You know you've made it as a bakery when people line up for your cupcakes.
But when someone writes your bakery into a novel?
Well, that's a whole different kind of sweet.
That's exactly what happened to SmallCakes Cupcakery and Creamery in Mooresville, thanks to longtime Lake Norman resident and author Shawn Keller Cooper.
Cooper recently completed her James Island Trilogy, a series of Southern fiction novels filled with complicated friendships, family secrets, second chances, and women figuring out life one difficult decision at a time.
And somewhere along the way, she decided her friend Rachel Solomon's bakery deserved a place in the story.
Now, as the third and final novel, Chasing the Changing Tides, makes its debut, the fictional world of James Island is coming to life right here in Mooresville.
A Little Bit of Lake Norman in a Coastal Novel
Cooper's fictional James Island, North Carolina, is the kind of place where the scenery is beautiful, the relationships are complicated, and everybody probably knows a little more about everybody else's business than they'd care to admit.
Sound familiar, small-town Southerners?
The trilogy began with Drawing Down the Moon, continued with Turn of the Silver Wheel, and now concludes with Chasing the Changing Tides.
Throughout the series, Cooper explores the relationships between women as they navigate identity, belonging, betrayal, resilience, and the sometimes messy business of starting over.
Her writing draws on years of observing people and places. A former journalist, photojournalist, and award-winning columnist, Cooper brings an eye for human stories to her fiction.
And although James Island is imaginary, its Carolina roots are very real.
How a Mooresville Bakery Became Part of the Story
Here's where things get especially fun.
SmallCakes owner Rachel Solomon is a longtime friend of Cooper's and an enthusiastic reader of the trilogy.
So when Cooper was writing Chasing the Changing Tides, she included SmallCakes as a setting in the fictional world of James Island.
And what better place to celebrate the book's release than the bakery that helped bring its world to life?
"I wanted this launch to feel like stepping into the world of James Island for an evening." — Shawn Keller Cooper
Solomon is delighted to see her business make the leap from Mooresville to the pages of a novel.
"I think it's awesome that my business is highlighted in the book," she says. "I also love that the books are based in North Carolina because it's my home. And I love the beach."
Honestly, Rachel, we get it. Books, beaches, and cupcakes are a pretty irresistible combination.
Three Books, One Big Finish
Finishing a trilogy is no small feat, especially one built around emotionally layered characters whose lives and relationships evolve across three novels.
Cooper's first two books were selected for the Indie Author Project Commercial Collections Program, and Drawing Down the Moon earned recognition as a BookTrib Summer Read.
With Chasing the Changing Tides, Cooper brings her characters' journeys to a close, exploring what happens when secrets surface, loyalties are tested, and the people we love force us to confront who we really are.
For readers who've followed the series from the beginning, it's a long-awaited conclusion.
For everyone else? It might be time to clear a little space on the nightstand.
Meet the Author (And Have a Cupcake)
The celebration comes full circle on Friday, October 23, from 7–9 PM, when SmallCakes hosts a free book launch featuring author signings, specially created cupcakes, themed giveaways, and all three James Island novels available for purchase.
It's a chance to meet a Lake Norman author, support a Mooresville small business, and enjoy a little taste of the fictional world Cooper has spent three books creating.
Books, Cupcakes & a Little Coastal Drama Friday, October 23, 2026 | 7–9 PM SmallCakes Cupcakery and Creamery 591 River Hwy., Mooresville Free and open to the public See the full event details on LKN Life →
Local Stories Worth Celebrating
We love stories like this.
A Lake Norman writer brings a fictional Carolina community to life. A Mooresville bakery becomes part of that world. And a friendship that started long before the final chapter gets its own little moment in the spotlight.
It's a reminder that great stories don't always happen somewhere far away.
Sometimes they're being written by your neighbors, inspired by the places you know, and celebrated right down the road.
And sometimes, they come with frosting.
Learn more about Shawn Keller Cooper and her books at shawnkellercooper.com.