THE JEWEL OF HIS HEART - Maggie Brendan - Free Book

I've really been looking forward to featuring this book. I was given the opportunity to read the manuscript for endorsement. I loved it. I think you will, too. Maggie, welcome. What kind of books you do write?

I write historical romance novels.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The happiest day in my life was when my daughter and son were born, separately, of course! They add incredible meaning to my life, and are even more fun as adults now that they have their own children that I am smitten with.

I spent time yesterday with my first great grandson. He's two years old. How has being published changed your life?

It has certainly become an adventure! I’ve had to rearrange my schedule within the home and I let a few things go that took up too much time. The bulk of my work day is writing, researching, etc. I’ve met new people and God has opened many doors along the way where I can be an influence of for him through my faith in speaking and book signing. I’m enjoying the ride!

I am, too. What are you reading right now?

Tammy Barley’s novel, Love’s Rescue, but I have an entire stack of books on my credenza.

What is your current work in progress?

I’ve just finished the 3rd book, A Love of Her Own, in The Heart of the West series so now I’m beginning a new series called The Blue Willow Brides. It’s about three sisters from Holland who become mail order brides in the 1880’s in the West.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’d love a cabin in the Rocky Mountains in either Colorado or Montana overlooking a lake.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I really love the West so it’s natural for me to pick one of the western states. But I usually base it on something that I read that happened there or loosely base it on an historical character.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

I thought a long time about your question. I’d have to say LaVyrle Spencer. I believe she was the greatest romance novelist of all time. I’d love to get writing tips from her and hoped that one day someone would tell me that I write like her. Now that would be an honor.

I know what you mean. Readers have told me I write like Tracie Peterson and Lauraine Snelling. What a compliment. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love to singing in my church’s choir, and when I have a chance I like to oil paint or scrapbook, but I’m finding little time for that now. I love being outdoors with nature and meeting new people.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Maybe the most difficult obstacle for me is my attention to detail and having enough time for everything that needs to be done. I like everything in the house in order and kept nice and tidy. Trying to keep meals cooked, laundry, errands and still have a bit of free time left over is hard to juggle, much less the daily writing time.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

My advice to a beginning author is to keep a schedule for your writing. For some, it’s in the morning for others, especially with young children, it’s during their nap time or after they go to bed. But be consistent and never give up. Decide what’s important to you. Get to know other writers and join a critique group. You’ll find enormous support with other writers. Attend writer’s conferences and read, read, read!

Tell us about the featured book?

The Jewel of His Heart is set in 1890’s Montana. It is here that Juliana calls home when she meets Josh McBride, a handsome, gentle sheepherder. When he discovers a rare kind of sapphire on his property and considers striking out on his own path in the world, he is forced to decide what’s most important to him: the world’s riches or the eternal value of love in a woman whose eyes rival the rarest gems.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The Jewel of His Heart
Utica, Montana 1896

I need a wife.

Josh McBride had ridden down the grassy slope to the sparkling creek, allowing his horse a drink while surveying with a keen eye the parcel of land that he’d purchased three years before.

It’s pretty here—the best spot on God’s good earth.

But that didn’t keep him from feeling lonely.

He was enjoying the beautiful Montana Mountains this morning, and the satisfaction of pursuing his own dream and place in the world instead of his father’s. On these solitary rides, he treasured the peace and privacy with his Creator in the morning, feeling his presence.

Earlier, he had taken his bandana from his neck and dipped it into the cold stream to wipe his face. The stream narrowed at this juncture to not much more than a trickle, or Josh might have missed the handful of small blue pebbles collected there. Reaching into the icy water, he scooped the pebbles up for a closer look. The sunlight reflected off the small translucent blue pebbles, their hue unlike anything Josh had ever seen. Instinctively, he knew these were not just blue pebbles or ordinary stones, but what he did not know, was how they would ultimately change his life forever.

Josh slipped the handful of blue stones in his leather vest pocket and mounted his horse. He headed back to the grassy rise, overlooking the valley, pausing to gaze out at his sizeable herd of sheep with pride. Suddenly, Josh’s white and amber colored dog, Shebe, ran up to gaze at him lovingly, her tongue lolling from the side of her mouth. “Hey, girl. Looking for me?”
Shebe’s short sharp was her answer and Josh laughed. “We’ve sure been through some lonely times, haven’t we, girl?”

“McBride!” A rider below waved his hat at Josh and pushed his horse up the grassy ridge.

Josh called back a greeting to his youngest sheepherder and nudged Pete’s flanks with the edge of his boot heel. He’d left his spurs behind when he rode off his father’s cattle ranch. Besides, he and Pete understood each other perfectly. Josh sometimes thought Pete and Shebe understood him better than anyone else, and his affection for his horse and sheepdog ran deep. But still he wanted a wife. A dog and horse could not take the place of a companion to fill this lonely space in his heart.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

southernbellewriter.blogspot.com

http://www.bustlesandspurs.com/ resident blogger

Thank you, Maggie, for spending this time with us.

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