Shannon here: Debbi Migit shares how being surrounded by twins and having double cousins inspired debut novel. Heads up, this is one of my editing babies. Comment or answer the question at the end of any post dated Feb 2nd – 5th to enter the drawing for a copy. Winner’s choice or e-book or print. Deadline: Feb 13th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Debbi:
Authors are encouraged to ‘write what you know’. Since truth is usually stranger than fiction, we can often draw from a very deep well.
In my Justice, Montana series, Jess and Cole are childhood friends who discover their feelings have deepened. But when Cole’s brother, Deputy Sheriff Nick McBride, arrests Jess’s sister, Sly, for a crime she didn’t commit, things really get complicated.
The concept of brothers dating sisters may be an odd one to most people, but for me, it’s always been part of my life. When my mom was twelve years old, she and a friend stopped at the local drugstore for a soda after school one day. There she met a fourteen-year-old boy named Paul, and they soon discovered they had something in common. Paul’s older brother, Chuck, was dating Mom’s older sister, Bonnie.
Within a year, Chuck and Bonnie were married. Seven years later, so were my parents. I grew up thinking most people had ‘double cousins’, which I was told was the

Bonnie & Chuck
technical term for Chuck and Bonnie’s three sons.
So, it was very natural for me to incorporate that scenario into the Justice, Montana series. I actually didn’t even plan it, Nick just walked into the scene, introduced himself to me, and Sly’s fate was sealed.
Of course, I also thought every family had multiple sets of twins, too. After all, my grandmother was a twin, my brother, Dave, and I were twins, and some of our closest playmates were our twin cousins, Lisa and Lindsay, who were just three months younger. Years later my brother, Scott, had twins, as did our cousin, Kristina. The sixth set of twins was born into our family seven years ago. In total, I’ve had close relationships with twelve sets of twins in my lifetime.
Again, real-life impacted my writing. In September Shadows, Janey and Joey are four-year-old twins who give Jess’s best friend, Grace, all kinds of trouble. In fact, Cole says the twins don’t need a babysitter, they need a corrections officer. Janey and Joey’s antics were inspired by stories I’d heard about my friend’s two sets of twins who were born a year apart. I’m beginning to wonder if there is something in the water of central Illinois. 😊

Debbi Migit’s parents
Real-life has definitely impacted my fiction writing. In a future book, you can expect to see a stalker theme since I lived that reality for three years. And if 2020 gave me anything, at least I no longer worry if my plotline is too improbable!
About Debbi: Award-winning author and speaker, Debbi Migit, lives in central Illinois, surrounded by pumpkin patches and corn fields. Her first book, Child of Promise, is the true love story of a family formed through adoption. After ten years of infertility, Debbi and her husband, Phil, were just months from adopting when God said, “Not this way.” Child of Promise is the story of audacious faith resulting in multiple miracles; it encourages readers to remember their own promises and believe again.
She has won multiple awards and contests, writing stories that are filled with faith and hope. She loves to share personal anecdotes about God’s faithfulness, infusing her talks with authenticity and humor.
Debbi and Phil are the adoptive parents of Alex (31), Ethan (20), and Kate (19). The God-ordained spacing of their children offered the unique opportunity to parent a teen and two toddlers-at the same time. This is the season Debbi fondly calls the TNT years!
Debbi’s hobbies include reading, writing, and avoiding arithmetic. Her favorite color is turquoise, and she collects Trixie Belden books and typewriters. If playing Candy Crush was a paying gig, she would be rich.
Debbi’s new romance/suspense series begins with September Shadows, and is set in Montana. After the mysterious death of their parents, three young sisters are determined to stay together and make a new life for themselves. This new life includes faith-testing danger, adventure, and romance. Watch for the release of September Shadows in spring 2021.
About the book – September Shadows: After the sudden death of their parents, Jess Thomas and her sisters, Sly and Maggie, start creating a new life for themselves. But when Sly is accused of a crime she didn’t commit, the young sisters are threatened with separation through foster care. Jess is determined to prove Sly’s innocence, even at the cost of her own life.
Cole McBride has been Jess’s best friend since they were children. Now his feelings are deepening, just as Jess takes risks to protect her family. Can Cole convince Jess to trust him−and God−to help her?
September Shadows – Scrivenings Press
Question for Reader: Do you have any double cousins or multiple sets of twins in your family?
Come back on Feb 5th for Part 2 with Debbi!
Yes. My youngest sisters are identical twins. One of them have twins due to invitro. I have a boy/girl twin naturally. So, we have 3 sets in our immediate family, 2 sets naturally and 1 through invitro.
Wow–that’s a lot of twins, too! Years ago, when I was taking fertility drugs my husband asked if I’d explained to the doctor that we wanted a baby, not a litter! LOL
No double cousins or twins in my family. But my daughter’s kids are spaced in a way that is similar you your kids. Three boys, ages 18, 11, and 2!
