Friday, September 27, 2013

Welcome Guest Author Barbara Edwards #guestauthor





   
        STEPH: Barbara Edwards is a published author with the Wild Rose Press and she's here to talk about her latest release.  Tell us a little bit about your holiday romance.

BARBARA: Journey of the Magi tells the story of a widow, with two small children who desperately wants to give them a safe home. She promises they will reach Connecticut for the holidays but no money, a broken down car and the man of her dreams threaten her plans

STEPH: How long did Journey of the Magi take you to write?
   
BARBARA:         Not as long as my paranormal romances although it did get rejected twice before finally being accepted. Probably four months in total.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

BARBARA:            Most of the story came from my life. I visited Minnesota in November for a very cold snowy wedding, I bake a terrific pie crust, I long to be home for the holidays, I try very hard to keep my promises to my family. Wow, now you know a lot about me.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story?

BARBARA:      I think so. I guess you’d need to read Journey to see the tiny details the cover artist put it.


STEPH: Noel Martin is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness?

BARBARA:     Noel’s determined. When she makes a decision she follows through. Her weakness is she can’t believe in the love she’s found with the hero.

STEPH: What does the hero find appealing about the heroine?

BARBARA:     She is a gentle, loving woman who wants her children’s life to be as wonderful as she remembers her childhood.

STEPH: What was the inspiration behind the novel?

BARBARA:     My manger has two sets of Magi or Wisemen. One set belonged to my Mother and although the paint is peeling and chipped they remind me of Christmas at my parent’s home.

STEPH: What's the theme of the novel?

BARBARA:     Every life is a journey in search of what is your heart’s desire.

STEPH:  What are you reading now?

BARBARA:     I’m picking at several different stories. I have a ton of Wild Rose Press novels on my Kindle and I keep switching.

STEPH: Fun Question: What's your favorite thing to do in the summer time?

BARBARA: I love the beach, any beach - lake, ocean, riverside – as long as the water is murmuring, whispering, burbling.

Journey of the Magi blurb:

Widow Noel Martin never breaks promises, and she promised her kids they’d have Christmas at her childhood home in Connecticut. But driving across country takes money. Noel is broke when a snowstorm blows them into a tiny Minnesota café owned by a man who can change her mind. She accepts his offer of a job. Despite her attraction to him, she makes it clear she is only temporary help.

Dan Longstreet isn’t adopting any more strays, but he needs a waitress. Dan works so hard to make his café a success, he doesn't have time for love. Though Noel’s slender blonde beauty stuns him and her two adorable children tug at his heart, he denies how they threaten to change his life.

When tragedy strikes, their new-found love is the first victim. Noel can't stay and Dan can't leave. Will their journey be the gift that reunites them? 

BUY LINK: 

Excerpt from Journey of the Magi:
“Oh, Holly, how many times have I told you not to open the door to strangers?”
Holly stared at her mother.
“That’s what Dan said, too.” Her forehead wrinkled as she pursed her mouth. “Do all grown-ups say the same things?”
“Not all. And I think you should call him Mr. Longstreet.”
“I did. But he said I could call him Dan since you were already friends.”
Noel ducked her head to avoid Holly’s gaze as her stomach warmed. Friends? Her pulse raced and her skin tingled when he was close, not feelings she had for a friend. Dan sparked a strong attraction in her, but she had no intention of acting on it. She had to keep firmly to her goal: they were going home.
Home. She’d dreamed of returning for so long. If she was honest, going home had been her hope for years. The big old farmhouse had given a sad, lonely child more than shelter. It held the memories of loving arms cradling her, fresh-baked cookies and safety. All the things she wanted for her babies.
Nicholas gave a contented hiccup and she eased him over to burp. As soon as she dressed, she’d remind Dan she had to leave before Christmas.

Journey of the Magi is available: http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ
Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.
Blog http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com/
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6 comments:

  1. Hi Stephanie,
    Thanks for having me as your guest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barbara, thanks so much for visiting. I love the excerpt, it really draws you in as a reader. What was the inspiration behind the story? A christmas song? A movie? A quote? The actual journey the magi took?

    Smiles
    Steph

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My inspiration was when I was telling my granddaughter about my mother's manger set and why the Magi looked so beaten up.

      Delete
  3. Lovely cover. I have your book download and waiting to be read - your excerpt shows a great voice. I know I'll enjoy reading your story!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for the compliment. I hjope you enjoy Journey of the Magi.

      Delete
  4. Hi Barbara and Steph,

    What a lovely interview. It was like we were all sitting around in the living room, shooting the breeze.

    Barb, I enjoyed Journey of the Magi. I still need to pull my thoughts together to write a review, but I kept scrolling through the book and didn't want it to end. Dan and Noel are a great couple and I rooted for them to find their happily ever after.

    I hope you're having a ton of sales!

    ReplyDelete