Friday, August 7, 2015

Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Author Brenda B Taylor

Author Brenda B. Taylor stopped by to share intimate details of her life and to talk about her latest book. 

A Highland Pearl 
 is a Scottish historical romance, was released in December 2014. Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

Brenda- A young widow, who is also a healer in her 16th century Scottish Highland village, is summoned to the castle to care for the chief’s battle wound. She saves the laird’s life, but becomes entangled in a web of intrigue and mystery within the castle walls. Someone tries to force her to leave Clan Munro. After accusations of practicing witchcraft, her home being destroyed, and her neighbors turning against her, Maidie considers returning to Clan Cameron, the clan of her birth. However, her heart is torn when she falls in love with Andrew Munro. Circumstances leave her no choice, but to take her son back to her father.

Nancy- Why have you become a published author?

Brenda- Writing historical fiction has been a life-long dream, because I enjoy making up stuff. I wrote my first story about a horse in the third grade, but put writing aside to pursue a career in public school teaching and administration. After retirement, I took to the keyboard to ply my hand at writing a novel. Learning the process was not easy, and my only regret is I didn’t begin sooner. 

Nancy- What is your writing routine like?

Brenda- The first thing each morning is my writing time, and I try to write every day. Sometimes I will work in the afternoon, but not often. My mind is fresher and the thoughts come easier after my first cup of coffee. Often times, I have gone to bed at night thinking about an unclear storyline and wake in the morning with an answer to the path the story should take.
8)What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?

Nancy- Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?

Brenda- My books are self-published, and I have enjoyed learning the process, although at times I felt very frustrated when things didn’t go as planned. I tried traditional publishing for awhile, but decided I didn’t have enough life left to pursue that path for very long.

Nancy- Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

Brenda- My advice to authors still struggling for that first contract is to hold fast to your dream. Avenues are open to authors now that haven’t been open in the past, so keep trying and by all means keep writing.

Please Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know. 
1) After retirement I took up playing the piano again, and now play the organ for our church.
2) I have made three fantastic trips to Scotland and last summer attended a Clan Munro gathering with 350 Munros from around the world.
3) There are twenty-six first cousins in my family on my mother’s side, which is also the Monroe side. So the American Monroes are well and strong.

What’s next for you?

Brenda- The second book in the Highland Treasures series is in the editing process at present and hopefully, will be published this year.

BOOK BLURB
A sweet romance blossoms amidst feuding and war. With her reputation at stake after being accused of practicing witchcraft and hated as a member of a rival clan, Maidie considers leaving Clan Munro and returning to the home of her birth in Clan Cameron. Fierce battles, a tragic encounter, and a handsome clan chief compel her to make crucial decisions in this haunting romance set in the 16th century Highlands of Scotland.

Excerpt
The sun’s rays streamed through the window and across the bed with a warm glowing light when Andrew opened his eyes. Someone messed with his hair. He could feel warm water running along his scalp. His head lay propped on two towel-covered pillows. An angel dressed in a linen blouse with sleeves rolled up past the elbow stood over him. Maybe he had died and gone to heaven. The angel ran her fingers through the strands of his hair and rubbed his scalp. The white skin of her wet arms glistened with droplets of water while the damp cloth of the blouse clung to round breasts, and a smell of roses penetrated the air around her. He was in heaven for sure. What would such an angel be called? He reached for the slender arm crossing his face.
“Ach! You’re awake,” bright blue eyes smiled into his.
“How can a mon sleep with an angel scrubbing his hair?” Light encircled the angel’s golden tresses that were tied back with a kertch of Munro colors. Her face shone with a health rosy glow. White teeth glinted between the pink lips that smiled at him.
“Have I died and gone to heaven? Surely heaven can be no finer than this moment.” Water dripped from the wet arm to his bare chest. She quickly jerked her arm away and wiped his chest with a towel.
“Nae, M’Laird. You’re in bed at Fàrdach Castle recovering from a battle wound.” Her voice sounded like tinkling bells.
Aye, now he remembered the skirmish with the Camerons and MacKenzies. The vermin were stealing cattle from his tenants, and he took a band of men to put a stop to their reiving. One large warrior who wore the Cameron colors slashed at him with an ax. He remembered no more. 

Buy it at AMAZON


MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The desire to write historical fiction has long been a passion with Brenda B. Taylor. Since elementary school, she has written stories in her spare time. Brenda earned three degrees: a BSE from Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; a MEd from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas; and an EdD from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; then worked as a teacher and administrator in the Texas Public School system. Only after retirement could she fulfill the dream of publication.

Brenda and her husband make their home in beautiful East Texas where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and working in Bethabara Faith Ministry, Inc. She crafts stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in her favorite place overlooking bird feeders, bird houses, and a variety of blooming trees and flowers. She sincerely thanks all who purchase and read her books. Her desire is that the message in each book will touch the heart of the reader as it did hers in the writing.

You can find more information 
about Brenda here:







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