day, Annie’s dachshund, Sasha, somehow escapes from the car. Sasha ends up in the floral delivery truck with young driver Justin Bastrop, en route to a delivery. Ironically, Justin stumbles into a crime scene at the local funeral home— complete with one too many dead bodies. The funeral director, Eddie Moyer, is D.O.A. and Sasha is missing. Possibly for good.

Who is behind the funeral home murder? Is the local florist, Fiona Sullivan, somehow involved? Or could it be the delivery driver, Justin? After all, he’s been angry at Eddie Moyer for years, ever since the old guy fired him while he was in his teens. Then again, there is that matter of the disgruntled family member to consider. Roger Kratz has held a grudge against Eddie Moyer for weeks, feeling he was overcharged for his wife’s funeral service.

Annie dives into the investigation full steam ahead, hoping to solve the crime. Will she solve this riddle in time for her daughter’s ceremony? And, will Sasha arrive home safely?

The Chocolate Fountain

Ah, Chocolate!

We love it! Baked. Melted. Solid. Yum! One of my favorite “chocolate memories” took place in 2004 at my daughter Courtney’s wedding. Instead of offering a groom’s cake, we ordered a chocolate fountain (complete with someone to man it). This was before the days of those do-it-yourself chocolate fountains. We’re talking the real deal here. I filled the table with everything a person could ever want to dip into the chocolate: fruit, cookies, pretzels, marshmallows. . .you name it, we had it. About halfway into the reception I realized that a large chunk of our guests had gone missing from the activities. Where did I find them? At the chocolate fountain! Grown women, small children, little girls in (previously clean) frilly dresses. . .they were all clustered around the fountain. Our photographer even caught a picture of my sister-in-law leaning down with her tongue out, as if drinking from the fountain!

Love Finds You in Camelot Tennessee

People have a tendency to “gather around” the things they love. I kept this idea in mind while writing my novel LOVE FINDS YOU IN CAMELOT TENNESSEE. In that wacky story, the citizens of Camelot Tennessee link arms to save their town. To raise funds, they put on the musical, Camelot. Chaos ensues when auditions begin, because very few people in the town can act or sing! Still, they “gather around” the project and put on a terrific show. And, much like the situation at my daughter’s wedding, some folks come out a little messy in the end. Others shine like stars. Most, like our wedding guests, end up happy and full. . .satisfied. The town is saved, and everyone lives happily ever after.

I highly recommend chocolate. Oh, and I highly recommend LOVE FINDS YOU IN CAMELOT TENNESSEE, too. Here’s the official blurb: Friends Amy and Steve are trying to save her town with performances of the musical, “Camelot.” But when a handsome newcomer cast as Lancelot takes an interest in Amy, the classic love triangle just might take its drama offstage!

We All Have Bad Days

Even the bride with the best intentions can have a bad day. (Hopefully it won’t happen on the “big” day!) Still, we’re all human and things go wrong, even after weeks or months of planning. Take the time I baked a wedding cake that toppled less than an hour before the wedding. Yep, you read that right. I baked a gorgeous four-tiered cake for a friend’s wedding. Left it at the reception hall then drove about ten miles away to the chapel where the ceremony was held. Came back to the reception hall to discover that my cake had gone missing. It had fallen. All four layers, tumbled down onto the table.

The folks at the facility had rescued most of it, but only the bottom two layers were intact, and they were missing frosting. Thank goodness I’d brought extra. I pieced together something that vaguely resembled a cake, then made my apologies to the bride (who was very gracious), and contemplated jumping off of the nearest bridge. My daughters encouraged me to calm down and face the guests with a smile. I did my best. Thank goodness, the cake tasted amazing. Everyone said so. Then again, they might’ve said that to make me feel better. It did make me feel better, though.

Love, L.A. Style

When I craft my romance stories, I always make sure the characters are as flawed as I am. They make huge mistakes, (like ruining weddings, etc.) Why? Because we’re all messed up, folks! (Hate to burst your bubble, but it’s true!)

