Author Interview with Nancy Naigle about “Home No Matter Where”
Alexis: Congratulations on the release of a new novel! Why did you write this book?
Nancy: After To Light the Way Forward came out last year, I wasn’t ready to leave these characters behind. I fell in love with Tug and Rosemary’s relationship, and while Nina found her footing by the end, I knew there was more healing to come. That thread stayed with me and wouldn’t let go. Whelk’s Island was calling. And then there was Fisher. He showed up with a quiet strength and a story of his own that unfolded in such a meaningful way. Writing him was a joy.
This book came from that place, wanting to see what happens next when people choose to keep showing up for each other, and for themselves.
Alexis: How does the title “Home No Matter Where” play into the theme of your story?
Nancy: Home No Matter Where is about discovering that home isn’t a place on a map, it’s the people who hold you steady when life shifts. On Whelk’s Island, three generations of women learn that even when everything changes, love, grace, and connection can lead you back to a place of peace, and a feeling of home.
Alexis: Is the setting of your story, Whelk’s Island, a real location on Earth or completely imagined by your mind? Share how you created this setting for your story.
Nancy: Whelk’s Island is a fictional town on the coast of North Carolina, but it’s rooted in places that feel very real to me. I’ve always loved the Outer Banks, especially around Kitty Hawk, and those beautiful barrier islands like Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle. When I created Whelk’s Island, I imagined a stretch of coastline that doesn’t really have anything built out yet and let my heart fill it in. I pulled from my own memories of growing up in Virginia Beach, along with years of visiting the North Carolina coast, to shape the rhythm, the charm, and the sense of community you feel there.
It may be imagined, but it’s built from places and moments that are very real to me, and I think that’s what makes it feel like somewhere you’ve been, or somewhere you’d like to go.
Alexis: Why is Whelk’s Island special to the characters in your story?
Nancy: Whelk’s Island is special to these characters because it becomes home in all the ways that matter. For some, like Tug and Fisher, it’s where they’ve always belonged. For others, like Rosemary and Amanda, it’s where they found healing, connection, and a fresh start. It’s not just a place on the map, it’s where life changes, hearts mend, and people find their way back to what matters most.
Alexis: Tell us about Nina, who is the leading lady of your story. What are the desires of her heart as she tries to heal from her divorce?
Nancy: Nina is trying to find her footing after a life she counted on falls apart. More than anything, she wants peace, for herself and for her daughter. She isn’t one to ask for help, but when Kendra starts acting out, Nina lowers her guard and asks for help. As she and Kendra both heal, they begin to see that home and happiness don’t have to look the way they used to.
Alexis: Kendra is Nina’s daughter and she apparently is a challenge to her mother. Why does Kendra give her mother such a hard time?
Nancy: Kendra is giving Nina a hard time because she’s hurting. Her world changed in a way she didn’t choose, and she doesn’t know how to handle it. The anger and acting out are really about feeling lost and unsure. At her core, she just wants to know she’s still safe, still loved, and that her family isn’t completely broken, even if it looks different now.
Alexis: When Nina brings her daughter to Whelk’s Island, planning to spend a restorative summer with Rosemary, who is Nina’s mother, does everything go as planned? Why or why not?
Nancy: Not exactly, but in some ways it turns out even better than Nina expected. Her relationship with Rosemary becomes a source of comfort and strength. But Kendra struggles more than Nina anticipated, even running away when things get overwhelming. It’s not the smooth summer she planned, but with the help of Tug and Fisher, it becomes something deeper, a season of growth, healing, and second chances.
Alexis: What was your favorite part of telling this story featuring three generations of women (Rosemary, Nina and Kendra) being under one roof for the first time in years? Describe the conflict and the sweetest moments of their time together.
Nancy: I loved writing the dynamic between Rosemary, Nina, and Kendra because it’s full of love, history, and real-life tension. The conflict comes from each of them handling change differently, Nina trying to hold things together, Kendra pushing back, and Rosemary gently holding space for both.
The toughest scenes to write were when Kendra runs away. I could feel Nina’s urgency and fear as I was writing them, and that stayed with me.
The sweetest moments are in the quiet shifts, softer conversations, shared laughter, and the way they slowly find their way back to each other. I especially loved the family getaway in the mountains. There’s a sense of breathing room in those scenes that lets their relationships settle and grow.
These folks aren’t perfect. But the situations are real and rooted in love.
Alexis: Who is Fisher? Describe his role in this story and explain what makes him so attracted to Nina as well as what draws her to him.
Nancy: I love Fisher! We first meet Fisher in To Light the Way Forward as the easygoing surfer who’s always willing to lend a hand, just a genuinely good guy. But in this story, he steps forward as the hero, and we get to see so much more of who he is, his backstory, his quiet strength, and even a few hidden talents that make him stand out in ways Nina doesn’t expect.
Fisher has a way of showing up without being asked, which is exactly what Nina needs, even if she’d never say it out loud. He offers steady support without pressure, and that allows her to start letting her guard down.
