A Character Sketch includes character information, book
cover, blurb, buy links, and social media contacts for the author.
Interview with Mitch Weston
Tell us about yourself,
please.
Mitch Weston. LA cop. Now sidelined by an undercover op that
got shot to hell. That got my partner killed, thanks to me. That left me one of
the walking wounded, in more ways than one.
According to my department-assigned shrink, I need to talk things
out. Problem is, I’m not much of a talker. I’m a doer. Though not lately.
Authors call what you
want but cannot have “the conflict” — what is yours?
You sound like my shrink. (Smiles.) No offense.
Where do you want me to start?
I want to go back in time and reverse what happened in LA –but
I can’t.
I want to go even further back, to my teens, and prevent what
happened then –when the girl I loved walked away without a second glance. Can’t
do that, either. And currently, that girl –that woman –is in my life again…temporarily.
But this time around, I can’t get her to give me even a first glance.
Most of all, I want to trust my instincts. But… (shrugs) I’d
imagine you can fill in the blank.
Drawing from my shrink sessions again…am I bitter? Maybe. Frustrated?
For sure. Heartsick? That’s not something you’ll ever hear me admit.
What can you not do (but
need to do) during this story?
Redeem myself. Trust my instincts again. Convince Andi to let
me help her, to protect her. Because it’s what I do.
What inner doubt causes
you the most difficulty?
Why didn’t I push harder to follow my instincts when I had the
chance?
In the story world your author created, explain what it is you
fear most and why.
Not being 100% again. Not getting the girl I’ve always loved…
Though current events have shown me that not
getting Andi means I’ve never hit 100%.
Tell us about your significant
other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
Going by the previous answer, I guess we’d say Andi makes me
whole.
What is your family like?
Great. Dad’s a sheriff; he understands what I’m going through.
Mom’s…Mom. She just understands me,
even when I don’t understand myself. I’m the oldest of five, and now I’m back home
again, I see the caring, the concern from everyone. The family’s need to make me
all better again. And their strange reluctance to mention the elephant in the room.
What special skills do
you rely on?
Whatever it takes to be a cop. Everything I heard from my dad
and grandfather, both career sheriffs. Everything I learned in the academy. Everything
I’ve picked up since –from fellow officers, from my former partners, from felons
I’ve put away.
Why are you happy with
the way your story ended?
Are you kidding? This is a romance. (Smiles at Andi.)
I’m happy to get back to the job I’ve always wanted and to get the girl I’ve always loved.
About the Writer
Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest.
Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t
gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom.
Barbara’s new series, The Hitching Post Hotel, features a matchmaking
grandpa determined to see his three granddaughters wed. The series began with The
Cowboy’s Little Surprise and A Rancher of Her Own, and The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal
has just debuted. Additional books in the series will be coming up next year.
What was your biggest
challenge in writing this book?
Mitch himself. He didn’t want to open up to Andi…to the department
psychiatrist…or to me. The emotional hurdles he had to overcome made it tough
for me know how to tell his story and resolve his conflicts. I hope I’ve done them
–and him –justice.
Why did you choose this
character for the interview today?
To prove to him he’s a better man than he thinks he is.
When writing the book,
what did you discover about this character that surprised you?
His heart. He’s tough when he has to be –and as a cop, he often
has to be. He’s short with people sometimes, but that’s part of his policeman’s
persona, too. Underneath it all, he’s got every attribute Andi deserves in her hero.
Are any sequels planned
for this book?
This is the third book in The Hitching Post Hotel series. All
my books are stand-alones, which mean (for me, anyhow), every hero and heroine reaches
a happy-ever-after in their book. But yes, there are additional books planned. Cowboy in Conflict will be out in July, and
there will be at least two more books in the series. And you’ll get to see Mitch
and Andi again.
What genre(s) would you
like to write that you haven’t tried yet?
Romantic suspense…mystery…women’s fiction… There are many
stories in my head waiting to be told.
Why should readers who
haven’t picked up one of your books before give this one a try?
As I said above, this is a stand-alone story, so readers don’t
need to read the books in order. Mitch is trying to recover from a catastrophe;
Andi has a traumatic past of her own. Along with these emotional story threads,
there’s a lighter element to the book. Andi’s elderly grandfather (a recurring character
in the series) and both their families are matchmaking to bring Mitch and Andi together.
And there’s also a fake-fiancee agreement that goes horribly wrong.
Is there anything you’d
like to say to your readers?
Just something they may have heard from me before:
I’m a life-long reader and book lover, and I hope my stories
will give my readers as much pleasure as other authors’ books have given me.
About the Book
Title The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal
Genre Contemporary Romance
Author Barbara White Daille
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal
A husband for Christmas?
Mitch Weston’s back in Cowboy Creek,
and self-proclaimed matchmaker Jed Garland has his single granddaughter Andi on
his mind. Mitch is a lawman, good with the little ones and easy on the eyes. He
and Andi were high school sweethearts, for heaven’s sake! Why can’t they see they’re
perfect for each other?
Because Andi already lost one husband
to a dangerous job, and now she’s all about playing it safe, for her sake and her
children’s. Being a cop is everything to Mitch. After discovering Jed’s plan, Mitch
and Andi come up with their own: they’ll pretend to get engaged and then break up
due to irreconcilable differences. Jed’s got his work cut out for him –because
this match needs a Christmas miracle!
Buy This Book
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Lawmans-Christmas-Proposal-Hitching-Hotel/dp/0373755961
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lawmans-christmas-proposal-barbara-white-daille/1121775760
Books-A-Million http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Lawmans-Christmas-Proposal/Barbara-White-Daille/9780373755967
IndieBound http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780373755967
Author Social Media
Today’s featured book is The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal by Barbara
A Character Sketch includes character information, book
