HOW BOB EVANS HELPED ME WRITE MY BOOK by Vonnie Davis

Since Calvin and I are retired, we often go out to eat. Two or three days a week, we go to Bob Evans for breakfast. Is it any wonder the staff knows us by name? Or which booths we prefer? Or that we like cream in our coffee? While I write on my laptop and Calvin reads news on his iPad, our waitress keeps our coffee cups filled, and we banter back and forth about her hooking a coffee IV to our arms.

Some days we spend several hours there with no one urging us to vacate our seats. A lot of restaurants wouldn't put up with us, but the friendly staff at Bob Evans did--and still do. During our time there I can really knock-out the word count, usually around 2500 words. Some days, 3000. I've yet to figure if it's the coffee or the courteous way we're treated or time away from household obligations. Whichever, many of the scenes in MONA LISA'S ROOM were written at Bob Evans. Sometimes one of the waitresses would wizz to a stop, glance over my shoulder and whisper, "What's happening now?" And I'd tell her. "Ooohh, can't wait to read it."

Can you imagine our loyalty to this eatery? As we travel across the United States, where do you think we're likely to stop for a meal? We talk in the writing industry about building a fan base and promoting our brand. Bob Evans has certainly done that with home-style food and their philosophy of treating their cusotmers like family.

So when it came time to dedicate my romantic suspense, I chose the friendly staff at Lynchburg, Virginia's Bob Evans who'd helped me write so many scenes. I ordered a book for each of them, autographed it and presented the books to the staff. And why not? Bob Evans helped me write my book.