Spotlight Sunday: Guest Post and Giveaway with Mimi Barbour

Hi, everyone!

Welcome to special Spotlight Sunday at Darlene's Book Nook, where we feature authors and their books!

We will be joined today by Mimi Barbour.

About Mimi:

MIMI BARBOUR - Author of THE VICARAGE BENCH SERIES lives in Qualicum Beach and writes her paranormal romances with tongue in cheek and a mad glint in her eye. If I can steal a booklover’s attention away from their every-day grind, absorb them into a fantasy love story, and make them care about the ending, then I’ve done my job.”

The 4th in the series “Together Again” was released May/2011.

For more information about Mimi and her work, please visit her at: 

Website: http://www.mimibarbour.com/index.html

Blog: http://mimibarbour.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mimi.barbour
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MimiBarbour

Welcome to Darlene's Book Nook, Mimi!

Mimi has written a guest post, so I will now turn the floor over to her!

Special Moments…

Guest Post by Mimi Barbour

This is the time of the year when we all become so busy that we sometimes forget what this season is about. Recently, I received an e-mail that clutched at me, and made me take notice. It was about a violinist playing his instrument in the Washington, DC Metro Station. During the time he played, approximately 2,000 people went through the area, most of them on their way to work. One or two stopped to listen for a short while, an older man the longest. A few people threw money, but the ones who acknowledged him the most were the little ones with busy parents who forced them along so they couldn’t stay and listen.

After 1 hour he finished playing and silence took over, no applause, no recognition and a very few dollars for his trouble. No one knew that this man called Joshua Bell was one of the greatest violinists in the world, who played some of the most intricate pieces ever written for a violin, and this day he played on an instrument worth $3.5 million dollars.

The Washington Post had organized this experiment to answer this question. In a commonplace environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty and stop to appreciate it? It raised the uncertainty - if we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the world’s best musicians, playing some of the finest music ever written, on one of the most beautiful instruments ever made - how many other things are we missing?

The thought scares me a little. I get so caught up in my writing, editing, promoting, and blogging - in fact - all the many time consuming tasks most authors have, that I must admit, it’s easy to let the world float on by.

But should we? And at this time of the year especially? So my request to all you wonderful readers is to stop for a while, enjoy the special moments the season of Yuletide brings us and spoil yourself with pleasures and joy.

Until we meet again in the New Year, I wish you and your families all - a warm, wonderful, happy Christmas. And lots and lots of chocolate!

Mimi

Thanks so much for joining us today, Mimi! I remember reading about that Washington Post experiment, and I was astounded by the results. Your guest post is an excellent reminder to not let ourselves get so caught up in our everyday lives that we miss the "special moments." 

We took our children to see The Smurfs last week at the theatre,  and the message in that movie as well is to not let the "once-in-a-blue-moon" moments pass us by but to enjoy them before they are gone. I hope each one of my readers will carve out some special time with their loved ones during the holidays. Close that lapbook, shut off your cell phone, and get on your hands and knees and play with your kids or grandkids! When was the last time that you held your kids or grandkids in your lap and read a story to them? Or played a board game or video game? Let's make time to enjoy these moments with our children while they are still young. They will be grown before we know it! For those of you with older children, you can still make special time for them and do something that they enjoy. No kids? How about spending time with a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, or a lonely neighbour? The most precious gift that we can give to another is ourselves. 

Wishing all of you a Blessed Christmas and warmest wishes for a fantastic New Year!

Giveaway: 

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Together for Christmas.

This giveaway open worldwide. A Canada/US winner will have his/her choice of a paperback or e-book. An International winner will receive an e-book.

SYNOPSIS: 

Abbie Taylor has a thousand things to do before the big day, help the vicar with his needy families, organize the Christmas nativity, and spare time for a distraught baby at the orphanage who only settles when she’s near. Falling into a coma while her spirit resides inside a prickly, big shot businessman doesn’t work for her at all …until she falls in love.

How could Marcus Chapman be so unlucky? First he’s saddled with his newly widowed mum, and the next thing he knows, he has an annoying spirit invader who’s instantly aware that he isn’t nearly as tough as he makes out. Between these two manipulating women, and the orphans Abbie forces him to visit, the poor man doesn’t stand a chance. The season is Christmas, and love is all around. 

Book Excerpt: Page 27

     Maybe it was the eagerness in her voice, or maybe just her words, but whatever she said made him smile. Up till then, he’d seemed like a stranger looking back at her. Then his smile changed everything. Unfortunately, it didn’t last too long. But she’d seen enough and decided right away that he had a dear face. Not what one would call handsome, more like interesting. She’d bet that his full head of messy hair cut short and worn close to his head normally didn’t look so scruffy. That wouldn’t be his style at all.

     His piercing green eyes didn’t have the same sparkle as his mother’s. They were ruthless and compelling, slightly haughty and intense, and the shrewdest stare she’d ever come across. She felt as if he were trying to find her inside of him by staring into his own eyes.

     “Can you see me?” She teased.

     “I do believe I can. I went slightly crossed-eyed for a moment, and I have no doubt that was you sneaking a peek.” When he grinned, dimples appeared on both sides of his mouth and created a whole different impression. This man devastated with his attractiveness, his charisma.

     Unequivocally, Abbie knew at that moment, not only had her spirit joined with his, but also her heart now faced a challenge. She’d never believed in love at first sight, more fool her. She shut down her corridor to him and curled up into a small ball lodged inside his body. This needed a great deal of thought. She had to talk herself out of this nonsense, and quickly.

To enter the giveaway, you must complete the Rafflecopter entry form below.

This giveaway is open worldwide, and it will close on Sunday, January 1st at 12:01 AM EST.


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