A VISION OF LUCY - Margaret Brownley - Free Book

I've welcomed Margaret to my blog before and love having her here.

More Love and Laughter in the Old West

From Margaret Brownley

Some Timely Advice for Photographers from Margaret’s New Book:

A Vision of Lucy

A Rocky Creek Romance

To photograph well, women should dress in sedate colors and unobtrusive patterns.  

Even the most morally challenged woman can be made to look chaste

given suitable attire and clever lighting. 

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I like writing serious themes with a touch of humor and the old west lends itself nicely to laughter, don’t you think?  Times are tough and if I can make readers smile--either because of something the characters do or simply because of a Biblical truth--then I’ve done what I’ve set out to do. 

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

I’m basically a happy person regardless of what happens, but I have to say the day I married the love of my life is right up there with the days I gave birth to each of my three children.  

How has being published changed your life?

I’ve been published going on 25 years so it’s hard to remember what it was like before.  I’ve seen a lot of changes in the publishing industry since I first began to write professionally.  It seems like there are more demands on a writer’s time now and keeping a balance is more important than ever.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading entries for a contest and “The Horse Doctor Is In” by Brent Kelley—you guessed it—for research.

What is your current work in progress?

I just finished the first book in a new series: Brides of Last Chance Ranch, scheduled for release March 2012.   I’m currently working on the second book.

We must schedule that series on the blog, too. What would be your dream vacation?

I think it would be fun to take an “around the world” cruise, stopping at every port.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I like to choose settings that carry the theme.  A Vision of Lucy takes place in Rainbow Creek, Texas, a fictional town with a troubled past that was first introduced in A Lady like Sarah.   My goal was to create a town that mirrors the spiritual decay of its citizens for the first book in the series.  In Book 2 the town begins to grow and change in positive ways along with its citizens. In this third and last book of the series, we’ll see that the town has change in many positive ways reflecting the changes in the characters and their relationship to God. 

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

Before I was a writer I was an instructor. One of my early teachers asked a question that I’ll never forget.  She asked, “When you retire after thirty-five years of teaching, will you be able to say that you taught thirty-five years or that you taught one year thirty-five times?” That’s a question that is relevant to every profession.

I don’t want to keep writing the same book and, for this reason, it gets harder because I keep demanding more of myself, and have to dig deeper and find different ways to describe, say, blue eyes or a loved one’s kiss. Staying fresh is all about creating believable characters that come alive in the reader’s mind and that’s what I strive to do. 

Tell us about the featured book.

The story takes place in 1886 and deals with loss, guilt and forgiveness—themes that are just as relevant today as they were in the Old West.  

The idea for my protagonist Lucy Fairbanks was sparked by an advertisement in an old newspaper. In 1860 Julia Shannon of San Francisco took the family portrait to new heights when she shockingly advertised herself as a daguerreotypist and midwife. 

Lucy doesn’t deliver babies but she is determined to capture the “perfect” picture and she’s not about to let an intriguing stranger like David Wolf and his long-held secrets stop her. Photographs can reveal more than they hide and David and the little town of Rocky Creek are about to find out that anything can happen when posing for Lucy—and usually does. 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find me at www.margaretbrownley.com.  I’m also on Twitter and have two Facebook pages. 

Thank you for having me, Lena!

My great pleasure, Margaret. Come back anytime.

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

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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 4 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 if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com