I’m a multi-published author and I didn’t understand what this meant when I started writing. I considered it a way of limiting where my creative flow would take me.
To my way of thinking, research wasn’t the same a knowing from life, although I did a ton of research on my historical romances. Annie’s Heart takes place in post-Civil War Kansas while Another Love is set in New England in 1892.
My paranormal romances came from my darkest nightmares and fears. Ancient Awakening and Ancient Blood are set in New England.
Journey of the Magi
So my new release, Journey of the Magi, came from bits and pieces of my life.
I had fun writing this holiday romance. I revealed my soft heart and love of stray animals, small children and tall, dark and strong men.
I took a number of personal experiences to write the plot. I breast-fed my children like Noel does her baby and drove a clunker of a car for years. Minnesota during November came from my son’s wedding to a girl from that area. The snow was deep and the temperature deeper. The parking lot in the motel had a warning not to leave your vehicle if the bears were in the parking lot. The people were among the friendliest I’ve ever met.
My house burned and we lost everything. A period in my life I’d rather forget.
There is nothing like Christmas in Connecticut. We all gather to decorate wreaths to sell on the Christmas tree farm. My husband and I dress up like Santa and his wife to entertain the kids and hand out candy canes.
I also bake pies like my heroine. I have a recipe I’ve used for so many years I can do it from memory.
Barbara’s Pie crust recipe
2 cups pastry flour or 1 3-4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Add 2-3rd cup shortening or lard
Cut with a pastry blender until the mixture is even pea-sised bits
Sprinkle one-third cup ice water over flour by tablespoon-fuls, stirring with a fork until enough has been added to pat dough into a ball. Handle dough as little as possible and do not knead it. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill.
Enough for a 9-inch two-crust pie or a one-crust pie and some tarts.
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 from Journey of the Magi:
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 brown hair. Her lips twitched when his heavy brows snapped together.
“We are. I’m cooking turkey for a few friends. It’s kind of a tradition.” Her 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’s 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 when she returned home.
“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 potluck.”
“What can I do to help?” she asked before 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 while 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.”
Journey of the Magi is available here: http://amzn.com/B00ES5DZEQ
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0 COMMENTS
Maggie Toussaint
11 years agoSo wonderful that you write what you know, and you do it very well. I was completely drawn into your story, Journey of the Magi, and recommend it to others.
Also, very sorry to hear that you experienced a houseburning and lost everything. That must have been so devastating.
BarbaraEdwards2
11 years ago AUTHORThanks Maggie for the compliment. Glad you liked Journey of the Magi
Vicki Batman
11 years agoHi, Barbara! You had me at pie crust. My sissie makes a great one and the secret ingredient is–vinegar. It’s sweet and flaky. Naturally, I can’t replicate. lol
congratulations on your book.
BarbaraEdwards2
11 years ago AUTHOREww! Not vinegar! I recently heard that one, but haven’t tried it. Maybe for my mince pie.
Liz Flaherty
11 years agoLOL. I’m like Vicki–you had me at pie crust, because I still can’t make a decent one! I loved reading about your experiences. I”m sorry about the fire one, even though I appreciate you sharing that one with me for my own story.
BarbaraEdwards2
11 years ago AUTHORHi Lis, Thanks for dropping by. Making pie crust is like writing– either you can or you can’t. lol
Fiona McGier
11 years agoMy secret ingredient for pie crusts is 1 tsp. baking powder, guaranteed to make your crust the flakiest anyone has ever had. My most recent book has a heroine who is always baking pies, so there are many of my recipes on my website, along with directions for my pie crust.
Baking from scratch is really a dying art. And sometimes I wonder, am I still a feminist, if I bake pies and muffins, cook dinners, and can sew garments from scratch, as well as alter them? The answer is, Hell yeah! Grin.
BarbaraEdwards2
11 years ago AUTHORHeck, Fiona, you have the same talents I do. Luckily my children learned when they were young.
Juli D. Revezzo
11 years agoJourney of the Magi sounds really interesting, Barbara and the recipe, tasty! Pie, though, is not my thing.:) I’m better with dinner dishes, cookies and banana bread. 🙂