Love of My Heart by Bess McBride
And I’m back! Just that fast….
My first book is Love of My Heart, and as a first book, it holds a special place in my heart. The cover by Tamra Westberry is exquisite…as are all her covers… Love of My Heart was contracted in April 2007 and published in e-book form in June with print following in February 2008. Fast, huh??? I think the publishing company was a big smaller then and could process the books quicker, but what a ride.
The idea for Love of My Heart came from a little Victorian house Christmas tree ornament I had (I love those things). When I lived in Western Washington and worked on the hilltop of Tacoma, I loved the beautifully restored Victorian homes in the area, and I wanted to set a book in one. Combined that with my work as a mental health therapist, and Love of My Heart was born…
If I may, I’d like to post the cover, link to the book trailer, blurb and excerpt for you!
Blurb: Aggie has done what no mental health therapist should do. She’s fallen in love with her mysterious client, Bill.
Aggie has recently purchased an old Victorian house on a hillside overlooking Commencement Bay in Tacoma, Washington; where she finds an old photograph of a Victorian era couple and a love letter written in 1885. The letter speaks of another love that can never be—that of Louise, the daughter of a wealthy English family, and her Irish lover, William. Heartbroken, Aggie soon begins to dream of the forbidden love between Louise and William, but in her dreams, William’s face mirrors that of her beloved, Bill.
Bill is in love with Aggie, and he can’t figure out how to get close to her. If only he hadn’t entered her professional doors as a client. How is he going to fix this?
Cathy leaned forward conspiratorially. “Okay, so
what’s this mysterious thing you wanted to discuss? I’m
all ears.”
Aggie grinned at her longtime friend. It was always
good to spend time with her. She had such an effervescent
personality. Aggie wasn’t really looking forward to
discussing Bill with her though. How to broach such an
awkward subject?
“This is tough,” Aggie began hesitantly. “I-I’ve done
the one thing we therapists aren’t supposed to do.” She
paused.
“What’s that? Overcharge? Call in sick? Reschedule
an appointment?” Cathy grinned.
Aggie chuckled. Cathy wasn’t making this easy.
“No, silly. You know…” She hesitated again, hoping
Cathy would come to the rescue.
“You know you’re going to have say it, Aggie, not me.
You do the talking. You’re worse than one of my clients.”
She sighed in mock exasperation.
“I know, I know,” Aggie sighed. “Okay, here goes. I
swear though…if you even look at me funny, I’m going to
cry.”
Cathy grinned, but she raised her eyebrows
questioningly.
“I’ve fallen for a client,” Aggie announced as if she
were dropping a bomb. She waited for the fallout.
“But that’s not the only thing.” Aggie rushed on. “The
house. You know, the Victorian I just bought?”
Cathy nodded.
“Well, something really odd happened. I found an old
cigar box in a small cupboard in my bedroom. There was a
love letter of some sort inside and a photograph. The
letter was from a man named William. How’s that for
coincidence? It was addressed to a woman named Louise,
and he was begging her to come back to him. Not that she
left him or anything.” She knew she was babbling. “It
seems her parents were against their relationship. I don’t
know why, but he asks her to put a candle in her window
for three nights, and he will come to her on the third
night.” Aggie’s voice cracked, and she paused and fanned
her face in a comical gesture to break her rising tension.
“My word…so romantic,” she managed to continue lightly
as she tried to grin at Cathy who was now leaning
forward in her chair.
“No kidding. Did you bring the letter? I’d love to see
it.”
“No, it’s so old and fragile. I really didn’t want to take
it out of the house. I wish I had though.” Aggie took a
breath. “Anyway, there’s more.” She was beginning to
enjoy her audience’s rapt attention. “The photograph was
probably taken in 1885 here in Tacoma. It’s of a man and
a woman standing on a curb in front of a building called
the Tacoma News. She’s wearing a long skirt and a dark
bonnet, very turn of the century type of clothing.
Unfortunately, the hat is obscuring her face. But the
man…” she paused for effect, “the man looks exactly like
my client, Bill, except he has one of those old-fashioned
thick mustaches.”
Aggie sat back in her chair triumphantly, awaiting
Cathy’s reaction, which was quick in coming.
“Really?” she breathed. “You don’t just have Bill on
the brain and see him in every face, do you?”
Aggie shook her head, a small smile playing on her
face.
“I don’t think so. I thought of that myself. It really
looks a like him. And one more thing…” She told Cathy
about her dream of Louise.
“So you see why I needed some rational thought here.
I don’t know what to think. Was it a dream? It seemed so
real. I’m confused, counselor. What’s going on?” Aggie
raised her hands in supplication as she tried to read the
varying expressions on Cathy’s face.
Book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2tqxcJblJE
Buy Links:
Amazon.com Amazon.com
Bess McBride, www.bessmcbride.com, www.rvromance.com
