Readers often ask me what inspired a book and that question has an entire wheelbarrow of answers. Each idea is unique. Each book’s origin comes from something that sparks an idea. In this instance it was from my work on the cookbook, DEBBIE MACOMBER’S TABLE, that inspired the idea of creating a sous chef with big dreams. Josie is my heroin in ALASKAN HOLIDAY and takes a job in a remote Alaskan town while she awaits her dream job back in Seattle. But then life throws her a curve ball when she falls in love and is faced with the decision to give up on her dream or leave it all behind for the man she loves. And of course, I threw in a few quirky characters to liven up the tale. I wanted to set the scenery for this book in Alaska because there is something special about the 49^th state. In the 1990s while doing research for another book, Wayne and I discovered and visited a tiny northern Alaskan town called Bettles. I got to see first hand what a small artic community looks like. My hope is that you will not only fall in love with the characters in this book but also immerse yourself into the community, close your eyes and picture the northern lights.