Readers & Writers
AUTHOR'S BOOKS FOCUS on romance in 'Angel Ridge'
BY JENNIFER ESTEP
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER-DECEMBER 9, 2004
Deborah Grace-Staley thinks that there are angels among us.
"Absolutely," she said. "They watch over us."
Angels play a big part of Grace-Staley's life, especially when it comes to her writing. The 40-year-old Maryville, Tenn. resident is the author of two books, "Only You" and "A Home for Christmas." Both books are set in a fictional, East Tennessee town called "Angel Ridge."
Grace-Staley got the idea for the fictional town and the books after she moved into an old farmhouse about nine years ago.
"It's about 135 years old, and I started doing research on the area," she said.
She eventually discovered that a dam had been built near her farmhouse. Tellico Lake was formed as a result, and many wealthy residents of the area found their plantation homes under the waters of the lake.
Grace-Staley began to wonder what it might be like if those people were forced to move into a town and live with some not-so-rich folks.
"That was the basis for Angel Ridge," she said.
In Grace-Staley's books, rich families were forced to relocate to the ridge and mingle with a new generation of Southerners.
FALLING IN LOVE ... WITH ROMANCES
Grace-Staley is originally from Kingsport and is a 1986 graduate of King College. She served as a paralegal for many years and now works in the Department of Disability Services at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
However, she didn't always dream of being a writer. In fact, at one time, she didn't even read that well. She decided to change that the summer before she started college.
"King's a pretty good school, and I wanted to improve my reading skills," Grace-Staley said.
She went to the library, checked out a variety of books and immediately fell in love with Harlequin romances. Eventually, Grace-Staley thought about writing romances herself.
"I always had an active imagination. I would make up stories in my head," she said. "One day I thought, 'I think I can do this.' "
She took some novel-writing classes at UT and went to work. Although she wrote several books and short stories, it took Staley nine years before her first book, "Only You," was published.
Today, she is still an avid reader of romance. Some of her favorite authors include Jude Deveraux and Johanna Lindsey.
What draws Grace-Staley to romance? The answer is simple - happy endings.
"I love knowing that I'm going to have a happy ending," she said. "There's so much unhappiness in the world. When I read for pleasure, I want a happy ending. When people read my books, I want them to feel warm and happy."
A WARM FEELING
Grace-Staley writes what are known as "sweet" contemporary romances. In other words, there are no explicit sex scenes in her books as there are in other types of romance novels.
" 'Wholesome' is another word used to describe them," she said.
"Only You," which was released in June, focuses on a romance between a librarian and a handyman who comes from "the wrong side of the ridge." "A Home For Christmas," which debuted in October, chronicles the relationship between a lonely doctor and a contractor.
The books also feature a recurring cast of colorful characters, including Miss Estelee, the oldest resident of Angel Ridge and a firm believer in the town's angels. "She says that there are angels guiding the romantic lives of the residents," Grace-Staley said. "She'll say, 'This is what the angels are doing today.' The other residents humor her because she's so old."
In the books, legend has it that angels appeared to the town's founder and told him to name the settlement Angel Ridge. Events happen that are not easily explained, but no angels actually appear in the books, Grace-Staley said.
Another recurring character is Dixie Ferguson, who runs the town's diner and serves as the books' narrator.
"Each book begins and ends with her," she said.
Grace-Staley is currently at work on the third book in the "Angel Ridge" series, titled "Heart's Desire," as well as an inspirational romance.
She won't say whether or not the town's angels will ever actually make an appearance in an "Angel Ridge" book.
However, one thing is for sure - Grace-Staley has already gotten her happy ending.