I’ve been focusing on family for the last couple months, needing to be available to one of my sons who needed medical care and lots of love and support. I missed several deadlines for my books but fortunately my wonderful agent and editors understood and allowed me to step back from work committments to do what I needed to do. But now I’m finally starting to write again–its never easy after a long break!–and I’m slowly finding the words, and hoping that I’ll be able to finish my novels and get them out to you, my readers, very soon.
Fortunately, there are wonderful novels out right now to read, and one of my favorite new romances is the powerful, emotional (wonderful!!) new story, Good Together, by one of my best friends, CJ Carmichael.
I asked CJ to join me on my blog and share with you a little bit about how she and I met, and our friendship, which I very much cherish.
So here’s CJ. I hope you’ll enjoy her guest post on my blog!
From CJ
Jane and I met at a conference in Victoria before either of us were published. Somehow she, Barbara Dunlop and I gravitated to one another. Within a year all three of us were published! (Maybe we were each other’s good luck charms…) I’ll always remember the nights we sat up late in our hotel rooms talking about our hopes and dreams. Just to have a book with our name on the cover seemed like the big goal then. We’ve all come a long way since that time. But we remain great, supportive friends, and try to get together, just the three of us every one or two years.
I think we just “clicked” – it’s hard to explain. We definitely respect each other’s talent and share a drive and passion for writing. But we also just enjoy spending time together. We feel safe talking about things that are most important to us. And having lots of laughs along the way.
Loyalty is big part of friendship for me. I know that if I need something, and ask Jane, she’ll be there for me. It works the other way, too. I also like friends who care about the world, appreciate nature and want to be around it. Jane’s love of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta is one of our bonds. I head to Banff and area regularly to go hiking, and this is one of Jane’s favorite places in the world, too.
Typically Jane and I will see each other at the RWA National Conference where we’re swimming in a sea of thousands. We generally carve out a little time to be alone and talk, but we have our best visits when we do our 3-5 day retreats with Barb. We’ve met in Banff, Kelowna and Salt Spring Island. We love going to quiet places, surrounded by beautiful scenery. One of my most memorable meetings with Jane was about ten years ago when she came to Banff for her fortieth birthday. She was traveling alone–a lot of crazy things were happening in her life at the time. The two of us went out for a celebratory dinner, but also spent time hiking to Bow Falls, talking and reflecting. The mountains are a great place to put your life in perspective.
I had already dabbled in the Indie publishing world by the time Jane told me about her idea for Tule Publishing. I felt boxed in at Harlequin and was ready to plunge right in. I love the immediacy, the creative freedom and the feeling of being closer to my readers that I get with e-publishing. Plus Jane’s vision allows me to work with other creative people without sacrificing control over my own career. Jane excels in areas that are my weakness–such as just about everything to do with marketing!
I love the fact that besides being empowered to write my stories, my way, I now get to spend a lot more time with Jane. Through her I’ve met other amazing writers, reconnected with old writing friends, and had a chance to really get to know Lilian Darcy and Megan Crane (awesome people, funny, smart and talented). The four of us, Jane, Lilian, Megan and I, wrote the inaugural Montana Born books (Copper Mountain Rodeo). It all began with a week we spent together in Montana last May. After that I knew this new venture was something I’d never regret!
~~~
I asked CJ to join my Tule adventure because she’s not just my close friend, but one of the most talented writers I know. CJ (like fellow founding author friends Megan Crane and Lilian Darcy) has serious writing chops. She knows her craft and is constantly pushing herself to grow and deliver fresh, original and powerful stories that readers will love, and I think she’s written her best novel yet in Good Together, the first book in her Carrigans of Circle C Trilogy. I absolutely loved Good Together and so have all the readers at Amazon that have discovered it (there are 68 5 star reviews!) and best of all, right now, Good Together is just .99 for the next 5 days.
So if you’re looking for a great read, check out Good Together, and if you ask me what goes good together, well, it’s amazing, loyal friends like CJ Carmichael, who always have your back.
