Chapters (75)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- Booklist
- About the Author
- Dedication
- Quote
- Prologue
- Part One
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- Part Two
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- Part Three
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- Part Four
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- Part Five
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- Part Six
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- Part Seven
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- Part Eight
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- Part Nine
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- Part Ten
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- Part Eleven
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- Part Twelve
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- Part Thirteen
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- EPILOGUE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- AUTHOR NOTE
- Reader’s Guide
- Questions for Discussion
- The Heirloom Garden
- Abby
Let’s be honest: a man writing women’s fiction using his grandmother’s name as a pen name sounds like a terrible literary remark of Victor, Victoria. How would readers respond to that? Moreover, how would authors respond to that? One of my greatest honors, and surprises, has been not just the warm welcome other authors have given me in joining their genre but the overwhelming support, encouragement, friendship, advice, guidance and, yes, wine. The authors I’ve long admired, and who inspired me to write the types of books I do, have been great guides and inspirations to me, literary Yodas, if you will. My mom, a lifelong nurse and hospice nurse, always told me, “Work with women! They will lift you up, over and over and over.” How right she was! So, huge, heartfelt hugs and thanks to Dottie Frank, who is bigger than life, sweeter than my grandma’s cherry-chip cake and more giving than a lucky slot machine; Rita Mae Brown (who calls me Tallulah Bankhead) told me never to give up and to always kick a** (or she’d come for them); Jane Green, whose early novels inspired me to want to write women’s fiction; Adriana Trigiani, the literary tornado of positivity; Nancy Thayer, the queen of the summer read and first to blurb my first novel; Debbie Macomber, who supported me from the start; the gracious Laura Lane McNeal; the generous, sweet Caroline Leavitt, whose writing advice is always top of mind; and, oh, yes, two men! The wonderfully kind and talented Richard Paul Evans and Garth Stein.
One note: the resort communities of Saugatuck-Douglas-Fennville where I live have changed my life and inspired my writing. And all of the organizations that seek to enhance the arts, history, preservation and well-being of the towns I love and call home make our community a better place. Moreover, the towns are filled with wonderful souls—artists, authors, entrepreneurs, neighbors as well as countless volunteers and donors—all of whom give of their time and talent to make this the special place it is. So, let me restate the obvious. The Summer Cottage is—and all its characters are—a work of fiction, and what I write about in the book is just that: made up in my mind, save for the beautiful towns I call home. So thank you to all the residents of Saugatuck-Douglas-Fennville, and the state of Michigan, for embracing me so fully.