Stoneybrook Series Tropes:

• Twins! Hadley and her twin brother Paul are so fun to write. Paul’s a local deputy sheriff and Hadley makes jam.
• Best friends! Hadley and Suzanne have been friends for as long as they can remember. I love writing about their fun, supportive friendship.
• Cats! This was actually an idea that came to me through the series’ cover designer, the talented Mariah Sinclair. When we were going through the first mock ups for the series design, she put a different cat on each of the covers and we both loved it. That’s why Hadley finds a new cat that needs help in each book.
• Recipes! Each book features two recipes. They’re usually canning recipes (because of Hadley’s business) created by the talented Marissa McClellen or Shea Irving. Others, depending on the subject of the book, are baking or cooking recipes from me or people in my life. Either way, they’re all delicious!
• Quirky townspeople! I LOVE the funny locals. I’d have to say that Kitty might be one of my favorite to write, but you have to read into the series quite a ways until you meet her.

Real life locations that inspired Stoneybrook:

I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the Methow Valley (Washington state). It’s a gorgeous place tucked away in the towering North Cascades mountain range with a river running through it all. Stoneybrook is loosely based on Winthrop, a small little town in the heart of the valley. Stoneybrook has the colored awnings and cutesy feel, where Winthrop has more of an “old west” theme. It’s a great place to visit if you ever have a chance!

What I listen to while I’m writing a Stoneybrook book:

Click HERE to open my Spotify playlist. If you don’t have Spotify, I like to listen to a lot of what I call “guys with three names” music during the Stoneybrook writing process. 😂 Gregory Alan Isakov, Peter Bradley Adams, Davis John Patton, Christopher Paul Stelling, and Bon Iver (I know he only has two names, but he still fits trust me).

The people of Stoneybrook:

Just for fun, this is how I pictured some of the main characters.

Hadley James

Luke Fenton

Paul James

Suzanne Till

What to read while you wait for the next Stoneybrook book:

I think you’ll love my Whiskers and Words series. There are even more cats and another set of life-long friends to follow on small-town adventures.

Stoneybrook series plans:

At this point, I have no plans to end this series. As long as I’m still inspired and keep coming up with fun adventures in the valley, I’ll keep writing about Hadley, Luke, Paul, Suze, and the rest of the Stoneybrook gang.