Texas Wildflowers by Anita Higman

Texas Wildflowers

by

Anita Higman

"A romance assortment of petits fours, and as dreamy sweet."  - Harold Wolf

MY TAKE:

Novellas aren't my usually my first choice to read, no matter how good they look, simply because I always feel like there's not enough there to make the story feel complete. When Texas Wildflowers was offered for review, I decided to give it a try because I liked the idea that it followed sisters. It was a good choice. Each of the four stories focuses on one of the sisters and their path to true love and marriage. Although each story is complete on it's own, the combined tales make it feel as if together they make a full novel.

The romances are sweet and funny, and other than Rosie's story, the other 3 sisters find their true loves by the strangest encounters of chance. Some might say too strange of a chance encounter, but life is like that. You could spend all your energy looking for Mr. Right, in all the 'right' places, and never find him. Then, out of the blue one day, God sets your path to cross someone in a place you would never expect and wham! sparks fly. It brings the romance and hope back to the sometimes chore of finding your true love. And although it's not pounded out in the book, the whispered message that I picked up was, "Don't forget that it's in God's hands and His timing. Be patient, don't rush into marriage because you're feeling lonely or desperate."

I flew threw the stories, laughing and smiling, closing the final page with that happy buzz you get after a really good romantic tale. These novellas definitely stand high above any others I've read.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The four McBride sisters risk their hearts for love in the islands, canyons, mountains and bayous of Texas.
Deserted at the altar, a devastated Rosy McBride heads back to Galveston Island and begins working at her mother’s scrapbooking business. Will spending time with Larson Brookfield help mend her broken heart, or will she merely wind up pasting away?
Christian counselor Lily McBride relies on her quirky common sense and God’s wisdom to help her clients. Will she be successful at her new career or break the most solemn of counselor/patient vows by falling for the handsome, eccentric, and impossibly irresistible Rubin McCall while hiking the Palo Dura Canyon?
In the mountain town of Alpine, Violet McBride owns Romantic Images, a business that teaches people how to live romantically. Will Morgan Jones, a geek she meets online, show her the real meaning of romance and the art of love?
Heather McBride’s picture-perfect life has unraveled in the bayou. Will the free-spirited Evan Finch not only reawaken her artistic passion but also give her the courage to fall in love—without her day-planner?
Will God help give these women the pluck to love the least likely of soul mates?
Read Chapter One HERE.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:

Tell us a bit about Texas Wildflowers. Texas Wildflowers is a 4-in-1 novella collection through Barbour Publishing. Each novella is set in an exotic location in Texas. They are lighthearted romances, and they’re all tied together with the four McBride sisters.

Which of the four novellas was the most fun to write? They were each fun to write in their own way, but my favorite character was Lily, the counselor, in Forget Me Not Lily. She was quirky and fun, relatable and loveable. At least that’s what I hope readers will feel.

All these novellas are set in Texas. Are the towns and parks real? Yes, in fact one of the novellas is set in Big Bend National Park, where my husband and I went on vacation. So, when you read about the characters on certain trails, they’re real, and we hiked them!
Did you have a favorite book when you were a child?I loved fairytales. Cinderella was my favorite.
Do you have a vacation spot you’d love to visit?I’m dreaming of Ireland. My husband and I plan to travel there next summer. Can’t wait! Then I’m going to use the emerald isle as a setting in one of my novels.

What are 5 things that your readers might not know about you?

1. While I was in college I tried working in a pillow factory. I was terrible at it. I got so weary with the repetition I started yakking with the woman next to me. We got reprimanded over and over until I quit. I discovered one thing from that college job—talking is something I excel at.
2. I once won a hog-calling contest at a banquet. I was not embarrassed, but I should have been.
3. I have a bird phobia, and yet I love birds! (That is, from a distance.) My house is filled with the fake kind—prints on the walls, statues, and general bird doodads. Go figure.
4. I keep some interesting treasures near me when I write—a wooden jewelry box my son made me when he was in school, a candle from the 1960s, a hat once owned by a famous mystery writer, the inner parts of a music box, a birthday card that plays The Twilight Zone theme song, and an old family toy helicopter that says, “Going up.”
5. Thirty-four years ago I rappelled off a cliff alongside the man I was dating. We kissed in mid-air while dangling off that cliff. I ended up marrying that man, and we've celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary!

What awards have you won?I’ve won two book awards. One of my co-authored books entitled,A Tribute to Early Texas, won a San Antonio Conservation Society Citation as well as a Westerners International Book Award. Also, I was given three honors by readers: I was a Favorite New Author in the 15th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards, and my co-authored novel, Castles in the Air, was a Favorite Contemporary Romance in the 16th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards. My most recent award is a 2011 RWA Readers Choice Award (first place) for my novella, Once Upon a Christmas Eve.

