How This Small Town Came to Life

When I first sat down to write Where There’s Smoke, I thought I was setting a simple stage. A little Michigan town. A firefighter romance. A backdrop that would do its job, fade into the scenery, and let the characters run the show.

But Hammonds Bend had other ideas.

What started as a backdrop quickly turned into something far more insistent. I could hear the firehouse sirens echoing down Main Street. I could picture the dispatcher’s desk glowing late into the night, coffee cups lined up like trophies. I could almost smell the bacon sizzling in the corner booth of the diner, where gossip spread faster than steam off a plate of pancakes.

Before I knew it, Hammonds Bend wasn’t scenery anymore. It was a living, breathing place, shaping the story as much as the characters themselves.

The Heartbeat of a Small Town

Small towns have a way of clinging to you. If you’ve ever lived in one, you know how quickly word travels — good news, bad news, and everything in between. The streets are familiar, the doors feel open, and yet… there are always corners where shadows linger.

That tension — cozy on the surface, danger just beneath — is what made Hammond’s Bend irresistible to me. The church bells might chime on Sunday morning, but behind closed doors, someone is hiding a secret. The bookstore might host a fall book club, but a conversation overheard on Main Street might unravel an entire investigation.

For me, Hammonds Bend became the perfect setting for romantic suspense: a place where love and danger collide, and where even the safest spots hold just enough mystery to keep you on edge.

Meeting the People of Hammonds Bend

Of course, a town is only as alive as the people who call it home. Hammonds Bend introduced me to characters who surprised me, challenged me, and refused to stay quiet.

There’s Annie Andrews, the firefighter who would rather run into a burning building than admit her heart is on the line. There’s Mason Ramsey, the undercover DEA agent who knows better than to trust anyone — until Annie tests that rule at every turn. And then there are the friends, coworkers, and neighbors whose lives weave together in ways no one expects… until secrets start coming to light.

The more I wrote, the more I realized Hammonds Bend wasn’t just a town for one story. It was the start of an entire series — each book spotlighting new heroes, new challenges, and new romances, while the heartbeat of the town ties them all together.

Coming Home Again

That’s why relaunching Where There’s Smoke (release date announcement coming soon!) feels less like polishing up an old manuscript and more like coming home.

I’ve tightened the suspense, deepened the romance, and given Hammond’s Bend a chance to shine brighter than ever before. Think of it like catching up with old friends — the kind you haven’t seen in years, but the second you sit down together, the stories pour out like no time has passed.

This time, though, the visit comes with a promise: Where There’s Smoke is just the beginning. A whole series of stories are waiting in Hammond’s Bend, and I can’t wait to introduce you to them.

A Question for You

When you pick up a romantic suspense, what pulls you in first — the sparks of the romance, or the shadows of the danger?

For me, it’s always been the mix. The way a love story feels sharper when danger closes in. The way suspense feels even more intense when two people are fighting for each other, not just themselves.

But I want to know what you think. Hit reply (or drop a comment below) and tell me: are you Team Romance, Team Suspense, or — like me — happily stuck in the middle?

Hammonds Bend came to life by accident, but it stayed because it had something to say. And I think that’s why it will stay with readers, too. Cozy, charming, sometimes dangerous, sometimes comforting — it’s the kind of place that feels real, because in many ways, it is.

I can’t wait for you to step back into Hammonds Bend with me. The secrets are waiting.

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