June Bookworms

Jane was hoping for a second date-maybe even a boyfriend. What she wasn't expecting was Paul Bryant's completely original and sincere pick-up line: "Hi. I'm Paul. I have terminal cancer. My wife was killed in a car accident, and I'm looking for a woman to raise my children."

It was never Jane's plan to fall in love with a dying man and his two infants. But her seemingly simple decision to date someone outside her faith leads to one complication after another, and the choices she makes soon have far higher stakes than she could have foreseen. In choosing to help Paul, is she choosing to be alone forever? And how can something that seems so unbelievably messed up feel so completely right?

Sometimes love is found in the least likely places and the greatest blessings are discovered while counting stars.

1.  In the prologue, Paul Bryant learns that his wife has been killed in a car accident, leaving him a single father of two premature infants. How does he cope, and what are the stages of grief he goes through? Have you personally endured, or do you know someone who has endured heart-wrenching loss like this? What did you/they do to make it through?  

2.  Jane Warner and her sister Caroline have a close relationship, even though they are at very different stages in their lives. What do they do to stay close? How do you maintain relationships with siblings and/or friends when your lives are traveling different paths? 

3.  Jane finds solace in the early morning hours and in tending to her yard. What activities do you find bring peace and reflection to your life? 

4.  Aside from her love of gardening, Jane also enjoys movies-especially romances; throughout the novel, she is constantly comparing her life to them. What are some of the movies she references? Have you ever thought of your life in terms of any movies you've seen? 

5. When Peter first meets his niece and nephew, he quickly discovers he knows nothing about caring for babies. What are some of the first frustrations he experiences and what does he find he is good at? He and Jane soon realize they make a good team-each contributing much to the twins' lives. Do you think there are some areas of parenting that women are better at than men and vice versa? 

6. At the beginning of Counting Stars, Jay Kendrich is a character with a history of drug use, and Jane wants nothing to do with him. Though Jay only makes sporadic appearances throughout the novel, we see his character changing until, in chapter eighty-one, Jane tells him he is "a hero-kind and chivalrous." What are the character traits that Jane admires in him? Did your perception of this character change from the beginning of the book to the end? Do you believe that people who have made serious mistakes in the past can truly change, becoming exemplary individuals? 

7.  Several tragic things, including death, occur in Counting Stars, yet the ending is happy. Is it reasonable to believe that someone could go through all that Jane does and come out smiling? Do you know anyone who has endured or is enduring great personal adversity and has maintained a positive, cheerful attitude? What can help us do this? How does an understanding of the gospel contribute to our ability to endure trials?

How long did it take you to write Counting Stars and what kind of research did you have to do? 

The actual manuscript took a little over a year to write; getting through the publication process took another year. I should also note that I thought about the story for a couple of years before I actually got around to writing it. With that much time to get to know my characters and develop the plot, it was much easier to put everything together. I did a ton of research for this story-more so than for the historical manuscripts I've written. I spent five days in Seattle, including time on the ferry and island where much of the story takes place. Jane's cottage on Bainbridge is based on an actual home I saw and photographed while visiting. In addition to learning about Seattle, I researched liver cancer and its treatments, and I spent quite a lot of time learning about problems faced by premature infants and infants with heart problems. Watching documentaries, reading books about Apache helicopters, and speaking with author Kerry Blair (whose son is stationed in Iraq) helped immensely in writing the portion of the story that takes place in Iraq.  

Are any of the characters in Counting Stars based on real people or even yourself? Is Jane's crazy family your own? 

I am surprised every time someone asks me this. None of the characters in the story are based on any one person I know, nor is my family anything like Jane's. That said, Jane's large, crazy family is the kind I always wanted to grow up in.  Also-unfortunately-I am not blessed with Jane's green thumb. My husband is the gardener at our house, and when he is too busy to take care of things, I'm afraid the yard goes downhill quickly. The weed patch currently growing near the front door painfully attests to this truth. But I do admit to sharing Jane's love of all things romantic.   

Counting Stars is your first published novel. What are your writing plans for the future? 

Counting Stars is the first novel I've had published, but it is not the first novel I've written. I have a few historical romances that I would love to see in print someday, though currently those are geared more toward the national market.  The project I am currently working on is a sequel-of sorts-to Counting Stars. It is a romantic suspense featuring the character who doesn't get the girl in Counting Stars. As for a hint as to who that is. . . . The first third of the book takes place at Harvard.  Beyond that I plan to write two more novels about characters from Counting Stars. One will be a romantic comedy about Jane's friend, Tara. The other will be a more serious story about Jane's sister, Caroline.  

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?  

Get yourself into a critique group! No matter how good of a writer you think you are, you will be better if you take the time to read your work aloud to others and get their feedback. The talented authors I am fortunate enough to meet with each week have helped greatly in moving my writing to a level that is worthy of publication.