Sometimes when I am writing, subplots and unexpected themes emerge in addition the the suspense and romance that is expected in a Love Inspired Suspense book. This was the case with my current release Crime Scene Cover-Up. Two of the supporting characters are the moms of the hero and heroine. Mary Ellen and Denise are grandmotherly types.
Mary Ellen, the hero's mom, lives on a ranch with her husband and for reason of safety Denise stays there. The two women become fast friends and bond over gardening and pickling and canning. Characters can often surprise me and this time they did.
I wondered where the conversations between the two women was coming from. It brought back memories of growing up in the country ten miles from a small town. When my mother took me to visit other women in the area, the conversation always seemed to come around to talk of the best way to preserve food grown in a garden and of course how much sugar to put in jams and jellies. There is a point at which the main characters Neil and Arielle have a pickle with their sandwiches that his mother made from cucumbers she grew in her garden.
Writing is autobiographical. No matter what pieces of the my life end up in my stories. My mother died from cancer when she was 52. She did not live to see her grandchildren. Often when there is a mom character in a book, I see aspects of my own mother from the past. Or in the case of my book Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves, the mother daughter relationship between the characters was my fantasy of what might have been if my mom had not died so young.
It is not until I am done writing that I can see how I have pulled something from my own life and it ends up in the book. Also, I don't give supporting characters a name until later drafts. When I went to revise Crime Scene Cover Up and pick a name of the hero's mom, it seemed only fitting that she be named after my mom, Mary Ellen.
I would love to hear from you if you still pickle and can and wonder how much sugar to put in your jam. Or maybe you have memories of a relative who practiced these lost art forms or something like it.
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ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Goodness, Sharon. Canning...it's been a minute, but I used to love to do that. I remember making salty dill pickles--put the whole small cucumbers in a gallon jar with...I can't remember how much salt, but more than I can have now. lol But they were so good! Thanks for the memory!
ReplyDeleteI did canning and freezing (I learned from my mom!) for many years. Where I’m living now we have no room to store anything like that. If we did I’d still be doing it! I have the best recipe for peach jam!
ReplyDeleteOnlysis06
Used to have a garden years ago, but never canned anything, etc. But always liked marinated whole garlic--very hard to find, as well as tomato jam, rare, it seems, as well. Would love to find both, if anyone knows where, and prices, too. . . Thanks for the opportunity to enter a giveaway. Would love to win a print copy! Lual Krautter email: krautter62520AToutlookDOTcom
ReplyDeleteHi, I don't can, but my husband does, he puts about half or less of sugar (of the amount the recipe calls for) in the jams he cans and they come out sweet enough, the recipes always ask for far more sugar than it needs. Your book sounds and looks very intriguing ! Have a great day and stay safe. I enjoyed reading your post. aliciabhaney(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI love to can and make pickles as time permits. Many years ago, I did make strawberry jam but followed a recipe on a box of pectin. My mom never liked to "over" sugar anything so her things never turned out quite right! But we ate them anyway. donnaalice540@msn.com
ReplyDeleteMy parents used to can. I remember them saying how hot it was and to make sure no cucumber seeds got between the jar rim and seal. Thanks for the chance to win a book. Boxtopscrazy at gmail dot com.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I used to can hot peppers and make our own salsa, which we will start doing again sometime in the future. I have also started pickling boiled eggs for him to eat as well.
ReplyDeleteI remember my grandmother canning and making her own jellies and jam. I loved to visit her, because she always made us snacks with her homemade bread and butter and topped it with her own jam.
ReplyDeleteLinlee822[at]gmail[dot]com
that sound delicious
DeleteI used to make freezer jam w/ fresh strawberries -- so, so good! Badawson16 at aol dot com Thanks for an opportunity to win!
ReplyDeleteI love making jam! I always use the low sugar or no sugar recipes... I tried pickles once---they were a disaster!! Wish my mom was still alive... chendryx9at)nctv(dot)com
ReplyDeletechendryx(at)nctv(dot)com
DeleteI don't can anymore but spent many happy times with my mom and grandma canning jellies and tomatoes and pickles. sheliarha64(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI still grow a garden and can…can…can. I have fruit trees, berries, and make all my own jams and jellies. I even made jelly from dandelions and from violets this year. Delicious
ReplyDeleteI don't can any more! The squirrels and rabbits beat me to the garden produce so I gave up. I used to can quite a lot. Home canned green beans are the best! Probably the last thing I canned was bread and butter pickles when a friend had excess cucumbers. Homemade strawberry jam is the best! It gave me a sense of accomplishment to see the shelves of canned vegetables.
ReplyDeleteI used to can before I lost my husband to cancer at the age of 44. He grew the best gardens. I would can green beans and tomatoes. I really miss it. I do try gardening and plant tomatoes, squash and cucumbers. I am not as good as him but I do pretty good! Thanks for the chance! almajean61(at)gmail(dot)com
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