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The years went on and the rejection letters piled up. Her family was living on a shoestring budget, and Debbie was beginning to think that her dreams of being a novelist might never be fulfilled. She began writing for magazines to earn some extra money, and she eventually saved up enough to attend a romance writer's conference with three hundred other aspiring novelists. The organizers of the conference picked ten manuscripts to review in a group critique session. Debbie was thrilled to learn that her manuscript would be one of the novels discussed.
Her excitement quickly faded when an editor from Harlequin tore her manuscript to pieces in front of the crowded room, evoking peals of laughter from the assembled writers. Afterwards, Macomber approached the editor and asked her what she could do to improve her novel. "Throw it away," the editor suggested.
Many writers would have given up right then and there, but not Macomber. The deeply religious Macomber took a lesson from Job and gathered strength from adversity. She returned home and mailed one last manuscript to Silhouette, a publisher of romance novels. "It cost $10 to mail it off," Macomber told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2000. "My husband was out of work at this time, in Alaska, trying to find a job. The children and I were living on his $250-a-week unemployment, and I can't tell you what $10 was to us at that time."
It turned out to be the best $10 Macomber ever spent. In 1984, Silhouette published her novel, Heartsong. (Incidentally, although Heartsong was Macomber's first sale, she actually published another book, Starlight, before Heartsong went to print.) Heartsong went on to become the first romance novel to ever be reviewed in Publishers Weekly, and Macomber was finally on her way.
Today, Macomber is one of the most widely read authors in America. A regular on the New York Times bestseller charts, she is best known for her Cedar Cove novels, a heartwarming story sequence set in a small town in Washington state, and for her Knitting Books series, featuring a group of women who patronize a Seattle yarn store. In addition, her backlist of early romances, including several contemporary Westerns, has been reissued with great success.
Macomber has made a successful transition from conventional romance to the somewhat more flexible genre known as "women's fiction." "I was at a point in my life where I found it difficult to identify with a 25-year-old heroine," Macomber said in an interview with ContemporaryRomanceWriters.com. "I found that I wanted to write more about the friendships women share with each other." To judge from her avid, ever-increasing fan base, Debbie's readers heartily approve.
"I'm dyslexic, although they didn't have a word for it when I was in grade school. The teachers said I had 'word blindness.' I've always been a creative speller and never achieved good grades in school. I graduated from high school but didn't have the opportunity to attend college, so I did what young women my age did at the time -- I married. I was a teenager, and Wayne and I (now married nearly 37 years) had four children in five years."
"I'm a yarnaholic. That means I have more yarn stashed away than any one person could possibly use in three or four lifetimes. There's something inspiring about yarn that makes me feel I could never have enough. Often I'll go into my yarn room (yes, room!) and just hold skeins of yarn and dream about projects. It's a comforting thing to do."
"My office walls are covered with autographs of famous writers -- it's what my children call my ‘dead author wall.' I have signatures from Mark Twain, Earnest Hemingway, Jack London, Harriett Beecher Stowe, Pearl Buck, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, to name a few."
"I'm morning person, and rip into the day with a half-mile swim (FYI: a half mile is a whole lot farther in the water than it is on land) at the local pool before I head into the office, arriving before eight. It takes me until nine or ten to read through all of the guest book entries from my web site and the mail before I go upstairs to the turret where I do my writing. Yes, I write in a turret -- is that romantic, or what? I started blogging last September and really enjoy sharing bits and pieces of my life with my readers. Once I'm home for the day, I cook dinner, trying out new recipes. Along with cooking, I also enjoy eating, especially when the meal is accompanied by a glass of good wine. Wayne and I take particular pleasure in sampling eastern Washington State wines (since we were both born and raised in that part of the state).
Anonymous
Posted July 4, 2000
This was not the first book I ever read of Debbie's but it is one that I will never forget!! Finally someone wrote a romance book using a person with a disability!!!! He is blind and she is scared. She has covered all the basis..love, romance and surprise. I even allowed my 12 yr old daughter read this book and any other book Debbie writes. She has the down to earth writing that a little bit of all of us can relate to.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 26, 2013
Awsome
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 20, 2013
This is my second read of this book. I loved it the first time I read it and I love it this second time. I am an avid reader. I read everything by this author and am never disappointed.I read both her fiction and non-fiction books. I know that her books are good clean wholesome reads. No explicit sex or violence. I recommend this book and all her other books as well.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 11, 2013
Like all of the other Debbie Macomber books I have read, I enjoyed it very much and would recommend highly.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 29, 2013
It was hard to put this book down after beginning reading it. It is a love story done in very good taste and is appropriate for anyone from teenager to old ladies like me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 20, 2013
....she really missed the mark with these characters. Not in any way believable. Don't waste the money or the time on this one.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 12, 2013
While I generally enjoy this author, this novel was really simplistic and predictable. It was her first effort and really not a good choice to reissue it as an ebook. It was quite a disappointment.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 12, 2013
Great story line concept• Not my preferred type of delivery though, as it was a rather dry telling of events• The story didn't really reach me emotionally as it should have and that was a bit of a let down• Otherwise, this is an auther I usually enjoy reading her books• Her writting style has changed since this debut book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 12, 2013
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Bookworm_Debbie
Posted May 9, 2013
Wonderfully written debut novel by Debbie Macomber. I’m very glad that it was rereleased in eBook format.
This was a very enjoyable romance. There were the normal aspects of a romance. The main characters met, fell in love, then they had problems arise, that made them doubt each other, to overcome before reaching their happily ever after. This particular romance had some different problems that I had never run into before which made it more of an entertaining read for me.
Anonymous
Posted April 29, 2013
I found this book long, and tiring. How much abuse will this woman (Karen), keep taking from her new man, Rand? If it can get worse, it will in this couple's lives. No matter what he say, and does to hurt her, she put's herself in line for his temper again, and again. I will not recommend this book.
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Posted April 22, 2013
This was a wonderful book. I really loved it. It was all about overcoming obstacles.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 4, 2013
As always in some excellent stories, it ends far too soon, wanting more. Blindness, lack of communication, and impatience brings a lot to this story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 4, 2013
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 1, 2013
This book was very refreshing to read. Debbie you are a wonderful writer.
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Posted March 22, 2013
Its the woman chasing the man for a change. One of main characters has a challenge in their daily living, which is also a refreshing difference from most novels.
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Posted March 22, 2013
Starlight was a very good read I really enjoy Debbie Macomber books i have read alot of her books and all been a worth reads.
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Posted March 20, 2013
I love anything written by Debbie Macomber! She has a way of capturing you into her story and you can't put down the book until you have finished it! And she always leaves you wanting more to the story!
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Posted March 20, 2013
As always Debbie Macomber's books are great.
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Posted March 19, 2013
Because I know this was Debbie's first book, I can overlook the little faults. After all, what's not to love about Debbie Macomber??
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Overview
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
At a magical Christmas fete, Karen McAlister meets a man she cannot ignore—the first man to interest her in a long while. Before she laid eyes on Rand ...