In my novel ANGEL INCOGNITO, the main character (Angelina Fuentes) can’t get anything right. She’s a reporter for a Los Angeles news station, hot on the trail of an identity theft ring. On the hunt for info, she finds herself in a dumpster, digging through old boxes of Chinese food for information. While there, she meets her love interest, a trash man. (I know, I know! You didn’t think I could get away with using a trash man as a hero, did you? Neither did I, but my publisher let me!) Poor Angelina. . .she can’t tell Peter who she really is. That would give away her secret that she’s a reporter. So, he assumes she’s homeless. And thus, begins a wacky, sordid tale that (of course) leads to love, laughter and happily ever afters.

If you haven’t checked out ANGEL INCOGNITO, you will find it in the LOVE, L.A. STYLE collection. This is a story filled with light-hearted elements and even a bit of intrigue.

It’s Never too Late

SPOILER ALERT!

It Had to be You

If you haven’t read IT HAD TO BE YOU (the third Weddings by Bella book) you might want to skip this post. I’m about to share info from the book that could be considered “spoiler” in nature.

In this (very fun!) story, Uncle Laz and Aunt Rosa get married in a 40s swing style wedding. Talk about a blast. They hire a Big Band to play all of their favorites from the 40s and 50s. Why? Because love, no matter how late it comes in life, is worth celebrating! And what better way to celebrate than with a dance around the reception hall?

I’ll be honest: I’m at that age where I wonder if the love-bug will ever bite me again. If he does, I might go looking for the insect repellant. Or, I might fall hopelessly, helplessly in love and spend the rest of my days floating on a cloud.

For many of my friends, this has already happened. A couple of years back I celebrated alongside a dear friend who got married to a fella she’d met years prior (in high school). He found her on Facebook. (Yep. That really does happen!) I had the privilege of baking the cake for their wedding reception, and had a blast doing it. Watching my friend and her new sweetheart, I had to admit: love comes in its due season. We can’t rush the hand of God. Like Rosa and Laz, my good friends were/are a match made in heaven. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll strike up a match of my own! In the meantime, check out IT HAD TO BE YOU to see where the journey takes Rosa and Laz.  Their happily-ever-after will bring a smile to your face!

 

Wedding Ceremony: Take Two!

The Director's Cut

I so enjoyed writing THE DIRECTOR’S CUT, which releases in a couple of weeks. Loved it. . .and hope my readers feel the same! The main character is Tia, the director of Stars Collide, a popular sitcom. Maybe my passion for this story has something to do with the fact that I direct musicals at a local Christian theater, so I can really relate to the whole, “Line up and walk straight, people!” attitude that many directors have.

When it comes to weddings, however, there’s no “Take Two!” opportunity. If you don’t get it right the first time, the wedding will go down in history for its “Take one!” performance. And sometimes things happen that are simply beyond a wedding coordinator’s control! Take my second-oldest daughter’s wedding, for instance. I thought I knew how the ceremony would wrap up–with a lovely kiss and a happily-married couple walking down the aisle. Nope. The moment they kissed, all of the groomsmen pulled out scorecards, rating their kiss! Large cards with numbers like 9.0, 9.5 and 10.0! The director in me wanted to say, “Cut!” but I could not. Instead, I found myself laughing alongside all of the others in attendance. Their performance made for a lovely memory!

As you read THE DIRECTOR’S CUT, remember that this director/wedding coordinator has a few control issues! I love it when things go my way. But sometimes. . .sometimes things are better when we take our hands off and trust that our way isn’t always the BEST way!

SUMMARY: Tia Morales is used to calling the shots. She’s the director of the popular sitcom Stars Collide, and her life on set is calculated and orderly. Well, most of the time. But her life outside the studio is another matter. If only she could get her family to behave as well as her stars do! When she starts butting heads with handsome camera operator Jason Harris, it’s enough to send a girl over the edge. Will she ever learn to let go and take life–and love–as it comes? Full of the humor and crazy family dynamics Janice Thompson fans have come to love, this colorful story gives readers an inside look at Hollywood and a healthy dose of romance.

Dance with my Father

Friends, I know that most of my wedding-themed posts over the past few days have been humorous in nature, but I wanted to shift gears a little today and talking about something–rather, someone–special to me. My father passed away in ’06 and I miss him terribly. One of my favorite memories was dancing with him at my oldest daughter’s wedding (in ’04). Someone caught a picture of the two of us, and I still love that photo. It means the world to me, especially now that he’s gone.

