Bethany Joy Lenz was kept busy on the set of “Hope Valley: 1874,” but apparently, filming a television series wasn’t the only thing on her to-do list. The actress recently shared a behind-the-scenes video showing her working on her latest novel. The crazy part? She was in full costume on the Hallmark set as the cameras were about to start rolling. And yep, fans are getting a glimpse of how she managed to pull it off.
Posted to Instagram earlier today, Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the video shows Lenz frantically typing on a laptop while the chaos of filming surrounds her.
She captioned the post:
“True story about how I wrote a big chunk of #thebetrayalofcorawexford 😂 @hallmarkplus #hopevalley1874 Thanks @benjaminayres for the video!”
Honestly, writing a novel while working on a television show sounds like a lot to juggle, but Lenz seems to have figured out how to make it work.
Bethany Joy Lenz Wrote Her New Book While Filming for Hallmark
Yep, Lenz was working on her second book, “The Betrayal of Cora Wexford,” which was released on Tuesday, October 20.
According to publisher Simon & Schuster, the novel is…
“a romantic psychological suspense set in Victorian-era London amidst the Jack the Ripper murders.”
Let’s be real, writing a book takes plenty of time and concentration on its own. Add in the demands of filming a television series, and it’s easy to see why fans are impressed by Lenz’s ability to balance both projects.
The actress previously published her memoir, “Dinner for Vampires,” which explores her experience playing Haley James Scott on “One Tree Hill” from 2003 to 2012 and the religious cult she became involved with while trying to find her way in the world.
Now, she’s adding another book to her list of accomplishments. Honestly, it’s fun to see fans getting a glimpse of the work that went into bringing Cora Wexford’s story to life.
Recap: Hallmark Series ‘Hope Valley: 1874’
As noted above, Lenz’ video was filmed on the set of “Hope Valley: 1874,” Hallmark+’s prequel to the fan-favorite series “When Calls the Heart.”
Lenz stars as Rebecca Clarke, “who travels from her home city of Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old-daughter. But when her wagon breaks down, she has no choice but to accept help from local rancher and confirmed bachelor, Tom Moore Benjamin Ayres,” according to Hallmark’s official website.
“Despite Rebecca’s best intentions to remain unattached, the future she dreams of for her and her daughter along with the people she meets in this fledgling town – including the guarded Tom and tenacious pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Jill Hennessy) – ultimately compel her to put down roots and make a fresh start.”
The first season aired exclusively on Hallmark+ from March 21 to May 7, 2026, and fans can still stream it on the platform. Hallmark has also confirmed that the eight-episode series will return for a second season in 2027.
It seems like fans have plenty more of Rebecca’s story to look forward to.
Benjamin Ayres, Other Stars & Fans React to Her Video
Lenz’s co-star Benjamin Ayres, who filmed the video, also left a hilarious comment about what was happening while they filmed the scene.
He wrote:
“‘Joy, I was thinking that in this scene we could….’
‘Ben, gimme 2 mins, I’m just finishing this chapter’
👏 ✏️😂”
Lenz replied, “😂😂 Thank you for your patience.”
Yep, it sounds like Ayres had a front-row seat to Lenz’s writing process! Let’s be real, having to wait while your co-star finishes a chapter isn’t your typical behind-the-scenes filming story.
Other stars also jumped into the comments to celebrate Lenz’s accomplishments.
Her “One Tree Hill” co-star Tyler Hilton wrote:
“Haha im so impressed!! Amazing Joy… 👊🏻👊🏻”
Kristoffer Polaha called her “A polymath,” which is “a person who knows a lot about many different subjects” (Cambridge Dictionary).
While Chelsea Hobbs commented:
“This was the best. Truly a brilliant way to get into Cora’s world though. 👏”
Lachlan Quarmby also joined in on the fun, joking:
“Probably based a main character on me I’m certain”
Fans were equally impressed. One commenter wrote:
“So impressed how you were about to put yourself into Cora’s world while having to be in character for Rebecca ❤️🔥”
Another added:
“It’s amazing how you’re able to write despite how busy your surroundings are and also in the middle of filming 👏👏👏 you’re awesome! And both projects – the tv show and the book turned out so well”
The official Hallmark+ account summed up the moment perfectly, commenting:
“Can’t stop inspiration when it strikes! 👏”
And honestly, it’s hard to argue with that! Between her latest novel and her work on “Hope Valley: 1874,” Lenz has given fans another reason to appreciate her creative talents. It seems like inspiration really can strike anywhere, even in the middle of filming a Hallmark series.
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Bethany Joy Lenz Shares New BTS Video From ‘Hope Valley: 1874’ That Has Fans & Co-Stars Praising Her Talents