For a chance to be entered to in my Good Together contest, which has an awesome good together mystery prize that includes three gift cards and lots more fun things, tell me what you think goes good together and you could win! Contest runs through Thursday night with the winner announced on Friday morning so share with me now and then check back Friday to see if your name was drawn.
Dear Jane, It is so nice to find you here today, welcome back. I pray that your family health and needs issues work out best for everyone involved. When our loved ones are hurting, we hurt…mothers don’t ever stop feeling that with their children no matter the child’s age.
What is good together: for me it is love and marriage to my best friend and any time spent with family especially playing with the “grands.”
PS I have read a few of CJ’s books and she is a keeper as a writer and as a friend, too…as you state here.
I hope you family is doing well now and that your writing flows for you. I find that a good book and a cup of tea go good together for me.
Glad to see you back here, Jane. Hopeful that the medical concerns of your son are behind your family now. I have been enjoying the books being offered by Tule. Ordered Good Together this morning. Relaxation and a good book go together for me.
I’m so glad that your son is doing better and that your work allowed for you to be there for him. I find that a FB post by a fanily member and all the responses by others in the family makes me smile. Such a quick and easy way to keep in touch since we are scattered all across the country!
Loyalty is important and vital in life. Your devotion to family is to be admired. I hope that your writing will continue to be fulfilling and successful. What goes together for me is a novel and a soothing tea with lemon.
Jane I am sorry to here you have had family medical problems but glad thing are going better. Just alway remember family comes first then the writing. Hope things go well or the writing front, we have missed you. I find that relaxing with a good book and a tall glass of tea goes well together. Thanks for the wonderful post and looking forward to all the new books from Tule publishing. Good Together sounds awesome and I can’t wait to read it.
Hope your son is doing better. I think sweet and salty go great together.
I am very fortunate, like Barb & CJ & Jane, to be a part of a “threesome of girlfriends”. I hold these relationships dear to my heart, as I know they do as well. We “go good together”, as we too aren’t afraid to speak up with each other, we support each other all the time, and no distance is too great if we need to be with each other.
BTW, I also enjoy and can’t get enough of the Rocky Mountains and Banff. Even though I live in Ontario, Canada, my sister and her family live near Calgary, and all in my immediate family treasure our time spent with them – which is even more amazing if we can squeeze in some trips to Lake Louise and various hiking trails as well.
Nice story how you met
steak and potatoes go together
Hi Jane,
What goes good together is a good book, a warm blanket, and a can of diet coke!
Always,
Melinda
So sorry to hear that your son has not been well, but happy that you were able to devote the time to provide the love and support he needed. Having two sons myself, there is nothing that I wouldn’t give when they are sick.
We’ve all had a touch of the seasonal colds and flus that are going right now, so I’d have to say that tea with honey goes together…
PS — I live in Alberta, and never stop being amazed at the beautiful Rockies!
So happy to hear that things are going much better for your family’s health.
I go together with books! 🙂
Chocolate and wine definitely go good together. And I loved reading CJ’s book Good Together. It was a wonderful story 🙂
I am so glad you are back!!!
We miss you when you are gone but sure do understand family is first!
For me I think sun sand seafood and great books are a great match- can you tell I have spring fever??
Glad that your son is on the mend and you are back writing again. I think that apple pie and ice cream are a sweet combination!! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Hope your son is doing better. Looking forward to what you’re coming up with!
Crazy, but I think pizza and ice cream go together…I always need ice cream after I eat pizza. 🙂
I’m so glad that things are better and that you are back. Two things that go good together are sweet and sour.
Glad you are finding your way back to writing.
For me popcorn (not microwaved), milk and salt go together. Love me some popcorn cereal.
So glad to have you back! Chocolate and peanut butter, of course.
My favorite things that go together is a great book and a fire in the fireplace 🙂
Cookies and milk!
My Sweetie & me are good together!! 😀 ❤ And a close second … chocolate & coconut. 😉
Glad to see you back Jane, do hope your son has improved.
peanut butter & jelly go good together! thanks for the contest! and for sharing your story with us.