When readers finish the last page of Texas Wildflowers, what do you want them to come away with?I would love for them to be inspired, challenged, and entertained. If I accomplished even one of those things I would feel my writing time wasn’t wasted.

Where can your readers connect with you online? Please drop by my website at http://e2.ma/click/f5flg/ryudf/fpz5sb, or visit my Reader Page on Facebook and chat with me there at http://e2.ma/click/f5flg/ryudf/vh05sb.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bestselling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has thirty-two books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

CFBA: Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe

Song Stuck on the Brain: In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:



Love Finds You Under the MistletoeSummerside Press (September 1, 2010)



by


Irene Brand & Anita Higman









MY TAKE:

Ahh, nothing like a good Christmas romance, or in this case two. An Appalachian Christmas is set in a time period I've always been drawn to, WWII. Julia and David are great characters with enough complexity to their lives to keep the novella from feeling to easy. Sometimes, novellas seem a little too hurried, but neither An Appalachian Christmas or Once Upon a Christmas Eve felt hurried or incomplete. Where the historical novel was poignant and a little heartrending at times, the modern day story of Holly and Owen kept the balance with a more lighthearted and fun twist. Both equally enjoyable and compelling. Although, if forced, I might just choose Noel, Missouri simply for being set in my home state. :) I love the Ozark mountains and spent a lot of my childhood with relatives in Springfield and southern Missouri.

I think what I appreciated the most though, was that the stories addressed true Godly love, real life and tough decisions (all set in very romantic Holiday settings) without being cheesy or corny. So pour a cup of hot cocoa, grab a snugly blanket, and curl up for a good read. This one should be enjoyed be everyone.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Two Christmas stories - one historical, one contemporary - under one cover!

Love Finds You under the Mistletoe: An Appalachian Christmas

A promise to her dying sister compels Julia Mayfield to take her young nephew to Mistletoe, Kentucky, a tiny town tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains. Sparks fly when she meets David Armstrong, a World War II veteran like herself. Even as shadows from the past weave a dangerous web around Julia and David, will their love flourish like the mistletoe that blankets the nearby hills?

Love Finds You under the Mistletoe: Once Upon a Christmas Eve

Holly Goodnight's store has just been voted best Christmas shop in America. All the new publicity draws flamboyant novelist Van Keaton to the cozy town of Noel, Missouri, demanding to write Holly's story - a dramatic tale of misfortune and triumph. She is swept up in his world of beautiful words and fanciful interludes. . .until Owen Quigly, her lifelong best friend, launches a plan to win her back.

If you would like to read an excerpt of Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe, go HERE.



Watch the book trailer:






ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Irene Brand has written Sunday School curriculum, edited a two-year series of mission curriculum, and her works have appeared in five program-material anthologies. Her publishers include Zondervan, Standard Publishing, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Fleming-Revell, Barbour Publishing, Kregel Publications, Steeple Hill (inspirational imprint of Silhouette), and Summerside Press. She has had 4 non-fiction books published, and 43 fiction works. Her first inspirational romance was published in 1984.

Award-winning author, Anita Higman, has twenty-six books published (several coauthored) for adults and children, and she has been honored as a Barnes & Noble Author of the Month for Houston. Anita has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Her favorite things include exotic teas, movies, and all things Jane Austen.

CFBA: Love Finds You in Humble Texas

Song Stuck on the Brain: You Can Go Your Own Way

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:
Love Finds You In Humble Texas
by
Anita Higman(Summerside Press February 2009)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Abernathy sisters. One is bright, one is beautiful, but both are in love with the same man. One sister will let go of love, and like a kite string untethering in the wind, the choice will undo each of their lives. What will it take to heal their hearts, for love to find them in a place called Humble, Texas?

Trudie Abernathy is a little inelegant, and she's never had much luck in love. To make matters worse, her thirtieth birthday is fast approaching and her sister, Lane, has decided to treat her to a makeover and a few blind dates. Trudie is about to protest, but then she meets the kind and handsome Mason Williamson. In spite of her humble manner, Mason finds her attractive, funny and smart. But Lane inexplicably pushes Trudie away from Mason and toward the other willing suitors. The makeover has transformed Trudie from ordinary into stunning, but she isnt sure how she feels about all the attention from men. Can Trudie stay true to her humble self and find her hearts desire in the process?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Finds You In Humble Texas, go HERE

Watch the trailer for this book:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anita Higman is the author of 24 books including fiction, nonfiction, childrens books and plays. Among her published romance titles are Larkspur Dreams, The Love Song and Castles in the Air, all coauthored with Janice A. Thompson. Her mysteries include Another Stab at Life and Another Hour to Kill. Anita is a member of ACFW and the Christian Humor Writers Group and she has been recognized for her involvement in literacy programs. A Texan for the past 24 years, Anita has coauthored an awardwinning book about her home state, A Tribute to Early Texas. She lives with her family near Houston.


Other books by Anita are Another Hour To Kill and Another Stab At Life