Title: the Gingerbread Lodge
Author: Vicky Burkholder
Series: The Christmas Cookie Series
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Sweet Romance/Holiday Romance/Friends to Lovers/ Fantasy
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Release Date: Nov 3, 2021
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook
Blurb/Synopsis:
Gisele Reid returns to the Gingerbread Lodge to help her aunt, but without paying guests, she's afraid the lodge will have to be sold. An event she vows to stop. When an old friend shows up, she is astonished to find Max has turned into a man who makes her knees and heart tremble. Max Oakley, a developer, has a client interested in buying land around the lodge. He has fond memories of the resort, as well as the girl who left him behind. When he runs into Gisele again, she's even more beautiful than ever. A woman who could make him forget everything—even his job. Plumbing problems, electrical outages, and the return of Gisele's family throw a wrench into Max's plans to woo Gisele. But when the truth comes out, she believes he's betrayed her trust, and it will take a Christmas miracle to make everything right again.
Book Links
Dante Eternal’s Virtual Bookshelf’s Interview for The Gingerbread Lodge by Vicky Burkholder Blog Tour
Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your books.
I’m a believer in all things fantastic and imaginable. I’ve always been in love with science fiction ever since I read my first SF book back in fourth grade. It was called “The Forgotten Door” and hooked me from the start. At the time, I was also reading Nancy Drew mysteries, any book with a horse in it (I was an 8-year-old girl! What little girl doesn’t love horses?) and even Zane Grey (thanks to my dad). I eventually graduated to more advanced books and added in other genres like romance and thrillers. One thing I do not like to read is horror. No zombies for me, please. I morphed my love for books into a master’s degree in library science. In addition to libraries, I worked for a printer collating or repairing books, and for a small bookstore, as well as an editor for several publishers. So I know books from beginning to end. My books reflect my love in all genres. I write futuristic romance, fantasy, and contemporary romance as well. Writing in different sub-genres keeps them fresh for me.
How would you introduce your books to someone that has yet to read them?
All my books have a bit of romance as the base, but from there, they branch out into many different forms. Pick a sub-genre and I probably have a story there. If you like contemporary sweet romance, I have that. Science Fiction? Yes. Fantasy? Yes. Shapeshifters? Got that too. My books are meant to entertain and should leave you smiling by the end. Just don’t expect hot or explicit scenes. Being in the bedroom with my characters doesn’t appeal to me so I don’t write it. Sensual? Yes. Sexual? No.
What inspired you to start writing? What age did you start? LOL – I’ve been making up stories since I could talk and hold a crayon. But I didn’t get serious about publication until later in life – in my forties. Raising four kids, working, earning my degrees… it all took a lot of time, but the stories were still there, just waiting. I had notebooks full of ideas for when I could find the time to write. In the meantime, I was writing policy and procedures manuals for various organizations, writing stories for the local newspapers… I was writing, just not fiction novels. I was 49 when I had my first published novel.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
I have a lot of hobbies. I love crossword and other word puzzles, jigsaws, knitting/crocheting, sewing, baking (due to multiple food sensitivities/allergies in my family, I make everything from scratch, especially gluten free goodies). And I read. A lot.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Grow a thick skin. This is not a career for someone whose feelings are easily hurt. You have to deal with a lot of negativity as a writer—rejections, bad reviews, poor sales… And it all hurts. But you have to be able to take all that negativity and keep going. You have to believe in yourself. You also need to learn the craft. Technique of good writing can be learned, but you have to be willing to do the work. Good things will happen if you persevere.
What’s your favorite scene/line from your works?
It’s actually from my next book “Lost Among the Stars”: The setting: Mandy, the ship’s captain, and the first mate are in a maintenance tube on a spaceship and are looking for sabotage. She’s short enough to be able to stand, they aren’t. 😊
Mandy put her hands on her hips, smiling at the men kneeling in front of her. “I always did want to have men kneeling at my feet, but this isn’t exactly the setting I had in mind.”
What's the hardest thing about writing? The actual writing. Sticking to it. Every day. It’s not about finding time, it’s about finding the inclination to sit down and do the work. And it is work. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. This is literally a labor of love.
What are you currently working on? The next three books in the “Stars” series: “Lost Among the Stars” is in the final editing stages, “Searching Among the Stars” is almost ready for submission, and “Found Among the Stars” is in very rough draft form.
Thank you for having me here!
ReplyDelete