R A C H E L H A U C K . C O M

Behind the Scenes 1: Sweet Caroline

Ah, as promised. A behind the scenes look at Sweet Caroline! So, I'm a few weeks, maybe months late, but better late than never.

The beginning

Sweet Caroline started out years ago as straight up chick lit called "Cooking with Kate." I thought it would be humorous to have a woman hosting a cooking show, but be a disaster in the kitchen!

Her show would be sponsored by a cookware company - think Tim "Tool Man" Taylor and Benford tools - and find herself in some sort of "cook off" with a top male chef. Of course, he'd be the love interest and hero.

Flash forward a couple of years - The story idea had been set aside, but I needed to come up with my next book for Nelson.

I pulled up the "Kate" idea, but like the title "Sweet Caroline." This could be my non-cooking cook story.

In August of '06, Tony and I visited friends in Poughkeepsie and one of the couples went to Beaufort, SC on a fun whim and showed a video they'd made. I loved the setting and decided Beaufort would be home for my Caroline.

The synopsis I submitted to my editor, the lovely and most-intuitive Ami McConnell had Caroline co-owning a Cafe and in order to save it, she agreed to host a cooking show to raise the money.

I took a road trip to Beaufort, checked out the area, met the fabulous citizens and came home to write.

About two months into it, I realized being a cooking show host just didn't work. One, hosting the show was a story unto itself. It was too much to roll in the Cafe and have any story depth. One thing about me, I always add too much or go over the top. Like, the hero wasn't just a football player, he was Rookie of the Year, All Pro, Best Ever!

Also, hosting a cooking show in small town Beaufort didn't feel very realistic to me, though now I think I could've done it, but cooking shows have a staff, a stage, and it would be hard to set the production and crew in Beaufort.

Caroline's family was also a factor. After sinking her inheritance in the Cafe, they were upset with her. And, I couldn't figure out her love interest. Though, I think it was still going to be Mitch, a country singer.

As I wrote, her family didn't feel authentic to me, nor the way I had set up the Cafe, so I tried to rethink the angle.

That's when I had the dream...

Labels: behind the scene, book, lowcountry cafe, Sweet Caroline, writing

posted by Rachel Hauck @ 7:05 PM 4 comments

Amy Grant's book, Mosaic

I have copies of Amy Grant's book to give away. Leave a comment to be eligible for a drawing.

I loved this book, being both warmed and challenged by Grant's most charmed life. Born in a family with Nashville roots to a doctor and his wife, Grant is the youngest of four sisters. By the stories she tells, she's lived a privileged, loved, charmed life, being discovered at fifteen by a music producer looking for a new Christian music sound.

Yet, I was moved by her stories, and felt God's love for her and through her. I sat in McDonalds drinking a Diet Coke, finishing the book, weeping, just with a glad-God feeling. "Thank you for Amy Grant."

This is not an autobiography. Don't expect details of her relationship with Gary Chapman. I appreciated Grant's approach to his part in her life. She recognizes him, but never comments. As spectators, we all know their marriage had its ups and downs. We can't begin to know the whos and whys - it's not for us to know. There are always two sides to every story, marriage, relationship and Grant honored her children by avoiding details of her life with Chapman.

Great read.

Labels: Amy Grant, book, giveaway, music, reflections, relationships

posted by Rachel Hauck @ 11:58 AM 8 comments