About author Barbara Britton, and a giveaway!!

 

Hi there readers! Today we welcome author Barbara Britton to the Diamond Mine. She's going to speak about how she went from writing her first book, to becoming an author writing a series. It's quite an interesting progression to hear, especially for writers!

She is also offering a free copy of one of her books, "Christmas at Whispering Creek." You can enter the drawing by leaving a comment with your email. Good luck! Now here's Barbara!

Sticking With the People You Create

I had no idea that I would ever be an author. I taught chapel to elementary students and when I needed to write curriculum, I prayed for creativity. I guess I should have been more specific because I received a prompting to write a book. Needless to say, I had a lot to learn when I had a completed novel and no experience in the publishing industry. Writing a series never crossed my mind. Writing a single story was difficult enough.

After I had completed two novels of biblical fiction, my publisher placed a “Tribes of Israel” tag on my books. I knew that series were usually three to five books back in 2017, so I got to work on a third book. All of those works of biblical fiction were standalone stories placed under an identifying tag.

Later on, I decided to stay with the daughters of Zelophehad and write a series with the same characters. A sort of series within a series. These books would be different in that I stayed with the same five sisters and carried them across a longer timeline. Was it easier to stay with known characters? Yes. I knew these girls well and I had a lot of fun deepening their personalities and interactions. Though, I had not planned to do three books on the famous sisters, so I scrambled to get the series written. 

You would have thought that I would be a series professional, but my mind wasn’t thinking in series mode. When I jumped genres and wrote a Contemporary Romance, I never thought about writing multiple books around a small town.

Fortunately, I had a pitch session with an agent who suggested I write three book blurbs around my characters and small town.

That was wonderful advice. Because I had book blurbs written, I could easily write a sequel, or several more books. I was beginning to embrace the series model.

I highly recommend drafting book blurbs for a series even if you think your current novel is one and done. Readers like staying with beloved characters and returning to familiar settings. It just took my brain a while to figure out this writing gem.

Thanks so much Barbara, for sharing with us today!! And now readers, here's more about Barbara, followed by a blurb from "Christmas at Whispering Creek."

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian romantic adventures for teens and adults from Bible Times to present-day USA. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out more about Barbara and her books on her website barbarambritton.com.

And here's the blurb for “Christmas at Whispering Creek”:

All Samantha Williams wants to do is to use her teaching degree to instruct a classroom of second graders. But, after a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of twenty-three, and failed reconstruction surgery, Sam finds herself without a job and temporarily living with her parents. This isn' t the life Sam expected. When a family friend dies and leaves Sam a house and land in Whispering Creek, Tennessee, Sam must decide if leaving Wisconsin for Southern living is in her lesson plans.

Nashville native, Cole Donoven, left his family' s electrical business to write country music. When Cole' s song-writing partner and girlfriend dumps him for a country music star, Cole abandons Nashville to hole up in Whispering Creek and compose one more song. The last thing Cole expects to find in the sleepy small town is a deceased friend, estate squabbles, and a Northern beauty. Will the chaos in Whispering Creek help create a bestselling song for Cole and possibly help him find a life-long collaborator?

You can find “Christmas at Whispering Creek” on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

And yes, there will be a sequel releasing on September 27, 2024— “Escape to Whispering Creek.” I learned my lesson. EtWC Link

                Remember to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing!!