About the Book

Book: Dial S for Second Chances

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release date: July 14, 2023

Can years of hurt and misunderstanding be transformed into a second chance at love?

Jade Williams agrees to be on the high school reunion committee because the-one-that-got-away is out of the country and won’t be home in time to attend the festivities. Now, he’s not only home but joined the committee. Is it too late to back out or can she set aside forty-five years of regret and pretend she isn’t to blame for her broken heart?

One of the downsides of being rich means fielding requests for money and favors. But when an old high school buddy contacts Derek Milligan to be on the reunion committee as just one of the gang, no strings attached, he can’t resist. At the first meeting, he’s dismayed to find himself sitting next to his former high school sweetheart. He should be angry. Instead, he’s attracted. Can he risk his heart a second time?

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About the Author

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

More from Linda

Dear Reader:

I was honored to be asked to participate in the You’re on the Air multi-author project and jumped at the chance for the letter S because I love a good second-chance romance. Probably because of my own.

Thanks to my dad’s job we relocated numerous times during my growing up years, and to my horror, we got another transfer in the middle of my junior year in high school. Not only would I be leaving friends behind, I was also dating someone rather seriously (spoiler alert – my parents did NOT care for him!). So, a few weeks after we arrived in Maryland when this guy at church asked me out, I stated I was not dating anyone, least of all him.

He finally convinced me to go out with him on a one-shot deal. If I had a terrible time, he’d never bother me again. Drat! I had a great time! J We dated through high school but broke up a couple of times through college. Finally engaged in our senior year, things looked good until they didn’t, and I broke off the engagement two months before the wedding.

His response? “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

And he was. I came to my senses in September, and we married in October of that year. We celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary last year.

Dial S for Second Chances is about high school sweethearts who reconnect at their 45th reunion, and I had a wonderful time stepping back into the 1970s during my research. Yes, I’d lived the decade, but it had been a while! One of the things we did during high school was attend concerts. My husband-to-be introduced me to the fledgling contemporary Christian music scene, so I created a playlist as inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGBLgJnORx8&list=PLlRXWNqXm5gxmOm7FIiO-nWyanyIKukeu

Enjoy this blast from the past!

Linda Shenton Matchett

Interview with the Author

Why did you decide to write fiction?

I’ve been scribbling stories since I was around eight years old, and my parents gave me notebook (with a bouquet of pencils on the cover) and a package of pens. According to my mother, I always had an active imagination, and she thought I’d enjoy coming up with stories, and she was right! I love shining the light on amazing women, and fiction is a good way to do that without being preachy.

How do you come up with your plots?

So many different ways! Snippets from overheard conversations, magazine or newspaper articles, museum exhibits, books or TV shows that I think should have been done differently, the Bible (I have a series of stories that are biblical retellings set during WWII), and brainstorming with my husband.

How do you research for your stories?

I love research; it’s my favorite part of the writing process. I read first person accounts (memoirs, autobiographies), pour over photos from the Library of Congress or National Archives, watch YouTube videos of interviews (these are especially helpful for my WWII stories), and interview subject matter experts. I spoke with a rancher who still lives on the property his great-great-great grandparents homesteaded. I’ve talked to doctors, members of the military and their wives, etc.

Do real life stories get turned into fiction plots?

Yes, more often than not my stories begin with a kernel of truth, a story I unearthed during the research process. Dial S for Second Chances is a variation on my own happily ever after story.

Have you ever read a book that made you cry?

I love when that happens! I read The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischoff at least once a year, and it makes me cry every single time! Read it, you won’t be sorry!