Friday, May 8, 2015

The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection Blog Hop - Kathleen Y'Barbo

Today is the final day in The Most Eligible Bachelor Blog Hop Tour and I have the honor of welcoming author Kathleen Y'Barbo to my blog. Here's a little about Kathleen's story, and about her. Don't forget to enter the grand prize giveaway at the end of this post!

Name of Story: THE FINAL BAKER BRIDE

Bachelor's Name: Merritt “Rit” Baker, youngest of the Baker clan
 
 
Story Setting/Era: 1889, New Orleans and Texas

What makes him so eligible?
Rit is the heir of Baker Shipping, and when he’s not running his father’s company, he’s on horseback at the Baker Ranch in Texas

Does he want to be eligible, or is it something thrust upon him?
Definitely thrust upon him ... his father’s will has obligated him and his brothers to marry before they can receive their inheritance. His brothers quickly complied, but he is reluctant to marry for anything but love.

Who are the ladies contending for the bachelor?
Half the unmarried ladies in New Orleans! And Octavia Derby, heiress disguised as a middle-class typist with no experience. Because her mother has convinced her she will never be loved for herself if it is known she is an heiress, the last thing she wants is to marry a man with money, or let it be known that she’s also wealthy, before she can find a man who’ll love her for herself.

What must the ladies do to win his hand?
Rit is beating them off with a stick. And he’s using Octavia to help!

Inspiration for the story: While doing research on acceptable careers for 1880s women other than teaching or acting as governess for another novel, I came across a story about typewriter girls. Basically the forerunner of today’s admin or secretary, these woman did exactly as it sounds: they typed. Unlike their modern counterparts, there was little to no interaction with clients. Rather, they were generally closeted away on some top floor with their typewriters and their assignments. I imagined how a wealthy heiress on the run from an arranged marriage might relish that sort of anonymity, even if she can’t figure out how to use a typewriter. As I played with that idea, Octavia was born.

About Kathleen
 
 
Author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than fifty novels with almost two million copies of her books in print. A tenth-generation Texan and certified family law paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well as a Reader’s Choice Award and several Top Picks by Romantic Times magazine. A member of ACFW, NINC, and a former member of the Texas Bar Association Paralegal Division, she is currently a proud military wife and an expatriate Texan cheering on her beloved Texas Aggies from north of the Red River. She is especially excited that her novel Sadie’s Secrets, has just been named the 2014 Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times Magazine.



Facebook: www.facebook.com/Kathleen.YBarbo

Today is the last chance you'll have to enter the grand prize drawing for a fabulous gift basket by the nine authors of The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection. You can find the link here at Coffee Cups & Camisoles blog.


Here's a list of everything in the basket:1. Collapsible storage cube.
2. A box of Ghirardelli chocolates
3. A book of MN stories called Bring Warm Clothes
4. A DVD (Nim's Island, Night at the Museum, & Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium)
5. A Gifts in a Jar recipe book
6. A whimsical little book of Dr. Seuss quotes.
7. A CD of Victorian Love Songs
8. A vintage-dressed lady Christmas ornament
9. A jar of preserves
10. A packet of lovely note cards
11. A little treasure box
12. A stuffed cow.
13. Dangly, sparkly earrings
14. A Starbucks gift card
15. A cotton tea-towel with a vintage typewriter on it
16. A turquoise cotton tea-towel
17. An apron
18. A miniature post office counter
19. In infinity scarf and fingerless gloves (In colors inspired by Egypt.)
20. A sweet little notebook with a penny-farthing bicycle on the front.
21. A copy of The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection -- AUTOGRAPHED BY ALL NINE AUTHORS!

1 comment:

  1. Great post about a delightful story. Congratulations, Kathleen!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are my favorite part of blogging!