Welcome to the Blog Tour for Christmas at Whispering Creek by Barbara M. Britton, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m delighted to chat with Barbara today about her new book!
CHRISTMAS AT WHISPERING CREEK by Barbara M. Britton
SERIES: Christmas Holiday Extravaganza
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: White Rose Publishing
RELEASE DATE: October 14, 2022
PAGES: 220
All Samantha Williams wants is to use her teaching degree to instruct a classroom of second graders. With 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 hold 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?
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Check out the Book Trailer HERE
Hi Barbara! Welcome back to the blog!
Barbara: Iced tea with lemon and sweetener.
Carrie: it always sounds so refreshing! I wish i enjoyed it …
Barbara: Hallmark Channel. My son and I like to analyze the plot points.
Carrie: that’s fun to do! 🙂
Barbara: Music. I love a catchy tune, especially Oldies.
Carrie: me too!
Barbara: Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Perfect for a cold Wisconsin winter.
Carrie: soup and the kind of winters y’all get definitely go together perfectly!
Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Barbara: I would love to be able to actually “read a room.” I would like to know what people are feeling and what mood they are in. I don’t want to read their minds, but I would like to understand their emotions.
Carrie: that’s really insightful – i love that answer!
Q: Who is your favorite book character from childhood?
Barbara: I read a series called Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators. Jupiter Jones was the lead investigator. His parents owned a salvage yard and three young men (Jupiter, Pete, and Bob) solved crimes from an office in a half-buried mobile home. The crimes weren’t too scary, and the boys always discovered the culprit. I’m actually reading an early one now to see how all the information was revealed to Middle Grade readers.
Carrie: those books sound like fun!
Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?
Barbara: I have a desk in an office designated for my writing. The desk isn’t so interesting, but the wall I stare at is pretty cool. I have pictures of my characters, some hand drawn, and some are pictures from perfume ads. I have the themes of my books written on paper with Bible verses. I also have old magazine pages with some of my contest wins listed. There’s a photo of my boys, too.
Carrie: what a great inspiration wall!
Q: What surprised you about Christmas at Whispering Creek or your characters as you wrote their story?
Barbara: I had a pretty good idea what Samantha Williams was going to be like in my story. I am a breast cancer survivor, and I was twenty-three at one point in my life. What surprised me is that I had no idea how dysfunctional Cole’s family business had become and the family dynamics at play in the electrical business. I did not see that tension coming.
I walked my neighbor one day and all of a sudden it dawned on me why Cole’s brother would be upset with him. I envisioned the prodigal son returning home and the backstory came to life.
Carrie: how interesting! I love that unexpected moment of inspiration!
Q: Were there any songs that inspired you as you wrote Christmas at Whispering Creek?
Barbara: I write Christian Fiction, but Samantha heads on down to Tennessee where the Country Music Capital is located. I hadn’t listened to Brett Young’s music before writing my novel, but his songs were a playlist for my Christmas book. “In Case You Didn’t Know,” could be Cole’s anthem for Samantha. At the end of the book, where Cole’s ex returns (The infamous Jillie Lynn), I could hear “You Didn’t” or “Leave Me Alone.”
Carrie: oh that’s fun – I enjoy his music.
Q: What do you most want readers to take away from Christmas at Whispering Creek?
Barbara: At the end of “Christmas at Whispering Creek,” is my story of surviving breast cancer. I wasn’t planning on placing my story in the book, but God nudged me. The theme to the book I was writing while battling cancer was ‘God is in control even in the chaos of life.’ That theme comes through in Samantha and Cole’s story. I have Sam and Cole read verses in Scripture that helped me through a rough patch in my life.
Sam and Cole claim verses from Philippians (No spoilers). I also hope that readers laugh when reading my book. Cancer is a tough topic, but I wanted the reader to feel the hope of Christmas, and the sparkle of love.
Carrie: amen ♥
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Barbara: If you read “Christmas at Whispering Creek you will meet Emma and Wade. I am working on their romance story.
Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin. She writes Christian Fiction from Bible Times to modern day USA. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate.
Connect with Barbara by visiting barbarambritton.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
(1) winner will receive a Christmas at Whispering Creek book box filled with books and goodies!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight December 6, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 13, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. International prize, ebook only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
This giveaway is hosted by JustRead Tours, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
What about you? What makes you want to read Christmas at Whispering Creek by Barbara M. Britton?
So beautiful. I want to step right in.
Thank you for joining us, Lelia. The cover does look inviting. I was happy with the graphic when it arrived from my publisher. As long as I don’t have to drive in the snow, I love it.
Sounds like a good story.
Hi Rita! Thanks for being part of my tour. I’m happy you joined us.
Captivating, meaningful unforgettable and beautiful. Congratulations on the wonderful book and on conquering breast cancer and being healthy and vital.
Thank you, Anne. To God be the glory. I feel so blessed to be a survivor. I’m thankful for each new day. Thanks for being here.
Christmas in the country/small town sounds like fun! I look forward to reading Sam and Cole’s story,
Thank you, Patty. Small towns are fun to create. I had a lot of fun writing about Samantha and Cole. I appreciate you being here!
I think Samantha will help Cole find inspiration for his new song. 😊
She just might, Roxanne. There may be a song in the book. No spoilers. I appreciate you being part of my blog tour.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Thank you for being here, Debra. Merry Christmas!
looks festive
Thank you. Writing a Christmas story is fun with all the glitz and festivity of Christmas. I like how the trees on the cover are decorated. Thanks for joining us.
Sounds like a great story
Thank you for your support of the tour, Shelly. I appreciate the comments and encouragement.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for joining us, Amelia! Merry Christmas!
Nice cover. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for being here, Diana. I had fun creating the setting and developing the characters. Christmas is a wonderful season to write about. Merry Christmas.
I was blessed to read this just before it released, and it’s a beautiful story with characters that grab your heart and don’t let go. This would be a particularly meaningful gift for anyone with a cancer survival story.
Thank you, Erin. I enjoy your books, too. I am blessed to be a survivor and I hope I can encourage women with my story. God is in control even in the chaos of life. Thanks for being here with me.
I am a huge fan of Barbara M. Britton. I loved the “dip healthy strawberries in chocolate.” I dip potato chips in yogurt.
Thank you, Audrey. Although, I think you have a healthier dip than I do. I appreciate your encouraging words. Thanks for making my tour special.
I enjoyed reading the Q&A and getting to know a little about you, Barbara. Christmas at Whispering Creek sounds like my kind of holiday read and I can’t wait to get started! T
hanks for sharing it with me and have magical holiday season!
Thanks for participating in the tour, Eva. I enjoyed you being here. Have a fabulous Christmas.
Great interview! Christmas at Whispering Creek is my current read. Love it! Merry Christmas!
Hi Gail. Thank you so much for reading my story. I’m thrilled that you like it so far. I appreciate you joining us. Merry Christmas.