Monday, April 24, 2017

AN UNLIKELY HERO (THE PONY EXPRESS ROMANCE COLLECTION) - Mary Davis - One Free Book

Welcome, Mary. How did this collection come about?
One of our authors, Debby Lee, had the idea to set a novella collection around the Pony Express. This idea went through many proposal variations with some authors coming and going over the course of a few years. We had a hard time getting a publisher to say yes. I revamped the proposal—again—and I had my agent resubmit it to Barbour. A few more authors were added, and the collection was contracted. Even though this started with Debby, I loved this idea and knew it would make a great collection, so I kept persisting.

Are these stories connected in some way?
They’re connected by a series of roads and trails used by the Pony Express riders. Each novella tells a little bit different aspect of the Pony Express at a different station along the almost 2,000 miles. We hope that readers will get an overarching picture of this brief point in history. The collection is called The Pony Express Romance Collection.

How does your story fit in with the others?
My novella is called AN UNLIKELY HERO. Each story is a stand-alone. In my story, BethAnn is running from a mistake and finds security at a Pony Express station and love in the quiet affection of a shy Pony Express rider known as the “Fox.”

Who chose the setting for this collection?
We each chose our individual setting for our own story, but the over all setting—the Pony Express—was Debby’s idea. The route of the Pony Express spanned from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, and lasted for only eighteen months. So we each chose a different station along the way. Mine is set at the Head of Echo Canyon station.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?
To not be too fast to judge people by outward appearances but seek to discover their heart. I found it a welcome challenge to create a hero out of a man who was small in stature. We think of a “hero”—and especially a Wild West hero—as a big, strong, strapping man. So to make my jockey-sized rider a hero, I gave him a large dose of bravery.

I like to do that, tell the story from a perspective the reader isn’t expecting. Readers want to get to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably don’t know about you?
~~ I have three children. My oldest is married and has given me my first grandchild. She is sooo cute. I love being a grandma. My baby girl got married last month and had a picture perfect medieval wedding. And my middle son is rocking with the angels.
~~ I’m dyslexic. I didn’t discover I was until I had my oldest son diagnosed and started researching. As I read books on dyslexia, it was like looking in a mirror, and suddenly, so much of my challenges in school made sense.
~~ I’m a Scottish lass. My great-great-grandfather emigrated from Anstruther, Scotland.

Very interesting. Please give us the first page of your story.
June 1861
No one would likely be following them tonight. BethAnn White tightened her hold around her twelve-year-old sister as the eastbound stagecoach came to a lurching stop.

The driver called out, “Head of Echo Canyon Stagecoach and Pony Express Station.”

BethAnn accepted the offered hand and stepped down from the stage, then turned to help Molly. She gazed in the direction they’d come from. The sun was just dipping behind the western ridge.
She heard rapidly approaching hoofbeats but couldn’t tell which direction they were coming from in the dimming evening light. The sound bounced off the canyon walls, making the sound appear to be coming from everywhere.

“Rider coming in!” someone yelled. That, too, bounced around and came from everywhere.

This could be exciting to see a Pony Express rider exchange. She searched the area around her. Where was Molly?

The hoofbeats grew louder, and station personnel scurried around.

Molly would not want to miss this. Where was she? BethAnn stepped out in front of the stagecoach team and saw the outline of the rider racing in from the east.

Then she saw her.

Her baby sister.

Her only family.

In the path of a several-hundred-pound charging animal.

Way to take our breath away, Mary. Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Blog: http://marydavis1.blogspot.com/ ---Earlier this month, I ran a Pony Express series on my blog. A post from each of the other authors. We chose a theme of “This date in history,” where we picked something that happened in another year on April 3—since that was the day in 1860 that the first Pony Express run took place. It starts on March 31st with a brief history of the Pony Express.

Thank you, Mary, for sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it. I know my readers will be, too.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Pony Express Romance Collection - Christianbook.com
The Pony Express Romance Collection: Historic Express Mail Route Delivers Nine Inspiring Romances - Amazon
The Pony Express Romance Collection: Historic Express Mail Route Delivers Nine Inspiring Romances - Kindle

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24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love this book! I just finished An Unlikely Hero. Mary is an amazing writer who can keep you turning pages until the last sentence. Can't wait to see what she writes next!

Elly said...

YES!!! I've been DYING to read this!
Elly -Indiana-

Mary Davis said...

LH - I'm glad you enjoyed it. What next? I'm just finishing up another novella that will release January 2018. The collection is called A Bouquet of Brides Romance Collection. My story is Holly and Ivy.

Mary Davis said...

Elly - We had fun writing this collection. It shows a variety of jobs along the Pony Express route. I hope you win!

ASC Book Reviews said...

I'd LOVE to win this!!!! Collections are some of my favorite reads these days! :) I also LOVE learning about things like the pony express. What and interesting part of history! :)

Many Blessings, Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a), NM
amada_chavezATyahooDOTcom

Anonymous said...

I love to learn a bit about history while reading a wonderful story - looking forward to reading this!

Barb, CO

Unknown said...

I would love to read these books. I'm sure they will be great reading. Enjoyed the interview, because it explained and gave some history. Thank you for the opportunity of this giveaway.

Barbara Thompson (LA)
barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

Vivian Furbay said...

Since I like to read historical fiction, especially, I would love to read the Pony Express collection. Once when my husband and I were on vacation in Wyoming, we saw a marker where the pony express had a station.

Tammie Edington Shaw said...

Love reading about the Pony Express and love collections. Thank you.

Unknown said...

This sounds like a wonderful collection!! Such a great idea to base the stories on such an important part of our history. A great idea!!

Ginnette Ritz(CO)

kim hansen said...

Love when authors do a romance collection. North Platte Nebraska.

Mary Davis said...

As so many of you have said that you love collections. I love them too. I love reading them and really love writing them. It's fun to read a variety of authors and get a variety of stories. One of the things I like most about these collections is that I can read an entire story in a short amount of time and have a satisfying ending.

Mary Davis said...

Like so many of you who have commented, I love the Pony Express. It is such a romanticized period in our history. I loved learning about it and discovering that most of what I knew was all wrong.

Mary Davis said...

I wish each one of you could win.

Paula Shreckhise said...

I love history. I'm from Missouri and lived in St Louis, now in Lebanon. At least it's the same state as St Joe!
Would love to win!

Melanie Backus said...

Great book! I love book collections!

Melanie Backus, TX

Mary Davis said...

I never used to like history. But I love it now. It was always dry and boring in school. I love writing historical stories and bringing history to life.

Cindy W. said...

I have always been intrigued by the Pony Express. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book.

Blessings,
Cindy W. from Indiana

Britney Adams said...

The excerpt hooked me, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! Thanks so much for sharing this great interview and giveaway. I would love to be a winner!

Britney Adams, TX

Raechel said...

Great interview - really enjoyed reading it. And the book sounds great too!
Thanks!
Raechel in MN

Kim Osterholzer said...

Congratulations, Mary! And great interview!

Trixi said...

Fun author interview, thanks for the snippet of this book! I just LOVE that cover and the Barbour set of novellas :-) A chance to meet new-to-me authors! Thank you for the giveaway

Trixi in OR

Sharon Richmond Bryant said...

Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.

Anonymous said...

looks like a good book! Shelia from MS