Inspiration? Alexandria! (And a giveaway)

ByBecky Wade
41 Comments

Australian author Jessica Wakefield is guest-posting on the blog today and kindly offering a copy of her brand new book to one of you. We’re delighted to have you join us here, Jessica! -Becky

“Addey walked down King Street, huddled deep into her jacket, the chilly wind blowing her hair behind her. Christmas wreaths hung from the iconic iron lamp posts. The shops were bordered with green, twinkle light-infused garlands, while red Christmas bows hung from doors throughout the main street. In a different mood—when she hadn’t just quit the party and disappointed her parents yet again—she might slowly wander and drink in the holiday spirit.” — It Shouldn’t Be You

I tend to set my books in fictional towns, but this one, set in Alexandria, VA has a special place in my heart. It was my first visit to the USA and I took my then three-year-old daughter, Eleyna, with me—on my own! Yes, you read that right. I took her halfway across the world on two flights totaling 20 hrs! Was I scared? You betcha. Did I survive? Yep, in fact I thrived. I was filled with confidence as I stepped into the unknown and faced fears but I also ticked off the number one item on my bucket list—visit the USA.

Mansion Circle

When my American friend moved from Australia back to the USA, she was insistent that we visit. So I saved up and hit the tarmac and found myself in Alexandria, VA. I fell in love with this old world, modern city and its surrounds. King St in Old town is famous for it’s cobblestone streets and historic architecture, but the area around it also amazing. We visited Mount Vernon, the home of Geroge and Martha Washington. We had an amazing day exploring and learning and the perfect weather—gently falling snow as we walked the red brick pathways around the property.

Close up view of the home

“In front of him was a well-manicured lawn with gravel pathways framing the edges. At the end of the lawn sat Mount Vernon, home of the country’s first president. The red roofed two-and-a-half story mansion with its dove-topped cupola was flanked on either side by two single-story buildings, creating a cozy feeling for such a large space.” – It Shouldn’t Be You

Both these sites are what inspired my new release, It Shouldn’t Be You. A forced proximity, forbidden romance sporting Romeo and Juliet meets Gilmore Girls vibes. I think it was the architecture of Alexandia that brought in the Gilmore Girls vibes—the place seemed made for someone like Emily Gilmore—ha ha. I didn’t start out with anything in my mind, except the setting and a jaded journalist with a chip on his shoulder. It wasn’t until I got home from the trip that I started fleshing out the whole thing. I wrote it during my daughter’s pre-school days.

Cupcake shop in Alexandria

And today, the book is out in the world—11 years after I first dreamed it up. Everyone now gets to see Declan and Addey walk around King St, meet at Mount Vernon and fall in love when they’re really not supposed to.

GIVEAWAY! Congratulations to Jocelyn, winner of Jessica’s book!

As a kid, Australian author Jessica Wakefield penned really bad Anne of Green Gables fan fiction. Nowadays she lives in Newcastle with her husband, two daughters and a fluffy mini-groodle. Jessica has a lifelong love of Sweet Valley High books and is a recovering Gilmore girls addict. When she’s not fawning over her cuddly dog Ginny, you can find her reading, going for walks or baking. Find out more at: www.jessicawakefield.com

To revive his stalled career, jaded journalist Declan Collins is assigned to cover the Hamiltons’ extravagant Christmas party—the same Hamiltons who are demolishing the community centre where Declan spent some of the best moments of his childhood.

Addey Bennet, the event planner behind the party, needs everything to go perfectly. Her business is on the line, and so is her chance to mend a strained relationship with her powerful parents—the ones footing the bill.

Neither of them expects the spark between them.

Addey never planned to fall for the man who resents everything her family stands for. Declan never imagined he’d be drawn to the Hamiltons’ daughter. But as tensions rise and emotions deepen, their unexpected connection could cost them everything they’ve worked for—and maybe even a shot at love.

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Becky makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children. She absolutely loves writing funny, heartwarming, and inspirational contemporary Christian romance.

41 Comments

  1. Anyone who used to write Anne of Green Gables fan fiction MUST be on my list of authors to keep up with!

    1. Hi Colleen! I had a little exercise book with the title “Anne and Gilbert” in bubble writing. I also used to carry a basket around my backyard, pretending I was picking apples. We had a mandarin tree, so I put those in the basket too. LOL.

  2. This book sounds fabulous…and what a trip to spark the story!! Thank you so much for sharing this with us! 😍📚

    Sincerely, a Gilmore Girls addict –
    Becky D 🤩

    1. Hi Becky!

      I didn;t expect a story to come from that trip, but I’m sure glad it did. 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  3. So nice to meet you, Jessica, and thanks for sharing about your book! Sounds like a fun read!

