Tag Archives: cooking and love

FINDING HOME PLACES AS READERS’ CHOICE

Alt_FindingHomeUPLOADS(72dpi1500x2400px)

Thank you to all of you readers who voted for FINDING HOME, earning my book 2nd place in BTS eMags Red Carpet Readers’ Choice. Following is one of my favorite excerpts and one I think says a lot about hero Sam’s conflict.

Excerpt from No Place Like Home

“We’ll miss you,” Dixie said.

“You already said that.”

“Some things are worth repeating.”

Sam nudged the duffel with his toe, trying to figure why he couldn’t just tell her he’d changed his mind—that he wanted to stay.

She ruffled Ben’s hair. “Say good-bye to Sam.”

Ben stretched his arms up at him…as Sam had so often reached out to his uncle. Sam hoisted the kid up the way his Uncle Stuart had never done him.

Ben folded his arms around Sam’s neck and squeezed. The child was so small, his arms thin and his back narrow. Yet, the power in that hug took Sam’s breath away. Had Stuart finally figured out this was what he’d denied himself when he’d raised Michael? Is this why Stuart wanted his son’s son?

Is this why Sam needed to stay? To protect Ben from Stuart?

“Bye, Tin Man,” the kid said against the side of Sam’s neck.

“Good-bye, Ben,” Sam whispered into Ben’s hair.

When he set the boy down, Dixie took his hands in hers, her fingers warm entwined with his. “You visit us any time you want, Sam.”

 Tell me to stay!

She rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek. Her kiss was like a summer breeze across his skin. Balmy. Gentle. All too fleeting. He wanted to turn his face and test her lips against his. He wanted to explore Dixie Rae mouth to mouth and body to body. He wanted to know her inside and out. That’s why he couldn’t stay—why he had to leave. She was Mickey’s wife.

BTS eMag READERS CHOICE RESULTS

Finally! The winners of the BTS Readers Choice Awards have been named. I am pleased to announce FINDING HOME took 2nd place in the contemporary category! Thank you to all of you who voted for FINDING HOME. You are each part of this award!11880743_1035487796461321_506724350_nAlt_FindingHomeUPLOADS(72dpi1500x2400px)

I made 2nd round of Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest

No Place Like Home, renamed Finding Home, has made the second round of judging in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. Next step is the quarter finals.

The reason I changed the cover and title on this book is to bring it in line with the overall look of the St. John Sibling Series.

No Place Like Home can be found in print with its old cover and title at Amazon.com

Finding Home is in digital format at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Barbara_Home300dpi(1600x2560)Alt_FindingHomeUPLOADS(72dpi1500x2400px)

NEW COVERS FOR THE ST. JOHN SIBLING SERIES

Barbara_TamingTess72dpiAlt_FindingHomeUPLOADS(72dpi1500x2400px)

I decided it was time to give my St. John Sibling Series a cohesive cover look. No Place Like Home even got a new title, FINDING HOME, to give continuity to all the titles. Admittedly it was hard giving up the title No Place Like Home and the adorable cover that came with it. But I am so loving the new look for the St. John Sibling Series, thanks to Covers by Rogenna. http://sweettoheat.blogspot.com/p/pricing.html

SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR AT JEWELS OF THE QUILL

Hi All–I’m being spotlighted by the Jewels of the Quill this month. http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/jewelsofthequill2.html#spotlight

Want to know what inspired the first two stories in my first series, The St. John Sibling Series? What Shakespeare story inspired Taming Tess? Gee, that doesn’t seem hard to figure out. But, what favorite eatery of mine prompted me to write No Place Like Home? Who are the St. John Siblings and what makes their stories worthy of reading? For the answers to these questions and many more, check out the interview I gave the Jewels of the Quill. http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/jewelsofthequill2.html#spotlight

Barbara_Home300dpi(1600x2560)

But here’s a sneak peek. “No Place Like Home’s” Dixie Rae (St. John) Carrington hasn’t let widowhood, the loss of her restaurant, and a custody battle for her son turn her outlook on life sour, thanks in good part to the support of her loving family. This makes her the perfect mate for Sam Ryan, a man who’s been running from conflict all his life, and for good reason. Abandoned by his father, neglected by his mother, and raised by an uncle he couldn’t please, he’s never known the sweet support of a real family. What Dixie, her preschool son, and extended family will teach Sam is the family he covets doesn’t have to be related by blood—that he hasn’t been running away all his life but, rather, searching for the right family for him.

Taming_Tess_500px

No Place Like Home will be available later this month as a Kindle download. In the meantime, please check out Book 1 in the St. John Sibling Series, Taming Tess.  Taming Tess can be purchased from Amazon’s Kindle shop http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Tess-St-John-Sibling-ebook/dp/B00FDFTJ0E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383972031&sr=1-1&keywords=BARBARA+RAFFIN and Smashwords. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/372290