Welcome Guest Author Teri Wilson

Howdy, everyone! I’m Teri Wilson, and I’m excited to be here and tell y’all about my latest book, The Perfect Pass.

First, just to share a little bit about myself, I write sweet romance as well as inspirational/Christian romance, and I’ve had five Hallmark Channel movie adaptations of my books. So, yes, I’m also very much a Hallmark girl! I’m also a lifelong Texan, and I’m a big dog lover. My Cavalier King Charles spaniel Charm is a therapy dog and a reading education assistance dog, and we love volunteering in our community to spread a little doggy comfort and joy.

The Perfect Pass is set in a fictional small town in my home state, so I thought it would be fun to talk about small town Texas settings and what makes them special. Like I said, I’ve lived in Texas my entire life, from big cities like Houston (where I grew up) and San Antonio (where I’ve lived for the past thirty-plus years), to tiny College Station, where I attended college at Texas A & M University. I love spending time in the Texas Hill Country, dotted with small towns situated among rolling hills, fields of bluebonnets and winding rivers. Each of those towns had its own special flavor, whether it’s a historic dance hall, a beloved barbecue joint or a bunch of wineries and vineyards, all in a row.

The Perfect Pass is the first book in my new Texas Forever After series, which came about when my editor asked me if I’d like to write a football romance. I immediately said yes, even though I’m not exactly a football expert. But I loved the television show Friday Night Lights, and I thought it would be a really fun challenge to write something in that same spirit. When my editor reached out to me, the first thing she mentioned was football, and then she followed it up with, “You’re from Texas, after all,” and I immediately knew we were on the same page.

The town I created for my series is called Bishop Falls, and I modeled it after a real Texas town called Gruene (pronounced like the color green), which has a historic steel water tower standing in the heart of the historic district. In my little fictional town, the water tower is an important landmark. The high school football team’s bulldog mascot is painted right on its side, and the water tower is a popular place for late night victory parties. I think it’s important for small town settings to have something unique to make them really come alive—special landmarks and quirks that set them apart from every other town on the map. Landmarks give readers something to picture, something that feels real and memorable. They’re the kind of details that make readers say, “I know this place. I’ve been here.” And in a way, they have. Because so many of us have our own versions of Bishop Falls tucked into our memories.

The other defining characteristic of Bishop Falls is its passion for football. In true Texas tradition, Friday nights revolve around the Bulldogs, and the whole town turns out to pack the stands, win or lose. You can see that love of the game everywhere you go, from the End Zone Bakery with its football-shaped cookies to Huddle Up Coffee, where the lattes are served in team-colored mugs. Even Main Street is called Bulldog Avenue, a reminder that in Bishop Falls, football isn’t just a sport. It’s part of the town’s identity, woven into everyday life in the quirkiest, most endearing ways.

And of course, no small Texas town would be complete without a big dose of Texas hospitality. In Bishop Falls, neighbors look out for one another, strangers are greeted with a smile (or, in my hero Jackson Knight’s case, a literal parade), and there’s always room for one more at the table. That welcoming spirit is part of what makes small towns so endearing, and the perfect setting for a heartfelt romance.

Still, even in a place as warm and welcoming as Bishop Falls, life isn’t always simple. The same closeness that makes the town so special can also stir up its share of challenges, especially for newcomers who aren’t quite sure if they belong. That mix of open-armed Texas hospitality and small-town scrutiny sets the stage for The Perfect Pass, where love takes the field right alongside football.

You can learn more or purchase HERE

Visit Teri’s website HERE

To celebrate the release of The Perfect Pass, I’m giving away a signed paperback of the book, along with a pair of J. Crew football socks featuring Bishop the Bulldog. One lucky winner will be sporting Bishop Falls pride while turning the pages!

To enter, simply answer this question in the comments below:

If you could invent one quirky business for a small Texas town like Bishop Falls, what would it be called and what would it sell? I can’t wait to read your creative ideas. Good luck, and here’s to the magic of small towns, both real and fictional!