MARILYN PAPPANO
Current and Upcoming Releases:FATHER TO BE
Bantam Books; Available September 1999THE HORSEMAN'S BRIDE
Silhouette Intimate Moments; Available September 1999"Gabriel's Angel" - YOURS 2 KEEP Anthology
Bantam Books; Available Early October 1999ROGUE'S REFORM
Silhouette Intimate Moments; Available April 2000FIRST KISS
Bantam Books; Available August 2000BIG SKY LAWMAN (Montana Mavericks Series)
Silhouette Books; Fall 2000
Letter from the Author:Dear Readers,
A few years ago I came up with an idea for a Christmas story set in upstate New York about a woman on the run with three children not her own. Fate traps her in a small town, where she receives a warm welcome from all everyone, most especially the handsome police officer who lives across the street. But what chance does a woman living a lie have with a man dedicated to the truth?
That book became SEASON FOR MIRACLES, and I hoped it would also become the first in a series of Christmas stories set in the same idyllic town of Bethlehem. Alas, it wasn't to be. My publisher was happy to publish that book, but December slots were too valuable. They couldn't guarantee me one year after year, and doing so definitely would have interfered with my one-book-every-nine-months schedule.
As luck would have it, after that book, I switched publishers. When my new editor asked what ideas I had to offer, I timidly put forth the idea I'd tucked away for the second Bethlehem book, and she loved it. SOME ENCHANTED SEASON came out the following Christmas, and the series I'd wanted was off and running.
By the way, SEASON FOR MIRACLES provided one of the highlights of my life when Hallmark Hall of Fame first optioned, then purchased the film rights to the book. I'm thrilled to announce that SEASON FOR MIRACLES finally has an air date! The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie is scheduled for Sunday, December 12, 1999 on CBS. It stars Carla Gugino and David Conrad as Emilie and Nathan, and costars Patty Duke, Lynn Redgrave, Kathy Baker and Faith Prince. I'm so excited that I can hardly wait!
My newest single-title release, FATHER TO BE, available in early September, is Book 3 in the Bethlehem series. When I started the book, my hero and heroine were recurring characters from the first two books, Alex and Melissa Thomas. Married for years, Alex and Melissa have tried desperately to have a baby, but every pregnancy has ended in miscarriage. Though Melissa still yearns for a child of her own, when the angel Noelle, masquerading as a social worker, approaches her about taking on the foster care of four abandoned children, she agrees against Alex's wishes.
I wrote two chapters and mailed it to my editor, then promptly turned to my husband and said, "Those pages I just sent off? I have the wrong hero and heroine. The hero should have been J.D." After reading them, my editor called and said, "I like the idea, I like the kids, but you've got the wrong hero and heroine. Have you considered making J.D. the hero?"
J.D. is great hero material—single, handsome, charming, friend to everyone, beloved by kids and old folks and everyone in between. Oh, yeah, and he's got a mysterious past to boot. No one knows the real J.D., the man he left behind when he left Chicago eighteen months ago, and he's determined to keep it that way. But his secrets are at risk when Noelle persuades him, in a moment of insanity, to take on the Brown children. The very next day the real social worker, Kelsey Malone, arrives in town, and she's not at all pleased about the way he's appropriated her charges. She intends to find out everything there is to know about J.D. Grayson . . . but she doesn't count on falling in love with him and the kids along the way.
Publishers Weekly says, "While many romances use children to decorate the story or interfere with the budding love story, Pappano succeeds in creating fully realized characters." Maybe that's because the Brown kids were real to me. Caleb, the twelve-year-old "man" of the family, old beyond his years, hurt and afraid and desperately in need of someone to trust when life has shown him that he can trust only himself. Jacob, who loves baseball but has never had friends who would play with him. Noah, who's never had anything new or different or nice in his life. And Gracie, who satisfies my desire for the adorable, chubby-cheeked angel of a daughter I never had. I wanted to give these kids love and a happily-ever-after even more than I wanted to provide one for J.D. and Kelsey.
Part 4 of the Bethlehem series is already finished and will be available in early October as part of Bantam's YOURS 2 KEEP anthology. "Gabriel's Angel" is the story of a man who's in the wrong place—the middle of a shooting—at the very wrong time—as the Y2K bug shuts down Bethlehem's 911 emergency system. Though it's not his time to die, he does, leaving him in limbo while the powers-that-be determine what to do. Until they reach their decision, he's given into the care of Bethlehem's resident guardian angel, Noelle, who discovers that her feelings for this man are most unangelic.Following that in August 2000 will be Book 5, FIRST KISS. Yes, this is finally innkeeper Holly McBride and Tom Flynn's story. Holly wants a fling. Tom wants a wedding. And everyone else just wants to stay out of their way and watch what happens. I'm just starting this book, so I won't say much else about it, except this . . . Be careful what you wish for. You may get it.
I'd like to mention my other current release before I let you go. THE HORSEMAN'S BRIDE is Book 2 in my Heartbreak Canyon series for Silhouette Intimate Moments (yes, I do seem to spend most of my time in series these days). It's the story of Easy Rafferty, the charming Cherokee rodeo cowboy who broke Shay Stephens's heart. After a devastating accident ends his career, Easy comes home to Heartbreak to hole up in isolation and drown in his bitterness. But Shay's a strong woman. She's not going to let that happen. Of course he tries to keep her at a distance, but how long can he resist the only woman he's ever loved?
If you'd like to write, I can be reached via email at: pappano@ionet.net or via snail-mail at P.O. Box 643, Sapulpa OK 74067-0643. I'm in the slow process of getting a web site set up, but it may have to wait until this next book is finished. Until then, though, feel free to write. I even have a newsletter I'd be happy to send you.
Wishing you more wonderful books to read than time to read them,Marilyn Pappano
September 1999
Publishing History:
Silhouette Intimate Moments:
Within ReachSilhouette Special Edition:
The Lights of Home
Guilt by Association
Cody Daniels' Return
Room at the Inn
— reissued in A Family Christmas
Something of Heaven
Somebody's Baby
Not Without Honor
Safe Haven
A Dangerous Man
Probable Cause
Operation Homefront
Somebody's Lady
No Retreat
Memories of Laura
Sweet Annie's Pass
Finally a Father
Michael's Gift
Regarding Remy
A Man Like Smith
Discovered: Daddy
Survive the Night
Convincing Jamey
The Taming of Reid Donovan
Knight Errant
The Overnight Alibi
Murphy's Law
Cattleman's Promise
The Horseman's Bride
Older, Wiser. . .PregnantSilhouette:
"The Greatest Gift" - Silhouette Christmas Stories, 1989Warner Books:
"Loving Abby" - Silhouette Summer Sizzler, 1991
You Must Remember This (36 Hours series)
In Sinful HarmonyBantam Books:
Passion
Suspicion
Season For Miracles
Some Enchanted Season
Father To Be
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