A visit with Candy Hearts author Beverly Breton

 

Today, I’ve got a nice little post from Candy Hearts author Beverly Breton, author of I’M SURE. Did you know in addition to being a published author, she’s a floral designer? I didn’t either, but don’t you think being a floral designer gives you some exceptional insight into one of the busiest flower buying days of the year, Valentine’s Day, which just so happens to be the themes of all the Candy Hearts books? I do! Let’s listen to Bev, oh, and don’t forget to enter the RAFFLECOPTER for a KINDLE FIRE at the end of this blog, donated by THE WILD ROSE PRESS.

here’s Beverly:

Smiles and Warm Hearts are what I write about, and what I hope readers find in my light sweet contemporary romances. I’m also a floral designer, and since floral design is about smiles and warm hearts, too, to be a romance writer and a floral designer feel s like two sides of the same coin. Love and flowers–pure magic, both of them!

Valentine’s Day is for flowers and romantic notes so most of the Valentine’s orders for flowers that we send out aren’t particularly memorable. More memorable are real-life romantic heroes when romance isn’t on the national calendar. Like the man who always picks up a long-stemmed rose to give to his date every time he takes a woman out for the first time. Or the high school senior boy who sent a hand-tied bouquet to the high school senior girl on the day he was asking her to the prom!

Surrounded by blooms is a pretty fantastic way to spend a day. Nonetheless, the profession can be physically grueling, and not for the faint-hearted. Flowers are leading players in life’s biggest events. I’ve helped people who are bubbling with the joy of an impending wedding along with those sobbing with grief over the loss of a loved one. And sometimes, on holidays like Valentine’s Day, I find myself in uncharted–and uncomfortable–territory.

One anguished male customer implored that I inform him how many roses he needed to send to have his apology accepted? Needless to say, there’s no floral design class for that. And the obvious question that popped into my head was: what on earth did you do? But my writer’s imagination was already winging, and I realized I did not want to know! I might want to stop talking to him if I did. So we perused arrangement photos and possibilities for quite some time, and he finally decided to go traditional–two dozen long-stem red roses arranged in a giant crystal vase. I hope the flowers did their job for him…I think.

Megan in my Candy Hearts romance I’m Sure designs ponds and water gardens. She spends her days around lily pads and water iris. Her job is not all glamour either; the first time firefighter Jason lays eyes on her, she’s up to her knees and elbows in mud. But that doesn’t stop Jason from recognizing the fiery-haired water sprite in front of him—the woman he’s been waiting for his whole life. A water hose, a lunch, a fire, a stroke, a few conversation hearts, and one long-stemmed lavender rose later, and Megan and Jason are ready for Valentine’s Day, together. I hope you’ll read my story and find out how they get there, discovering some smiles along the way, and warm hearts at the finish.

Here’s to love and magic every day of the year!

I’M SURE

Blurb
During the day, Megan surrounds herself with water lilies and goldfish in the ponds she creates. At night, memories of her lying ex-boyfriend are a reminder she can never again trust a man.

Jason embraces his career as paramedic firefighter, even though ugly experience declares his profession a greedy mistress. During quiet nights at the station, he wonders if this bachelor existence is all he’ll ever know.

Then Jason meets Megan and sparks fly, chased by flashes of anger when Jason, battling a raging apartment fire, stands up Megan on their first date. Is St. Valentine powerful enough to bring these two strong-willed people together?

Excerpt

Jason reaches over the table and takes my hand in his.

Much as I try scrubbing at the dirt, my nails are almost never 100% clean, and I’ve got a long scratch across my knuckles. And anyhow, in the middle of a work day, that’s part of who I am.

He turns my hand palm up and runs his finger across the calluses.

My heart skitters a beat at the feel of his hands cradling mine. His touch exudes caring. Imagining him tending a person in distress is easy.

Need I say it? I like the feel of him touching me. The world is charmingly in order right here, right now. But what is he doing? “Is something wrong with my hand?”

“Every time I see you, you’re in the water. And you’re the odd duck. I was just seeing”—he turns his head to examine my palm, his carved cheeks in profile—“if there’s a web between your fingers…”

Bemusement laces his tone. “Like a Labrador retriever?” I retort, stifling the urge to flex my fingers; I don’t want him to let my hand go.

He laughs and releases my hand. “My favorite animal. But a dog? No. That’s not what you bring to mind.”

His grin is so open, so easy, I decide to divulge something I’ve never told anyone. “I did wish for scales when I was younger. I thought it would be cool to be a mermaid.” He takes me in for a beat, his gaze deep.

“I can see that.”

His voice is low and velvety. I draw in a ragged breath.

Buy Links:
amazon     The Wild Rose Press

About Bev:

Beverly Breton is an eternal fan of the happy ending, and a sucker for any book that grabs the reader through characterization and emotion. A career non-fiction writer and editor, Beverly has written articles and personal essays for newspapers and magazines across the country, and has taught college writing at the undergraduate and graduate level. She now writes romantic short stories, and has garnered such awards as Night Owl Reviews Top Pick and You Gotta Read Reviews highest rating You Gotta ReadFive Stars. She is also a professional floral designer, and her garden nursery experience and love of plants is fondly woven into her latest short story I’m Sure featuring a pond garden designer and the emergency responder who falls for this fiery-haired near-mermaid when he discovers her up to her thighs in water one February morning.

Find Bev Here:

Website/ Amazon Author Page / Goodreads

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