THE MARSHAL'S PROMISE - Rhonda Gibson - Free Book

Welcome, Rhonda, you have a very hunky cover there. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

You are so right, Lena. God has blessed my writing life and I give Him all the glory. I’m prayful that I will continue to sell to Harlequin in their Love Inspired Historical line. 

Tell us a little about your family.

Grin… just a little. You know how I love to talk about my family J First off, James and I have been married 27 years this coming May. He was my high school sweetheart. We have two beautiful children and two perfect grandgirls. Yes, I said perfect! LOL

You are married to a James as I am. So many of my good writing buddies have their own wonderful James. We are blessed. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I’m afraid so. I still read romance but now when I want to read for pure pleasure, I read cozy mysteries, fantasy, YA, and even kids books.

Why? Because when I’m reading romance, I tend to pick the book apart. How so? Well, I want to see how soon their hero and heroine meet, what is their conflict, I ask myself if I think this author is a seat of the pants writer or a plotter. I love romance and continue to read them and the author has to do an outstanding job to suck me totally into the book.

What are you working on right now?

I just started a third book for Love Inspired. It too is a historical. It is Hannah’s story. She is one of two best friends to my heroine, Rebecca, in The Marshal’s Promise.

What outside interests do you have?

Recently, James and I have started Geocaching. We both love it! For those who don’t know what geocaching is, a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online. I love it because, I love the outdoors and this game is an outdoor game and I’ve been getting LOTS of exercise.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Each book is different. Sometimes the editors ask for a certain setting. Other times I stumble across a place I would like to learn more about or visit. As I explore these settings either via internet or actually visiting them, I soon see characters in these settings.

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

Mary Fields because she was born a slave but once freed she lived by her wits and her strength. In 1895 she found a job that suited her, as a U.S. mail coach driver for the Cascade County region of central Montana. She and her mule Moses, never missed a day, and it was in this capacity that she earned her nickname of "Stagecoach," for her unfailing reliability. I would love to ask her to let me write her biography. I’d like to know why she never married. The romantic in me wanted her to find love on that coach. Someday she might, if I get the chance to write her story J

I love historical tidbits like that. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

How to plan out a full time writing schedule. It has taken me years to figure it out and a steady schedule is still hard to maintain for me.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Patience. Like everyone else I want everything now! Don’t ask for patience, unless you are willing to have it tested and tested and tested. J God is a good God. When I fail, He lets me keep working on it until I get it right. So we are still working on being patient with others, especially when they are moody, wrong (in my eyes) and just not doing things “my” way.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1.      Pray before you start writing.

2.      Always consult the Lord before taking on a new project.

3.      Remember, you are a writer/author and you have to learn to say NO. Guard your writing time.

Tell us about the featured book.

My husband and I often brainstorm books together. The Marshal’s Promise was born from one of those brainstorming sessions and the concept of the book was James’s idea. He loved the title Jesse’s Girl and suggested I do a mail-order bride book where the hero falls in love with Jesse’s girl. I took that idea and came up with this:

Mail-order bride Rebecca Ramsey arrives in the New Mexico territory full of dreams—but they're shattered when she discovers her intended husband has been killed. If it weren't for U.S. marshal Seth Billings's housekeeping job offer, she'd have nowhere to go. Rebecca loves tending to Seth's home, but the strong and silent lawman is harder to figure out. What secret is he hiding?

Caring for Jesse Cole's would-be bride is the least Seth can do. If it weren't for him, the young man would still be alive. Seth had promised to look after Rebecca—and to keep her safe from Jesse's enemies. Now if only he can keep his heart safe, as well.

Sounds like a story I’ll love reading. Please give us the first page of the book.

Fictional town: Cottonwood Springs, New Mexico Territory

1885   

“Please don’t cry, Miss Rebecca.”

“I’m not crying,” Rebecca Ramsey brushed at the tears that had caught her by surprise. “I-I’ve got something in my eye.”

Grace Miller’s young eyes chided her less than honest answer.

“Yes I am crying. I shouldn’t have fibbed about it. Please forgive me?” At the child’s nod Rebecca continued, “I never expected Mr. Cole to be dead.”

Rebecca tried to ignore the presence of Marshal Seth Billings standing beside the door. He had been the bearer of the bad news and now he held his hat in his hands, waiting for her reaction. She could feel his sorrowful brown eyes boring into her.

The rich texture of his voice drifted across the short space between them. “I’ll be happy to pay your train ticket back to Maryland, Miss Ramsey.”

What did she have to go back to Maryland for? Her stepmother had made it clear she was no longer needed in her father’s house. The only job for a woman of twenty was personal maid to the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Ellicott City.  She didn’t like the job or the daughter. No, Rebecca Ramsey would not be returning to Maryland any time soon. She squared her shoulders and stood. “Thank you, Marshal but that won’t be necessary.”

Seth Billings gritted his teeth, the muscles worked in his jaw. “What will you do then?” His harsh words cut through her tattered emotions. 

Fresh tears threatened to spill over. Rebecca cleared her throat. She wouldn’t let it close up on her now. “I will think of something, Marshal. Thank you for coming by and telling me about …” She couldn’t finish the sentence and the words hung in the tense room like the scent of burnt bread.

Yes. I definitely must read this book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My webpage is: www.rhondagibson.net

My blog is: http://rhondagibson.blogspot.com/

And if you like recipes, I have a blog where other writers as well as I share our recipes.

http://recipesfromrhondascollection.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Rhonda, for another fun interview.


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The Marshal's Promise (Love Inspired Historical) - paperback
The Marshal's Promise (Love Inspired Historical) - Kindle


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