A fifth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World, where they run Epiphany Orchards, a writing/creativity retreat for the care and enrichment of the artistic soul.
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About the Book
Letter from the Author
Unlike the Moonglow sisters, I did not grow up in a bucolic coastal area, but rather, my childhood more closely resembled Darynda’s. I was a sand hill tacky sprouted in the arid wilds of West Texas, complete with grass burrs, rattlesnakes, sandstorms, coyotes, and cowboys. By the time I was twelve, I’d learned to ride horses, shoot rifles, raise cattle, and make mesquite bean jelly.
I have vivid memories of my maternal grandmother and her friends gathering to quilt on the back porch. Just like in the book, my grandfather suspended eyebolts to the porch ceiling for the quilting frame so that my Gammie could sew outdoors in the cool of the evenings.
Gammie was a staunch believer in hand quilting. She was a precise, hardworking woman, and you could see her personality in her tightly controlled stitches; she created the most beautiful quilts. She was also a conscientious hostess, making sure her guests had freshly squeezed lemonade and homemade baked goods to nibble on as they quilted.
I’d lounge in the shade of the crepe myrtle hedges, sipping nectar from honeysuckle blossoms and eavesdropping on their stories. If I was really quiet, they wouldn’t notice me and send me on my way when they started in on the juicy gossip. That’s where I learned who was mad at whom, who was doing things they weren’t supposed to do, and who was keeping secrets. Their talks stoked my imagination and helped form me as a writer.
My passion for the coast came later, when I took my first trip to Galveston at age twenty-one and fell in love at first sight. The southern beaches were so different from the desert west where I grew up (well, except for the sand; there was that unifying factor), and I couldn’t get enough of the water.
I vacationed in Galveston every summer for thirteen years, soaking up the fascinating history. I borrowed heavily from those experiences while creating Moonglow Cove, adding in dashes of other Texas coastal towns I visited—Port Aransas, Corpus Christi, and South Padre Island among them.
In writing The Moonglow Sisters, my intention was to marry memories of my homespun childhood with my love for the coast. This book was a true labor of love and I do so hope you enjoyed reading it.
Fascinating Facts About Kites
On a recent visit to a Texas Gulf Coast beach, I noticed a number of brightly colored and unique kites flying the skies over the beach. When I learned it was a kiteflying contest open exclusively to handmade kites, I was enthralled and had to know more about kitemaking. What I learned started the wheels turning in my head, and when I heard of a new trend where people were using kites in their weddings, it sparked the character of Gia Clark.
Here’s what I learned:
The earliest kites were flown thousands of years ago and were made of leaves.
The world record for the longest kite fly is 180 hours.
In the American Civil War, kites were used to deliver letters and newspapers.
In 1760, Japan banned kiteflying because too many people were skipping work to fly kites.
Adults fly kites more than children do.
The fastest recorded kite speed is 120 miles an hour.
The Chinese name for a kite is Fen Zheng, which means “wind harp.”
“Fire-breathing dragons” mentioned in medieval stories were probably a windsock-type kite flown by soldiers in the Middle Ages. These kites had burning tar in the mouth openings to frighten the enemy in battle.
Kiteflying is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
In Asia, kites are given to bring happiness, good luck, health, and prosperity.
Who couldn’t use more happiness, good luck, health, and prosperity? Go fly a kite! Or even better, go make one first.
You can find instructions for making your own kite at https://www.my-best-kite.com/how-to-build-kites.html.
The Moon Glow Quilt
The name of Moonglow Cove actually stemmed from my newfound passion for Moonglow pears. Little did I know when I named the town—and tasked Gia with the goal of finishing the wedding quilt—that there was a Moon Glow Quilt and it is stunningly beautiful. What brilliant, serendipitous luck!
The Moon Glow Quilt was designed by famed quilter Jinny Beyer. You can see the quilt and download a free pattern at https://jinnybeyer.com/product/moon-glow-quilt/.
Reading Group Guide
Gia has spent her life suppressing her own needs in favor of keeping the peace. Have there been times in your life where you put the needs of others ahead of your own? Did your identity get buried in the process? How did you find yourself again?
During a vulnerable time in her life, Shelley got sucked into a yoga cult. Do you have trouble understanding how people get lured into group thinking? Or have you ever found yourself in an environment that looked good on the surface but turned out to have a darker underbelly you didn’t see at first?
The Moonglow sisters were so close until they weren’t. In what ways have your familial relationships changed as you’ve aged? Are you closer to your loved ones now or have time and circumstances impacted your closeness? In what ways?
Do you think Helen ever regretted her decision to take in her three orphaned granddaughters? Why or why not?
What do you think about Mike having bought an engagement ring for Gia long before they had a romantic relationship? Have you ever loved someone from afar without letting them know?
The town of Moonglow Cove is a tight-knit community. Have you ever been part of a group that you could count on when you needed them?
In her letter to Gia, Helen writes that Shelley is the kite, Madison is the anchor, and Gia is the string. What popped into your head when you read that line?
Everyone in the book had some kind of secret. Do you believe most people have secrets they’ve never shared with anyone? Do you have secrets? If so, how has keeping secrets affected you?
What do you think of Pyewacket? How do you imagine she got her name?
Praise for Lori Wilde’s The Moonglow Sisters
“Every now and then a book comes along that touches every emotion, from heartrending tears to belly laughs. The Moonglow Sisters is one of those rare books. From the first line to the last sigh, it was amazing.”
—New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown
“Page-turning and passionate, Lori Wilde’s novels are always a delight!”
—New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis
“The resilience of the bond between sisters is tested on a rocky path toward healing in this engrossing tale of secrets and betrayals. Lori Wilde’s infinitely relatable characters make The Moonglow Sisters a must-read.”
—New York Times bestselling author Julia London
Also by Lori Wilde
THE STARDUST, TEXAS SERIES
Love of the Game
Rules of the Game
Back in the Game
THE CUPID, TEXAS SERIES
To Tame a Wild Cowboy
How the Cowboy Was Won
Million Dollar Cowboy
Love with a Perfect Cowboy
Somebody to Love
All Out of Love
Love at First Sight
One True Love (novella)
THE JUBILEE, TEXAS SERIES
A Cowboy for Christmas
The Cowboy and the Princess
The Cowboy Takes a Bride
THE TWILIGHT, TEXAS SERIES
The Christmas Key
Cowboy, It’s Cold Outside
A Wedding for Christmas
I’ll Be Hom
e for Christmas
Christmas at Twilight
The Valentine’s Day Disaster (novella)
The Christmas Cookie Collection
The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Carrie
The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Raylene
The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Christine
The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Grace
The Welcome Home Garden Club
The First Love Cookie Club
The True Love Quilting Club
The Sweethearts’ Knitting Club
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
P.S.™ is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers.
THE MOONGLOW SISTERS. Copyright © 2020 by Laurie Vanzura. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Cover design by Mimi Bark
Cover photographs © Trevillion Images: Evelina Kremsdorf; Ilina Simeonova (blond)
Kite image on title page © Vanila91 / Shutterstock, Inc.
FIRST EDITION
Digital Edition MARCH 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-295310-0
Version 01032020
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-295309-4
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