I called those teen and toddler days the TNT years! LOL
Being one of Debbi’s Aunts ( Probably her favorite) I can attest to all of those Twins! One set of Whom I am Grandmother to . I baby sat for the first four and they are as Precious to me as my own. I am so Proud of My Niece and can not wait for the book to come out. so much Talent~
Aunt Carol–what a sweet surprise to see you here! And thanks for the writing retreat-you may see more of me 🙂
Love you!
No twins in our family…however we have 4 sets of what are called “Irish Twins”. The sibblings are less than 22 months apart in age.
Hi Susan!
I think of Ethan and Kate as my “Irish twins” since they are one year and 3 weeks apart.
No twins in our family, but we have lots of adoptions! My brother had 3 bios, then adopted 1; my sister adopted 1; my husband & I adopted 2 then had 1 bio 9 years later; our bio son has adopted 2; my brother’s granddaughter has adopted 1. We love adoption and bios!!
Hi Linda,
Yes, there is definitely an adoption blessing on your family!! You have inspired me through the years.
I should have added that I was the babysitter for Debbi and her twin brother, Dave, when they were 5!
good times–at least for me! LOL
You’ve lost me with “double” relationship LOL trying to figure out how it works…
We probably have something similar with so many relatives 🙂
It’s funny, but when I was growing up I thought most families had the same dynamic-brothers marrying sisters. But when I tried to explain it to my friends, they were confused, too 🙂
Double cousins on my mother’s side of family. My paternal grandmother was a twin. And I read every Trixie Beldon book! My grand daughter is reading the old ones I gave her
Hi Betty,
Trixie is the BEST! My teachers tried to get me to read Nancy Drew, but Nancy seemed too…perfect. I also had a secret crush on Jim 🙂
We have double 1st cousins. My grandparents introduced their siblings. Brother and sister married sister and brother. The families are still close.
It certainly makes for fun family reunions 🙂
Yes, I have double cousins and twins in my family, and my husband has twins in his family, too. My grandmother was a twin, and her twin sister married my grandfather’s brother–thus my father had double cousins. And my husband’s grandmother was also a twin. One of my husband’s brother’s had twins; and one of my cousins had twins, but no twins in our branch–so far. It all in the family.
Wow–are you sure WE are not related? LOL
My mom is a twin and they married non twin brothers. So I have double first cousins.
My mom’s family 3 more sets of twins – all girls.
That’s amazing! Three of our twin sets are girls -including my twin nieces. The other three sets are boy/girl twins. Interestingly, no boy/boy twins. Yet. 🙂
Mom has cousins which are 2 sets of triplets and 3 sets of twins and several singles. Interestingly, one set of twins — son serving in Vietnam was killed and within hours of his death the sister died unexpectedly. The family was notified of the sons death while preparing for the funeral. They had two picnic tables in the kitchen for meals. Fun, lively bunch their farm is still in the same family and there are more sets of twins manning the picnic tables. There are many sets of twins in the family — the current generation all hold their breath when pregnant.
Oh my, Marie–you should write a book about your family!
There no double cousins or twins in my family.
Family=love, no matter how it is formed 🙂
No to both questions. This book sounds interesting, thank you for the chance to win a copy.
wfnren at aol dot com
Hi Wendy,
Jess is definitely a…character 🙂 I hope you enjoy her story!
I have twin cousins but they are kinda distant.
Who knows, multiples may pop up again some time in your family 🙂
I love the plot of the book and think it would be a fascinating read!!
There are no double cousins or twins in my family. I once met a lady who told me she and her husband were double cousins. That might be illegal, right? LOL
@A Payne
Hmmm. that does sound a little …unusual! Genetically, double cousins would seem to be one step away from siblings. Yikes!
My mother was a twin. She lived to be 101.
My dad had twin cousins.
A friend of mine was a twin and her mother had Six sets of twins plus lots of other kids. She was written up in a local Wisconsin paper a long time ago. We left Wisconsin over 25 years ago.
HI Paula! Wow–SIX sets of twins! I’m exhausted just thinking about it LOL
There are a lot of double cousins in my family (2 uncles and an aunt married sisters and brothers). My husband also has double cousins in his family. We neither have twins in the family, though.
Hi Connie,
That sounds like a record breaking number of doubles-Amazing!
Lots of twins in my family. Twin uncles, twin nieces, twin cousins, etc. identical all.
That reminds me of a funny story. Years ago someone asked me if my twin brother and I were identical! After considering several answers I decided on the safe one and said simply, “No.” LOL
My grandmother had twin sisters, my cousin’s twin girls were flower girls in my wedding, and I have twin (adopted) grandsons. There are no double cousins in our family, but some of the grands are good friends with their cousins’ cousins!
Hi MaryAnn,
Fancy meeting you here! LOL I’d love to see the pic of your flower girls sometime. 🙂
There are no multiples in our family. I had enough trouble having single children and am grateful for them.
Yes, I understand that! We are so grateful God blessed us with our three adopted babies! 🙂
We don’t have twins in my immediate family, but it does run in my family.
Children-in any number-are such a blessing from God 🙂
I have a winner! Susan Fitzgerald Wagaman won the drawing. I appreciate Debbi for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.