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PattyToday Wednesday Writers welcomes author Patty Smith Hall. For your reading pleasure today,  Patty has an excerpt from her Christmas book, A Home for Christmas. She’s also giving away an Ecopy of the book to one lucky commenter, so be sure and drop Patty a line after you’ve read her excerpt. I’ll choose a winner from the commenters on Tuesday, November 3 after 1 p.m. EST.

By the way, I love Christmas romances and will be featuring some beginning in November on my Holiday reads blog series.

Patty, before we delve into the excerpt, please tell the readers a little bit about  the book that is being showcased today. 

A Home for Christmas is a novella I wrote in the Christmas Mail Order Angels series along with Cynthia Hickey, Darlene Franklin, Gina Welborn and several others. Set in the mining town of Angel Vale, Wyoming in the late 1870s, the premise of the series is a promise made by one of the men to send for a bride from his mother’s hometown of Melville, Maine. Other men looking for wives join in and after several letters back and forth, a group of women arrive to meet and in some cases, marry their intended groom.

How did you come up with the concept of your novella?

Well, I always dare to be different! As I was reading everyone else’s stories(and by the way, they’re fantastic!) a seed of an idea popped into my head—what happens when the intended groom rejects his bride? The more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea but I had to come up with a believable reason why this man would reject Margaret Cobb after he’d paid for her travel expenses. Now, I love the wounded character—all of us are scarred in some way or another but Margaret’s problem had to be visible as well as emotional, something a person would notice in a heartbeat. So I gave her a port wine stain on her face that her father told her was her punishment for killing her mother in childbirth.

Ooh, I can see what kind of complications that could lead to. So, without any further delay, let’s check out Patty’s blurb and excerpt!

A Home for Christmas

By Patty Smith Hall

Is she cursed?

All of her life, Margaret Cobb has felt cursed, the port wine stain on her cheek a punishment for her mother’s death. But she dreams of a home and family. When the opportunity arises to be a mail order bride for a man in Angel Vale, Wyoming, Margaret risks everything familiar for her chance at happiness, only to be rejected once again. That is until assayer Avery Waldwin offers to marry her.

Or the answer to Avery’s prayers?

Avery Waldwin needs a mother for his young daughter, even if it means marrying a woman he’s never met. A marriage of convenience was all he’d hoped for, but there’s something about the kind, Godly woman that draws him to her. As the Christmas season approaches, both Avery and Margaret discover there’s only one present they each want—the gift of love!

 

 

EXCERPT FROM A Home for Christmas

 

“If you don’t want me, I understand.” Her fingers fumbled with the ribbons of her bonnet, then tugged it off, loose springs of honeyed blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders to her trim waist.

“Why would I. . .” His question trailed off as his gaze met blue eyes the color of the morning sky. Then his focus shifted, taking in the dainty slope of her nose, the too full lips, the tiny dimple in her right cheek.

Movement caught his attention and Avery followed her hand as she pressed it to her left cheek. “I know I’m not attractive but I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t stare.”

Avery blinked. Was the woman mad? Didn’t she have an idea just how lovely she was?

Margaret lifted her hand, her fingertips lingering over an area high on her cheek. A dark reddish purple spot stained her skin. Was this the ‘situation’ she’d spoken of? The reason Winslow had cast her aside? “Papa said this is my punishment for causing my mother’s death. So if you’d like to rescind your proposal, I completely understand.”

Avery watched her for a moment longer, a peace he couldn’t quite comprehend settling over him. Whether she knew it or not, Margaret Cobb was the answer to his prayers.

 

7cc4e0_900d010bb5d34c33811c79ec9f3f359aAbout the Author:

Patty Smith Hall is a multi-published author with Love Inspired Historical and Heartsong. She currently serves as president of the ACFW-Atlanta chapter and lives in North Georgia with her husband of 30+ years, Danny; two gorgeous daughters and a future son-in-love. Her new release, A Home for Christmas is now available on Amazon.

 

LINKS:

Webpage: pattysmithhall.com

Facebook: Patty Smith Hall

Amazon page for A Home for Christmas

Want to learn more about Patty? Check out her interview from an earlier visit to this blog.

 

 

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