Directors Notes - The story behind the story - All the Finer Things

The Story Behind the Story

I sat up with a shock. The morning sun had yet to pierce my room, yet as my eyes flung open I could feel the sweat forming on the back of my neck. Hyperventilation squeezed at my chest. I could see her face. Feel her pain. And, as the rain pelted her windshield, I could feel the love she had for her child.

What I wondered about was her love for herself.

I sat in the darkness of my room processing it all for a minute. Eventually my heartbeat slowed to a normal pace but not before I’d logged onto my laptop. Furiously my fingers began to rap at the keyboard.

Before sunrise, the character of Megan Hamilton was given life.

The abuse Megan suffered was only the start of her problem. Mistakenly she’d calculated the riches and possessions in her life as the measure of her worth. She defined her value by the price-tag on her jeans, the car she owned, and even the number of shoes in her closet.

It didn’t take long to realize that I’d met Megan. She’s the trendy girl at the mall, the beautiful young mother at the park, the perfect lady at church. Maybe you’ve met her a time or two too. Maybe she’s your neighbor. Maybe she’s your best friend. Maybe she’s you. From the outside Megan had everything. With a perfect husband, a flawless figure, and seemingly everything money could buy, how could her life be anything but rosy?

The truth of the matter is, I think every woman - to one degree or another – has a little bit of Megan inside her. Somehow we’ve gotten the idea that money, or fame, or whatever our personal vice is will bring happiness. Sadly we often set our sights on things that we think will make us happy when, in fact, real peace and joy have nothing to do with the quantity or quality of “things” we manage to gather.

And that’s why I had to tell Megan’s story.

I’ve witnessed the horror of physical and mental abuse in the lives of women that I love. And it’s not always a spouse or a loved-one that deals that abuse. Often women are their own biggest oppressors. But I’ve also witnessed the strength and the beauty in those women as they’ve conquered their fears and moved past the oppression.

I couldn’t wait to introduce Megan to the people that would help her get to that place of peace, joy, and self-love. I wrote All the Finer Things for me, for you… and for every woman out there fighting to find the beauty within herself and the value of the simplest joys in life.

Stephanie Worlton is the author of All the Finer Things and Hope's Journey. She lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains where she enjoys frequent opportunities to observe nature and feed her creative spirit. She spends her days designing, building, painting, drawing, landscaping, and snuggling with her dogs. She has her own collection of power tools, a plethora of camera equipment, and a passion for shoes. All the Finer Things is her third published work.To learn more about Stephanie and her other books, please visit her website.

If books had soundtracks....

About the time I finished edits for All the Finer Things, Dierks Bently kindly put out the perfect soundtrack for it. Nice of him, right? And without even ever talking to me about it. He must just be psychic*wink*,  or I'm psychic, or we're both... well lets not go there. :)   If only I'd had it during the writing process I could've listened to it over and over for inspiration. As it is, every time it comes up on my playlist, I stop and think about Ammon Carter. This song - particularly the first verse, sums him up pretty perfectly. 

It's just an old beat up truck,

Some say that I should trade up

Now that I got some jangle in my pocket.

But what they don’t understand

Is it's the miles that make a man.

I wouldn’t trade that thing in for a rocket.

What they don’t know is my dad and me–

We drove her out to Tennessee

And she’s still here and now he’s gone

So I hold on.

To the things I believe in

My faith, your love, our freedom

To the things I can count on

To keep me going strong

TODAY ONLY - Get a FREE copy of All the Finer Things

Today's the BIG DAY! After much anticipation I get to officially celebrate the release of All the Finer Things. As a thanks to all those who've supported this project along, I've got two FREE copies of All the Finer Things up for grabs.

The contest is going to go like this:

• Answer the following questions. (With correct answers, not the smart aleck ones I know most of my friends are itching to contribute!) 
• Bring the answers to me between 2 and 4pm at the Copper Rim Cafe. 
• The first 2 people to bring me the (correct!) answers will get a FREE copy of All the Finer Things. Shucks, I'll even sign it for you. 
• And, if you're not one of the first 2? Don't fret. Your efforts will still be rewarded with 10% off your choice of one of my (already discounted) books. 
• 
  

Easy enough? I think so. So, here we go. The questions: 

1. In All the Finer Things, one of my favorite characters is Bosco, a 175 pound Bullmastiff. He was inspired by my own Bullmastiff, Lilah. 
• What two breeds were crossed in the 19th century to create this amazing breed? _________________________________________________________________ (hint, check out Wikipedia) 
• What were they bred for? _____________________________________________
2. All the Finer Things is set in a California community that grows apricots and strawberries. Stawberries are one of the top 10 products of California. Name two more: _________________________________________________________ (hint, click here.)
3. Ammon Carter, the hero of our story, holds what volunteer position in his community? ____________________________________(hint: its on the back book cover. Hint #2: my husband Ryan recently got released after 7 consecutive years in this calling.)
4. On the cover of All the Finer Things is a classic truck. What kind of truck is it?__________ Who took the photo? ____________________________ (hint: both answers can be found here.)
5. Some of my most popular features on my blog are my DIARY OF A MISSIONARY MOM posts. What was my latest post about? (I'm going to make you work a little for this one. My last post was only a few days ago so you could scroll through my recent posts to find it. Or, if you're a short-cut taker, there's a link at the top of this blog titled Diary of a Missionary Mom... it might just take you were you need to go *wink* *wink*)  

My beautiful baby girl, Delilah Rose.

