Brenda B Taylor 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. 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.
Brenda 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.
Q: Welcome, Brenda! Please tell us about your new release, Through the Storm. Do you have a
review you could share with us?
A: The Wade
family saga continues in this work of historical fiction set in post-Civil War
Missouri. Love reigns in the home of Leann and Ralph Wade, although tested many
times during the course of their marriage. Sonny Wade, Ralph's brother, harbors
a secret passion for Leann, and Joan Smith, a family friend, desires Ralph.
Leann and Ralph struggle to overcome the storms of life through faith, courage,
and commitment to each other.
"As always, you make
my every childhood Oregon Trail dream come true! Leann and Ralph's story is simply
beautiful. The characters are amazing,
each one with their own identity that is so recognizable. Well done!" ~ Jessie Clever, author of Inevitably
A Duchess
Q: Sounds wonderful! What inspired this story?
A: While engaging in genealogical
research, I discovered my father's family moved from Tennessee in the early
1800's to the Cuba, Missouri area. My husband and I traveled to Missouri,
visited with cousins, and researched the vicinity of the family home. A flame
of desire to write about the family struggles during the post-Civil War days
burned brightly.
Q: What is the story behind the story?
A: The Civil War destroyed homes,
property, and people. The Wades' older son, Sonny, who is a secondary character
in the series, is greatly damaged by his experiences in the conflict. He lost
the chance to court and win Leann, although he continues to love her after she
marries his brother.
Q: Why do you choose to write historical fiction?
A: I write historical fiction, because I
have a minor in history and enjoy the research of earlier time periods.
Q: Where is your favorite place in the world?
A: Beside my home, Scotland is my favorite
place in the world. A Scottish historical novel is planned for publication in
the near future.
Q: It's my favorite place too. Which element of story creation is your favorite?
A: Developing strong characters and
weaving the story around them is my favorite element in story creation. The characters
talk to me. Their conversations constantly swirl in my head until I write them
on paper.
Q: What inspires you? What motivates you?
A: Writing
historical fiction was a longtime desire, but I had to wait until retirement to
fulfill the dream.
Q: Please tell us about your other books.
A: Through The Storm is the third book in the Wades of Crawford County
saga. The first installments are Heaven Must Wait, and Follow Your
Heart. The series follows Leann Clark and Ralph Wade through courtship,
marriage, and the storms of family life in post-Civil War Missouri.
Excerpt
"Pa and Junior caught
some nice fish in the Meramec last week," Ralph said about halfway into
the trip home. "I'm gonna take you and the kids fishing soon. Johnny and
me will be through with harvesting the tobacco, and we all need a break from
sickness and working hard. Nothing like a good fishing trip to make a person
feel better."
"How nice! The kids
will love to go fishing. I'll pack a lunch. We'll have a great time."
Leann slipped an arm through his.
He looked at her sitting
close on the wagon seat, and felt the warmth of her body pressing against his
arm. Not being able to resist the temptation to kiss her lovely mouth, he
pulled up under a large oak displaying an array of orange and red colors. He
had missed her sweet love while lying sick in the bed for what seemed an
eternity.
The reins slacked when
Leann returned his embrace. Jed came to a complete stop while they kissed in
the warm sunlight of a beautiful autumn afternoon. Ralph's hat fell onto the
floorboard. A red leaf floated softly into her hair as the sun's rays crowned
her head with a golden halo. He nibbled a pink earlobe, then kissed the white
nap of her neck where strands of sweet-smelling hair lay in small curls. A
folded quilt in the wagon bed came to mind. He may spread it out on the grass
for them to lie on.
Leann suddenly removed her
arms from his neck. "We'd better go. The kids will be home soon."
Hating to, but knowing the
necessity, Ralph released her, found his hat, and took up the reins. They rode
the rest of the way in silence, basking in each other's company. The wagon
pulled into the front yard at the same time Jim galloped up on Starbright.
Brenda gifting a Kindle copy (from Amazon) of her new book to one commenter! Please remember to leave an email or a way for us to contact you. Thanks!
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Thank you for being our guest today, Brenda! I've enjoyed it!