What draws him to Nina is her strength. She’s doing her best to hold everything together for her daughter, even when it’s hard, and he sees that. And for Nina, there’s something about Fisher’s calm, grounded presence that makes her feel safe in a way she hasn’t in a long time.
Together, they find a balance, he brings a sense of peace to her world, and she reminds him what it feels like to truly connect and open his heart
Alexis: How do the real-world themes of forgiveness, growing up, letting go, and healing from pain play into your fiction storytelling with these characters?
Nancy: These themes are at the heart of the story because they’re part of real life. Each character is facing something, and their journeys show that forgiveness, growing up, and letting go don’t happen overnight. Healing comes in small steps, in choosing to show up for each other, and in finding hope again, even after things fall apart.
Alexis: Why does it require bravery to start anew? Explain how you showed this in your story.
Nancy: Starting over takes bravery because it means stepping into the unknown. It means letting go of what you thought your life would look like and trusting that something good can still come from what’s ahead.
In this story, Nina shows that kind of courage. She leaves behind the life she knew and brings her daughter to Whelk’s Island, not because she has all the answers, but because she knows something has to change. That’s not easy, especially when things don’t go as planned.
Kendra shows it too, in her own way. Growing up and facing hard truths about family and change takes a kind of bravery that doesn’t always look pretty.
And even Fisher, with his quiet strength, has his own journey of opening up and letting someone in again.
I wanted to show that starting anew isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about taking the next step, even when you’re unsure, and trusting that healing and hope are still possible on the other side.
Alexis: In what ways do you hope this beautiful book will impact people who read it?
Nancy: I’ve always said if one of my books helps one girl through one bad day, then it’s done its job. My hope for this story is that it reminds readers there is still hope, even when life doesn’t turn out the way they planned. That healing is possible, that some relationships can be mended, and sometimes loving someone might mean making hard, healthy choices when it comes to protecting your heart.
If someone closes this book feeling a little more patient, a little less alone, or a little more open to what’s ahead, then that means everything to me.
Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Nancy! Would you like to share closing thoughts? If so, please write that now.
Nancy: Thank you for sharing The Shell Collector novels with your friends. You know, this all started with The Shell Collector written as I grieved the loss of my husband.
These characters have walked with me through the toughest times of my life and have become so special to me. It means more than I can say to share their stories with readers. These are the books of my heart. I hope this release, Home No Matter Where, leaves folks feeling encouraged and maybe reminds y’all that no matter where life takes you, you’re never as far from home as you think.
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Author Bio:
USA TODAY and ECPA bestselling author Nancy Naigle writes uplifting coastal women’s fiction and sweet romance that feels like a deep breath of salty air. Her stories invite readers to slow down, escape to the shore, and rediscover hope, healing, and the comfort of close-knit seaside communities.
Her breakout novel The Shell Collector debuted in the Top 20 on the ECPA Bestseller list and was adapted as a Fox Original Movie. Along with beloved coastal reads like Sand Dollar Cove, later brought to life as a movie on the Hallmark Channel, Nancy’s stories deliver heartfelt summer escapes filled with family ties, second chances, and quiet moments of grace found along sun-washed beaches and weathered piers.
A former Senior Vice President at Bank of America, Nancy now writes full-time from small-town Virginia, inspired by coastal traditions, handwritten notes, and the simple joys that make a place feel like home. Her books are perfect for readers who love clean romance, emotional women’s fiction, and feel-good beach reads that linger long after the tide rolls out.
If you’re dreaming of a story that feels like a seaside getaway and a gentle reset for the heart, welcome to Nancy Naigle’s coastal story worlds.
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Book blurb for Home No Matter Where:
Three generations of women confront their pasts and discover it's never too late for new beginnings in this heartwarming novel of second chances and unconditional love—from the bestselling author of The Shell Collector.
“In Home No Matter Where we travel to beautiful Whelk’s Island, where a close-knit community puts us right at home. Along the way we meet compelling characters caught in realistic storms and learn faith-filled lessons about weathering them.” —Denise Hunter, bestselling author of More Than Friends
Nina is at her wit's end with her teenage daughter, Kendra. Still dealing with her own wounds of divorce, Nina hopes a change of scenery will help. She and Kendra head to the serene coastal town of Whelk's Island to spend a restorative summer with Nina’s mother, Rosemary—bringing three generations under one roof for the first time in years. Amid the island's charm, old wounds begin to heal, and as new friendships bloom—especially with the steady and enigmatic Fisher—light begins to break through the cracks of Nina’s tightly controlled life.
Kendra's reckless behavior continues but Fisher’s intervention during a critical moment for Kendra sparks a sense of hope in Nina that she thought was lost. Still, change is never easy.
As the women navigate the tides of forgiveness, growing up, and letting go, healing begins and new love brings surprises. While Whelk’s Island may not hold all the answers, it has a way of reminding people that moving forward doesn't follow a set path—it requires the bravery to start anew.
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