    1. Hi Bev,

      Thank you! I love this book so much. It holds a very special place in my heart.
      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

    1. Hi Melissa, I certainly don;t think of myself as an adventurer. My hubby did a walk-through at home, guiding me through what would happen at each point in the journey through the airport. But I needed so much reassurance that I could do this.I’m so, so glad I did. God with me every step of the way.
      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

    1. Thanks Jocelyn. 🙂 I’ve even had the privilege of going a second time, this time on my own. 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess

  6. Jessica! My taxi and Uber buddy. 🙂 So fun to see you on the blog! Your new book looks absolutely adorable. I love the cover art. Super cute. I wish you all the best with this release, my friend!

    1. Karen! I always think of you with fondness and joy. 🙂 Thanks, I love Addey and Dec’s story, I don;t even call it by its title anymore.

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  7. As a native Virginian, born in Richmond, now living in Virginia Beach, I’m glad you enjoyed our state. Mount Vernon is a great historic site! Hope you someday get to visit Colonial Williamsburg, a must see. We have so many historic colonial sites: Jamestown, Yorktown, Monticello (home of Thomas Jefferson).

    I have a reading friend who lives in Australia. Your book sounds very entertaining. Thanks for guest hosting.

    1. Hi Betty,

      I did get to visit Yorktown! We spent two nights in Williamsburg, but we didn’t see Colonial Williamsburg, but we walked around Yorktown and the and I had my first clam chowder there and loved it so much.

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  8. Nice to meet you Jessica. Always love to discover new authors! Excited to read this book….love a good romance.

    1. Hi Jenn, nice to meet you too! I hope you’ll grab a copy, even if you don’t win one. 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  9. Hi Jessica,
    Thanks for sharing with Becky’s readers. I’m a Gilmore girls fan too. Looking forward to reading your book.

    1. Hi Kirsten, Gilmore Girls is such a good show. I must say Addey is more Rory with touches of Lorelai. Declan is not Like though, but he is grumpy, 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  12. Oh, this brings back memories! I visited Mount Vernon with my honey in February several years ago. We hit it just after a big ice storm, but it was still slightly snowing. We couldn’t do some paths due to the ice. But the buildings and history were magical! Ahhh. This book sounds great! Thanks!

    1. Hi Angie,

      Mount Vernon is lovely! I enjoyed my time there so much. I’d love to visit there in the summer so i can really see the Potomac from the sloping lawn, but my experience was still magical.
      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

    1. Hi Kerri, It’s so fun to share my experience with you all in the USA. I hope I did it justice.

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  14. My father was stationed at Fort Myers and he took us to see Mount Vernon, this started me on a journey of a love for American Hisrory.

    1. Becky, that’s lovely. I’m glad you got to see it. 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

    1. Hi Amy,

      Thanks. I really enjoyed writing Addey and Dec’s story 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  16. Jessica’s book sounds like a lot of fun. I would love to win it. 🙂 When I was 10, my family made a cross country road trip from CA to Washington DC and back one summer. One stop we made was to tour Mount Vernon. What stood out to me was the grandfather clock in the house. Not sure why that was so impressive but that’s pretty much all I remember of the tour. I would love to visit it again. Someday, if I make it to the East Coast, I hope to revisit it!

    Thanks for the opportunity to win Jessica’s new book!

    1. Ho Joyce, what a fun trip you did! My hero Declan was from California, and he also did the trip from the West Coast to the East Coast, but he stayed LOL. 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  17. It was so fun reading the way you saw Alexandria and other historical places. We have enjoyed visiting them as well. Our youngest son and his family live in Washington DC now so we have a reason to visit occasionally.

    1. Hi Jen,

      I so enjoyed DC as well. I got to see the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and we did some cherry blossom activities and saw the Museum of Natural History. We even took a White House tour. That was memorable with a three-year-old in tow!

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

  18. I would love to win your book. I’m always looking for new authors to read.

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Kim,

      Nice to meet you. I hope you’ll still give me a try, even if you don’t win 🙂

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

    1. Hey, thanks. Hope you like it. Talk soon. I’m still editing, and now I’ve got a cold, right in the middle of our church’s 100-year anniversary, where I’m holding a stall to sell my books.

      Hugs,
      Jess 🙂

    1. Hi Natalie,

      Thanks. I feel like I was going to tear my hair out a few times, but I’ve loved this story since I started writing it.

      Blessings,
      Jess 🙂

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