Creative Miles with Jolene and sometimes Fred.

There is a distinct magic to the Texas Hill Country. It’s in the way the cypress trees stretch their limbs over the clear, cold waters of the Frio River, in the sun-baked limestone bluffs, and in the quiet resilience of the people who call this rugged land home for generations.

When I set out to write my latest series, I wanted a setting that was less of a backdrop and more of a breathing, living character. That’s how Rio Bella was born. Heavily inspired by the real-life charm of Leakey and the limestone canyon carved by the Frio River, Rio Bella is a sanctuary—a place where wide-open skies meet tight-knit heritage, and where independent spirits learn to put down roots.

A Rugged Landscape that Shapes Strong Souls

Life in the Texas Hill Country can be hard but also rewarding. The terrain can be unforgiving, yet breathtakingly beautiful. Growing up around—and living alongside—this landscape teaches you self-reliance. It forms strong minds and fiercely independent hearts.

In Rio Bella, the environment directly influences who my characters become long before the first chapter even begins:

• The elements build character: Survival on a ranch during a Hill Country drought or navigating a flash flood isn’t just plot points; they build stubborn resilience.
• The community builds connection: When you live out where the roads curve around limestone cliffs and neighbors are miles apart, community traditions aren’t just social gatherings—they’re lifelines that bring people and families together.

Deep Roots: The DeLeon Family Heritage

At the heart of Rio Bella series is the DeLeon family. With roots running generations deep into the Hill Country soil, their family legacy is woven directly into the fabric of the town. Their history is tied to the land, their word is their bond, and their traditions are the quiet backbone that holds them together through every storm. But what happens when the old way of doing things is met with new modern ideas?

When writing the DeLeon family, I drew deeply from the real-world heritage of Texas—where family stories are passed down on porches as the sun dips below the horizon, and where honoring your roots means protecting the place you call home.

Character Development Driven by the Land

The Hill Country isn’t just where my stories take place; it’s the catalyst for every emotional journey my characters undertake. Here is how that rugged setting shapes the DeLeon family across the series:

1. The Texan’s Unexpected Home

In the opening of the series, the land represents both a refuge and a challenge. For characters coming in with guarded hearts, the raw, unfiltered honesty of Rio Bella strips away defenses. The vastness of the landscape forces them to confront what truly matters: faith, family, and finding a place where they genuinely belong.

A tragedy brought him home.
Will love make him stay?

After losing everything in a devastating fire, racehorse trainer Kingston Zayas returns to his family’s ranch to claim his inheritance…and learns that he must first live there for a year. The only silver lining? Single mom Abigail DeLeon, the ranch’s event planner, and her energetic son, Leo. But Abigail’s family wants nothing to do with any Zayas. Forced to work together, they unravel a tangle of secrets that changes everything Kingston thought he knew about his family—and most important, where he belongs…

2. The Rancher’s Christmas Gift

Winter in the Hill Country brings a quiet, reflective beauty. In this story, local holiday traditions, community gatherings, and the overwhelming desire to keep the outside world from changing anything on the ranch has Joaquin at odds with people he loves, The new arrival to the ranch pushes our hero to look beyond his independent streak. The season highlights how heritage and love aren’t burdens—they are the greatest gifts a cowboy can receive.

Love comes in an unexpected package
for this cowboy and his K-9s.

Content with his quiet life training service dogs, Army veteran Joaquin DeLeon wants nothing more than to be left alone.

Seeking shelter after running away from an arranged marriage, environmental engineering professor Xitlali Kan is determined to carve out her own happiness—for herself and her neurodivergent son. Despite their personal reservations, the single mom and silent cowboy find themselves getting closer as young Oscar bonds with Joaquin’s latest training dog, Luna. But when the past catches up with Lali, will they lose out on their chance to build the family they all deserve?

3. Trusting the Veterinarian

The third installment zeroes in on belonging and healing. A veterinarian’s connection to the land and its animals requires patience, grit, and deep empathy. Here, the rugged environment acts as a mirror for emotional recovery. Just as the Hill Country blooms again after a harsh dry spell, trust can grow in even the most weathered hearts when rooted in love and community.

Will a talented K-9 bring them together
For good?

On leave from her job as a diplomat, Martina Bravo finds herself back in Texas. But only temporarily. When she rescues a dog on the side of the road, she never expects to see old friend Isaac DeLeon. Now the town veterinarian, Isaac is the perfect person to help Martina train Ruby as a service dog. He sees their reunion as a chance to earn her forgiveness for a high school prank that destroyed their friendship years ago. But as their bond rekindles and deepens into more, can this four-legged surprise show them love is always worth holding on to?

“The land doesn’t change for you; it invites you to grow strong enough to stand on it.”

Every time I walk along the Frio River or watch the late-afternoon light hit the bluffs, I’m reminded why I write these stories. Rio Bella may be fictional, but its heart—and the heart of the DeLeon family—is as real as the Texas dust under your boots.