About the Book

Book: Joann: Apron Strings Book Five

Author: Donna Jo Stone

Genre: Inspirational Historical (1960s) Romance

Release date: May 15, 2024

One cookbook connects them all…
Joann ~ Book Five in a string of heartfelt inspirational stories, featuring different women throughout the decades from 1920 to 2020.

Twenty-four-year-old Joann Kincaid’s life ambition is to one day run the family’s general store in Pecan Grove, Louisiana. It’s 1965 and the times may be a-changing, but Joann’s father is stubbornly hanging on to old-fashioned views about what he wants for his daughter. She’s just as determined to prove she’s a capable businesswoman.

In the past, she entertained romantic dreams alongside her vision for the store but discarded those notions when her high school sweetheart, Nathan, left for college. Now he’s back to reestablish his family’s farm—and a relationship with Joann. She still loves him but isn’t sure she can trust him.

As the conflict in Vietnam escalates, there’s a real possibility Nathan could be drafted. Should Joann pursue her lifelong dream to continue her family’s legacy? Or give Nathan a chance to prove he’ll be her true and committed love before it’s too late for them?

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Author Interview

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
Probably somewhere between a plotter and a hybrid. It varies with each project. I like to have
room to lean into discovery writing, so tend to leave space for that to happen. More than once,
I’ve had a fully formed character walk on and make their mark on the story. It’s great fun when
that happens, and the story seems to be better with an organic element.

2. What is your least favorite part about writing?
I like all parts of writing. I’ve been writing for as long as I remember and have always enjoyed it.
From drafting to editing, playing with words is my happy place. When I’m hyper focused on a
task I overdo and get fatigued, which leads to frustration, but it’s temporary.
Marketing can be tough. While I enjoy interacting with people and talking about bookish things,
trying to figure out social media marketing, market analysis, keywords, and the ins-and-outs of
advertising gives me hives. My gifts do not lie in those areas! I’d prefer to keep my social
interaction fun and spend my energy writing stories.

3. What is your writing space like?
At the beginning of each draft, my workspace is neat and tidy. Along the way, it starts to collect
notebooks, pens, and all sorts of things I need, from eyedrops to extra phone chargers. The wall
around my desk becomes peppered with post-it notes. This snowballs until the draft is done, at
which point I do a big clean, wait one day, then begin editing and the cycle continues.

4. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
It varies. The last book I wrote took about five months, but earlier books took years, due to
interruptions from illness. I dictated several books while in bed by using my phone. Those
needed extensive editing, because while the technology was wonderful, the transcription was far
from perfect. Oftentimes, I would reread the page and the words would be so jumbled, I had no
clue what I had meant to put!
After the writing comes publishing, which I’m realizing takes quite a bit of time as well. If all
goes well, it should take me about six to eight months to produce a novel. Right now I have them
stacked up and waiting for final edits, book covers, and marketing plans. I have several
scheduled for publication this year and next.

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Not intentionally, but as I was writing Joann, I often thought about my big sister. Joann reminded
me of her and shared some of her attributes such as being a hard worker, loving her family, being
an older “responsible” sibling, and the way she comforted her little sister.
Other stories have been inspired by real people. I wrote the first book in my young adult series
(set for publication in 2025) to help young teen girls dealing with feelings about loss and grief
while also having a sibling with special needs. The story was written for a specific person and
prompted by the loss of two of the autism moms in our local community.
In Joann, one of the embarrassing and funny situations our heroine finds herself in was inspired
by a story my dad used to tell. This story involved cooking and a bit of pride going before a fall.
My family is full of pranksters, so I have a few stories in my pocket to inspire a bit of comedy
that I can use in my novels to lighten the mood. My stories tend to be serious with moments of
comedic relief.

About the Author

Donna Jo Stone writes southern-flavored novels for the inspirational and general market. Her stories are often about people facing tough times. Not all of her books have romance but when they do, the romances are sweet. No graphic language, sex, or violence, just plenty of heart-tugging emotion with endings that leave readers with a sense of hope.

More from Donna

Joann: Apron Strings Book 5 is part of the Apron Strings series, a multi-author project. When Jenny Knipfer, the organizer behind the project, approached me about joining the lineup of authors, I was immediately intrigued. An old cookbook passed down each decade to a new character? Small towns? Romance? Sign me up!

The books in this inspirational series are connected by one single cookbook, Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book, as it passes from character to character. The cookbook contains more than recipes. Through time, women have penned encouraging words, quotes, and scriptures in the margins. There are eleven books in the Apron Strings series—one for every decade from 1920 to 2020. My novel, Joann, takes place in the 1960s.

One of Joann’s specialties is a popular 60s favorite, Jello with Dream Whip. No recipe needed there. Joann uses recipes from Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book, but she would’ve relied on a cake mix every now and then, such as in the recipe at this link, Joann’s Easy Blueberry Pound Cake. https://donnajostone.wordpress.com/2024/04/24/from-the-apron-strings-kitchen-joanns-easy-blueberry-pound-cake/

Another name for this should be Disappearing Blueberry Pound Cake, because that’s what happens when I make it! This cake has become a family favorite. As far as how Joann’s cooking attempts using Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book come out, you’ll have to read the novel to see. In the back of my novel there’s another recipe, one that would’ve appeared in Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book. All of the Apron Strings books have a recipe or two (or more) in the back.

Parts of Joann’s story are fun and lighthearted, but she also faces serious issues during uncertain times. I hope readers enjoy reading Joann, but also hope they come away from her story with a deeper understanding of the comfort that comes from trusting God with the future.