Hey Jane… I bought “Good Together” today! For me… Summer and sweet tea go together… I am from TEXAS! Welcome back.. ALWAYS keep putting the family first! That is why we love you!
I’m sorry you’ve been dealing with so much lately. I hope your son’s problems have started to improve and you’re happy again and not being stressed as bad. I’m glad you’re writing again too. I love this post of friendship. I don’t have anyone who I am really close with, but I feel very close with several people I have become friends with on Facebook and don’t know what I would do without them. That’s why I spend so much time on there. That’s my little world and that’s what is good together for me.
Hope the medical problems are now behind you and your son is on the mend. I think snuggling in a nice comfy bed with a good book is the ultimate go-together.
Glad to hear your son is doing better. I have to say chocolate and peanut butter while reading by the fire with a snow storm outside goes together very well!! Thanks!!
Reading a great book in front of fireplace on a rainy day goes great together ;o)
a good book and asher’s milk chocolate coated peanut butter eggs go good together.Have a wonderful week.I enjoy reading Jane, Lilian, Megan and c. j. books.Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for sharing. Hope things are going better. Reading a good book on a warm beach is always good together.
Hi Jane,
I have been praying for you and your family. I hope your son is doing better.
I think that me and warm weather go together. I live in freezing cold, upstate New York. Our winters are brutal. With each winter that I’m here, I realize more and more that the warm weather and I are meant to be together all year round.
Glad everything is going better for your family! I think diet coke and pizza goes great together. =]
Dear Jane,
I am so sorry you and your family have had to go through so much lately. I hope and pray that things are getting better for all of you, I will keep you all in my prayers. I am glad to hear that your creative juices are starting to flow again, you are a very talented writer, never doubt yourself. And I do believe that you have a large group of fans, me being one of them.
So to answer your question:
[I have a few]:
*Love/Marriage
*Truth/Honor
*Milk/cookies
*A movie/Popcorn
*Apple Pie/Ice Cream
*A good book/ Hot Cocoa
*Good book/ snuggled up to a warm fire
*Girlfriends/Together
*Sweet/Sour
*Ying/Yang
I should stop cause I could go on forever. Never forget we fans are hear for you if only in our words.
Cup of tea and some cookies are good together. Oh and by the way I’m having them now!!
Double choco brownies and cold milk are always good together 🙂
Sending out love and hugs to you, your family, and especially your son. I hope he is feeling better. As for things that go good together I would say:
*chocolate and peanut butter
*chocolate and coconut
*eggs and hash browns
*a good book and a furry animal friend cuddled up next to you
*the beach and a good book
Two things that I think go good together Jane are sunshine and beaches! It is both beautiful and relaxing when those two things come together!
Popcorn and movies. Peanut butter and bananas. Wine and cheese.
I am hopeful that the health issues your son has been dealing with are resolved and that the homefront is back to normal. Tough times happen when the kids are ill.
My go togethers make my daughter cringe: a glass of milk and potato chips. For me, you can’t beat it!
Glad you were able to take time for your family, they always come first.
Things that go together to me, tule group and their fantastic writers , hawaiian sand and sunshine, chips and salsa!
Hi Jane, I hope your family is doing well now. I’m glad you were able to take time off to take care of them.
I like peanut butter and chocolate together.
My comfy chair, a warm soft blanket, a good book, amd me in the middle of them definitely go good together…oh and Bear, my dog, likes to pile in there with me!
Hi Jane and CJ,
You ladies are so lucky to be best girlfriends.
I read Good Together and loved it.
The story lines you ladies come up with hit so close to home sometime it amazes me.
Some of the things that go together….
Pizza and diet coke
dark chocolate and a good book
Sunday and a movie
puppies and love<3
My crochet and a good movie go great together!
Glad that things are settling down for you. Family & good books go better together!
Dark chocolate and sweet red wine.
Jane, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family…family always comes first!
