IN TOO DEEP - Mary Connealy - Free Book

Bio:

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita and Christy finalist. She is the author of The Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep, Over the Edge.

Lassoed in Texas Trilogy containing three full length books: Petticoat Ranch, Calico Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist. Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist.

The Montana Marriages Trilogy: Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose and The Husband Tree are Carol Award Finalist.

Cowboy Christmas and Deep Trouble: Cowboy Christmas is the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.

The Sophie's Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats. Doctor in Petticoats was a finalist for a Rita Award.

Mary is also the author of Black Hills Blessing a 3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a collection of cozy romantic mysteries and, writing under the pseudonym Mary Nealy, she's the author of Ten Plagues.

Blurb for In Too Deep

In 1866 Colorado, Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter.

And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they'd planned.

Ethan doesn't expect Audra to affect him so profoundly, and when she begins to, he's terrified of the pain he's felt before when someone he loved was seriously injured on his watch. He's determined that his new wife will do as he says so he can keep her safe from the dangers that lurk on their ranch.

Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another--and they've done a poor job of it. Now she's planning to stand up for herself. And her new husband had better agree or get out of her way!

What will it take to transform two wayward hearts fearful of getting in too deep into two trusting hearts ready to risk falling deeply in love?

Mary, I'm delighted to read all of this. As you remember, I knew you quite awhile before you were published, even mentored you a bit. Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

Well, Lena, I am the more average person who ever lived. Aside from this lovely writing thing I’ve got going, I’m just so normal that there isn’t much to tell.

I’m third of eight kids. I grew up in a tiny farmhouse. I married my high school sweetheart and we have four grown daughters. I was a stay at home mom for 27 years. STOP! Just stop, Mary! It’s too boring!

How did you become interested in writing?           

The thing that made me start was a combination of events that happened right at the same time. I had a good friend who started interviewing every living WWII soldier in our country. She and a friend interviewed dozens of veterans and wrote a book that was really fun to read and caught such a fascinating bit of history. That inspired me to start writing but I didn’t want to interview people. I wanted to write a romance novel.

At about this same time my daughter, probably 10 or 12 at the time, wrote a book for a school assignment. It wasn’t long and it probably wasn’t good writing craft, but it was a great story. Really imaginative and fun. I said, “Let me take your story and make it longer and turn it into a real book. She said, “Write your own book and keep your paws off mine!” So I did.               

What compelled you to write a book on this subject?

Thirty-four years ago I took a tour of Carlsbad Cavern and was mentally transported back in time to the first guy who ever saw the place. I can still remember that moment of being transported so vividly I wrote a series of romance novels about it.

My one and only trip to Carlsbad Cavern was about 34 years ago. I didn’t write my first book until about sixteen years after that vacation. But when I did start, I had a LOT of ideas, this was one of them. What would it have been like to be the first person to go into that cavern?

When we walked through Carlsbad there was a nice sturdy fence, roping off all the dangerous pits. There were lights everywhere and we could see the beauty and we were completely protected from all the danger. But what if you’d gone in there with no idea what it was?

What if you’d seen bats fly up out of a hole in the ground and went to look for where they’d come from and found a deep, black hole? What if you were curious, as was Jim White, the first man on record as being in Carlsbad Cavern, and you got a long rope and lowered yourself down? There are bottomless pits…okay, they probably have a bottom eventually, but I suspect the bottom is way, way, way too far down to be anything but deadly.

It’s pitch black. There are beautiful things—stunningly beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Water dripping, building those rock formations. You’d be drawn by the glimpses of beauty. Your only light is a lantern or a handmade torch or a candle. You'd be fascinated and, if you weren’t really careful, you’d be dead in no time.

When I walked through Carlsbad Cavern, long before I’d ever thought of writing a book, I was writing a book. And it stayed with me until finally it was time. I fictionalized the cavern because the true history of Carlsbad is so well known I couldn’t be faithful to it.

What is the main theme or point that you want readers to understand from reading your book? Are there any other themes present in the book?

The main theme of In Too Deep is conquering fear.

My hero Ethan is afraid of that cavern and he’s a man so he’s handling an emotion he sees a weak as badly as possible. The heroine Audra has spent her whole life afraid and now she looks back at her life and sees that she’s let her fear lead her into a terrible situation and she’s determined to not be afraid any longer. To take charge. And then she’s pretty much forced into a marriage with Ethan, not exactly the “take charge” plan she had going. So she decides maybe she’ll try and take charge of Ethan and she’s so cute trying to boss him around, he lets her do it as much as possible.

                                                                                                                                                           

Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

Not really, I just want my readers to have as much fun as humanly possible reading a book. If they learn a lesson, well, good for them. I probably put it in there by accident.

What makes your book different than any other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?

You know, Lena, in all modesty, I honestly do think my books are different from any other books in circulation today. I’m not even sure that’s a good thing. I write inspirational, suspenseful, historical western romantic comedies. I invented my own genre. Don’t try this at home.

     

How does the book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him?

I hope my books serve God. I’m so amazed that I’m getting them published that it seems like all the blessings are flowing to me I hope God makes my books say more than I am capable of making them say.

Do you have a favorite Scripture verse?

I do, Lena but I’m not telling. I’m using it as a password on about half my social networks. I’m afraid my favorite will have to remain a deep, dark secret. HOWEVER, one of my favorites is closely attached to this book: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

Do you have any hobbies? I read and I do crossword puzzles. I know, my life is so thrilling you are swamped with jealousy. I apologize.

As we close, is there anything else you would like to add?

I love doing your blog, Lena. Thanks for letting me stop in once in a while.

I really love having you come by, Mary. And I love, love, love your books, especially this series. In my younger life, I was a spelunker. Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

If you’d like to find me online here are a few places to look.

Seekerville
Petticoats & Pistols
My Blog
My Website

I’ve also got a newsletter you can sign up for: http://www.maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html

And I’m on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy

And Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryconnealy

Thank you for the interesting (not boring) interview today, Mary.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

In Too Deep (The Kincaid Brides) - paperback
In Too Deep (The Kincaid Brides) - Kindle


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