No Noel this year by Barbara Edwards

The Christmas stories written on The Roses of Prose add so much joy to the holiday. I love what my friends share and am sorry I'm not joining in the fun this year. I'm working on two manuscripts and just couldn't fit  it in. I do want to remind everyone of my Christmas stories from The Wild Rose Press. I hope you all find the time to read them and they brighten your season.

Journey of the Magi 

by Barbara Edwards 

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 cafe 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 cafe 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?

Excerpt: An Arctic blast from the opening door fluttered napkins on the deserted tables in the darkened café, extinguished the two remaining candles, and ruffled the sawdust spread on the floor to absorb the melting snow. Dan casually checked the baseball bat hooked under the counter. Only trouble arrived this late. 

His gaze latched onto the petite female and he swore he smelled spring flowers. And sunshine. He couldn’t take his gaze off her as she undid the knitted green muffler wrapped three times around her coat’s up- turned collar to reveal a thin pinched face. 

His chest ached with the urge to cradle her in his arms; she looked so cold. Even with her knit hat pulled down over her ears, her high cheekbones and the up- tilted tip of her nose flamed as bright red as a cheap statue of a Christmas elf. She blinked in the bright light. 

Link: http://a.co/90BqPrf

Praise for Journey of the Magi 

“With a deft touch of her brush, word artist Barbara Edwards paints an endearing story that showcases the true meanings of Christmas—love, sacrifice and the wide-eyed hopes of children. Her attention to detail, her ingenious stroke of the brush breathe life and love into this delightful story.” 

~Vonnie Davis, award winning romance author 

~*~ 

Praise for Barbara Edwards 

“Barbara Edwards writes with passion and conviction.” 

~Maggie Toussaint, mystery and romance author 

“Barbara Edwards writes engaging and fun stories.” 

~multi-published author Stephanie Burkhart 

Late for the Wedding (Twelve Brides of Christmas Book 2) 

by Barbara Edwards 

Heather Green will do anything to make her twin’s wedding perfect. Despite an impending nor’easter, she sets out with the wedding dress, cake, favors and cake topper in her car. As the snow piles up, her car is wrecked and she barely misses injury in a major accident.

Nicholas Burnes would rather be ensconced with his latest cuddle than drive a tow truck, but his brother needs his help. He reluctantly agrees to help Heather find a way to the wedding locale, but when the storm closes the roads, he ends up offering her shelter in his penthouse.

Warm and rested at last, Nick and Heather explore their powerful attraction to each other, only to part when he delivers her, on time, to her sister’s wedding. But weddings breed weddings…

Buy Link: http://a.co/3z670qQ

Dixie’s Gift

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092- 

Buy Links: http://a.co/hvdAjFY

https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3671-dixie-s-gift.html

Author: Barbara Edwards

Blurb: Ellen Carter deeply grieves for her husband Dan, but at least she still has Dixie, her beloved Malinois. However, soon Dixie leaves her too. But the faithful dog cannot rest easy in heaven while her mistress is unhappy. Dixie pleads with the Archangel Michael to let her send help, and intercedes for Ellen in the only way she can. But will Ellen get the message, and more importantly, will she accept Dixie's gift?

Sexy newcomer Michael Burke can barely take enough time from his successful restaurant for a decent night's sleep, let alone romance. Still, he is intrigued by the beautiful widow and can't resist entering her shop. Sparks fly, and when Ellen has an accident in a snowstorm, he comes to her rescue. Trapped by a blizzard and aided by Dixie's Gift, Ellen and Michael find more than shelter--they find love.

He brushed a wisp of her hair from her cheek. It clung like spider silk to his fingers.

He rubbed the strand and his heart raced. When her lips parted, he bent forward to taste their soft curve.

Sweet, so sweet, he thought as her mouth melded with his. His hands slowly slid from her slender shoulders to her waist. Soft as a feather, she sighed. Her curves fit against his hard chest like matching puzzle pieces.

The lights blinked, dimmed, and then flared back on.

Comments:

Dixie's Gift tugs at your heart, and though the snow threatens, you can't help but be warmed by this sweet story. A must read! -- Kara O'Neal, Author

"Dog lovers, do not read this book . . . without a box of tissues nearby. A touching story of love and compassion." - Diane Burton, author of the Outer Rim series.

"Delightful. . .Barbara Edwards weaves a heartwarming holiday tale of rediscovering love after the death of a spouse and the loss of a beloved pet. It's a refreshing story with a theme of joy and peace and filled with engaging characters. And who can resist a romantic winter setting with lots and lots of snow?" ~ Judy Ann Davis, Author and Educator

Dixie’s Gift by Barbara Edwards is a gift of a read. Sweet, romantic, poignant, and touching, it will bring a lump to your throat and satisfaction to your heart. If you don't shed a tear, you're a robot." ~ Award winning author Alicia Dean

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What happened to Indian Summer? by Barbara Edwards

From my porch

The last few days have been a wonderful break in the Fall weather. I enjoyed the chance to catch up on yard work and cleaning my garden.

