With enemies at every turn, how will they survive with their lives and love intact?
My name is Lori DiAnni and I’m the author of the small town Misty River series set in my state of Maine. I have three books out in the series and am currently working on book 4, Falling Inn Love with a tentative publishing date of May 20th.
People often ask me where I get my ideas for my stories and I answer that my series inspiration came from the small town where I grew up in Massachusetts. I lived in Essex, a little village really, of about 2500 people back in 1968. Maybe, just maybe there might be 3000 residents there now.
It sits on the Essex River which leads out to the ocean near Ipswich. The town is peaceful and literally, everyone knows everyone! Essex has one school, an elementary school, three churches, several seafood restaurants and a ton of antique stores. Downtown consists of a small pharmacy, a village bakery, a village market, a post office, a police station, a town hall and I think that’s it. If you blink, you’ll drive through downtown.
When it came time to plan my series, I couldn’t help but think of Essex but I wanted it to take place in Maine. So I melded my hometown with the small towns surrounding Sanford, Maine, where I live and viola’, Misty River was born. If I need quick inspiration, I can get in my car and take a thirty minute drive to Kennebunkport, Cape Porpoise, Arundel, York Harbor, Ogunquit, to name a few, and absorb the sights, smells and people. I live about a half hour from the coast which coincidentally Misty River happens to be that distance too!
So many real places inspired my fictional town. Sweet Cheeks Bakery is a blend of the Village Bakery in Essex and a bakery here in Sanford. I just made it a bit more whimsical. The café, Brewed Awakenings, is an actual small coffee shop in Wells. I loved the name and had to use it. Jamie’s Jukebox Diner is inspired by a diner in Waterboro, Maine. The Riverside Tavern is a blend of a tavern in Ipswich, Mass and a tavern here in town. Wilson’s General Store and Wilson’s Hardware Store are also blends of various hardware stores in town and Zeb’s in North Conway, NH. Yesterday’s Treasures, which will be in Book 5, is a spin-off of several antique stores in Essex, one in particular being Howard’s Flying Dragon Antiques. And lastly, Serenity Inn (Book 4-Falling Inn Love) is based on a bed and breakfast in Bar Harbor Maine that I fell in love with.
If you’re ever in Maine or Massachusetts, check out these places. You may be happy you did.
Find her books online:
Dancing In the Grass--Wishing on the Stars--Dreaming of Sunsets
Instructions
1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each time. You may also melt the butter and chocolate over low heat on the stovetop. Stir until smooth and set aside to slightly cool.
3. In a medium sized bowl, toss the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the cooled butter/chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat until everything is added. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be very thick like pudding.
4. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
5. For the frosting: Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder to assure there are no lumps. Set aside. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted sugar/cocoa powder alternately with the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Once all added, beat on high speed until creamy and combined for at least 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
6. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with chocolate chips as desired. Cupcakes stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store covered in the refrigerator is desired for up to 1 week.
Excerpt from Dancing in the Grass
The Meet cute…
Lucas opened the door and the bell jingled above their heads, announcing their arrival. The sweet scent of sugar and caramel wafted in the air. He had to admit the bakery had a tantalizing smell along with whimsical decor which would make anyone want to buy a dozen or more confections.
"Hey guys!" Chloe called out from behind the pink and white counter. "The usual, Dev?" Devon chuckled. "Everything in here is my usual, Chloe."
She laughed as she bent down to grab a box. She stood and opened the pink cover with a glassine window. “What’ll it be, Lucas?”
“Nothing for me, Chloe,” he answered, as he watched Devon lick his lips while glancing at the assortment of decadent cupcakes on the cake stand and in the display case. While Devon rattled off what he wanted, he ogled a cupcake, heavily frosted in a swirl of chocolate fudge and mini chocolate bars that oozed richness and calories. His mouth watered just looking at the sweet mound of delicious-ness sitting on top of the cake stand. He was tempted. “I see you eyeing my latest creation, Lucas,” Chloe said, winking at him. “As long as Devon doesn’t buy it, it’s yours.”
“Don’t even think about it,” he said to Devon, nudging his cousin’s shoulder. “It’s mine.” “Wouldn’t think of stealing your chocolate. I’d have to hear you whine about it all day. No thanks. It’s yours.”
Chloe closed the box and taped it shut. She then reached for the cupcake he had been eyeing and was about to put it in a bag when he stopped her. “No need, Chloe. I may eat it on the way over to the studio.”
After Chloe handed him the cupcake, she asked, “How’s Dani doing, Lucas? Sophie asks about her all the time.”
