#SaturdaySpotlight is on @BarbaraMBritton & Until June
Good Morning!
I'm still in Nacogdoches, TX with my grandson house sitting and taking care of son's dogs and ducks. He's had a wonderful young man come by daily to see about the duck pens and feed those outside, while I've been feeding the babies housed in his garage. Don't worry it's well ventilated. Anyway, two author friends of mine came for a few days (one M-W and the other T-F) and we did some writing. Which I'm happy with and hoping to maintain my momentum after I return home. I know, it's all a matter of prioritizing my writing again and not let any or every little thing get in the way of it.
Anyway, today's guest has visited before so please welcome Barbara Britton back with another peek into her book, Until June. Barbara is giving away a copy so please leave a comment along with your Email address to be included in the drawing.
Take it away, Barb.....
Many years ago, I was working on a Historical novel with a seventeen-year-old protagonist. A publishing insider quizzed me over lunch and said, “Why are you writing that? Historicals with young adults do not sell.” Well, a decade later, the manuscript did sell. The story is “Until June” and Josephine Nimetz and Geoff Chambers shed some light on the challenges veterans face after coming home from war.
The moral of the story is never delete old stories. They may have a life of their own someday.
Thanks for having me back on the blog, Pam.
Book blurb:
When seventeen-year-old seamstress, Josephine Nimetz, agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge to escape the influenza of 1918, there’s enough friction to melt the Mendenhall Glacier. Her position is only until June, and it pays well enough to overlook the hardship of managing a rustic home and a shell-shocked veteran, Geoff Chambers.
Geoff makes it clear that he isn’t too fond of the “runt” sent to take care of his needs, nor of her painful mistakes. Dealing with a depressed and addicted amputee, pushes Josephine to the brink of leaving, if not for the money her salary brings.
But Josephine is a perfectionist, determined to get Geoff back on his feet—figuratively. Though, sending a rich, handsome veteran back into society may cost Josephine the man she has grown to love.
Excerpt:
“When’s our story due?” Geoff asked.
“Our? You mean my story.” She gripped the wooden bedpost. “And I didn’t say I was writing one. I’d be more than three weeks behind since Tubby was late with the mail.”
He tapped his fingers on the arm of his wheelchair. “You didn’t answer my question. When’s it due?”
How could she flee from his inquisition with his wheelchair blocking her escape? His chair was like a dislodged boulder on a narrow logging lane.
“The editors have to receive the story by January first. If I did enter, I probably wouldn’t win. I’m not a writer.” She placed the magazine on the nightstand. “Besides, my job is to take care of you.”
He threw his hands in the air. “I’m taken care of, see?” He lowered his hands from his head to where his legs ended. “I’m the picture of health until you get to my stubby legs.”
She held fast to her decision. “I’m not entering.”
“Open that magazine.” He pointed to the Companion. “Show me the illustration of the first story. That bachelor fellow.”
She flipped to the first serial. The black and white picture showed a man and woman standing together in a garden.
“What’s the man wearing?” he asked.
“A suit.”
“Is he taller than the woman?”
“Yes.”
“Handsome?” Geoff’s eyebrows peaked.
She didn’t answer.
Geoff waved his hand. “Flip to the next drawing.”
She fanned the pages to where the next story began.
He strained his neck to get a glimpse of the people. “What’s that man wearing?”
You just saw him. “A tuxedo.”
“Is he taller than the—”
“Yes.” She turned to the next illustration. What was his obsession with magazine models? “Aha! Here’s a man in work pants and a simple cotton shirt, pining next to the bed of a sick woman. We don’t know if he’s tall.” She showed Geoff the picture.
“That man’s legs are huge. Never missed a meal. I’ll bet he’s strong, yet sympathetic.”
“What does this have to do with my story?” She closed the magazine.
“I can’t be those men.”
Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She is published in Biblical Fiction and enjoys bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her stories. Barb ventures into Christian Historical Fiction with “Until June.” Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America, and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb’s books at http://www.barbarambritton.com/books.html
Follow Barb on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or BookBub
Get your copy of Until June at Amazon
I hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God Bless.
PamT
