Meyers is the author of Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, from Summerside Press, an imprint of Guideposts Books.
Growing up in Lake Geneva meant warm sand between my toddler toes and splashing in the water with Mom or Dad holding me tight, followed by walks over to the Riviera—a local landmark—for ice cream.
A few years later, swimming lessons at the beach meant working hard to get from first to second pier on my own. When I finally made it to the second pier, I felt as if I’d arrived.
My early adolescent years brought a spring ritual of sitting on the grass in front of the Riviera, which houses a grand ballroom as well as shops and docks, watching high school girls in rainbow hues of tulle float up the stairs for their prom.
High school meant summer jobs and free time spent waterskiing behind a classmate’s boat. Graduation night ended with a final celebration aboard a chartered excursion cruise. Then we all scattered—most never to live in Lake Geneva again.
I left Wisconsin and chased my dream to New York, then Los Angeles. Eventually I settled in northern Illinois, only an hour from Lake Geneva. But my visits were only for the occasional quick lunch date.
When I realized that God was leading me to write fiction, the dream to write a story set in my hometown emerged. Then everything fell into place; the novel that was to become Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin began to gel, and I couldn’t get there fast enough to begin my research.
The book is set in 1933. At that time, the country was reeling from the effects of the Great Depression, but the townspeople hadn’t lost their spirit. They sold bonds, and with the addition of WPA funds, began construction on a new lakefront building: the Riviera. Everyone followed its progress through updates in the weekly paper. I felt a connection to their excitement and their love for Lake Geneva. It wasn’t just their town; it was our town. I’d taken it for granted all my life, and now I was seeing it through new eyes.
I spent a lot of time in Lake Geneva while writing this book and, even now, every time I return, I pause to wonder at the Riviera. It’s as much a part of the town as the people who founded it. Writing Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin gave me back the hometown I thought had become only a pleasant memory. I am blessed indeed to have grown up in such a special place—and to have the chance share its history with others through story.
