Petals in the Snow by Jill Bagurdes

​"Reagan . . . are you there?"

"Yes. I'm still here. Matthew, I can't come. I'm sorry."

There was an awkward silence that seemed to last for hours. Finally Matthew said, "Okay, Reagan." And then as if he had one last card to play before the hand was over, he said, "He wanted to remind you about the rose petals."

I did not respond. Then for the second time that night, I hung up on Matthew Carlson. He did not call back.

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Petals in the Snow is the debut novel by author Jill M. Bagurdes. In this book, Reagan is coping with the death of her mother when a relationship from her past resurfaces. An unexpected phone call presents an opportunity for her to gain closure on both. She must decide if being "her mother's daughter" means taking this journey to finally heal her heart or if she's strong enough to move forward on her own.

Petals in the Snow is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I had a chance to interview Jill about her new novel. I hope you enjoy getting to know her and gaining insight into her book!

What made you want to be a writer/author?
Growing up, I loved to read.  I spent many hours with Judy Blume as a child and young teen. I am always interested how characters think and connect with each other.  When I began writing Petals in the Snow, it was therapy for me as I coped with the death of my mom.   My editor once asked me what prompted me to write this story.  My answer was this is a way to keep my mom’s memory alive forever.  Now that I have written this story, I feel like I have more to tell.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?
The book came out of a conversation I had with my mom while she was in hospice.  I also started writing things down in her last days so I wouldn’t forget different moments I shared with her.  My book focuses on getting closure which is so hard to do in death.  I thought, what else do people have difficulty getting closure on?  Relationships. So I connected two events in the main characters life that had to do with closure.

Do you have plans to write other books?
I would love to do this again!  One of the main questions, people ask me after they read this book is, are you writing a sequel?  The readers want to know what happens to these characters as the end of the book leaves the reader with questions. The sequel seems to be writing itself in my head but it has changed from what I originally thought my sequel would look like.  I also have an idea for another story that is completely separate from this one other than the main character is a teacher.

Who is your favorite author and/or favorite book/series?
 I have been reading  a lot of Liane Moriarty lately.  She has very interesting storylines.

Favorite color: Teal
Favorite ice cream flavor: Banana
Favorite season: Fall and summer....cannot choose between them!
Coffee, tea or hot chocolate: Most definitely, hot chocolate with whipped cream

You can visit Jill on the following sites and give her a follow!
​https://www.amazon.com/Jill-M-Bagurdes/e/B07RBQ2YKD/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19225412.Jill_M_Bagurdes