Shannon Vannatter's "White Doves"

We're happy to have Shannon Taylor Vannatter with us today talking about her book White Doves. To learn more about Shannon and her book, read on!

Title: White Doves
Publisher: Heartsong Presents

Cover blurb:Romance wasn’t what Laken had in mind.
Laken Kroft left home eight years ago and never looked back. Who knew when she applied for the promotion to postmaster that she'd end up in Romance, Arkansas, and much too close to her parents, the town drunk and the local gossip maven?
Hayden Winters has his hands full raising his paraplegic nephew, Brady, and wrestling with his guilt over having caused the child's injury. When the boy's father, Laken's brother, turns up and starts talking custody, Laken's influence is Hayden's only hope. But whose side is she really on?
Will their mutual bond with their seven-year-old nephew draw them closer or rip them asunder? Will Laken accept Hayden “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” or be forced to turn her back on him and “Return to Sender”?

1) How did this story come to you?
I wanted to base the book around the Romance Post Office, where romantics send wedding invitations and Valentine cards to be re-mailed from Romance, Arkansas. I thought it was fun to make the heroine the postmaster and the hero a mail carrier, so she’s his boss. I’d read several years ago in a magazine about family members accidentally backing over toddlers in SUV’s and I wanted to explore how God could get someone past such a tragedy.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
It’s the second book in my series, which was never supposed to be a series. My editor asked if the first book could be made into a series. I came up with the story in about a month’s time. I had to write the chapter by chapter synopsis first and since I’m a seat of the pants writer, that threw me into my first case of writers’ block, which I thought was a myth. It’s not. This book was harder to write than any of my others. And it required the most editing in the series. After my brilliant editors helped me weed away all the excess, I love the story.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1. I live across an Arkansas hayfield from my parents.
2. I’m an only child.
3. My son is an only child.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I just signed another contract with Heartsong for a Texas rodeo series. I’ll be starting book two soon.

5) Parting comments?
Texas is my second favorite state since my husband is from there. I hope to have more Arkansas books in the future.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.shannonvannatter.com/