A good friend asked me about my pen name, pointing out that my real last name, Francoeur, has the French word for heart (coeur) in it — wouldn’t that be perfect for writing romance? The real Annabelle Rose was my maternal grandmother, a feisty, funny, loyal and loving woman. She believed that you should eat dessert first, chocolate was a must every day, loved the Red Sox and the Celtics, knit constantly, and read romance novels. She taught me unconditional love, fiercely believed in me, and every day I wish she had lived long enough to meet my husband and children. So, in her honor, I took part of her name as my pen name.