Practice Makes Perfect (31 page)

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Dear Reader:

I hope you enjoyed the first in the series of my Serenity House trilogy. I truly enjoyed writing these books back in the early 2000’s because they illustrate one of the themes I often deal with in my writing--making the best of a difficult upbringing. I know something about that myself, and I like to put into words what I learned surviving difficulties at a young age. I feel we’re a product of our backgrounds, but so much more, and with the right incentives, we change and grow and become the people we were meant to be. We all need help in doing that, too. Nora represents the adult who was there for all the girls when their parents were not. Jade is the sibling who can also provide love and support. (I have four.) And Darcy and Anabelle become the friends who share their concerns, hopes and dreams and give affection and support to Paige. Also needed is meaningful work. Paige has doctoring, I became a teacher, then a writer. And finally, the love of a good man is crucial. My own personal hero has been there for me since I was twenty, through thick and thin, just like Ian will be for Paige. Yes, I know Ian was overbearing and pushy. That’s him. That’s the conflict. I know Paige doesn’t trust and is afraid to reach out. That’s what happens with girls like her. But in truth, happily-ever-after is achievable even for those who had a tough start. And especially for Ian and Paige.

I hope you’ll read on to find out what happens to all of these characters in the next two books.

Kathy Shay