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Thursday, May 20, 2010

WILDFLOWER HEARTS - Vickie McDonough - Free Book

Welcome back, Vickie. It's always a pleasure to feature you on my blog. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

Forgiveness, God walking beside you during difficult times, keeping faith in God when all seems lost, Trust.


What other books of yours are coming out soon?

The Anonymous Bride released on April 1st. Mail-Order Christmas Brides releases September 1st, and Second Chance Brides releases October 1st.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Josh Groban, so I could listen to him sing.

I'd like to be with the two of you. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

I’d like to sit down with my grandma. She was born in 1876. I’d love to listen to her stories of what life was like for her as a young person.

I'm sure you'd take notes for historical novels. How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

All authors receive rejections. It’s a sign that you are submitting, and that’s a good thing. But, rejections are painful. If you get any feedback in the rejection letter, take it to heart and see if there are areas you can improve your writing. Join a critique group so that you can get feedback on your writing. And keep writing and submitting. You’ll never sell a book if you don’t submit proposals.

Tell us about the featured book?

Wildflower Hearts is a compilation of three novels set in historical North Dakota. These books were originally released to the Heartsong Presents book club. They tell the story of the McFarland siblings who own a ranch in southwest North Dakota.

Here’s the blurb from Amazon:

Experience how the west was won in the North Dakota Badlands where the three McFarland siblings face interesting predicaments in romance. Adam challenges the research of a popular dime novelist who surprises him by being a beautiful female. Anna has to try to convince a deputy marshal that she isn’t involved in outlaw activity. Quinn is asked to enter into a marriage ruse to save an innocent woman from jail time. Will the siblings get out of their predicaments on wings of love and faith?

This really sounds interesting. Please give us the first page of the book.

Chicago, 1893

“Of all the nerve!” Mariah Lansing crumpled the letter in her fist.

Her grandmother scrunched her white brows together as she glanced up from the new Montgomery Ward catalog resting in her lap. “What is it, dear?”

“A letter from a reader.” Mariah crossed the parlor and dropped onto the couch beside her grandmother. “A rancher—Mr. McFarland—from North Dakota. He says I don’t have my ranching facts correct.”

“I would imagine the man knows what he’s talking about.” Grandma crossed her wrinkled hands over the catalog. “You knew when you decided to write dime novels that you would have an uphill climb in a man’s world. It doesn’t help that you’ve been raised in Chicago all your life. Perhaps it is time for you to take a trip out west.”

Mariah shrugged. If only she could travel out west. But her grandma was too old to make such a journey, and Mariah wasn’t about to leave her alone. “I’ll just have to do more thorough research.”

Grandma peered at her over the top of her round spectacles. “Did the man state anything specific that you got wrong?”

Smoothing out the letter, Mariah scanned the rest of the missive then gasped. “He’s invited me to visit his ranch in the Badlands.”

“What a wonderful opportunity. Perhaps you should consider it.”

Mariah’s gaze traveled around the parlor they had recently redecorated in pastels. Her grandmother loved to read, and Mariah had wanted to make her a cozy room for entertaining her closest friends and for relaxing. The soft blue wallpaper, hand painted with a myriad of butter, peach, and rose-colored flowers with sea green leaves brightened up the walls that had once been a faded gold shade. Could she really leave home again and leave the only family she had left, even for a short adventure?

Such a journey would enhance her ability to write about the West and make her stories more authentic. But no, she couldn’t—wouldn’t—leave her grandmother. She owed her too much to go running off the first chance she got.

Grandma chuckled as she held Mariah’s letter up so that the light from the nearby window illuminated it. “I fear, dear, you may have met your match with this gentleman. He says that men are the true heroes in the West, not women, and if you want men to keep reading your novels you need to change your way of thinking.”

A very unladylike snort erupted before Mariah could contain it. “That’s just one man’s opinion. I see nothing wrong with a woman being the hero of a story.”

Grandma gave her a patronizing look. “Surely you realize that more men than women read those paperbacks. Perhaps you should take Mr. McFarland’s advice and let a man save the day sometimes. Men do have delicate egos, you know, especially cowboys and ranchers who live such a rough life. I imagine they see themselves as the ones who do all the rescuing.”

Mariah would consider her grandmother’s advice, but not some faceless stranger’s. It had been a woman—her grandmother—who’d come to her rescue when her parents died. Her hero was a woman, so why not in her stories?