Party! Party!

I don't know if I've said this before but I think it warrants being said again: Book Baby #3 is out! Whew hoo! Cause for a celebration? Yes. Absolutely, astonishingly, overwhelmingly, YES!

Throw on your red boots and let's party! 

Wait, you don't have fabulous red boots? Well, neither do I, but we can party anyway. 

Don't miss this chance to pick up copies of my books at discounted prices. All three will be available. 

And, if my books aren't draw enough, come experience the fun atmosphere at "The Rim." They've got lots of yummy food choices (you know, just in case you happen to miss lunch) and when it comes to dessert it doesn't get much better than their frozen yogurt with pretty much any topping you can imagine! Check out their website at  http://copperrimcafe.com/

All the Finer Things - Book Blitz & Giveaway

Last week I introduced the cover of my new novel, All the Finer Things. If you missed the significance of what makes this my favorite cover yet, you can read about it here.

Today I'm excited to announce that it is officially available for purchase on eBook. I'll give you the purchase links at the bottom of this post, but first let me tell you about the book.

About All the Finer Things:

Married to one of the most lucrative and sought after plastic surgeons in SoCal, Megan Hamilton has it all. Her posh life, designer clothes, and stunning penthouse leave her wanting for nothing… or do they? Controlled by his obsessive pursuit of perfection, Doctor Matthew Hamilton will stop nothing short of breaking his young, spirited bride into a subservient trophy wife. But when parenthood enters their picture, the entire game changes. How far will Megan have to go to escape Matt's obsessive control and abuse? And how much will she have to lose before she gets there?

Doctor Matthew Hamilton has everything he loves - money, power, reputation. Or at least he thinks he does, until his spoiled wife decides to leave and unknowingly blows a hole right in the heart of his carefully laid plans. With Megan gone, he faces to lose everything and he won't stop until he finds her, because losing is something Matthew simply does not do.

When a fancy car and it's equally fancy owner take up residence next door, Ammon Carter's life of solidarity gets turned on its head. His quiet orchard community is no place for a pampered princess, but as a Scoutmaster, his deep moral code doesn't allow him to be anything but courteous to the young mother. Content as a bachelor, he does his best to keep his distance from the misplaced beauty and her son... unfortunately, his dog has different plans.

Now, normally when I announce a book I tell you about the author, but since this is my book-baby and most of my readers are already familiar with who I am, I will simply link the rest of you new awesome visitors to my website where you can learn more about me and my books than you ever thought you wanted to know.

And, if you'd rather have a paper copy, I'm with you. There's nothing better than a tangible, hold-in-your-hands, ink and paper book. And, copies will be available soon. I'll keep you posted on their availability... and about my OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY!!  - There are a few ways to stay connected with me, first feel free to click on the tab on the right that says "email updates." (Don't worry, I won't spam you. It will just send you any updates I post here.)  Next "Like" my author page on Facebook. 

Last but not least, here's the best part... THE GIVEAWAY!

Cover Reveal: All the Finer Things

You have no idea how long I've been sitting on this! But at long last, I'm thrilled to introduce you to the cover for my upcoming release:  

Oh my goodness! Do you know how much I love, love, love this cover?!?!

I think this is my favorite one so far. Where do I even start to explain....

How 'bout here? With this image...

Do you see the name on that copyright? Just in case it's not obvious, let me point it out to you: it says Tanner Worlton. Excuse me while I brag for a minute, but that amazing, talented photographer is my son. Umm, mama pride going on here!! It's not everyday I get to show off my kids talents on the cover a book. Yay Tanner! 

Then there's those flashy red boots. Um, they're awesome! Red! Need I say more? ... No. But I will let you in on this: those sassy red boots belong to one of my favorite people on the planet! Here's your shout out, Miss Kassidy Rae! I hope those cute calves become famous one day! 

Now, when you read the book, you'll realize the significance of that old green truck as far as the story is concerned. But let me take a quick second to point out to you the significance of it in my life. This '72 Chev has been in the Worlton family since it was brand new... custom ordered from the factory in fact. It really does have a plaque on the dash that says my husband's grandfather's name (ah,ha... another hint of something in the book!) It holds a special place in my husband's heart. Of course, by the time I met this green gem it was already a relic. One of my first dates with my husband took place in this truck. What can I say, we are a sentimental breed. 

Yep... my fav! I think we've really upped the ante for future designs. Can't wait to share the rest of the book!