“She’s doing great.” He smiled at her. “Tell Sophie we’ll try to have a playdate.” He heard the jingle of the bell, announcing another customer. “Thanks for the cupcake, Chloe, I’ll let you know how good it is.” He turned and smacked into silky softness. “What the—!” Something metallic clattered to the floor.
For a moment, he stared at the squashed cupcake in his hand to the dark chocolate frosting smeared on a light blue silk blouse. He lifted his gaze and inhaled sharply. Bree! Bree was back! Her cinnamon-brown eyes widened. Her mouth formed a quick smile, then it disappeared as quickly as it had come. Her face and neck flushed pink.
"Lucas?" She instinctively wiped the chocolate frosting and only managed to smear it further down the length of her blouse.
Flustered, he reached out to wipe the frosting off her blouse at the same time she attempted to do so. She pushed his hand away and a jolt of awareness tingled his fingers. He stepped back, feeling like a total idiot. “I’m sorry, Bree. I didn't see you.”
"Obviously not." She looked down at the blouse, frowning.
"Bree, I believe you remember Lucas Tanner, from high school?” Merry Thompson quipped. Miss Thompson grinned and didn't appear to be shaken by the fact he had just smashed a cupcake into her niece's blouse.
“I remember Lucas.” Her gaze pierced him. “The bad boy, I recall.”
His heart thudded. Devon coughed from a few feet away. He couldn’t believe Bree was standing in front of him!
Chloe scrambled out from behind the counter. "Bree, I have an extra shirt in the back." “Thanks, Chloe.” Bree moved past him, shaking her head.
"Well, bro, I'll say you have an unusual way of introducing yourself to a lady," Devon said, his grin splitting his face in two. “Did I mention Bree was back in town?”
He glared at his cousin, then looked at the woman who had hired him to renovate the studio. "I'm sorry, Miss Thompson. It wasn't intentional." He bent down to retrieve Bree’s cell phone. Merry Thompson laughed. "Oh, I know that. If Bree hadn't been texting, maybe she would've been able to dodge you and the menacing cupcake."
He grimaced. “She hasn’t changed. Bree’s still a whirlwind wherever she goes." He handed the phone to Bree’s aunt.
"True."
"When did Bree get back in town?" he asked, glancing around for a trash receptacle and a napkin to wipe off his hands.
“Last week.”
A week ago! Hurt stabbed him in the chest. She hadn’t even tried to contact him. He was about to ask Miss Thompson another question when Bree’s voice rang out.
"Aunt Merry hired you?"
He snapped his gaze between Bree, who now wore a white tee shirt with the Sweet Cheeks Bakery logo emblazoned on the front, to her aunt. “Yeah, is that a problem?” “It might be.” Bree’s look could’ve turned him to stone. “Let’s go, Aunt Merry. I’ve had my cupcake.”
He didn’t know what to say, but he certainly knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to rush over to her, crush her against him and kiss her. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed her until now, despite the awkward situation.
“Wait for me in the car, then. I still have to get my cupcakes,” Merry Thompson said, as Bree shoved open the door, the overhead bell jingling loud. Merry winked at him as she turned away and headed for the counter where Chloe stood, opening a box.
“Well, that was one helluva hello,” Lucas said. He watched from the window as Bree marched across the street, obviously angry with him. He was about to turn away and head to the door himself when Bree turned around. Their eyes met and to his disbelief, she smiled.
Speed Dating Round with Lori:
What are my writing must haves? I need to have my laptop, of course, a cup of coffee, a pen, notebook and sticky notes or scrap paper.
What are my go to methods for writing? I often refer to Save the Cat Writes A Novel or Gwen Hayes’s Romancing the Beat. I find them very helpful.
Favorite place to visit: I don’t travel often, but I loved visiting Bar Harbor, Maine. Wish we could’ve stayed a little longer. I wanted to really absorb all the sights for my time travel novel. I also loved visiting Salem, Mass where I used to live! Now that I don’t live there, I want to go back and visit all the tourist sites that I never visited before.
What do I do when not writing? I like to scrapbook. I usually attend a couple of crops a year with my daughter. It’s my therapy. Creating pages using paper and photos is so relaxing for me.
What am I known for? My loyalty
Morning Rooster, Night Owl or Midday Lark? I’m a cross between a Midday Lark on weekends and a Night Owl.
What comes first, character or plot? Always the characters. They come to me and then tell me the story they want
How many hours a day/week do I write? I try to write every day, but on average over a span of a week, I’ll say I write a total of 10 hours. Sometimes more depending on my mood.
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