Meg Lacey's Blog - Posts Tagged "entangled"
Relationships-Mother and Daughters
In my new book, “Something’s Cooking,” from Entangled Indulgence, a number of readers have commented on the realistic relationships between the Tess Banyon and her mother, Clarie, and sister, Marla, I’ve been told the loving and squabbling relationships they all share as Tess prepares to shoot her first tv show, and Clarie and Marla work behind the scenes reminds many women of their relationship with their mother or sister(s).
I am so delighted to hear these comments as this is what I want readers to feel. Naturally the romance between Tess Banyon and Josh Faraday is the heart of the book, but I’ve also tried to show a realistic relationship between the three women in the story. I think it adds a great deal to the understanding and enjoyment of Tess Banyon’s character. I’m so happy to hear many of you agree.
In the story when Tess starts her show, she calls on her Mom and Sister to work with her, believing with all her heart that they are the ones to help her bring her creative ideas to fruition. They are a key part of Tess’s team. Clarie is the kitchen genius and Marla is the crafty expert, while Tess thinks up the ideas and presents them in such as way that her fans cheer. They are essential to Tess’s success.
Their relationship is loving and giving, but at the same time they squabble, joke, annoy, exasperate and champion each other. Tess, Clarie and Marla can disagree, and often do, but when the chips are down they are always there with support, lending a helping hand, or even a witty comment to break the tension.
I wanted to show a loving, friendly and comfortable relationship between these three different women.
Tess is the overly ambitious one, as evidenced by the ‘Tess Banyon Living’ Network she is building with her cooking, craft and lifestyle ideas. Her sister, Marla, on the other hand is perfectly content with her marriage and her two daughters. This is the same type of role her mother, Clarie, had fulfilled when the two sisters were growing up. Both of these women chose to make a home and family their first priority and could afford to so—not an option for many women. Most of all, I wanted the three of them to respect each other and respect their individual choices.
I understand this relationship because it mirrors my own experiences. I have three daughters, all grown now, but the three of them are actually my best friends. That’s not to say we were always that way. OMG-No! When my youngest daughter was thirteen she patted my shoulder and said: “Don’t worry, Mom, it’s just a phase. I’ll grow out of it.” I told her she’d better hurry up or I’d have to freeze her until she was twenty-one. Obviously she figured that having two sisters before her left me at the end of my rope. LOL
Raising three daughters with minds of their own wasn’t always easy. I had to remind myself that I was the parent and it was my (and my husband’s ) responsibility to raise them and not be their ‘bestie,’ when it would have been easier to give in. I made tons of mistakes, and so did they. But the end result for my daughters and myself is a mirror of my relationship and friendship with my own mother, Ruth, who is no longer with me, and whom I miss every day.
My three daughters have become people I can be very proud of…they are funny, mouthy, independent, creative, thoughtful, and caring. At times they are also single-minded, critical and volatile—not any different from their mother, now that I think about it.
More importantly my daughters have grown into people I respect, can talk and laugh with, disagree with, and in short—they’ve become women I like to be around. If that is how people feel when they read about Tess and her Mom and Sister, then I’m absolutely thrilled.
So please tell me about your relationships.
Meg
I am so delighted to hear these comments as this is what I want readers to feel. Naturally the romance between Tess Banyon and Josh Faraday is the heart of the book, but I’ve also tried to show a realistic relationship between the three women in the story. I think it adds a great deal to the understanding and enjoyment of Tess Banyon’s character. I’m so happy to hear many of you agree.
In the story when Tess starts her show, she calls on her Mom and Sister to work with her, believing with all her heart that they are the ones to help her bring her creative ideas to fruition. They are a key part of Tess’s team. Clarie is the kitchen genius and Marla is the crafty expert, while Tess thinks up the ideas and presents them in such as way that her fans cheer. They are essential to Tess’s success.
Their relationship is loving and giving, but at the same time they squabble, joke, annoy, exasperate and champion each other. Tess, Clarie and Marla can disagree, and often do, but when the chips are down they are always there with support, lending a helping hand, or even a witty comment to break the tension.
I wanted to show a loving, friendly and comfortable relationship between these three different women.
Tess is the overly ambitious one, as evidenced by the ‘Tess Banyon Living’ Network she is building with her cooking, craft and lifestyle ideas. Her sister, Marla, on the other hand is perfectly content with her marriage and her two daughters. This is the same type of role her mother, Clarie, had fulfilled when the two sisters were growing up. Both of these women chose to make a home and family their first priority and could afford to so—not an option for many women. Most of all, I wanted the three of them to respect each other and respect their individual choices.
I understand this relationship because it mirrors my own experiences. I have three daughters, all grown now, but the three of them are actually my best friends. That’s not to say we were always that way. OMG-No! When my youngest daughter was thirteen she patted my shoulder and said: “Don’t worry, Mom, it’s just a phase. I’ll grow out of it.” I told her she’d better hurry up or I’d have to freeze her until she was twenty-one. Obviously she figured that having two sisters before her left me at the end of my rope. LOL
Raising three daughters with minds of their own wasn’t always easy. I had to remind myself that I was the parent and it was my (and my husband’s ) responsibility to raise them and not be their ‘bestie,’ when it would have been easier to give in. I made tons of mistakes, and so did they. But the end result for my daughters and myself is a mirror of my relationship and friendship with my own mother, Ruth, who is no longer with me, and whom I miss every day.
My three daughters have become people I can be very proud of…they are funny, mouthy, independent, creative, thoughtful, and caring. At times they are also single-minded, critical and volatile—not any different from their mother, now that I think about it.
More importantly my daughters have grown into people I respect, can talk and laugh with, disagree with, and in short—they’ve become women I like to be around. If that is how people feel when they read about Tess and her Mom and Sister, then I’m absolutely thrilled.
So please tell me about your relationships.
Meg