I absolutely adored Good Together and found it so inpsirational. One of my favorite things that I think are good together are rainy days along with a good book to read! 🙂
I hope your son is doing better – it is good you were able to take time to be with him. As far as what goes together, dark chocolate, a cup of coffee (dark/bold roast), a cozy blanket and a good book!
Hot Mocha & a Jane Porter book! My favorite things!
Right now, as it is raining in the Pacific Northwest, there is nothing better that I can think of than a good book and a captive audience (Currently the “good book” is Sandman and the War of Dreams by William Joyce)
Dark chocolate and raspberries
What goes good together? Bacon & eggs. haha
I am reading The Sweetest Thing by Lilian Darcy right now. Enjoying it so far.
Jeremy + Jessica = good together. Almost 23 years!
Jane and CJ thank you for sharing your great friendship story with us. Jane, I always have you and your family in prayer. Can’t wait to see what you are writing next. There is so many things that are good together. I will just say great friends hanging out and talking all night about everything under the sun. And Hot chocolate with Real whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles!
CJ, I absolutely loved Good Together!
Thanks for the good reads ladies. I love a good book and a bowl of Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream chips.
I read Good Together last week and it was a great book!
I think a high quality chocolate and a book go well together.
I hope your son is doing better 🙂
Peaceful rest and healing go together. I was sick last week and took 2 days off for complete rest-more healing than antibiotics!
Time with my best friends, that’s what goes good together! 🙂 Red wine and chocolate, coffee & dessert, summer driving and a great song on the radio, hot tea and a great book while it’s raining outside – I could go on and on.
SharonA
Friends are always good together as is chocolate with nuts.
Loved the book, Good Together. Could relate to many things in the story. What goes together is my kindle, a blanket and a cup of coffee.
Good together = My hunnyBunny & me! 😉
Thanks for sharing with us!
Any holiday and food. Looking forward to corned beef-cabbage and St. Patricks Day.
Hope all is well with your son! A child with medical issues, no matter how old they are, really takes its toll on the mom.
I think books go with everything….rainy days, sunny days, snuggly blankets, air conditioning, time stuck waiting or free time relaxing. Books and chocolate are also good together. I make a mean dark chocolate truffle.
Big hug to you Jane. Look after your son and family- we will all be here waiting when you return. What goes good together- salt and pepper. So basic but so fundamental in so many things.
What goes good together—chocolate and peanut butter, cheese & wine, and dogs and cats! Happy Monday! 🙂
This is such a lovely post…I enjoyed hearing from CJ. I love her books as well and of course all of Montana Born books. I am really looking forward to reading Good Together.
Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Cindy
Loved the blog post!!! Things that I think are good together, chocolate and a good book, a bath and a good book, a glass of wine and a good, ohhh and peanut butter and jelly. *G* Thanks for the chance at a giveaway!
Hi! I hope your son is feeling better, and glad your writing again! I love to cuddle on my couch rather its cold or rainy with a good book!
Welcome back.
I think a good glass a wine and my nook go great together..
A king size bed and a couple of snuggly animals go great together.
Continued smooth sailing with the health issues. I really enjoyed your blog post. A good book and me being in Palm Springs go together just perfectly.
I hope your son is feeling better. It seems a lot of people are struggling with health issues these days and it is so unfortunate.
I think chocolate and peanut butter are a perfect combination. Also, a warm blanket and a good book on a col day.
What goes good together? My two real life best book friends and our coffee therapy day each week. We make sure to schedule a day each week to drink copius amounts of caffeine and talk books, the good, the bad and the ugly cry kind. #LoveMyBookBabes
Hi Jane: Always have you and your family in prayer. I hope this is improving for you. So glad writing is back in your life. I know its hard to get back to, but always seems to be cathartic for you!
Things that go good together? Loads of them:
coffee and creamer
dark choc and almonds
me and the beach
but mostly, me and Tom 🙂
it’s not always sunshine, romance and roses cause we’re raising two kids through the toughest part of their childhood (middle school and high school). but I know that we’re the best team possible for this job and at the end of the day, he’s the one for me! 🙂
Much love to you, always
S
I wish you and yours all the best! A good book and a purring cat 🙂
The best two things that go together are chocolate and milk. Dark Chocolate milk..The best drink in the afternoon..
