Читать книгу Mr. Family - Margot Early, Margot Early - Страница 4

Dear Reader,

I’m the youngest of eight children and have more than thirty first cousins. When I married my husband, I acquired even more family, not just my beloved spouse, but his family.

So let me tell you a story.

It was like something out of a romance novel. I was in distress, fleeing personal difficulties, taking my two-year-old son with me. My destination: Iowa. My husband-to-be’s family were to meet me at the airport; though I had never met them, on the trust of his love for me, they had invited me to come to their home and stay.

My beautiful future sister-in-law met me at the airport with the words “Welcome to Iowa, Margot!” Just hours later my fiancé’s parents encouraged me to call them “Mom” and “Dad”—a tradition unfamiliar to me, but which I found immediately comfortable and welcoming. In the coming days Mom would inspire me with her courage and love (especially her love for my son!), Dad with his profound generosity, and Grandma with her wisdom and her chocolate chip cookies. I had already conversed at length with my brother-in-law-to-be on the phone. An added bonus was my new sister’s daughter, born the same day as my son. One couldn’t wish for better in-laws!

Five years later, five years sprinkled with love and laughter during periodic visits with these delightful people, I found myself with them again while completing this novel Perhaps that is why Mr. Family celebrates the Hawaiian concept of ohana—not just family, but extended family. Though the characters of Mr. Family—Kal, Erika (who first appeared in The Third Christmas), Hiialo and their ohana—are purely imaginary, perhaps you can feel in these pages the love I’ve been fortunate to know. I hope so. Wishing you and yours the same…

Sincerely,

Margot Early

P.S. I love hearing from readers. Please write to me at P.O. Box 611, Montrose, CO 81402-0611.