It is a culture rich in language, cuisine, dance, superstition and customs that go back to Africa. I decided to choose this setting to celebrate my own Gullah heritage. Have you ever lived in South Carolina? Why did you choose this setting?Īlthough I have Southern roots and have visited South Carolina many times, I’ve never lived there. Your story is wonderfully evocative of the Carolina Lowcountry-shrimp and grits, genteel society, Gullah superstitions and all. It took a decade, a very fertile imagination, patience and perseverance before I was able to finally realize my dream to become a published romance writer and experience my own literary happily ever after.

To say it was a very long process is an understatement.

After devouring nearly a thousand contemporary and historical titles I decided to try my hand at writing one. I’ve always been a voracious reader, but with the proliferation of romances featuring American heroes and heroines in the 1980s, reading them had become my comfort food. After the store’s grand opening, Asa mentions that “women love reading about love, and are also in love with love.” When did you realize that you love reading-and writing-about love? The heroine of your story, Deborah, owns an independent bookstore.

Alers chatted with BookPage about writing a believable love story, her book’s Lowcountry setting and resolutions for 2012. The two strike up a friendship in Deborah’s bookstore-and cautious romance isn’t far behind. The novel takes place off the coast of South Carolina and stars Deborah, a widowed bookstore owner, and Asa, a doctor who is attempting to move on after the death of his wife. Best-selling romance author Rochelle Alers launches her Cavanaugh Island series with Sanctuary Cove, the sweet story of two adults who have a second chance at love.

Haven Creek by Rochelle Alers