The Writer’s Life
I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing (for Shelf Awareness) The Magnolia Sisters, her first book in the series. You can read my review by linking HERE. Michelle Major has since published two novellas in the series. The second, full-length novel, The Merriest Magnolia is now available. The story centers on a North Carolina home-town girl who is forced to come to grips with her first love, a real estate developer with designs on remaking the whole town.
What motivated you to start writing romance novels?
I came to romance later
than many avid readers I know. I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I
was 30-years-old (which seems young to me now!). I traveled each week for my
job in Human Resources and developed a huge fear of flying. On a whim, I bought
a Johanna Lindsey book in an airport bookstore, and the story captivated me so
much I forgot to be scared. From there, I had a lot of catching up to do in the
genre. The more I read, the more I realized that the stories I’d always told
myself in my head were romance plots. I’d worked in journalism and always liked
to write, so once I found my passion for romance, it was like coming home.
What’s the inspiration behind your creation of the
Magnolia sisters?
There was a period of
time where it felt like I was reading a number of similar stories of siblings
coming together who didn’t realize they were related. I became fascinated with
the idea of the “instant family” and how to navigate those sorts of
relationships. One theme that’s an aspect in most of my writing is the idea of
the heroine discovering the home of her heart—partially through falling in love,
but also as a result of the friendships and connections she develops in the
community where a book is set. I had so much fun creating the small town of
Magnolia, North Carolina, and working through where each of the sisters fit
into that world.
Is there a certain
chapter or scene in The Merriest Magnolia
that you particularly enjoyed writing?
The scene that was the
most emotional for me was just a tiny snippet where the hero, Dylan Scott, is
getting pressure from the teenager--for whom he’s become guardian--to adopt a
puppy. It’s Thanksgiving, and he’s reluctantly agreed to celebrate the holiday
with Carrie Reed, the heroine, and her sisters. Her younger sister, Meredith,
runs an animal rescue, but instead of a puppy, Dylan ends up rescuing an older
dog that’s been overlooked by potential adopters. I have a couple of rescue
dogs and I also foster kittens for a local animal shelter near my home in
Colorado so those “perfectly imperfect” fur babies mean a lot to me. And it was
a scene that revealed so much about his heart—which he keeps closely guarded—to
Carrie and was the start of her falling for him all over again.
Do you have a favorite
character from the Magnolia Sisters series?
That’s like picking a
favorite child! Each of the Magnolia Sisters’ books is a standalone story, but
because it’s also a series, I really enjoy focusing on one couple for each book
but then also getting to revisit them throughout other stories. Second chance
stories are some of my favorites to write and I always love a holiday romance,
so Carrie and Dylan are certainly special to me.
How do you research
your novels—or do you?
The details of
occupation, weather, and setting are important research. However, emotional
motivations play a bigger role in my books, and I typically do a few deep dives
on why a character makes the choices he or she does. This isn’t technically “research,”
but music is important for me as far as accessing emotions while I write. I do
a playlist or choose a few special songs for each story. If I get stuck, I’ll
walk the dogs or drive up into the mountains near my house and let the music
take me away to that space of feeling.
What was your playlist
while writing The Merriest Magnolia?
A couple of songs I
listened to on repeat -- “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran and “Come Over” by Sam
Hunt.
Will there
be a third book in the Magnolia Sisters series?
Yes! After The Merriest Magnolia, there is one more
book in the sisters’ trilogy—The Last
Carolina Sister will release in March 2021. I’m so excited that I’ll be
expanding the world of Magnolia with three more books after these. We are
spinning off the series and the new books will be called The Carolina Girls.
I hope readers will love getting to spend more time in this world.
Connect with Michelle Major at www.michellemajor.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@michelle_major1).
To Purchase THE MAGNOLIA SISTERS on Amazon link HERE
To Purchase THE MERRIEST MAGNOLIA on Amazon link HERE