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.
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:
