A WEDDING BLUNDER IN THE BLACK HILLS - Kim O'Brien - Free Book

So good to have you join us, Kim. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I don’t consciously write anything of myself into my characters, but I’m sure bits and pieces of me come through. Sometimes I can’t resist using something that’s happened to me in real life and adding it to a story, and sometimes pieces of family members pop up in some of my characters. The first time my oldest daughter got asked out (which was in a very public way) I HAD to put it in one of my books. But generally it’s harder to write about myself than my characters.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I started wanting to be a writer when I was about ten years old. My best friend and I made up our own magazine and sold it to our neighbors for ten cents a copy. Back then we typed it on manual typewriters and used carbon paper to make copies. It was a lot of work… but we had fun doing it.  I wrote poetry in college, loved it, and ended up going back to school for a Master’s degree in creative writing.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love a good story and will read across multiple genres. Some authors that have influenced me are Francine Rivers, Jodi Picoult, and Stephen King.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t know if it’s the quirkiest thing I’ve ever done, but recently I went blueberry picking with my family in Connecticut and decided to model the berry basket. My kids were pretty happy that we were alone in the field.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Sometimes I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of managing my stress level. I tend to be a bit of an emotional sponge and this is especially true when it comes to my kids. I have two daughters ages 18 & 16 who have been very involved in school activities, so we are constantly on the go. When I start to lose it, I ask God to help me get through whatever we need to do. I also try to focus on three positives in my life. Taking long walks with our dog through the woods and swimming also helps.      

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes I use a baby book and look up what the name means, other times I try out different names in my head and until one feels right. In Wedding Blunder, I wanted Millie to have an old-fashioned name. At first I thought she was a Mildred, but then I discovered she’d been named after her father as part of her mother’s attempt to get him to stay.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m most proud of my daughters. My oldest is graduated with honors from high school this year and is on her way to college where she plans to study Civil Engineering and hopes to specialize in water systems. My youngest will be a junior next year and is interested in the medical profession. Both of them are kind, caring and fun to be around.

   

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I would be a giraffe. I have a long neck and my arms and legs are super skinny.

What is your favorite food?

Nothing beats a tender steak, fluffy mashed potatoes and fresh spinach. I am a migrainer, so I have to be pretty careful with my diet. I have lots of food triggers and can’t eat great stuff like chocolate or cheese.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I think my biggest challenge getting started as a writer was getting enough feedback to understand where I was strong and where I needed to improve. I also had no contacts with other writers or within the publishing world. This changed when I met another writer in our community, Kathleen Y’Barbo. She helped fill in my lack of industry knowledge and encouraged me to connect with other writers. I’ve benefited greatly from attending ACFW conferences where I have met a number of amazing, talented, and friendly writers (including you, Lena!). I have been in a critique group for ten years and really enjoy the friendship and feedback.

Yes, those kinds of connections are essential for us all. Tell us about the featured book.

The idea for Blunder came from a friend of mine who owns a restaurant here in The Woodlands called Dosie Doe’s. I loved the name and immediately imagined a mother/daughter working together in a café called “Dosie Dough’s.” I knew the heart of the story would be a romance, but I also wanted to write about a relationship between a mother and daughter who loved each other, but also drove each other crazy. I knew Millie would dream of stardom as a way to get out of a small town, and I also knew that her love of her mother would make it impossible for her to leave. I chose dentistry as David’s profession because I wanted a hero who defied stereotypes.

Please give us the first page of the book

Chapter 1

"He’s your dentist, Mom. I’m not going on a blind date with your

dentist.”

Millie Hogan stabbed her knife into the tub of mustard then

swiped it across a piece of pumpernickel. She’d only broken up with

Karl Kauffman a couple of weeks ago, and already her mother was

trying to set her up.

Peering over the top of the glass deli counter, Howard Glugan,

the chief of police and one of the café’s regulars, strained to watch.

“Take it easy, Millie,” he said. “I’d hate to charge you for assault and

battery to a slice of bread.”

Millie managed to laugh. She arranged slices of ham and Swiss

cheese on the bread, stuck a colorful toothpick through the center,

and added a handful of chips. “Pie, Chief?”

“What kind?”

“Blueberry, pecan, or rhubarb.”

“I could manage a piece of rhubarb.”

Millie cut him an ample slice and rang him up on the register.

“Of course you’re going out with Dr. Denvers,” her mother

stated. “It’s all arranged.”

“Then unarrange it. Shouldn’t you be working the grill?” Millie

turned to the town’s librarian. “The usual, Mrs. Ellison?”

This sounds like a really fun read. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Facebook - www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kim-OBrien/210477652325110

Please stop by, I’d love to hear from everyone. Many thanks Lena for the opportunity to drop by on your webpage!!

My pleasure, Kim. You must come back for your next book.

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A Wedding Blunder in the Black Hills


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