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Visiting Bridges (and a book deal!)

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One of the first stops Ken and I made in our recent six-weeks-long trip was Winterset, Iowa, home of the covered bridges of Madison County and the setting for my newest novel, Bridges. (KEEP READING FOR A DEAL ON BRIDGES TODAY ONLY!)

We’d visited Winterset several times during the years our youngest son attended college in Iowa. And the charming town that inspired the bestselling novel The Bridges of Madison County was also the inspiration for my novel (although Robert Waller’s book “inspired” my own novel in a little different way than you might imagine. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so you’ll have to read Bridges to find out what I mean by that.)

You can’t drive across the covered bridges, but it was fun parking our camper in such a way that it looked like we did!

Ken noticed this patch of chicory growing near Holliwell Bridge. I loved the juxtaposition of the inspiration for both my Chicory Inn Novels series and Bridges, so had to snap a pic from this perspective:

Our entry into Winterset was the same as my hero, J.W. McRae’s, in Bridges. Here’s the first paragraph of the book and the exact spot where it takes place in real life.

J.W. McRae braked at the stop sign where St. Charles dead-ended at Clark Tower Road. He shifted his pickup into Park and rested his forearms atop the steering wheel, his chest constricting. If he didn’t know better he’d think he was having a heart attack.

Those of you who’ve already read Bridges know that there’s a special reason that the bridge pictured on the cover of my novel is NOT one of the Bridges of Madison County. But I love how this interior of Holliwell Bridge echoes the cover Ken designed for my book:

And now for that special offer! The e-book for Bridges is only $1.99 if you grab your copy TODAY! Click on the image below to get this special deal:

Speaking of bridges, less than an hour north of Winterset, Ken and I got to ride our bikes across the incredible, half-mile-long High Trestle Bridge near Madrid, Iowa. The artist/architect who designed this bridge was brilliant!

And for a better idea of just how high and long that trestle is, here’s what it looks like from the highway below!

We saw a lot of other bridges on our trip, but I think these in Iowa were my favorite!

Again, don’t forget to grab your copy of the Bridges e-book for $1.99 and I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Deborah Raney

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Forty books later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is on faculty for several national writers’ conferences and served on the executive board of the 2,500-member American Christian Fiction Writers organization for 18 years before retiring in 2022. She is a recent transplant to Missouri, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, e-biking, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard.
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Comments

  1. I LOVED following you guys on your latest adventure. The pictures you shared (like those in your post today) were breathtaking. God’s beauty in creation is always so inspiring. Great on that sale too! Loved Bridges. ♥️♥️♥️

  3. Thanks (again!) for sharing your wonderful travels with us!
    I’d just ordered Bridges a few minutes ago, then began reading your post today and had to smile – – I’m extra-excited now to begin reading this story. 🙂
    You and Ken are brave to ride across that loooong bridge!
    Hugs, Patti Jo

    • Thanks so much, Patty Jo. The trestle bridge was AMAZING! And not as scary as it looked once we were on it. I was thankful I didn’t see the highway view until AFTER we’d ridden across!! 🙂

  4. Oh wow, Deborah! My husband, David, and I bicycled that bridge this summer! My Dad grew up in Iowa, so whenever we drive to Colorado from Ohio to visit our son, we drive through Iowa. This summer we decided to bring our tandem and do a few rides along the way. The High Trestle Bridge was a favorite! We saw two dear at the river, as well as several birds.

  5. We visited Winterset, IA a few years ago from Wisconsin on an autumn camping trip. Loved the bridges, the history, the quilt museum, and the festival on the town square. Am ordering the e-book to see your take on the town.

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