My book club had the pleasure of “meeting” the lovely T.I. Lowe last year when we discussed her novel, Lulu’s Cafe, so I’m thrilled to be featuring Tonya today, celebrating the release of the first book in her new Carolina Cost series, Beach Haven. I’m excited to read this series as I know Tonya’s writing is authentic, warm, and romantic, and a coastal foray is just what we need right now as we hang around home! Please enjoy this bookchat as Tonya shares about Opal and Lincoln, how Opal’s shop came about its name, and the beauty of female friendship!

Enjoy!

Free-spirited Opal Gilbert seems to have everything she needs to keep living a happy life in Sunset Cove as she refurbishes vintage furniture to sell at her funky ocean-side boutique, Bless This Mess. Until Lincoln Cole, a new-to-town ex-Marine nursing deep wounds and harboring hurts he can’t seem to shake, wanders into her shop. Opal knows a person in need when she sees one and offers Lincoln a job in her workshop. But the brooding former soldier has no interest in Opal’s offer. Thanks but no thanks.

But then a hurricane strikes, damaging Bless This Mess. Feeling guilty for how he treated Opal, Lincoln decides to help her repair the store. And soon it becomes clear Opal wants to restore not only her business, but also help Lincoln find restoration. As much as Lincoln tries to keep her at arm’s length, Opal’s well-meaning meddling begins to heal his wounds . . . and capture his heart almost before he realizes it.

Please share a little about your characters, Opal and Lincoln

I tell ya, these two were a handful. Always butting heads and acting scared to death one was going to get too close. Sure, Lincoln tried painting them as opposites, but they fit too good for any of us to buy that baloney. The brusque war veteran ended up meeting his match in the petite woman full of whimsy. They are that couple who are more adorable when they are snarling at each other. No worries, though—they have some pretty sweet moments along the way that’ll make you want to go, “Aww . . .”

What drives Opal to “meddle” in Lincoln’s life?

Opal sees most everything through a different set of lenses than most, looking past the damage and realizing the potential. Of course, she does the same with Lincoln, focusing on his potential instead of the limitations of his disability. He sure isn’t happy about it, though . . .

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

Beachy, Charming, Raw, Real, and Satisfying

Share a little about Sunset Cove—what makes it unique?

I love this little town! At first glance, it looks like most sleepy coastal towns, but there’s much more to it than lazy days tanning on the beach and attending beachside festivals. This community is spunky yet sincere. I hope readers will feel just as welcomed to visit Sunset Cove as I was while writing the three books. I felt so welcomed that I’m contemplating sharing some more stories from these folks!

My sweet friend Trina brainstormed with me about shop names for Opal’s boutique. We came up with “Bless This Mess.” One day not too long ago, I was rummaging around in the craft store Hobby Lobby and found this wall decal. I had to have it! It’s over the door in my office.

Your romance novels have great depth—how do you choose the authentic issues that drive your stories?

It begins with being aware of what’s happening in the world around me, looking closely at issues and how those being affected by them respond. I take my findings to prayer, and it never ceases to blow my mind how God will reveal the right story at the right time for me to share with the world. The subject matter may not be popular and certainly not easy for me to bring to life, but when it’s right it’s right, and who am I to get in the way of it?

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

Opal was a blast to get to know. She’s certainly not one-dimensional. On the surface, sure, she’s a free-spirited hippie who spends her days tinkering with junk, but look a little deeper and there is a well-educated woman who isn’t afraid to live her truth.

Which character gave you the most grief?

That stinking Lincoln Cole! He had a thick wall up, making it hard for even me, the writer, to push past. Writing his gruffy side was a breeze, but it was much more challenging to share his vulnerable soft side. He turned out to be such a sweet teddy bear behind all those scowls.

What emotions do you think your story will generate in readers?

I hope it provokes them to become more in tune with empathy. I’m not talking about feeling sorry for someone, but simply feeling for someone. Being more understanding. I believe it’s okay to hurt with someone, to laugh or cry with them, to be angry on their behalf. Most of all, to be real with someone. Only way to do that is to look past our own daily lives and to see those around us, then show up for them. Lincoln and Opal both had people at the ready, showing up to rally around them, no matter what the situation.

What emotions did you experience while writing this story?

I was angered by people from Opal’s childhood who made her feel “less than” simply because she was different. I want readers to get mad about it too, and then make sure they aren’t doing the same without realizing it. I also hurt for Lincoln and how he couldn’t accept his circumstances. He was too hard on himself and too stubborn to seek the help he needed. I’m glad he eventually figured things out.

This is my word tree in the corner of my office. Words such as sincere, spirited, and altruistic are reminders for me to live these qualities out daily. I’m pretty sure Opal would approve of the two chairs. I found them on the side of the road! Dingy brown with no bottom. After a good cleaning and a coat of sea-salt-green paint, I distressed the finish slightly with sandpaper and applied an antiquing glaze. I completed the chairs by upholstering new cushions.

Beach Haven is the first in a trilogy, with Driftwood Dreams and Sea Glass Castle releasing in quick succession. How did this series come about?

My brilliant agent suggested I think about writing a series set on the coast of South Carolina, revolving around a group of close friends, and my imagination took off from there.

Your three leading ladies are best friends. How have they cultivated such a close relationship? Why is friendship amongst women so important?

There’s this funny meme that says, “Good friends will help you bury a body, but great friends will bring their own shovel and ask no questions.” These three are that tight. I wanted to use them to show women how true friendship works. There’s no competition, no backbiting, and no judgment. They love each other in whatever season they are in, good times or bad. And if they are a hot mess, the others will hand over a hairbrush and some words of encouragement. They’ll even deliver a kick in the butt if that’s what’s needed. True friendship should be built on honesty and respect. You can’t do one without the other, in my opinion.

What’s next?

If y’all love these folks from Sunset Cove, and my publisher thinks it’s a good idea, I would love to write a spin-off series. There’s a certain character y’all will meet in Sea Glass Castle who is just begging for a book. I’m going to leave it at that for now. 😉 In the meantime, I have a few manuscripts I’m working on. These three books are considered more women’s fiction than romance, but I’m passionate about them and hope the right time to share them with the world will be revealed! For now, I’m patiently waiting . . .

Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.

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