Chatting with Author Laura Bradford and Giveaway!

   

 I recently had the opportunity to speak with Author Laura Bradford and wanted to share with you some of the things I learned and what we chatted about.  You will find the questions below and in bold are Laura's answers. 

I want to thank Laura for taking the time out of her day to chat with me and answer these questions. Laura has a new book coming out in August so make sure you pick up your copy or preorder it today. Okay, so here we go this is what Laura had to say:

1.     Laura, can you please let us know what type of jokes were you dabbling in while you were a girl scout? If you still have these jokes could you please share some with us?

 

 

Oh. Wow. I actually have some of the old Girl Scout “newspapers” our troop put out—some of which have a few of my jokes and stories in it—but they’re all in storage at the moment. We’re in the process of moving from NY to SC and our house is still a few months away from being complete. Knowing my brand of humor at that point in my life though, I’d say you’re not missing much.

 

 

 

 

 

2.     When we met about 2 years ago I never asked you what O’Cassey’s wish is? Can you please share with us?

 

 

O’Casey’s Wish is the children’s book I wrote when I was ten years old. I wrote the story, illustrated the pages, and actually submitted it to a publisher. Of course, nothing came of it (I was a child, myself), but that was really the start of my lifelong dream to become an author.  My mom saved it for me and it now resides in a filing cabinet in my office—or, rather, will when it, too, is rescued from storage.

 

 

 

 

 

3.     You write women’s fiction and mysteries. Share with us how and what made you decide to write on these Genres?

 

I grew up reading Mary Higgins Clark, so I like suspenseful stories. I also liked that her writing was clean. I wanted to do that.  So when I got serious about writing fiction, I tried my hand at cozy mysteries (clean, who-dun-it style stories with amateur sleuths solving the crimes).  After I had a few series under my belt, I decided to take my interest in the Amish into the area of women’s fiction.  These books are really about a person’s journey toward self-discovery. And while they contain some Amish characters, they are choices and hardships anyone can relate to.

 

 

 

4.     Is there a chance that you will be making an appearance anytime soon? Where will it be?

 

Absolutely!  I’ll be having my first in-person event in what seems like forever at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5^th at Aaron’s Books in Lititz, PA.  This is a wonderful store and the owners have been incredibly supportive of me and my books for years now.  So launching my new Amish-based women’s fiction novel, HER NEW STORY, there is the perfect fit.   And if people can’t make the signing in person, they can arrange with the store for me to sign a book for them during the event, and they’ll ship it out the next day.

 

More information about the event can be found here:  Bradford Bash | Aaron's Books (aaronsbooks.com)

 

 

 

 

5.     When I was reading about “fun facts” you said if you weren’t a writer than you would like to be a baker. If you don’t mind could not only share your favorite thing to bake but perhaps a recipe too?

 

 

I absolutely love baking. I love putting different ingredients together to create something that makes people happy.  And, at the same time, the activity has a very calming effect on me. 

 

Interestingly enough, one of the best parts of writing is the ability to be something I’m not. So while I may write, many of my characters bake.  In fact, I wrote a cozy mystery series—The Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries—in which the main character bakes for a living. Of course, she has to solve some crimes along the way, too…

 

As for a recipe, how about the Worry No s’More Bars that Winner Johnson (the main character in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries) makes in book # 1, Éclair and Present Danger?  It’s a family favorite in my house…

 

 

6.     Your new book is being released soon called Her New Story. Who or what was your inspiration for this story?

 

 

The story nugget for my upcoming release, HER NEW STORY, came from a few places.  First, my own background as a journalist. That experience allowed me to create a believable young reporter, as well as her mentor.  Second, I wanted to write a story featuring an English main character surrounded by Amish. I thought it would be a fun juxtaposition, as well as a way to show how, despite different clothes and beliefs, we can learn and grow so much by listening, and watching, and by being open to new people and new possibilities.

 

 

I hope readers give HER NEW STORY a chance. 

 

 

 

***************

About HER NEW STORY (Coming August 31^st in print and digital):

 

 

From USA Today bestselling author Laura Bradford comes a poignant, uplifting novel about an investigative reporter who will do anything to nail a story—until her world comes crashing down—landing her on assignment in Pennsylvania’s Amish country, where she’s forced to re-think her priorities, and her life.
 
Tess Baker thought she had the perfect everything—until her best friend, and (now ex) husband, betrayed her, leaving her with nothing, except her career as an investigative reporter. In her work for a leading magazine, Tess can lose herself in whatever story she’s chasing. So she’s devastated when her next assignment is far from the exciting location or action-packed quest she anticipated.
 
Thanks to a recent misstep, Tess is handed a bus ticket to Pennsylvania—to Amish country. The story? Write about living in the past in a modern-day world. Determined to prove herself by coming up with something juicier than a run-of-the-mill human-interest piece, Tess makes her way through this strange place, digging for dirt . . .
 
Yet no matter where she turns, scandal eludes her. Instead, Tess encounters kindness and grace, even striking up unexpected friendships with women who bear a wisdom and capacity for forgiveness she can’t imagine. It’s only when she meets eighty-something Miss Lottie, beloved by the community even after decades away, that Tess realizes she may have hit upon the story she was looking for. But can she betray the people who have opened their arms—and their hearts—for the sake of a scoop?  

 

 

 

 

About Laura Bradford:

 

Laura Bradford is the USA Today Bestselling author of over 35 books, including her latest women’s fiction novel, HER NEW STORY. Her first women’s fiction novel, Portrait of a Sister, was a July 2018 Book Club Pick for Delilah of Delilah Radio and a Summer Book Club pick for Southern Lady Magazine.  

Laura also pens several mystery series including; An Amish Mystery series, the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Tobi Tobias Mysteries, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey), and the upcoming A Friend For Hire Mysteries. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. Laura enjoys baking, spending time with her family, and being an advocate for those living with multiple sclerosis.  Learn more at: www.laurabradford.com.

Laura's Favorite Recipe:

Ingredients:

1¼ cup graham crackers—crushed 

4 tablespoons butter, melted

¾ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter, softened

 1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

1¼ cups all- purpose flour

 ½ teaspoon baking soda

 ½ teaspoon salt

 1 cup mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

1 cup mini marshmallows (with an additional handful for the top)

12 mini Hershey Bars (unwrapped)

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Combine crushed graham crackers and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan to form a crust.

3. Cream ½ cup of softened butter. Mix in both sugars and cream again until fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla. Mix again. 

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture and combine. 

5. Add in peanut butter cups and marshmallows. Stir.

6. Spoon cookie dough on top of graham crust and spread (dough will fill in any gaps as it cooks).

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

8. While bar is cooking, place mini chocolate bar in freezer.

9. After 10 minutes, sprinkle reserved marshmallows on top of cooking bar and then continue baking for another 8 to 10 minutes.

10. Remove from oven and place chocolate bar pieces on top. Cool completely.

  

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/88d70d501/?