To my surprise, none of the weather channels mentioned that we were enjoying Indian Summer. You remember. It always followed a killing frost. The warm days and nights lasted from a day or two to weeks. The weathermen spent hours asking why we’re having such nice days instead of saying enjoy. There seemed to be some effort to connect Indian Summer with global warming although this phenomenon has been around for as long as there have been people to notice.

It got the name Indian Summer from the tribes taking advantage of the weather to continue gathering and hunting to fill their stores of food.

I guess this is another high-jacking of words to twist them into something that needs redefining, like a burglary of a residence is now a home invasion. 

What other changes have your noticed? Besides the uni-version of him and her?

Since we’re fast approaching the holidays, I wanted to share one of my short holiday romances.

Journey of the Magi by Barbara Edwards

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 cafe 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 cafe 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?

http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ 

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Reviews are hard work by Barbara Edwards

My writing friends are having a debate about book reviews. Everyone wants a good one for their book. And everyone is hunting for those reviewers. We ask friends and family and other authors to take the time to read and review our work. Many authors will feature a book on their blog and do a review. I’ve had my book, Journey of the Magi, reviewed in this way. It was a wonderful bonus. Those authors are booked for months ahead with good reason.

One of the things I found when I published my last book was that there are places to buy reviews. Yep. And they can be cheap. Five for five dollars seemed to be the going rate. Guaranteed to supply your tome with five star reviews.

I’m not talking about legitimate review sites where you can request a review, submit a copy and get a decent, honest review. Those places are being overwhelmed with submissions. I’m talking about the shady side of business.

Lots of places offer free advertising for your reviewed book. The offer is pre-supposed on the fact your book is good enough to rate a four or five star review. It’s a neat way to get your title in front of a new audience. So the underbelly of the business is exposed. Not many unknown authors can gather fifty or more good reviews before the book even goes on sale. Soo...

I no longer blithely trust those wonderful free book lists I signed up to receive.

I do look more closely at Goodreads and Amazon reviews. And I sometimes thank the commenter for taking the time to post a review.

I admire a good review. It’s a fine talent to put together a brief, clear description of the book and why you like it. My efforts in reviewing don’t please me. I struggle to explain why a story has touched my heart, but I do try especially when I’ve found a terrific story.

If you’ve read a good book, take the time to give it a review. I actually got a thanks for one I did last week and it made me smile all day.

http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

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? 

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Sharing holiday cheer by Barbara Edwards

When I think about the Holidays, I think about all the family and friends who have shared Thanksgiving with me. I used that feeling in writing Journey of the Magi, my holiday romance, and am sharing an excerpt and the blurb.

Journey of the Magi:

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? http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

Excerpt:
Thanksgiving dawned with the bang and clatter of roasting pans. Noel followed the sound of Dan swearing downstairs. It was barely five and both children slept through the racket.

“I thought you were closed today,” she said. The dawn light glinted highlights off his dark hair. Her lips twitched as his heavy brows snapped together.

“We are. I’m cooking turkey for a few friends. It’s kind of a tradition.” She mouth dropped open when he lined up six turkeys on the counter and proceeded to fill each one with a different stuffing. Her teeth clicked when she closed her jaw.  

“You must have been up for hours,” she said. “That looks like enough for a crowd.”

Her heart swelled with admiration for his sharing. She wanted to grab him in a big hug. Her grandparents had invited friends over, too. It was a tradition she planned to continue.

“I’m not sure how many. It’s gotten bigger.” He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “People need friends. Everyone brings a dish, so it’s pot-luck.”

“What can I do to help?” She asked as she tied an apron decorated with dancing elves over her sweater and jeans.

“Not much, unless you can bake a pie?” His lifted brows and wide brown eyes reminded her of his hopeful stray standing over the empty dish.

“I do a killer crust,” she exclaimed, mimicking rolling out a pie crust. Dan wasn’t the only one who appreciated the chance to contribute.

“Got everything for apple, pumpkin or mince,” Dan said before he laughed and waved at the cooler. “Take your pick.”

“Hey. My Grandma taught me how to make those. We have time to do them all.” Available at: http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!

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Squanto did what by Barbara Edwards

Sturbridge Village in Massachussetts is a great place to visit anytime of the year, but the Fall brings out memories of Thanksgiving past.

I’ve been there many times. Re-enactors often dress as Pilgrims and the displays are varied and interesting.

A few years ago I happened to be strolling through the museum when a display of old letters caught my eye. I love researching and checked them. Turns out they were written in the late 1600s and early 1700s by the children and grandchildren of the original Plymouth settlers. Now is where my story takes an interesting twist.

You need to know a little history to understand what happened.

