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Tomorrow's Garden:
The Story Behind the Story

When I started plotting Paper Roses, I knew I wanted one of my characters to be a Texas Ranger. After all, it's hard -- at least for me -- to think about Texas during the second half of the nineteenth century and not imagine a Ranger playing a critical role. The problem was, no matter how I tried, a Ranger just didn't fit into Clay and Sarah's story.

Then came Scattered Petals. The opening scene gave me the perfect opportunity to introduce a Ranger. I was happy. Lawrence was not. You see, he wanted to be the hero of that book, but I had other plans. Still, I knew Lawrence deserved his own story, and so I started asking questions. What would make a man leave the Rangers? And, if he did leave, what would his life be like as a civilian? How could settling in a small town like Ladreville compare to the excitement of being one of Texas's most revered men? Tomorrow's Garden gave me a chance to answer those questions.