Fools Rush In

By Janice Thompson

Description:

Bella Rossi may be nearing thirty, but her life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a "Boot Scoot'n" wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch—she knows nothing about country music because her family only listens to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Where will she find a DJ on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his Keith Urban?

When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed.

Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding? Book one in the Weddings by Bella series, Fools Rush In is fun, fresh, and full of surprises. Readers will love the flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex, and the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.

D.J. and Bella are as opposite as opposite can be—she’s a little bit Italian, he’s a little bit country—but Mama Mia. . .what a pair!

ENDORSEMENT: Mamma mia, let's escape! Let's fall in love! Let's eat chicken parmesan, fettuccini alfredo, and Bubba's down-home barbeque without gaining a pound. It's all possible when we hang out with Bella Rossi in Fools Rush In. Janice Thompson's first installment in the Weddings by Bella series is a fun, welcome distraction from life's boredom and stress. You'll fall for Bella's DJ even faster than she does. And you'll root for the Rossi and Neeley families as they break down cultural barriers and rush toward each other, arms wide open. No fools, they! (Trish Perry www.trishperry.com)

Book Takeaway:

It's all about friends and family, y'all. And it's also about learning to find the humor in all of life's situations.

Why the author wrote this book:

Writers always pray for inspiration from on high. Even those of us with creative leanings know that we can’t rely solely on our own stories and ideas, however clever. This is especially true when writing romantic comedy, which requires mega-doses of prayer for great pacing.

In the spring of 2007, I settled into bed with my laptop. . .not an unusual occurrence. I didn’t have a story in mind. In fact, I was on vacation at the time and wasn’t even thinking about writing. However, the moment I saw that empty white screen, I felt like typing. Don’t ask me why, but the words, “If Uncle Lazarro hadn’t left the mob, I probably wouldn’t have a story to tell” shot out of my fingertips. I stared at the screen, more than a little curious. Who was Uncle Lazarro, and why was he in the mob? Worse still, why was he bothering me in the middle of my vacation?

Those who know me know I’m a plotter. I usually plot out an entire story before writing a word. So, for this very “calculating” author to stare at those “inspired” words and not have a clue where she was going with them was unusual, to say the least. Terrifying, even. A normal person would have closed the laptop and rolled over, forgetting about the whole thing. But an inspired person? Well, an inspired person (a.k.a. writer) has no choice but to keep going, even when all of the signs point at impending doom. Or a really funny story.

I stared at the words awhile longer, this time praying for wisdom from on high. Was I really supposed to take these cryptic words and shape them into a story? If so, what would come next? I drew in a deep breath and waited. Moments later, my fingers started flying. Wonder of wonders! I typed blindly, without thinking. A couple of paragraphs later, I had all of my questions about Uncle Lazarro answered and found myself laughing hysterically as I typed. (By the way, this is how a comedy writer knows her words are not her own. Who among us is really that funny?)

About an hour later, I had written the entire prologue to the book that would become FOOLS RUSH IN. I’d not only introduced Uncle Laz, but the entire Rossi family. Best of all, I had a wacky new heroine, Bella, to wrap the story around. When I signed off of the computer that night, I had the strongest sense she would lead me through the rest of the tale.
Thank goodness, I was right. Bella Rossi—a quirky Italian wedding planner from Galveston Island—had quite a story to tell. And thankfully, she chose me to share it with. Through Bella, I learned that cultures can clash, families can squabble, chaos can reign, and weddings can rule the day. . .but in the end, true love always wins out.