for Love in the Details
1. Holly and Josh were one another’s first love. Did anyone here marry their first love? Name one thing that you still remember clearly about your first love.
2. At its heart, Love in the Details is about the perfect nature of God’s timing. When in your life did you face a disappointment, only to later realize that God’s timing was ultimately best?
3. Near the end of the story, Holly realizes that her almost subconscious belief that she’s not enough for Josh is holding her back. We all struggle from time to time with deceptive self-talk that assures us that we’re “not good enough” or “not worthy enough.” When has this most been a stumbling block for you? Share a story of how God has helped you have victory in this area.
4. How would you characterize Becky Wade’s writing style? How was it different and/or similar to the style of other writers included in this collection of wedding novellas?
5. How is Holly and Josh’s love story a picture of God’s love for us?
for A Brush with Love
The idea for this book came to me one evening while standing in the kitchen, fixing dinner, taking a mental break from the novel I was writing—with great difficulty.
I knew I'd have to start the novella within a few weeks of turning in the novel and I hadn't not one iota of an idea. So I prayed.
I heard the name Ginger and I knew she didn’t believe she was beautiful. Then I thought of the hero, Tom, and knew his job was to make Ginger see her true beauty.
I cannot begin to expound God’s faithfulness to me in the winter of 2014. Dropping this idea in the midst of crying out for help and ideas for another book is only one example.
I turned in the novel and went to a writers’ retreat where I helped mentor eighteen aspiring authors. When the week was over, Susan May Warren, Beth Vogt, and Alena Tauriainen brainstormed A Brush with Love with me, beginning, middle, and end. I actually had enough story for a big novel! Their help and friendship was a blessing to the core of my soul. Another example of God’s faithfulness.
To my editor, Becky Philpott, you are a dream. A friend. A champion and cheerleader. Thank you for your partnership with not only this novella, but my writing journey. You’re a treasure.
To Daisy Hutton, publisher extraordinaire, I love the honest conversations we’ve had and how you champion your authors. Thank you for giving me opportunities to do what I love!
Katie Bond, Elizabeth Hutton, and Karli Jackson, for being a fabulous marketing and editorial team. It’s such a feeling of contentment to know I can e-mail any of you, any time, and get a response. Katie, we’ve been together a lot of years now and it’s more an honor day by day.
To the rest of the HarperCollins Christian Publishing team, let’s keep writing and publishing for Him. You all are the best.
To my husband who lives with a writer. He is my hero. God knew what He was doing when He paired us together. I love you, babe!
To my canine writing partner, Lola, thanks for making me get up out of my chair from time to time. Ha!
To my writing partner, Susan May Warren, ten years we’ve been doing this biz together. Sometimes face-to-face but mostly phone call to phone call. I shake my head in wonder at how blessed I am to have you in my life. XO.
To my hair dresser, Michele Lacy, who’s kept me looking beautiful and young for over twenty-three years. Thanks for your help on this one.
To my line editor, Jean Bloom, thank you for your time, insight, and help.
To all of the readers who take the time to curl up with a book I’ve written, thank you! It means more than you’ll ever know. Be blessed!
for Serving Up a Sweetheart
Becky Philpott, sincere thanks for bringing me into this novella collection. What an honor! I’m giddy with gratitude. Skate on and keep rooting for those Tigers, even if they beat my Cardinals.
Becky Monds, I’m so glad for your amazing intuition and editorial guidance. I feel so blessed to get to work with you. You have a strong pulse on what it means to tell a good story. Thank you for encouraging and growing me.
Jean Kavich Bloom, thank you for your attention to line editing. My MIA serial commas, staging issues, timeline glitches, and I appreciate you!
To the entire HarperCollins Christian Publishing team, Katie, Karli, Elizabeth, Ansley, Amanda, Jodi, Daisy, and the many others who make Zondervan such an AMAZING imprint, thank you for all you do and are.
HUGE thanks to readers. Your time is so precious and valuable. That you’d spend it on our words means the world. Your readership is a tremendous blessing. Find out what’s coming next by signing up for my newsletter at www.cherylwyatt.com.