If you read between the lines in my novels, you will find a strong “father/daughter” theme. This is especially true in my novel LOVE ME TENDER (Summerside Press). In that story, Debbie Carmichael works with/for her dad at the family’s soda shop in Laguna Beach California. You might wonder how/why I chose Laguna Beach. This, too, goes back to my father. Every year he would rent a house in Laguna and would invite us to come and spend a week with him. He would take us to Ruby’s (a 50′s style soda shop) and we would have a blast eating burgers and fries (and sipping chocolate shakes). My dad was also crazy about Elvis. I grew up listening to Elvis sing “Crying in the Chapel,” (a family favorite).

 

Love Me Tender

LOVE ME TENDER is my tribute to my father. When I read it, I can almost envision that special night at my daughter’s wedding when my daddy swept me into his arms for a spin around the dance floor.

SYNOPSIS: As “Love Me Tender” plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage his family’s restaurant, Sweet Sal’s Soda Shoppe, after her father’s health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fund-raiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter…Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer. Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert have been divinely orchestrated. And it isn’t dreamy Bobby Conrad wh has stolen her heart–but the tender Johnny Hartman.

P.S. I miss you, Dad. Can’t wait to take a spin around those streets of gold with you!

Unusual Wedding Locales

You want to get married. . .where?

I’ve seen it all, folks! Weddings up in the air, under water, in strange and exotic locations. It seems, these days, folks are trying to outdo one another when it comes to location. I remember a wedding that I catered years ago–the ceremony took place in a small chapel, but the reception was to take place in the bride’s backyard. I arrived at her house early to begin the process of putting together the cake and prepping the foods. I ended up decorating the backyard/deck instead of going to the ceremony. What a blast! By the time the wedding party arrived, I had that place looking like a true reception area! (FYI, this was the bride’s second wedding. Her FIRST took place on a driveway with a train going by in the background!)

I try to keep locales in mind when I’m writing my novels. For example, in WHITE AS SNOW (part of the ALLEGHENY HOPES collection), the heroine falls in love with a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback! They get married on the fifty-yard-line. (Sorry folks, I couldn’t resist! It was just TOO perfect!) To learn more about their love story, check out ALLEGHENY HOPES. OR, if you’re an e-reader, take note of the fact that WHITE AS SNOW is now available for the first time ever in kindle format! Woo-hoo! It’s also available in other e-formats, as well, so check it out!

In the meantime, what’s the most unusual locale you’ve witnessed for a wedding? Let’s swap stories!

A Wedding on the Beach

Ah, the beach wedding!

Lovely breezes, beautiful ocean views, the ideal setting for those lovely “I Do’s.” Right? Mostly! I’ve heard so many fun (and quirky) stories about beach weddings that I decided to share one, myself. A couple of years ago my BFF invited me to Gulf Shores Alabama for her daughter’s beach wedding. We drove from the Houston area, had a blast with the wedding party once we arrived, then geared up for the big day. Unfortunately, we had no way of knowing the beach wedding would coincide with the biggest oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to date! What a mess! Just finding a “clean” spot on the beach proved to be tough!

That said, the show must go on. . .and the wedding did! The bride was exquisite in her beach-friendly gown, and the groom had tears in his eyes when the vows were spoken. The wedding came off without a hitch and the sweet couple took some great photos in the sand. All’s well that ends well!

Love, L.A. Style

Sometimes life gives us humorous fodder and we simply have to run with it! When I wrote my novel COSTUMES AND CAPPUCCINO (in the LOVE, L.A. STYLE collection), I added a wacky beach wedding at the end of the story. Mine takes place in California, not the Gulf of Mexico, but the fun characters and silly antics remind me so much of that fateful day in Gulf Shores when the “I Do’s” were spoken with the greasy waters of the Gulf beckoning in the background.

If you’re interested in COSTUMES AND CAPPUCCINO, check out LOVE, L.A. STYLE. I promise you’ll come away with a new appreciation for quirky characters!

