This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Destiny Booze will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
My Publishing Journey by Bobbi Smith
Hi everybody!
It’s wonderful to be blogging with you!
My writing career has been one exciting adventure after another. Back in the late ’70s when I was a stay-at-home mom with two young sons, I read The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Wow! She led the way for the romance genre and she certainly led the way for me. I was so inspired by her story, I thought—I could write one of those! Back in fifth grade the teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I answered a writer. What a thrill it’s been to live my dream.
So I set about writing my very first book, never dreaming I’d sell it. It took me two and a half years to finish it, writing longhand and then typing it on a manual typewriter. I worked part-time at a bookstore then, and when my boss heard I’d actually finished my manuscript, he helped me by passing it on to a book sales rep to take to Zebra Books in New York City. And to my delight and amazement, they bought it!
I was so blessed to sell my first book. Granted, I had to add 150 pages to it, but I did it! Six months before publication date, I received covers in the mail. My book The Mist and the Dream was now called Rapture’s Rage! That’s when I discovered the publisher has total control over titles and cover art.
My first few books were set near where I live, on the Mississippi River. (I’m a steamboat lover!) But my editor told me that if I wanted a career, I had to stop writing about the Midwest. Luckily, I’m a big Western fan, so the transition was easy. I went on to write many more books for Zebra before moving to Leisure Books. What a great ride!
Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, I did a lot of book touring with my writer friends—Constance O’Banyon, Elaine Barbieri and Evelyn Rogers. It was on one of the tours that we decided to do a series together, and we came up with the Secret Fires series as we drove across country heading to another autograph party. Collaborating with my friends was a wonderful experience. My book, Secret Fires: The Half-Breed, was second in the series, and it’s the book that put me on the New York Times bestseller list! My fifth grade teacher would have been proud of me!
There’s nothing like being a writer and creating your own “universe” where what you want to happen, happens (unlike real life).
I hope you enjoy my stories!
SECRET FIRES
In the midst of the vast, windswept Texas plains stands a ranch wrested from the wilderness with blood, sweat and tears. It is the shining legacy of Thomas McBride to his five living heirs. But along with the fertile acres and herds of cattle, each will inherit a history of scandal, lies and hidden desire that threatens to burn out of control.
THE HALF-BREED
Chase knows he has no legitimate claim to the Circle M. After all, his father made it painfully clear he wants nothing to do with his bastard son or the Comanche girl he once took to his bed. But Chase has his own reasons for answering Tom McBride’s deathbed summons. He has a job to do as a Texas Ranger, and a woman to protect—a woman whose sweet innocence gives him new faith that love born in the darkest night can face the dawn of all his tomorrows.
GENRE: Historical Romance
Length: 402 pages
Published: Montlake Romance (April 5, 2001)
Buy it here:
When the raiding party passed out from the liquor they’d been drinking, their captive Faith made her escape on foot. Terror drove her on through the darkness. She had been running for hours when she finally saw the faint glow of a campfire in the distance
Faith moved stealthily onward. She hoped it was a company of cavalrymen or ranch hands.
Her hopes were dashed as she surveyed the scene below.
Sitting before the low-burning campfire was a bare-chested warrior. Faith did not recognize him as one of the raiding party, but there was no mistaking the aura of danger about him. As she was watching, he looked up in her direction. She remained still, barely breathing, until he looked away. Her fear turned to fury as she slipped away. She had to save herself.
Chase McBride knew someone was nearby. He hadn’t survived this long by ignoring his instincts, and they were screaming a warning right now. He was puzzled, for if someone was out to kill him, they would have taken a shot by now. Continuing to act naturally, he stretched out on his bedroll, pretending to fall asleep. With his gun in hand, he waited.
Faith believed the warrior hadn’t seen her. She hoped to steal his horse before he could catch her. She returned to watch the campsite and was relieved to find the warrior asleep. She felt a flicker of hope. Slowly, cautiously, she made her way toward his horse.
The Author
After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982.
Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists.
When she’s not working on her novels, she is frequently a guest speaker for writer’s groups. Bobbi is mother of two sons and resides in St. Charles, Missouri with her husband and three dogs.
You can follow Bobbi on Facebook in the group Bobbi Smith Books (https://www.facebook.com/groups/45814589415/about/).
Bobbi has been awarded the prestigious “Storyteller of the Year” Award from Romantic Times Magazine (New York) and has attained positions on the New York Times Best Seller List, the USA Today Best Seller List, the Walden’s Best Seller List, B. Dalton’s List, and the Wal-Mart and K-Mart Best Seller Lists.
The foreign rights to Ms. Smith’s books have been sold to China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Russia and Sweden. Smith’s current publisher is Amazon. Bobbi has written two faith-based contemporary novels – Haven (https://bobbismithbooks.com/product/haven) and Miracles (https://bobbismithbooks.com/product/miracles) – using the pseudonym of Julie Marshall. (https://bobbismithbooks.com/author/who-is-julie-marshall)
Copyright © 2018 Bobbi Smith.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/45814589415/about/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13375.Bobbi_Smith
RAFFLECOPTER
Bobbi Smith will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Follow the Tour
August 20: It’s Raining Books
August 27: Fabulous and Brunette
September 3: Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
September 10: Dena Garson-Real… Hot… Romance
September 10: The Tired Buyer
September 17: Regan Black
September 17: Romance Novel Giveaways
September 24: The Reading Addict
October 1: T’s Stuff
October 8: Danita Minnis
Pine Enshrined Reviews 
Thanks for hosting!
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Congrats on this tour and thank for the opportunity to read about another great book out there to read. It helps out so I can find books I know my family will enjoy reading. Thanks as well for the giveaway.
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Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
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Hi Everybody! I hope you enjoy The Half-Breed.
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Thank you Bobbi for your lovely book! I plan on picking up a copy to read 🙂
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Gorgeous cover and a great synopsis. Congrats on the book tour and thanks so much for offering a giveaway. This sounds like a must read to me.
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