I can hardly wait to read this collection. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is: http://www.vickiemcdonough.com/
I’m also a regular contributor to the Bustles and Spurs blog: http://www.bustlesandspurs.com/ 

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

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using this link when you order, you help support this blog.














Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.


Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here’s a link.

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:21 PM

    please count me in...thanks :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. this looks like the book most suited to my taste that you have posted in weeks....would love to win!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4:08 PM

    One of my favorite topics. I love historical fiction!
    Maureen
    alekee02[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I"m really looking forward to reading this book.

    pepsi324[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  5. I love the cover art on Wildflower Hearts and would love to win a copy.

    Smiles,
    Cindy W.

    countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Josh Groban does have a totally amazing voice!
    All three books within "Wildflower Hearts" sound amazing, though I have to admit I am most intrigued by the last story you described in the book! :) Plus, the cover of the book is really pretty! :)
    Thanks for the opportunity to win this book!
    God bless!
    Kim
    lonebanana(at)msn(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like a great book! Count me in please.

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  8. Please include me.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I enjoy Vickie's stories and would love a chance to win Wildflower Hearts. Thanks, Lena!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, yes, please include me in the drawing. Thanks

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds like a wonderful book! Please enter me.

    coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Please enter me - it looks like a book I would love to read!
    winnieayala at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sylvia M.8:38 AM

    I haven't read any books by this author before, but they sound interesting. I've asked the library to order her book The Anonymous Bride. They are very good about ordering stuff like that for their patrons.

    Samitude/at/hotmail/dot/com

    ReplyDelete
  14. They sound fun - history, romance, and interesting women.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really enjoy reading historical romance novels. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds like a great book.
    csdsksds[at]gmail[dot]com

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  17. I'm glad to hear that y'all like the cover of Wild Flower Hearts. The cover often sells the book, so it's always a big sigh of relief to get a good one.

    Sylvia, Thanks so much for asking your library to order The Anonymous Bride. I appreciate that!

    Good luck in the drawing, everyone!

    And, Lena, thanks so much for letting me be a guest on your blog again.

    Vickie

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  18. Hi Vickie,

    After reading The Anonymous Bride I'm anxious to read more of your writing. These three stories in one book sound like something I will enjoy. Great title, Wildflower Hearts and then a great cover makes the book even more enticing. I also like the picture of you with your babies, I mean books surrounding you.

    Thanks for the opportunity of winning a copy of Wildflower Hearts.
    A J Hawke

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  19. I'm reading and enjoying The Anonymous Bride, which I believe is Vickie's first full-length novel. Great job, Vickie! Wildflower Hearts sounds like a great collection and I appreciate the chance to win a copy.

    cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

    ReplyDelete
  20. Please count me in! dancealert at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for entering me!

    Michelle
    scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net

    ReplyDelete
  22. Recommenting. lol

    pepsi324[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I enjoy reading books from this time period. Please include me.

    Blessings,
    Jo
    ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Count me in
    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  25. This looks fantastic and has something writers can also relate to!

    carlagade [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I would love to win this book Vickie always write great books


    mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  27. I would really love this book. I commented earlier in the week and it appears here but I know you said all the comments disappeared and to re-enter.

    Smiles,
    Cindy W.

    countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Readers probably aren't aware how much writers struggle with doubts. Will the next book be as well-received as the last? Will I even sell another book? Will reviewers like it?

    I have to admit, I'm thankful these comments didn't disappear, Lena. I've enjoyed reading them and they encourage me to keep on as a writer.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous12:24 PM

    Sounds like a wonderful read!

    lead[at]hotsheet[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Please enter me in this giveaway - Thanks!

    seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Pls count me in...Thanks


    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love the historical books....and forgiveness is so important

    ~Steph
    soklad@hotmail.com

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  33. Absolutely count me in!

    dancealert at aol dot com

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  34. I would absoulutly love to win Wildflower Hearts. Thanks for the chance,
    Esther
    faith4u7(at)gmail(dot)com

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  35. I have just started reading Wild at Heart, so I was kind of skipping over excerpts here of Wildflower Hearts, but I'm sure I'll be 'faunching at the bit' to get my eyes on it, when I'm done reading Wild at Heart. Just finished the first in another series of novels by Vickie, and it was superb! Storyteller extraordinaire, and one of my very favorite authors!!! She knows how to spin a good tale.

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  36. Please consider me in this generous offer. I would love to have this book.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous8:35 AM

    I'm a Josh Groban fan, too. I loved the first page, and I'd like to win a book.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'd love to read this book. Please enter me in the drawing.

    ReplyDelete