JENN McKINLAY: I'm thrilled to have a long time friend Heather Webber join us today to talk about her latest book THE FORGET-ME-NOT LIBRARY. I've been a fan of Heather's work forever and particularly enjoy her magical realism novels, with her latest being particularly poignant. Here she is to tell us more about what inspired her.
On a shelf in my office sits a fish bowl.
It doesn’t contain fish.
It holds memories.
I’ve been dealing with memory issues for a long time now. Most of my childhood memories are gone, with only a handful remaining. My teen years are slipping away as well. All my medical tests are fine, so I figure my brain can only hold so much. If something new comes in, something has to go out. Decluttering at its worst.
Fortunately, every once in a while, a long-lost memory returns to me, sparked by a song, a scent, a photo, a dream, a conversation.
I consider those memories as gifts.
Treasures, really.
The warm, wonderful feeling that comes with a returned memory is what inspired the idea for The Forget-Me-Not Library, my newest novel, due to be released this week. The story takes place in a small Alabama library where long-forgotten, treasured memories are hidden within the books. Memories that bring about peace and comfort and happiness.
Oh, how I wish it were a real place.
I’m doing everything I can to hold on to the memories I’ve been able to keep, which is where the fish bowl comes in. It holds mementos that I’ve been collecting for the past thirty years or so. Bits of my life that have been important to me for one reason or another.
Along with many other things, in that bowl are the first library cards of my children (who are now in their 30s!). The kids were each five years old when they signed up for their cards and had to print their names on them. Seeing those cards with those carefully-crafted, shaky letters always brings a smile and helps me to remember how excited they were to check out as many books as their tiny arms could hold.
Definitely memories to treasure.
Do you have a way of holding on to memories? Or recall your first trip to a library? I’d love to hear about it. One commenter will win a copy of The Forget-Me-Not Library.
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A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other’s story.
Juliet Nightingale is lucky to be alive. Months after a freak accident involving lightning, she’s fully recovered but is left feeling that something is missing from her life. Something big. Impulsively, she decides to take a solo summer road trip, hoping that the journey will lead her down a path that will help her discover exactly what it is that she’s searching for.
Newly single mom Tallulah Byrd Mayfield is hanging by a thread after her neat, tidy world was completely undone when her husband decided that their marriage was over. In the aftermath of the breakup, she and her two daughters move in with her eighty-year-old grandfather. Tallulah starts a new job at the Forget-Me-Not Library, where old, treasured memories can be found within the books―and where Lu must learn to adapt to the many changes thrown her way.
When a road detour leads Juliet to Forget-Me-Not, Alabama, and straight into Tallulah’s life, the two women soon discover there’s magic in between the pages of where you’ve been and where you still need to go. And that happiness, even when lost, can always be found again.
HEATHER WEBBER is a national bestselling author known for crafting stories that celebrate the power of family, friendship, and community. Her novels, including Midnight at the Blackbird Café and At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities offer comforting tales of love, hope, and personal redemption. Heather loves to spend time with her family, read, drink too much coffee and tea, bird-watch, crochet, and bake. She currently resides in southwest Ohio.
Congratulations, Heather, on your new book. The Forget-Me-No Library sounds like a perfect place to spend lots of time and I'm looking forward to meeting Juliet and Lu . . . .
ReplyDeleteI have fond memories of taking our children to the library where they'd choose which treasured books they'd take home and carefully wrote their names on those little cards . . . .
Heather, welcome to jungle reds! I subscribe to your newsletter and look forward to reading forget me not library. And I discovered your books on social media.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of memories, I get what you meant about a scent bringing back memories. When I was a teenager I met my great aunt who just moved to California. I had no memory of meeting her years before at her sister’s memorial service when I was 23,months old. However, when I smelled her perfume, I remembered the scent, which I never encountered on anyone else. I told her I remember the scent from a long time ago.
Who is Lu?
Congratulations on your new book, Heather
ReplyDeleteI used to be paranoid about losing my memory. I saved so many things to try to insure against that. Now my focus is on enjoying the now. A fishbowl sounds like about the right amount to hang on to.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Heather! It's so nice to have you here! Losing your memories sounds scary though I think we're all headed that way at one speed or another. Can't wait to read the new book!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Heather! Congrats on your upcoming release.
ReplyDeleteMemory is such a tricky thing. My sisters and I remember different pieces of our childhood--or remember the same events differently. I LOVE that you have your kids' first library cards. My parents were both librarians and they are smiling at you from the great NEXT. I know that we (my twin and I and then our little sister) were marched into the library as soon as we were able to write our names and given our own library cards. What a treat to go every few weeks (and then every week before or after our swimming lessons) and pick out new books.
ReplyDeleteHeather, I still remember the number on my library card, which only had 4 digits, but I don't remember my first trip to the library. I do remember going there to take out books and that it was a big part of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteI live in a much larger town now, and frequently visit my library, but my personal TBR pile is so high, and my Kindle is so deep, that I must cut back on acquisitions and read, read, read!
Morning all ~ Paula B here. Congrats on your new book. It’s on my list! So, no I don’t recall my first library visit but I do recall sneaking upstairs to the adult library department one slow cautious silent step at a time. It was a wonderland up there and I’d had enough of being told no. OMG, acres and acres ~ as it felt to a children’s department escapee ~ of books on shelves. I walked up and down some of the aisles running my hand along the spines. A woman saw me and had the sweetest smile. The librarian? Anyway I went back down to my world and took home another armload. Cherry Ames! My fav mystery solver.
ReplyDeleteG'morning, Heather! Waving from northern Ohio! The Forget-Me-Not Library is moving up on my TBR list--sounds just the ticket for what I need right now. I can recall my first visit to our local library. The wooden floors creaked and the librarian was a caricature of daunting librarians--scowling, not welcoming at all to my sweet, shy mother. Fast forward to this day, I work part-time at that same library now--it's three times bigger and we have a brand-new community room. We're part of a huge library system and anyone--of any age--with a card from any of our libraries is welcome to come on in!
ReplyDeleteAnd I kept a journal for decades--lots of memories in those pages.
Jenn, Paula B here ~ I’m nearly finished with Witches and am amazed. What a writer! I’ve really all but the cupcake series and loved them. You must have done a lot of research to write Witches. I’m hoping it will take more than a few hours to finish this one. It’s so good. So went to your website to sign up for your newsletter. I admit it’s super early for my brain to engage but I have to ask, What’s a SubStack?
ReplyDelete