Where Have I Seen You Before?
Throwback to that time I went to a writers’ conference with author Susan K. Marlow. Through an interesting set of circumstances involving blogs and homeschool conventions, we had become good friends. She invited me to come stay with her and go to the conference together. (I rode the bus, which is a whole ‘nother story.)
Later we went to a writers’ retreat together, and the next year we rented a cabin together for a weekend of writing and brainstorming. And talking. She told me all about how she created her Circle C Adventures books and worked on them in the evenings after homeschooling during the day.
The Backstory
Susan said there was a young girl named Jessica in their homeschool group in Washington State who loved reading her stories and encouraged her to try to have them published. Eventually, the publisher asked Susan if she had any ideas for a cover. Susan asked Jessica (who matched the description of Andi in the books) if she would be willing to dress up in western clothes and pose for some pictures, just to give the publisher some ideas. As it turns out, the publisher loved the pictures and wanted Jessica to be the cover model.
Years later, after Susan had completed the Circle C Adventures series, it came time to write another series about an older Andi for teens. In the intervening years, Susan had written three other series with other cover models and designs. But for the Circle C Milestones books, they really wanted to continue with Jessica for the covers. The thing was, Jessica was now in her twenties, married, and living in another state. Susan called her to ask if she might possibly reprise her role as Andi for another photo shoot.
And so she did. I had helped Susan brainstorm Thick as Thieves during our writing weekend at the cabin, so it was fun to see how it all came together when the book was released. The cover was perfect. The same familiar face, but with a fresh design. And now…
The Rest of the Story
We’ve recently been attending a new-to-us church in northwest Arkansas. I had noticed the pastor’s young daughter-in-law looked familiar to me, but I couldn’t place where I knew her from. She is too young to be someone from very far in my past, so I finally just chalked it up to being “one of those faces.”
A couple of Sundays ago, she and her husband — and their four little boys — invited us over for dinner. As we went into their house, I was immediately drawn to the bookcase in the living room. (I can’t help it. I’m a book snoop!) Susan’s books were all lined up on one of the shelves. How fun!
As I was helping get dinner finished up, I said, “I noticed you have the Circle C and Goldtown books. The author is a friend of mine.”
The look on her face! She said, “How do you know Mrs. Marlow??? I’m the cover model!”
And then the light went on. That’s where I knew her from. I said, “Of course!! You’re that Jessica! Of course you are!”
Then we had the fun of sharing stories, and pulling out the books to look at the covers. Her little boys are so proud that Mom is on the covers. We especially enjoyed talking about how that’s not really “Daddy” on the covers of Yosemite at Last and Stranger in the Glade. I asked if it was Susan’s son because I remembered him being on one of the covers with her. She said, no, it was someone she didn’t know. Her husband was over there muttering, “I don’t know who that is either, but I’d really like to meet him…” in a disgusted tone of voice.
Jessica’s mother-in-law, who was also there for dinner, had her own story. While Jessica and her son were dating, she went to a homeschool convention in Oklahoma and happened to visit Susan’s booth. She thought her younger kids would enjoy the books, so she bought them. When she got home with them, one of the kids said, “That’s Jessica!” She argued with them. “No, it’s not. It can’t be. I bought these books at a homeschool convention. It’s not Jessica!” But of course, it was.
Jessica and I had our picture taken together, and we both texted Susan. As the saying goes, “What a small world.” You just never know who you’re going to meet up with and when.
