December 2017 – Barbara Edwards Comments

A holiday tradition by Barbara Edwards

If you’ve read my posts for a long time, you know my sons are part of my holiday joy.

My son Andy and his wife Dawn operate Shremp’s Tree Farm is Clinton Connecticut. It’s one of those pretty places where you cut your own tree. You can search for hours over acres of land. Family let their kids run through the aisles. Dogs are welcome.

All the trees are the same price no matter what the size.

My husband plays Santa. I play Mrs Claus.

Holiday Stories by Barbara Edwards

I love the Christmas season and find lots of inspiration.

‘Journey of the Magi’ was my first attempt at a Holiday story and I found a really enjoyable

area of writing. My usual genre is paranormal romance and has a dark edge. After awhile it can be heavy. The lighter love story with cute children and a nice hero gave me a lift I hadn’t know I needed. It was fun to plot the fulfillment of a dream.

So in this time of the year I noticed many of my fellow authors put out a sweet story.

My next short for The Wild Rose Press was ‘Late for the Wedding, part of a larger anthology. It was fascinating how a dozen authors took the same idea and wrote such variety. I loved every one of them.

Heather Green will do anything to make her twin’s wedding perfect. Despite an impending nor’easter, she sets out with the wedding dress, cake, favors and cake topper in her car. As the snow piles up, her car is wrecked and she barely misses injury in a major accident.
Nicholas Burnes would rather be ensconced with his latest cuddle than drive a tow truck, but his brother needs his help. He reluctantly agrees to help Heather find a way to the wedding locale, but when the storm closes the roads, he ends up offering her shelter in his penthouse.
Warm and rested at last, Nick and Heather explore their powerful attraction to each other, only to part when he delivers her, on time, to her sister’s wedding. But weddings breed weddings…

The next was ‘Dixie’s Gift’ a story inspired by the loyalty and love of my beloved pet. This was another story to lift me from a dark place. My furry friend hd cancer and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. I was so sad I took that emotion and wrote a story about how my pet would have reacted. It warmed a cold place in me and I hope if you read it, you’ll find the same joy at the end.

I’m working on another short story. I hope to have it ready for next year. It has a Mom and a child waiting for their military dad to come home.

Dixie’s Gift by Barbara Edwards

Buy Link: https://amzn.com/B017OJGVIY

Ellen Carter deeply grieves for her husband Dan, but at least she still has Dixie, her beloved Malinois. However, soon Dixie leaves her too. But the faithful dog cannot rest easy in heaven while her mistress is unhappy. Dixie pleads with the Archangel Michael to let her send help, and intercedes for Ellen in the only way she can. But will Ellen get the message, and more importantly, will she accept Dixie’s gift?

Sexy newcomer Michael Burke can barely take enough time from his successful restaurant for a decent night’s sleep, let alone romance. Still, he is intrigued by the beautiful widow and can’t resist entering her shop. Sparks fly, and when Ellen has an accident in a snowstorm, he comes to her rescue. Trapped by a blizzard and aided by Dixie’s Gift, Ellen and Michael find more than shelter–they find love.

Buy Link: https://amzn.com/B017OJGVIY

I hope you enjoy them.

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Why I wrote Dixie’s Gift by Barbara Edwards

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
― Will Rogers

Dixie by Barbara Edwards

Dixie’s Gift, my Christmas novella is based on memories of my Dixie who spent her days keeping me from becoming a hermit. She’d demand a walk. Taking me out of my house to enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise. She’d sleep on my feet, keeping them warm while I wrote.

We got Dixie from a retired teacher who fostered dogs waiting for a forever home. It was a serendipitous happening.

My husband wanted a German Shepherd, but ever time I got bitten it was a shepherd so I said no. I was watching the Westminster Dog show and a beautiful dog called a Belgian Malinois was competing for best of show. They described the breed as being family oriented, energetic and needing an owner who spent time with them. Since the breed looked similar to what my husband wanted, I checked with several breeders who said their females weren’t breed every season.

My husband and I were having coffee and I was flipping through the Penny Saver when I spotted the ad for adopting her. I called despite the fact we weren’t going to be home the following weekend. It was love at first sight. This beautiful dog had been discarded after a bitter divorce. She’d been kept in a dog cage all day every day.

When we got home we didn’t know if she was housebroken and put her in a dog cage. I never heard such a horrible scream from a dog. She vomit and pooped and I let her out promising not to do it again.

We decided to take a chance and took her inside. She was housebroken, but wouldn’t answer to the name they provided. My son came over and started calling her by dog names until he laughingly called Dixie, a reference to our Civil War reenacting. She perked up and went to him so Dixie it was.

Dixie loved re-enacting and went with us to events, she loved riding in the car, sleeping in the tent and watching the horses.

Dixie went with us to Yellowstone.

I didn’t really think about my companion passing away and when she was diagnosed with cancer, it broke my heart. She was in terrible pain, but I didn’t want to let her go. It took me a week but I finally made the wrenching decision to send her over the rainbow bridge.

This story features the ghost of a dog who doesn’t want to leave her mistress alone and writing it helped me through those first lonely months.

I still miss her. Dixie is buried in my flower garden next to our house.

Dixie’s Gift

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-

Buy Links: http://a.co/hvdAjFY

https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3671-dixie-s-gift.html

Author: Barbara Edwards

Blurb: Ellen Carter deeply grieves for her husband Dan, but at least she still has Dixie, her beloved Malinois. However, soon Dixie leaves her too. But the faithful dog cannot rest easy in heaven while her mistress is unhappy. Dixie pleads with the Archangel Michael to let her send help, and intercedes for Ellen in the only way she can. But will Ellen get the message, and more importantly, will she accept Dixie’s gift?

Cover artist: Debbie Taylor

Excerpt:

He brushed a wisp of her hair from her cheek. It clung like spider silk to his fingers.

He rubbed the strand and his heart raced. When her lips parted, he bent forward to taste their soft curve.

Sweet, so sweet, he thought as her mouth melded with his. His hands slowly slid from her slender shoulders to her waist. Soft as a feather, she sighed. Her curves fit against his hard chest like matching puzzle pieces.

The lights blinked, dimmed, and then flared back on.

Comments:

Dixie’s Gift tugs at your heart, and though the snow threatens, you can’t help but be warmed by this sweet story. A must read! — Kara O’Neal, Author

“Dog lovers, do not read this book . . . without a box of tissues nearby. A touching story of love and compassion.” – Diane Burton, author of the Outer Rim series.

“Delightful. . .Barbara Edwards weaves a heartwarming holiday tale of rediscovering love after the death of a spouse and the loss of a beloved pet. It’s a refreshing story with a theme of joy and peace and filled with engaging characters. And who can resist a romantic winter setting with lots and lots of snow?” ~ Judy Ann Davis, Author and Educator