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Writing a book without the foggiest idea how was not the first time now-award-winning, best-selling author Jean Brashear ever did something crazy, but it's been the most fun—except for marrying the bad boy who scandalized her father. Seven published novels later, she has moved to Harlequin Superromance and is loving every minute of it. THE HEALER is the second book in her "Deep in the Heart" series set in Texas, which begins with a trilogy about three sisters lost to each other years ago. You can visit Jean's website at www.jeanbrashear.com. Bonnie Rock caught up with Jean Brashear in January for the release of her new book, THE HEALER. |
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THE HEALER Harlequin January 2003 Buy Now
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Writerspace: Could you please tell readers a bit about your current release, THE HEALER? Jean Brashear: THE HEALER is a story that's very dear to my heart, incorporating a part of Texas that I love (the Davis Mountains) and a culture that I admire, the Latino population that's so deeply woven into the fabric of Texas. In it, change—drastic and unexpected—has come to both Caroline Malone and Diego Montalvo. Diego has had three years to come to terms with the loss of a way of life, every minute of those first months occupied with fighting to live, then to walk again when everyone said he wouldn't. He's back on his feet, if never to be the same again, and has achieved a certain measure of peace—
And into his life walks Caroline Malone, making him question every last bit of it. Her own loss is fresh and new and very painful. She's running on nerves, terrified that the career that defines her, that has given her a place to belong after twenty years without home or family, is lost to her for good—but in typical Caroline fashion, she's fighting to prove the experts wrong, striving so hard that she's become her own worst enemy.
This world into which Caroline has been banished in the name of convalescence is unnerving to her, the diametric opposite of the world in which she's a star—
And Diego Montalvo, trying to show her that her life is not over, that sometimes a detour can provide an opportunity, is not a voice to which she can afford to listen. Or a man on whom she's going to let herself lean. She doesn't lean—ever. Yet Diego opens her eyes to new possibilities and her heart to wonders she never imagined. And for Diego, the healing of this driven woman bares dreams he'd thought long-buried and yearnings that can only lead to heartbreak—
Because the second that Caroline is well enough, she'll return to a world that was once everything Diego ever wanted...but for the sake of those who need his skills so desperately, it can never be his.
Writerspace: THE HEALER is the second in your DEEP IN THE HEART series. Could you tell readers a bit about WHAT THE HEART WANTS, Caroline's sister Ivy's story?
Jean Brashear: WHAT THE HEART WANTS begins my Deep in the Heart series with a trilogy about the Malone sisters, separated years ago in the wake of tragedy. Ivy was the little mother of the family who fought to keep them together, but she was only fifteen when they were orphaned and Caroline seventeen. No one would give two teenagers custody of their four-year-old sister Chloe. Chloe was adopted by a wealthy family and her adoption records sealed; Ivy and Caroline were sent into separate foster homes. Caroline ran away four months later, and the sisters lost touch.
All Ivy has ever wanted was the white picket fence with the husband and babies. Instead, she got an unfaithful husband and a miscarriage. But Ivy has a quality long treasured by my Texas pioneer forebears: grit. I define grit as the strength to endure hardship with grace and heart. Some people grow bitter when life kicks them in the teeth, but that's not Ivy's way. She comes across as sweet and vulnerable, but a down-on-his-luck carpenter who calls himself Linc Garner will soon discover that beneath that sweetness is a core of steel. Ivy doesn't give up when she's on a crusade, and right now, Ivy's mission is to save a small, dying town from a landlord too heartless to acknowledge the letters pleading for his cooperation.
Except Linc is now that landlord. Cast alone into the world by tragedy, Linc and Ivy each chose a different path: Ivy adopts every lost soul she meets, while Linc has convinced himself home and family aren't important.
Then he meets Ivy.
There's so much to love about her, even before Linc knows she's carrying his child. But he's lied to her from the beginning and now and he's caught between his last chance for redemption with the family that banished him and Ivy's need to save those she loves. His betrayal will test the strength beneath her sweetness.
When duty and honor battle with longing, the first casualty may be...WHAT THE HEART WANTS.
Writerspace: In THE HEALER you weave a story about two injured souls who come together. In doing so, you make use of Mexican folk healing, curandero. How did you become interested in Mexican folk healing, and how did you do your research?
Jean Brashear: I first learned about curanderismo from a friend of mine whose grandmother was a curandera. I've long been interested in alternative healing practices and was fascinated by her stories of this way of thinking that goes back to the Aztecs and recognizes how mind, heart and body are interwoven in the healing process. I wanted to write a curandera and am thrilled to finally get a chance, thanks to the freedom given to me at Superromance to write stories that break the mold. I did my research in a variety of ways, talking to Latino friends and reading some terrific books on the subject.
Writerspace: What inspired the characters of Diego and Caroline? One of the themes in THE HEALER is the idea of the healer or the physician as a warrior, and the idea that Diego must reconcile, that sometimes it is necessary to physically injure others in order to care for those entrusted him. What about this theme spoke to you?
Jean Brashear: The seeds of this story came when my mother was in a rehabilitation hospital after back surgery. I was talking to one of the occupational therapists one day about what makes a good--or difficult--rehab patient. She said that the worst were very competent, successful people accustomed to control of their lives. Overachievers who were used to setting goals and getting results simply through will—but an injured body doesn't always comply to the patient's will. I decided to take it one step further and make that difficult patient also be a doctor—whom any nurse will tell you are notoriously not easy patients!
As to Diego, my brother-in-law was in the Special Forces and worked closely with the medics, who face a very difficult situation. As my brother-in-law put it, medics on those teams tend to be romantics--they are people who care for others, whose personalities are more nurturing, yet on these teams so accustomed to danger, they must also be trained to kill, the diametric opposite impulse. But since the teams are small, everyone must play a part in protecting the others. It's a tough balancing act for them, and that dilemma really fascinates me, the protective man who is both warrior and healer.
Writerspace: Do you have any future plans for books continuing the DEEP IN THE HEART series featuring members of Diego's family? I noticed that he had many hunky younger brothers. *g*
Jean Brashear: Yes, I've recently contracted to write stories for Zane, Diego's movie star half-brother and Jesse, his full brother who's an FBI agent. I'll be starting on Zane's story soon, and it will also feature some herbal medicine but in the context of Appalachian folk medicine as well as, I hope, bringing Mama Lalita back to visit.
Writerspace:Can you tell readers a bit about Chloe's story, due to be released in July?
Jean Brashear:THE GOOD DAUGHTER is the story of a legendary cop accused of murder—and the society girl who can ruin him.
Vince Coronado is an enigma: raw and rugged, abandoned street kid, champion of women and children...undercover cop accused of murder
Chloe St. Claire, daughter of privilege and rookie police psychologist, is dating the assistant D.A. and friends with the IAD cop who wants Vince off the force—and she holds the keys to getting his job back.
When an attraction as ill-timed as it is powerful raises the stakes for them both, and evidence mounts that Vince has gone rogue, will Chloe rebel against everyone to defend him or remain, as she's always been, THE GOOD DAUGHTER?
Writerspace:What else are you currently working on? Do you have any other upcoming releases that you can tease readers about?
Jean Brashear:Zane MacAllister, rich, gorgeous and adored by millions, is on a soul-searching mission and falls for the one woman whose life may depend on staying away from him. Jesse Montalvo will encounter a girl who was once part of his most spectacular failure as a hostage negotiator—now she's a cop herself, ready to put her life in his hands once again.
I can't wait to write both of them!
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