We’re thrilled to have here today, Beth Sergeant, from Cynthia Gail’s new contemporary romance, Winter’s Magic. Beth is the owner of La Bella Vita Day Spa, and lives in Nashville, TN.
It is a pleasure to have her with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so much for this interview, Beth. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I think Cynthia did a good job of sharing my story. I’ve read her biography and though our reasons for feeling like we ‘didn’t belong’ are different, I understand how she could relate to my circumstances.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
I think she did a great job of letting my personality shine through.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
I’m a strong person – I’m not afraid to confront problems head-on. I’m also not afraid to go after what I want, once I’ve decided I want it.
Worse trait?
Deep inside, there’s a doubting voice that makes me insecure in my personal relationships. I’m fortunate to have a strong support system through my family and friends.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
I would be honored to have Julia Roberts or Anne Hathaway play my role. They’re both women I admire, with strong personalities and soft hearts.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
Definitely! Our first meet is a little embarrassing. My co-worker and I were joking around, not paying attention to the front door. Our conversation got a little silly and personal, just about the time Nick Chester came into my spa.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
Nervous would be an understatement. The circumstances surrounding our breakup were devastating to me. I’d just let myself relax, confident that Nick was the man I was meant to marry, when the rug was pulled out from under me.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
Lauren is beautiful and rich. But money doesn’t buy happiness. I think she’s lonely and simply wants someone to love her.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
Let’s just say that I love Christmas and the magic of the season.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if she decided to write another book with you in it?
I’ve already been contracted for several small appearances in Spring’s Surprise coming early 2013. Sara Michael’s story is very dear to my heart—we’ve been best friends since our first semester in college. After ten years of marriage, she finds herself divorced. I can’t say that I’m sorry to see Alex out of Sara’s life. I hate what he did to her confidence. But she’s stronger than she thinks and makes a full emotional recovery, just in time for her thirtieth birthday and long weekend visit to Nashville. If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ve peaked at the manuscript and I think Cynthia’s done a great job of showing Sara’s strength and resilience as she ventures back into the dating world.
Thank you for this interview, Beth.
My husband and I live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee with our teenage son and three dogs. Life is busy, but when I have free time, I love to read. A math/science girl at heart and a retail analyst by trade, I never thought I’d be writing romance. But one day, a story popped into my head and I had to write it down. The fantasy, escape, and wonder of just reading multiplied by ten-fold and I couldn’t stop my fingers from typing my own fairy tales.
I hope you enjoy my stories. Each one touches on modern day issues, fears, and challenges that women face every day. And each one illustrates that love is within reach if you let down those walls and allow your heart to open. Our lives and experiences are so much more meaningful when we have someone to share them with.
Cynthia’s latest book is the contemporary romance, Winter’s Magic (Book 1 in the Music City Hearts series).
Visit her website at www.Cynthiagail.com.
Beth Sergeant and Nick Chester come from opposite ends of the social food chain. While he sees a beautiful woman without an agenda, she sees a wealthy playboy. Can he convince her to let go of her insecurities and take a chance on love, when challenges from his past force her to reveal her most guarded secret?
Owner of La Bella Vita, a five-star day spa nestled in the affluent suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, Beth Sergeant knows her elite clientele first hand. She attended their private schools. She was even engaged, although briefly, to one of their most recognized bachelors. But she never fit in to their social-elite world.
After losing his parents to a car accident at a young age, Nick Chester was raised by his grandfather, the wealthiest man in Nashville. When he chooses to socialize, he has a never-ending list of exclusive events and beautiful women vying for his attention. Yet he never lets himself forget that everyone has an agenda.
Beth can’t resist Nick’s charm and accepts an invitation to dinner, despite her deep-seated insecurities. She proves she’s nothing like other women Nick’s dated and learns to trust him in return. But just as the last of their resistance crumbles and true love is within reach, challenges from Nick’s past threaten to destroy everything and force Beth to reveal her most guarded secret.
Beyond the Books 