QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Is it Possible to Find Love at Sixteen?
Welcome my guest today... Jennifer Simpkins. She's another Secret Craving Publishing author. We met when she did her cover reveal and I noticed it was a baseball-themed book. With three baseball playing sons in my family, I was instantly drawn to the book. I'll be reading it on the stands once our season starts! And I hope you'll pick up a copy too.
To Connect with Jennifer: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND LOVE AT SIXTEEN?
Anna Kelly, the heroine from Forgiving Patience, has loved Jake Lawrence since she was sixteen years old. Yeah, she told herself and everyone around her that she stopped the day she fled town where it was a constant reminder he broke her heart, but truthfully she has been in love with this same man for thirteen years.
Even though, out of all my heroines I’m more like Anna, I still don’t know what it feels like to love a man for almost half my life. Better yet, it has been a long time since I’ve experienced the craziness that surrounds first love. This is where research came into play—and I don’t mean doing a Google search and conducting interviews with lovesick teenage girls. Instead I went straight to my attic.
I enjoyed my friendships and time in high school, which…is the only reason I can give you for why I have kept a shoe box filled with every letter I received from friends and boyfriends since I was in the eighth grade. Out of those letters I learned I was pretty immature when it came to boys, but…if you tell any of my ex-boyfriends this I will deny, deny, deny. The letters also made me remember a time when teenage love was a one-of-a kind feeling. It could make a reasonable girl act out before actually gathering the facts, and cause a boy to let his stubborn pride get in his own way and let the love of his life slip away. But at times it made you smile for no reason at all, except for because this other person made you happy.
I did a lot of acting out because of a boy when I was sixteen, but that boy wasn’t the love of my life. That only proves that what Anna and Jake share is rare, and that sometimes all the craziness is worth it, because just maybe you do find your true love at sixteen.
So, I want to know, what is the craziest thing you’ve ever done because of a guy/girl? I’ll go first! All because of a little misunderstanding I canceled a date with my boyfriend for my junior prom and asked another guy to go. Yep…I was one of those girls who acted before thinking.
Anna Kelly, the heroine from Forgiving Patience, has loved Jake Lawrence since she was sixteen years old. Yeah, she told herself and everyone around her that she stopped the day she fled town where it was a constant reminder he broke her heart, but truthfully she has been in love with this same man for thirteen years.
Even though, out of all my heroines I’m more like Anna, I still don’t know what it feels like to love a man for almost half my life. Better yet, it has been a long time since I’ve experienced the craziness that surrounds first love. This is where research came into play—and I don’t mean doing a Google search and conducting interviews with lovesick teenage girls. Instead I went straight to my attic.
I enjoyed my friendships and time in high school, which…is the only reason I can give you for why I have kept a shoe box filled with every letter I received from friends and boyfriends since I was in the eighth grade. Out of those letters I learned I was pretty immature when it came to boys, but…if you tell any of my ex-boyfriends this I will deny, deny, deny. The letters also made me remember a time when teenage love was a one-of-a kind feeling. It could make a reasonable girl act out before actually gathering the facts, and cause a boy to let his stubborn pride get in his own way and let the love of his life slip away. But at times it made you smile for no reason at all, except for because this other person made you happy.
I did a lot of acting out because of a boy when I was sixteen, but that boy wasn’t the love of my life. That only proves that what Anna and Jake share is rare, and that sometimes all the craziness is worth it, because just maybe you do find your true love at sixteen.
So, I want to know, what is the craziest thing you’ve ever done because of a guy/girl? I’ll go first! All because of a little misunderstanding I canceled a date with my boyfriend for my junior prom and asked another guy to go. Yep…I was one of those girls who acted before thinking.
Now it’s your turn…
Can you find love at only sixteen-years-old?
Can you find love at only sixteen-years-old?
What's the craziest thing you ever did because of a guy?
Forgiving Patience
Anna Kelly had no intention of returning to her hometown of Patience, Tennessee. At eighteen, feeling powerless from an abusive childhood and heartbroken from her high school sweetheart, she needed to put distance between her and the small town. Now, eleven years later she's invited to her best friend's wedding and has no other choice but to return. Though she feels much stronger the second time around, nothing can prepare her for when she sees her ex again.
After a baseball injury, Jake limped back into Patience, damaged and angry. Throwing himself into remodeling Anna's childhood home has given him purpose again. He is just getting his life back together. He can't risk sending it all back to hell again, but the woman who broke his heart has whipped back into town...and she wants her house back. In hopes of reminding Anna of what she ran away from all those years ago he makes her an offer she can’t refuse—three dates, that have Anna rethinking Patience...and the life she was supposed to have with Jake.
Buy Links
Secret Cravings Publishing | Amazon | BookStrand | ARe | Barnes & Noble
Anna Kelly had no intention of returning to her hometown of Patience, Tennessee. At eighteen, feeling powerless from an abusive childhood and heartbroken from her high school sweetheart, she needed to put distance between her and the small town. Now, eleven years later she's invited to her best friend's wedding and has no other choice but to return. Though she feels much stronger the second time around, nothing can prepare her for when she sees her ex again.
After a baseball injury, Jake limped back into Patience, damaged and angry. Throwing himself into remodeling Anna's childhood home has given him purpose again. He is just getting his life back together. He can't risk sending it all back to hell again, but the woman who broke his heart has whipped back into town...and she wants her house back. In hopes of reminding Anna of what she ran away from all those years ago he makes her an offer she can’t refuse—three dates, that have Anna rethinking Patience...and the life she was supposed to have with Jake.
Buy Links
Secret Cravings Publishing | Amazon | BookStrand | ARe | Barnes & Noble
I think I might've loved a boy when I was sixteen - big mistake, but likely love none-the-less. In hindsight, I'm also pretty sure he was into some pretty bad stuff that I was too naive to notice. Let's just say, I dropped packages off to his friends on occasion without looking to see what was inside the brown bags. (Then I went away to college and met the true love of my life.)
ReplyDeleteI think it might have been when I got married in between college semesters. After a few decades I guess I can say it turned out to be a good decision! Best of luck with your book!
ReplyDeleteGee, how can I choose among all the dumb things I've done because of a boy? How about this one: When I was sixteen I wanted this 1 guy to ask me to the Snow Ball, but the class nerd called me two months ahead. Desperate to find an excuse, I told him my mother was forcing me to go with a family friend. Of course, then I felt I HAD to, so ended up at the dance with jerky old Brad who I'd grown up with and I mean..yuck. He was a good sport. And no, I didn't end up with any of them! btw, I had a shoebox of love letters too--lost in the flood though (sob). Great post Jennifer! Meredith
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I can't reply to each one of you. It's probably me...lol. Paloma - We can be so blind when it comes to boys we THINK we love. I've been guilty of this a time or two. Flossie - Thanks so much for the support. And congrats to you too on your big news today. You deserve it. M. S. Spencer - You crack me up. What ever happened to the 1 guy? Did you ever get your date with him?
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and sharing your stories!
I did find love at 16! And my now husband was 15...I saw him in the hallway and said, 'he's the one'. We started dating on June 3rd, 1996 and when I told my dad I was 'dating' someone he laughed and said it sounded pretty serious. (All sarcasm of course)...We've been together ever since, never once separated. I recently said to my dad, 'bet you never thought that young guy I was dating would turn out to be your son-in-law and the father of your grandson.'
ReplyDelete