[Janice Daugharty]

In 2004, I published Book One of my proposed "Staten Bay Trilogy." The title of that novel is "Just Doll." Oddly, readers either loved or hated it and as it turned out there were more haters than lovers of the book. Consequently, among other publishing problems, I had to re-think how to market the 2nd and 3rd books of the trilogy, which were already written. Time passed and I got sidetracked with writing other novels, but I never forgot the trilogy, part of my heart. I tried a couple of times to interest publishers with the original idea, but no takers. Rather than give up, I grudgingly combined and renamed the 2nd and 3rd books, as well as the characters, to make a big generational, plantation novel. The plantation itself, Staten Bay, got renamed Big Eddy. More changes, more work, and my agent sent it out several times. Finally, last year, BelleBridge Books, in Memphis, TN got interested. This was a second book for me with BBB, and from my experience with "The Little Known" I knew they would give "Heir" all they had--that's how dedicated and thorough they are. So, now, as of February 2011, my proposed Staten Bay Trilogy, in a slightly different form, is out in bookstores. I'm happy! Janice Daugharty