Hope things are getting better with your family. I think spring and tulips go together. I can’t wait to see some coming up.
So glad things are back to normal at your house. It is not easy being a mom and working.
Italian food and wine is my go-together.
I’m glad to hear your support system allows for your priorities. You’re a “Good Mother” (shameless plug for your book)! I really enjoyed reading about your friendship with CJ and Barb, what an awesome blessing!
Hmmm…I tend to agree with everyone’s posts, they are pretty close to many of my own likes! Gotta say though my absolute fav throughout my lifetime has been reading and just about any drink (hot, cold…coffee, tea…soft or hard, though I rarely drink alcohol). However my two absolute go together items are pickles and peanut butter (since…forever) and movie popcorn and chocolate! I was introduced to it when I worked for Cinemark movie theaters years ago and have loved it ever since. Both give me a comforting satisfaction…
I enjoyed this post. There are so many good things that go together as I’ve read in the other posts. One of my favorites is chocolate and raspberries.
Carol L
What goes good together? I like a few combinations myself… whether it’s a couple friends sharing laughter and tears with some good wine, cheese/crackers and some good music playing… or perhaps a romantic drama or comedy in your sweats under a warm blanket with all the lights out, popcorn in hand… or my favorite is lounging by the fire, kids in bed, indulging in my own personal treats while curled up with a good book! Thank you once again for the opportunity to be a part of these generous and sweet giveaways 😀
So sorry your son is dealing with medical problems. I think I own a couple of CJ’s books. My kindle has so many books that I amway behind figuring out what I have & what I don’t. I love chocolate & maderan orange together. Chocolate & coconut. Chocolate & almost anything!!
My husband and I; peanut butter and jelly, chocolate and peanut butter, beaches and sunsets. 🙂
Family is precious. Hope your son is doing well. First and foremost, my husband and I go well together. Next, coffee, a comfortable chair and a good book goes well together.
I hope all is getting back to normal for you, Jane! Thanks so much for bringing CJ into the fold. I thought Good Together was an amazing novel and can’t wait to read the next. I personally think you four did an amazing job introducing Montana Born and Tule, and can’t wait for more from you four, and all the other amazing authors you are gathering in!
I’m so happy to hear things are better with you and your family! Well, my all time favorite things that I think go amazingly great together are: coffee, reading, good friends, massages and shopping. These things above, or even a few of them put together make a PERFECT day for me!!! Have a great week, Jane!!
I’ve read Good Together and loved it!! A good book and mug of hot chocolate go great together.
Glad things are looking up. For me, nothing is better than peanut butter and chocolate. Other favorites are burgers and fries, chips and dip. I can only seem to think of food related items.
Hope your son is going to be back to normal soon. Looking forward to read your next books.
Talking about books, I always love a good book, a blanket and a cup of green tea. Also, lately, a great combo I can’t do without is dark chocolate covered cherries and almond butter/coconut butter and vanilla.
Can’t wait to read CJ new book.
Chocolate and peanut butter!
I hope your son is better, C.J.
I’ve already picked up this book. I’ve been loving all the Montana Born Books and when I saw this was a spin-off I snapped it up!
Hot chocolate and marshmallows go really well together.
Went to B&N website to buy a copy for my Nook (realizing it wouldn’t be the .99 deal) and couldn’t find it. What’s the story, Rory? Don’t tell me Tule is a no Nookie publisher 😉
Peanut butter and chocolate – now THOSE go GREAT together! Loved reading this post and how you ladies met – great story!
Lisa McManus Lange
trust things are going fine for your son.
Plain chips and Dill Pickle dip go good together.
Vanilla ice cream and blueberries go good together
Thank you to everyone for supporting Good Together! I’m so very pleased with how well CJ’s book is doing! Our winner is –
#68 Jenny Duncan
Jenny, shoot me an email with your mailing info and we’ll get the prize out to you soon!
much love to all,
Jane