SUMMARY: Costumes & Cappuccino is a humorous look at the life of Tawny Hibble, the twenty-eight year old daughter of Annelise and Horace Hibble, owners of Hibbles Dribble – Costumes, Conversation and Cappuccino in Van Nuys, California. Tawny is only a little concerned about the fact that her parents keep trying to fix her up with guys who come into the shop to rent costumes. Each of these lucky fellows leaves with a costume and the promise of a date with Tawny, against her better judgment. In the last couple of months she’s been out on four mercy dates – a dill pickle, Rhett Butler, the headless horseman and Zorro. The dates have all been fiascoes, and she is more convinced than ever that the single life is the life for her. She delves back into her work at the costume shop and even takes on a few extra hours at her second job, the wax museum in Hollywood, where she works on costuming the Rock ‘n Roll display. Duncan Evers is fairly new to L.A. He’s originally from Topeka, Kansas, and has come to the big city with stars in his eyes. His visions of taking L.A. by storm haven’t exactly panned out. After accidentally driving his ‘97 sedan through the plate-glass window of Hibbles Dribble, he determines that things can’t possibly get any worse. Wrong. He’s forced to take a part-time job at his great-uncle’s exterminating company to pay the bills until an acting job comes along. When Duncan and Tawny meet, sparks fly. . .and chaos ensues!

Weddings. . .a Team Effort!

One of my fondest wedding memories happened in June of ’04 when my second-oldest daughter, Courtney Rae, got married just four and a half months after my oldest daughter, Randi. We’d paid nearly $600 for cake for Randi’s wedding, and less than half of it was eaten. So, when Courtney got married, I decided to make her cake, myself. (Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new cake-baking lifestyle for me!)

Weeks of research went into the venture. I wanted the perfect cake consistency, the ideal sized pans, perfect separators, etc. I spent the day before the wedding baking the cakes and prepping all of the ingredients for the cream cheese frosting (yum!) I gathered together all of the necessary items and then, on the morning of the big day, met up with two wonderful friends at the church. We worked together to ice the cakes and the ladies took it from there, decorating and stacking the delectable rounds. Afterwards, silk flowers were added. I could hardly believe my eyes when the whole thing came together. Lovely! It literally took a village to make that cake, but the whole thing only cost me $75! (Quite a difference!)

Love Finds You in Groom Texas

When we all work together, how happy we’ll be!

A lot gets done when we link arms. I discovered this once again while writing LOVE FINDS YOU IN GROOM, TEXAS (Summerside/Guideposts books). My heroine, Anne, enjoys helping people plan their parties and weddings. And she’s good at it. But when it comes to the big day, she needs all hands on deck! In a lovely outdoor ceremony in Groom, Texas, she tries to keep it all together, but ends up leaning on a full team of people to lend their support. (Anne, I feel your pain! Been there, done that!)

To learn more about Anne’s adventures, check out LOVE FINDS YOU IN GROOM, TEXAS. I’ll be back tomorrow with another fun wedding story!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Wedding

If you’ve read my BRIDAL MAYHEM mystery series, you will certainly understand the phrase, “A funny thing happened on the way to the wedding!” Annie Peterson (super-sleuth extraordinaire!) is in the habit of solving crimes on her way to the wedding!

In my own life, I’ve witnessed quite a few “oopsies” on the way to the wedding–everything from tumbled cakes to missing tuxedo pieces. At my oldest daughter’s wedding, we suffered a minor catastrophe on the way to the altar. As the girls made the walk from the dressing room to the chapel, one of the bridesmaids accidentally stepped on the back of the bride’s dress and ripped off the buttons holding the train in place. Down it all came–and in a rainstorm, no less!

Seconds later they stood at the back of the chapel, fussing with the back of the gown to make sure the bride’s backside was presentable! In the “down” position, the skirt looked fine. In the “up” position (for dancing at the reception). . .not so much! Still, the show must go on! When the ceremony ended and the bride arrived at the reception, a couple of large safety pins held the skirt in place.

(Wedding coordinator tip: ALWAYS carry safety pins!) 

The Wedding Caper

In my first Annie Peterson mystery, THE WEDDING CAPER, something far more distressing happens on the way to her oldest daughter’s wedding. Annie has reason to believe that her husband, Warren, has stolen $25,000 from the bank where he works. Why? To pay for their daughter’s wedding.

Did Warren really steal the money, or is Annie suffering from mother-of-the-bride jitters? I guess you’ll have to read the book to find out! In the meantime, just know this: crazy things happen on the way to the chapel, folks! Crazy things happen on the way to the chapel.