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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

AUTHOR JUDITH KEIM SHARES HER PASSION FOR DECORATING IN HER RECENT ROMANCE

Today we have a visit from romance author Judith Keim who is sharing a passion she and her heroine both share—decorating. Judith loves writing about strong women facing challenges and finding love and happiness along the way. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

For years, Carol Ann Mobley has cut out decorating ideas from magazines, praying for the opportunity to move out of her parents’ house with a wonderful, devoted man and have the home she’s always dreamed of. When she abruptly finds herself pregnant and realizes she may never find such a man, she moves into her own apartment with the help of her friends in the Fat Fridays group.

Left on her own without her mother’s constant nagging and belittling, Carol Ann’s creative juices begin to flow. She turns the small apartment into something far more attractive with little decorative touches. When her friends come to her for help, she forms the idea of having her own business. She starts slowly—decorating for Christmas both in her apartment and in her boss’s condo. Her ideas aren’t complicated, but tasteful—clear glass Christmas trees set among fresh green aromatic boughs of fir, a bowl filled with colorful balls, ribbons interwoven among the branches on a Christmas tree color-coordinated to match the rug. Later, on days off from work, she takes on the task of furnishing her boss’s entire condo, coordinating a theme and colors throughout.

In all of my books descriptions of settings are important. It’s fun to write about the room or rooms I see in my mind. It’s as if I’m decorating them myself, and, of course, I am.

My husband and I have moved a lot. Seeing each new home decorated in a way suitable to its location has always s been fulfilling for me. While I don’t have clippings of magazine articles filed away, I love to look at what others have done in their homes or online. Sooner or later, it could end up in one of my books!

The picture I’ve shown demonstrates how dramatic something so simple can be, adding an appealing touch to a room. I love to fill glass bowls with something appropriate for the moment – colorful balls at Christmas, seashells for summer themes, fresh flowers in the spring. Candles add texture, color, and aroma to rooms. Pictures and photographs are another way to make your “space” unique and satisfying to you.

What are your special interior decorating touches?

Secret Sundays
The women in the Fat Fridays group continue to come together for their Friday lunches—no calories counted—and to help each other deal with life’s complications. With her unexpected pregnancy and the support of the women in the group, Carol Ann breaks free from her dismal life with her parents. Left on her own with no support from the father of her child, she decides to start an interior decorating business on the side. She begins by secretly helping Ed Pritchard, her boss at MacTel, decorate his condo for Christmas.

One Secret Sunday leads to others. Carol Ann and Ed are planning a future together when Lee, a tall, thin, beautiful young woman sent from MacTel’s California headquarters to “fix” their office, disrupts their world. Then, when Ed is diagnosed with a serious illness, he decides it’s only fair to break off his engagement to Carol Ann. Devastated, Carol Ann wonders how she can continue. But all their Secret Sundays bring about a new beginning when he joins her for the birth of the baby he wants to help raise. The women in the Fat Fridays group celebrate in style as they welcome another little one into their midst.

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2 comments:

Stephanie said...

I love to decorate, too. I loved reading about Carol Ann.

P.L. Parker said...

I am the world's worst decorator, my idea is to throw something in the room and let it ride. As a result, I have a little of everything. Congratulations on the story and much luck with sales.

Patsy