Hi there, guys and dolls!  Today, Andrea and Heather are taking over the blog.  Seems like spring and Easter have given them pause to think about rebirth and resurrection, not only in the symbolic and religious senses, but also of their own lives and projects that have been alive but dormant.  Settle on in and see what I mean.

Andrea’s always been a writer, ever since she could hold a pencil and making up stories since she could babble.  She’s written poetry, articles, short stories — some that have seen the light of day and some that have not yet.  And novels — works in progress that have been sleeping — three major ones in particular that are lying and waiting for her to pick them up and breathe life into them again.

Heather loves telling her stories on the page as well, but also with fabric, shape and color.  She’s been sewing since she could mimic her grandmother, mother and sisters, crafting their clothes and imaginations — getting lost in creations until the bolts became a dresses, ready for their close-ups.

Life got busy — plans changed, stories unfinished, patterns uncut, creative burnout occurred.  Then the delightful call of Poppy Cove came and the girls embraced the genie and ran with it, in joy and abandon.  Before they knew it, the years flew by, a world got created and the novels appeared to reflect it.  Becoming published authors was something that they both feel very blessed to have happen and the success has inspired them to not only continue sharing their stories of the Santa Lucia set, but also start bouncing around a couple of other cozy premises that they will share when the time is right.

Not only that, but the love and success that has cultivated through hard work, a bit of luck and the good, fine people they have met along the way have encouraged them to bring out their other dreams to grow.  Andrea’s revisiting her own works in progress — a rather dark, futuristic piece, a more historical premise and a grittier noir selection to sort out and continue.  Heather’s getting ready to sew again — sprucing up equipment, letting the feel of textiles and the siren call of color inspire interpretations from her collection of muses, past and present.

They’ve both had their creative ups and downs — losing manuscripts in old computers, fabrics that won’t behave, ideas that get blocked by fear and self doubt.  But now, a little older and possibly a titch wiser, with positive experiences to encourage the fragile creatives and enough character built to take the knocks and challenges more in their strides, the girls are ready to bring those other elements out again.  Life can be so much fun when you actually let yourself live it!

Toodles,

Barbara Jean