B E T W E E N the
lines
by Emily Pollard
Where the Bluegrass Grows L AURIE BERGLIE Kindle: $2.58 | Paperback: $9.99 | Amazon.com 220 pages
strong women characters, a swoon-worthy gentleman, and detailed descriptions that make it feel as though you are living in Kentucky with Macy for the summer.
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And of course, there was Beau. He had definitely been unexpected, but she was so glad she met him. He was truly a breath of fresh air in comparison to some of the guys she had dated back home. He wasn’t self-centered and pretentious. Beau was kind. He was the definition of southern charm, a gentle soul.
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As entertaining a read as it is, one of the most enjoyable parts about reading Where the Bluegrass Grows is knowing it is the first novel of regular Horse & Style contributor, Laurie Berglie. Writing a novel is an unbelievable undertaking, both in terms of time, organization and effort, and Berglie did so while working a full time job, managing her boutique barn, and caring for her family. She took a moment to share a bit about how she managed the process, her inspirations, and what is next for her writing career. Photo © James Berglie
Horse & Style: What did your writing process entail? For those of us who had to date through the decade of our twenties before finding love, relating to Molly Sorrenson in Laurie Berglie’s first novel, Where the Bluegrass Grows, is a breeze... After one too many bad dates, Molly decides she needs a break from her life in Maryland, and heads south to Kentucky to spend the summer with her best friend, Macy. Macy’s home and companionship, and the relaxed Kentucky atmosphere, provide the perfect place for Molly to work on an outline for her next novel and to spend some time getting “back to basics.” While Molly intended to keep the focus on herself by passing her time with the horses at the barn, a chance encounter with Beau, Macy’s boss, a handsome and single equine veterinarian, starts a summer romance that makes her time in Kentucky as much about falling in love as it is about the horses. But as hard as Beau falls for Molly, he too carries baggage from his previous relationships, and its re-emergence at the end of the summer threatens his potentially wonderful future with Molly. Where the Bluegrass Grows is a light, fun read, with all the makings of a good binge-reading weekend book: romantic encounters,
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· march/april
Laurie Berglie: I worked on this book on and off for five years! Between my “real” job in marketing, the horses, farm renovations – you name it – I just didn’t have too much time to devote to writing. At this point, I don’t remember where I got the idea for this particular novel. I’m always working on something literary, so I think I just sat down one day and started writing this story – and it stuck. As I continued, I realized I really liked the characters, especially Molly, Macy, and Beau, so I wanted to continue writing and see where they ended up. For this book, I didn’t make an outline. As I was writing, I had no idea where the plot was going to go or how it was going to end. Looking back, I like that the story developed organically, and I feel that the scenes unfolded naturally. However, for the current book I’m working on, I did create a very basic outline. It’s helping me stay on track a bit more, so I’m hoping I can finish it in less than five years! H&S: What was your inspiration for this novel? LB: A lot of this story is pretty biographical. Molly, the main character, and Macy, her best friend, both represent me and paths I did or did not follow in real life. Molly is a full-time author of fiction, and I hope that one day I can focus completely on my