MARK OF THE KING - Jocelyn Green - One Free Book, Plus More

BIO: Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including Wedded to War, a Christy Award finalist in 2013, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Jocelyn lives with her husband and two children in Iowa.

Welcome back, Jocelyn, Tell us about your salvation experience.

I was only four years old but I remember it clearly. It was a simple, ordinary day. My mom was sorting laundry and my seven-year-old brother and I were hanging around, chatting as she did so. I made some comment about how I knew so many Bible stories, I thought I must know it all. Perfect segue for my mom to tell me it was more important to know God, than to know about Him. She and my brother tag-teamed in explaining that I needed to invite Jesus to be my Savior, and that knowing every story was not enough for me to have a relationship with Christ. It was my brother who led me in prayer as I received Christ as my Savior that day. As it happens, I was his first “convert”—he went on to become a missionary for many years, and is now a pastor. J

What a beautiful experience! You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?
What a tough question! I know so many, but I’ll go with: Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, J.M. Hochstetler, and Jody Hedlund, because they have all written stories set in the same century as the one I’m working on right now (eighteenth-century) and it would be so nice to just ask one of them some random detail question about clothing or culture or food or etymology, rather than poring over stacks of research books to find the needle in the haystack answer.

Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.
I do speak to a variety of audiences, because I’ve written both nonfiction and fiction. I speak to military audiences, writers or aspiring writers, libraries, church or civic groups, women’s groups, and book clubs. For a list of popular topics, visit http://www.jocelyngreen.com/speaking.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?
One of the very few times I worked out in the fitness center at college, I quickly became bored while speed-walking on the treadmill. It faced the stair-steppers, and looking straight ahead at them seemed awkward to me. So I closed my eyes to imagine I was actually walking through a beautiful forest. In short order, I stepped halfway off the treadmill, and totally wiped out, but in a sort of slow motion. I wasn’t even running. I was just walking, and I fell off, with all the stair-steppers watching. Everyone asked if I was OK, and I assured them I was. Then with beet red face I climbed back on and kept on walking. This time I kept my eyes open. I was laughing pretty hard because my roommate was three treadmills down from me, and she was laughing hysterically. It didn’t look like we had come together, it just looked like she was really mean. I got such a kick out of that.

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?
If they are just telling me they’d like to write a book someday, I just say something like, “That’s great! Good for you.” But if they ask me for advice, I usually tell them to read voraciously, study the craft, and attend as many quality writers’ conferences as they can. If they seem like they want more advice, I tell them to visit my Web site and click the tab “On Writing” at the top of the page where I give my best advice for aspiring writers.

Tell us about the featured book.

After the death of her client, midwife Julianne Chevalier is imprisoned and branded, marking her as a criminal beyond redemption. Hoping to reunite with her brother, a soldier, she trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling French colony of Louisiana. The price of her transport, however, is a forced marriage to a fellow convict.

New Orleans is nothing like Julianne expects. The settlement is steeped in mud and mosquitoes, and there is no news of her brother, Benjamin. When tragedy strikes, she turns to military officer Marc-Paul Girard for help, but does he know more about her brother than he will admit?

With her dreams shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous land, where only grace--and love--can overcome the stigma of the king's mark upon her shoulder.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Paris, France

May 1719

“You shouldn’t be here.” With gentle authority, Julianne Chevalier ushered a man twice her age to the doorway of his young wife’s lying-in chamber.

“You have what you need?” Toulouse Mercier looked over Julianne’s head, toward Marguerite. “My first wife died in childbirth. I cannot lose Marguerite too. Or the baby.” He gripped Julianne’s arm, pulling her close enough to smell the pomade on his wig and to see the powder dusting the shoulders of his black robe. “Marguerite lost the last baby. The last midwife did not bleed Marguerite, and so we lost the baby before it was fully formed. Please.”

Gritting her teeth, Julianne peeled Toulouse’s fingers from her arm and gave them a reassuring squeeze before releasing them. “Oui, monsieur, we have bled her monthly as required, and today of all days will be no different. Now, am I to attend any further questions, or shall I attend your wife instead?”

His watery blue eyes snapped as if woken from a trance. “I am away. If you require the surgeon, I’ll fetch him posthaste.”

“I’ll notify you at once should such a measure become necessary.” With a firm nod, Julianne watched Toulouse bow out of the room and closed the door. As she unpinned her lace cap from the curls that crowned her head, she swept to Marguerite’s bed, where Adelaide Le Brun already stood watch. Julianne had completed her three-year apprenticeship under Adelaide months ago, but Toulouse insisted on having the seasoned midwife present for the birth.

“You will help me?” Marguerite’s voice quaked as she reached for Julianne’s hand.

“With all that I am.” Julianne smiled as she unpacked her supplies and tied her birthing apron over her skirt, pinning the bib to her bodice.

“I’m so afraid.” Marguerite’s lips trembled. At sixteen years, she was nine years Julianne’s junior, and dangerously slight of frame.

“We have taken every precaution.” Her fingernails trimmed short, round, and smooth, Julianne gently probed Marguerite’s belly through the thin sheet covering her. “Today will be no different.” Throughout the pregnancy, Julianne had gathered this sparrow of a girl under her wing, providing linseed oils to help her skin’s elasticity, wraps to support the weight of the child, and advice on what to expect.

Adelaide stood by Marguerite’s head, speaking encouragement to her in low, practiced tones. With greased fingers, Julianne reached under the linen, and with her eyes still on Marguerite’s face, skirted the neck of the womb. It was still small and unwilling.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Web site: www.JocelynGreen.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jocelyngreenauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jocelyngreen77
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jocelyngreen77
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/JocelynGreen 

Love HistoricalFiction? Enter to win one of FIVE copies of Jocelyn Green's new book! http://bit.ly/2ixOA8U

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The Mark of the King - Christianbook.com
The Mark of the King - Amazon
The Mark of the King - Kindle

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