Linda Madl’s Favorite Story
One of the Frequently Asked Questions asked of me is “Of all your stories, which is your favorite?” Of course, this is hard to answer because when you’re working on a tale, IT is your favorite. I like all my stories, but one of the ones I enjoyed most (and I often hear about from fans) and that I always think of in the spring is “The Orange Tree” in MAGICALLY DELICIOUS KISSES. It’s a medieval tale about the healing nature of gardens—and love. It has to do with my own curiosity about how the British came to enjoy marmalade, which I have developed a taste for since my first visit to the UK many years ago. After much research I came up with this story, which may or may not have happened. But I am certain that some Bristisher, some gardener at heart, made the long journey from east to west with orange trees on the back of pack animals or the deck of a ship so that the British could serve breakfast every morning with tasty bittersweet marmalade. Yum.
Look for “The Orange Tree” in MAGICALLY DELICOUS KISSES. It probably can be found in a used bookstore or online as a preowned copy. Enjoy.
From Zebra, November 2002, ISBN 0-8217-7348-8
Linda Madl