INTERVIEW: 10 Question With… Brenda Minton

Novels Alive and Be My Bard would like to extend a warm and friendly welcome to a favorite in the Harlequin Love Inspired family of authors, the lovely Brenda Minton!

Back to school time. In your high school yearbook would your “Mostly likely to…” title have read, “…become a Bestselling Author,” or something completely different and what might it have been instead?

I think definitely Most Likely To Be a Romance Author. All of my friends knew that I spent my spare time, and time that wasn’t spare, writing romances to entertain my friends. And when I wasn’t writing, I was reading. The latest Harlequin was almost always hidden behind my algebra book. Letters and numbers as math equations never made sense to me, but a lost American taking a job as nanny in a Spanish castle—definitely something I understood.

Trick or Treat? When you’ve hit a mental brick wall while writing a story, do you have a special “trick” for getting back on track, or have you found that simply giving yourself the “treat” of time away will help break the spell?

Both. Whatever it takes. Sometimes a load of laundry or loading dishes while thinking of the story will work. Sometimes I just keep writing until I figure it out, and then I go back and fix whatever didn’t work.

You are attending a Halloween costume ball as your favorite literary character and suddenly find yourself falling through a wormhole into their universe. How much time would you want to spend there before you start looking for an escape route home or would you want to stay indefinitely?

I wouldn’t want to stay indefinitely. I like my real life, my real family and friends too much to leave them for good. I would probably be dressed as Jane Eyre, so I would want to stay long enough to attend a ball, dance a waltz, perhaps stumble upon ancestors who are still in England, but then I’d definitely want a way back to my real life.

Speaking of going back in time…Authors sometimes go back into their backlist and re-release a revised edition, or in the case of novellas, a new expanded edition for a fresh reading by their audience. Is there a story from your collection of work that you would like to or already have plans to release again with revisions?

We don’t usually get to do revisions on backlist that is released as a classic. I was really happy that HIS LITTLE COWGIRL was released last year as a Love Inspired classic. It was the first in my cowboy series so it holds a special place in my heart.

When it comes time to laying out the big spread for Thanksgiving, are you most likely to be the one to give Martha Stewart a run for her money in the kitchen or the one they only trust (culinary speaking) to bring over some packaged rolls?

I’ll be Martha Stewart. I make homemade rolls, pies from scratch. That means homemade crust, fresh apples, the works. Do I always want to be Martha Stewart—NO! Just this week I told my husband that I’m not feeling it this year. Couldn’t we go out to eat? Or go to the beach? I’d eat peanut butter sandwiches on the beach and be very Thankful!

Many authors include a list of acknowledgments or “Thank you” messages in the beginning of their books. Is there one person that you always try to remember to mention and why?

Every book brings a new list of people that I’m thankful for! There are people who encourage, people who support me, people who help me out when I’m overwhelmed. And sometimes I dedicate a book to a special person, someone we’ve recently lost. I am always thankful to my editor because she’s taught me so much and she makes ever book better with her suggestions and keen eye. Recently I dedicated a book to my father-in-law. He passed away this summer and I’m going to miss him. He read every single book, even though they’re Christian romances, definitely not his genre. He always encouraged me, believed in me. I love being able to acknowledge those people who have believed in me.

Whether it’s shopping for gifts to put under the Christmas tree or other holiday gift giving, are you one of those people who starts stockpiling in JULY or will you be scrambling at the last minute to complete your list?

GO away! I don’t even like to talk to people when they start a conversation with the words, “The other day I finished my Christmas shopping.” I’m going to finish, but it might be the week of… Or the day before.

There is just something special about love stories set around the holidays. Do you have a favorite holiday romance that you would recommend or one of your own that will be gracing the shelves this year?

I loved last year’s A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP. But this year is special because I’m leaving behind Dawson, Oklahoma where I’ve set so many of my books. I’m going to a new town, Martin’s Crossing, Texas and new characters. So A RANCHER FOR CHRISTMAS is definitely one that I recommend. It comes out at the end of November and it’s the first book in the new series!

When it comes to making “New Year’s Resolutions,” do you tend to make ones that will be easy to keep or are you still working on ones you have made in the past and are determined to accomplish this year?

Every year I make the same resolution. Be a better, healthier happier person. It isn’t specific, but it encourages me to better myself.

Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today and for sharing some holiday secrets.

To close out this session, is there is a story that you are working on now or one recently released that you would like to share something about?

I hope the readers, whether they are familiar with my books or even I they’re scratching their heads wondering who I am, will try A RANCHER FOR CHRISTMAS. As the first book in the series it lays the groundwork for future books set in Martin’s Crossing. If you like an emotional read and a sweet romance, then I think you’ll enjoy the Martin’s Crossing series.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

A RANCHER FOR CHRISTMAS Available: December 1st, 2014 and Available now for pre-order.

A Family for Christmas

Raised on the run, free-spirited Breezy Hernandez has never stayed in one place too long. But now that she has joint custody of her late brother’s twin daughters, she’s determined to give them a stable home. Even if it means cooperating with the twins’ bossy uncle. Texas rancher Jake Martin learned the hard way that women can’t be trusted. But as he and Breezy care for the orphaned girls, Jake begins to open his heart. Is Breezy ready to put down roots in Martin’s Crossing, or will she run from the one thing she’s always wanted: a family?

Martin’s Crossing: In this small Texas town, every heart finds a home.

Raised on the run, free-spirited Breezy Hernandez has never stayed in one place too long. But now that she has joint custody of her late brother’s twin daughters, she’s determined to give them a stable home. Even if it means cooperating with the twins’ bossy uncle. Texas rancher Jake Martin learned the hard way that women can’t be trusted. But as he and Breezy care for the orphaned girls, Jake begins to open his heart. Is Breezy ready to put down roots in Martin’s Crossing, or will she run from the one thing she’s always wanted: A family?

I’m Brenda Minton, wife, mother, Sunday school teacher, cook, housekeeper… And I write for Harlequin Love Inspired.

This is where I tell about me, and try to make a pretty normal life sound interesting. I live in the Ozarks with my husband, three children, a few dogs and a cat that thinks he’s a dog.

I’ve been married twenty-eight years. My husband and I are best friends and I think that makes all the difference. We go on regular dates and in the summer you can find us on the front porch drinking coffee and talking. When we say we love the nightlife we mean: night life. A summer night with a clear sky, coyotes howling, the occasional yip of a fox and the screech of an owl in the woods. To read more visit www.brendaminton.net