State of Romance: Arkansas, home of Charlaine Harris

On this day in 1962, Rogers, Arkansas, welcomed the first Walmart Store. Fifty-two years later, Walmart is the go-to place for school supplies, Halloween candy and even romance books. Who doesn't wander down the aisle to check out new releases? This anniversary piqued my curiosity about books set in Arkansas.

Perhaps the state's most famous literary resident is Charlaine Harris. She created the Lily Bard series in "the sleepy town" of Shakespeare, Arkansas. Lily practices martial arts, wears baggy clothes, and works as a housekeeper while solving murders through five books in the series: Shakespeare's Landlord, Shakespeare's Champion, Shakespeare's Trollop, Shakespeare's Christmas and Shakespeare's Counselor.

Pamela Morsi brings her trademark "down-home" charm to Marrying Stone, Arkansas, with two turn-of-the-20th-century romances, The Marrying Stone and Simple Jess, followed by a contemporary story with the descendants in The Lovesick Cure.

Stella Bagwell draws upon the Ozarks' charisma for her Silhouette titles New Year's Baby (1993), Hillbilly Year (2000) and The Best Christmas Ever (2005).

Bette Greene created a children's series set in Pocahontas, Arkansas, to follow Beth Lambert's schoolgirl crush in Phillip Hall Likes Me; Get Out of Here, Phillip Hall; and I've Already Forgotten Your Name, Phillip Hall.

America's poet Maya Angelou visits Arkansas in book one of her autobiographical series, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She left a lasting legacy with her candor and hope.

Recommend your favorite romance set in the Natural State on Twitter using the hashtag #stateofromance.

Next week we visit the Keystone State — Pennsylvania!

Kim Lowe is an Air Force veteran, Air Force spouse and romance book blogger at SOS Aloha. You can reach her at sos.aloha@yahoo.com.