The first settlers at Plymouth were ill-equipped for the hardships they faced. That winter was harsh, even by New England standards and disease quickly claimed a number of hunger weakened Pilgrims.

We’ve all been told the story of Squanto and how he helped the Pilgrims by showing them how to plant corn seeds with a dead fish to act as fertilizer. It seems Squanto had an incentive to help the struggling colony. He wanted to marry one of the widows. His tribe had a tradition that might have stopped a less determined man. A male must show he can provide for the family of his potential wife. And he thought all the colonists were related because of their referring to each other as ‘brother’ and ‘sister’.

Like many determined males, he found a way. He showed them how to plant enough to eat. His tribe gave their blessing and the widow married him.

How can this be verified several hundred years later—

Those letters I told you about went into detail on the question of what to call the children of these couples. There was more than one widow who chose to survive with a strong, intelligent man.

The correspondents finally decided the parents had made the decision. Some of the women had moved to live with the tribe and their children were Indians. Those who lived in the colony were white.

The facts are buried in the past, but I loved the idea of love finding a way.

Check out my holiday romance Journey of the Magi for another couple who finds a way to love.

http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

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? 

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Barbara Edwards talks about her writing fears

What am I afraid of? Deep in my soul I’m afraid that no one will like my stories. I guess every writer shares this fear to some degree.

Some of the doubts come from insecurity. Maybe I’m not interesting. Maybe I don’t know what I’m saying. Maybe my stories don’t mean anything to the reader and they’ll throw it in the trash.

There’s not much I can do about old scars that twist my thoughts. All I can do is try the best I can to write a good story.

Fear makes me too sensitive to criticism. Remember that dire review that panned the story? We all get one. I dread those with a passion.

A part of the fear comes from reaching for perfection. What if someone notices that extra comma  

Or misplaced adverb. Is a paragraph too long or too short? I can drive myself wild with rewrites.

So here I sit exposing my tender guts and hoping you won’t poke me.

Fear doesn’t need to make sense. It just is.

See what you think of my new story.

My new holiday romance Journey of the Magi is free from October 8 to October 12 on Amazon.

Journey of the Magi is available: http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

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? 

Excerpt: Even with her knit hat pulled down over her ears, her high cheekbones and the up­-tilted tip of her nose flamed as bright red as a cheap statue of a Christmas elf. She blinked in the bright light.

 Dan’s pulse leaped like a startled deer. He knew everyone who frequented the Deer Run Lounge and Cafe. She was no local wife searching for an overdue husband or one of the three women who made a living, if you could call it that, picking up the lumberjacks and mill workers for an hour or two.

His blood heated but he managed to control his urges by slowly polishing a clean glass and setting it in the rack for the next day’s trade. Dan nodded hello.

Her over-sized man’s winter coat trailed to her ankles, but she visibly shook. He wanted to tell her to take off her coat and get warm. She removed her gloves, pulling the fingers off one by one until her white hands shone in the dim light. A pale circle around her ring finger marked the recent removal of a band.

She returned Dan’s stare. “Is that sign in the window still good? Do you need an experienced waitress?” Her flat, emotionless voice didn’t match the way her fingers twisted round and round her gloves. His palms itched to cover hers until she calmed.

 “Yeah.” He nodded slowly, his mouth dry. Something in him yearned for her to be more than a passing stranger.

Journey of the Magi is available: http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

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Work during the 50s by Barbara Edwards

My husband and I

Tobacco drying shed

were driving though South Windsor Connecticut when I spotted tobacco drying in one of the old sheds and it reminded me of hot summers and cool autumns during my childhood.

If you don’t have a family member who smokes cigars, you’ve probably never heard of Connecticut Valley-grown broad leaf wrappers.

When Cuba was famous for their hand-rolled cigars, the premium wrapper in the world was grown in Connecticut. Shaded fields filled the farms of northern Connecticut. Tobacco is on crop that draws its flavor from the soil. The plants have been planted in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rico and other sites further south. They produce a useable leaf but it doesn’t have the flavor.

So, with the recent upsurge in cigar popularity, growers are opening the old fields.

In years past, the last weeks of high school had growers recruiting boys and girls to work in the tobacco fields for the summer. The farms would send a bus to pick up the workers in the early morning and return them around four pm.

This was in the days before itinerant farm workers and the guys were glad to do the hard job. They worked by the piece. A faster picker could bring home decent money.

The girls didn’t pick, they used a large needle threaded through the stems to make bunches that were then hung in the drying sheds.

My bother returned home filthy, covered in black dust from head to toe. He did this every summer until college.

I'm glad I got a job at the library.

Check out my new release, Journey of the Magi, with a happy ending in Connecticut.

Noel is struggling to keep her promise to her children. A blizzard in Minnesota, a broken down car and lack of money halts their journey to a home in Connecticut. When the man of her dreams offers his help and love, can she resist? http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ

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