Thursday, December 13, 2012

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Jar of Dreams - Liz Flaherty



Cheryl, thanks for letting me come over again—I’m afraid I’ll wear out my welcome one of these days, but I do love sharing the holidays with you!

I’m a sucker for houses. I’m not sure if it’s because the one where I grew up was so small and lacking in both charm and privacy or where the passion originates, but a passion it is. One of my favorite parts of developing a new story is deciding where the people in it are going to live. I have a real bent toward Victorian.

When my niece married years ago, I did the sewing for her wedding. As a gift, she gave a replica of a Dickensian-era post office she found at Joann’s, where we’d spent an unbelievable amount of time in the preceding month. A career postal worker, I was charmed by the building. My husband saw an easy and fairly inexpensive way to buy me gifts. 

Of course, about fifteen buildings and many trees, people, and other paraphernalia—it fills two totes—he’s rethought the inexpensive part, and when he helps rebuild the villages each November, he rethinks easy, too.

My villages are on the shelves above the kitchen windows, and my photography is suspect—okay, it’s bad—but you can get an idea of how it looks.

I’ve added a picture my office-sewing-room tree. It’s decorated haphazardly with snowmen, and my daughter-in-law Laura made the angel at its top. The ivory silk of the angel’s dress is left over from the fabric of Laura’s wedding gown, made by her mother.





Lucy Dolan, in JAR OF DREAMS, which will be released January 14 by Carina Press, comes to a stop on her way to new beginnings in a Victorian house in Taft, Indiana. 

Before she knows it, she’s half-owner in Tea on Twilight, tearoom extraordinaire, and Boone Brennan is wondering what hit him. I had so much fun with story, starting with finding the house I wanted to be at its center!



From Cheryl:
Liz, you will never wear out your welcome. You and I have to be twins separated at birth. I am the same way--gaga over houses--Victorian houses! I obsessively draw house plans for my characters.

I never thought of setting up my village in the kitchen, but this is a great idea. No matter where I do it I have to pack away a volume of items. This looks so great - and I would never have thought of the squares of fabric you used.

I am reading JAR OF DREAMS right now (I got an advance copy!) and am enjoying this story so much. Lucy and Boone are unusual characters and their story is one readers will enjoy. What a great cover! And a house....

Pre- order your Kindle copy now:
 

19 comments:

  1. Liz,

    Very nice village. I never got into collecting them but I love looking at them.

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    1. That's the way I was, Rose, until I got that first building... :-)

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  2. How pretty your village looks, Liz! Love it! Can't wait for Jar of Dreams! I've pre-ordered! Merry Christmas to you, Mon Amie!

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  3. I love your village, Liz! Can't wait to read Jar of Dreams!

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  4. I love the angel and what a great way to remember the marriage(not that you would forget) but it is nice to think of it every time you see that angel. Beautiful memories.

    As for the villages I have been hooked for years and I have several totes and always say I won't be putting them up today but there I go and still do it. I love them and would really miss them I have added Mickey villages to all of mine also. I love yours and great idea about where to put them. Book looks great will have to put on my list to order. Have a great holiday!

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    1. Thanks, Mickey! My husband kind of hopes from year to year that I won't want the village up, but he enjoys them as much--well, nearly--as I do.

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  5. My sister loved those houses, and I gave her over sixty for various occasions. But it was stolen from their shed.

    I can't wait to get your book!

    Merry Christmas!

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    1. Oh, how sad! That would break my heart. It killed me when I broke one, even though it wasn't a favorite. Thanks, D'Ann.

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  6. Liz, I can't wait for Jar of Dreams. Your previous book, One More Summer is one I re-read often. Love your village. My husband and son are in the music business so I collect miniature recording studios and other things which relate to their work.

    Thanks for your postings.
    Merry Christmas!

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    1. What a neat idea! My husband is a musician, too, but I've never looked for anything miniature to go with that.

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  7. Thanks for being my guest today, Liz. Wish I could stop over for tea and see your village in person. xoxo

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    1. I wish you could, too, Cheryl. Thanks so much for having me.

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  8. Liz, I love your village! I have always wanted a high shelf around my office like that where I could display things. I love my house, but we have no mantle over the fireplace and not a lot of shelving for display purposes. I just have a small village, but I love it so much. My sister and her husband used to have a Christmas store and one year she gave me and my other sis and our mom each one of those villages. Your book looks wonderful, too--and I just love your cover. I enjoyed reading your post! Merry Christmas!
    Cheryl

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    1. Thanks, Cheryl. Ilove my shelves. The rest of the year, I just have important-to-me things on them.

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  9. The village is so cute, Liz, and aren't you clever displaying it in your kitchen that way! I don't collect them myself but I love to see them.

    Marcy

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