HEARTBEATS IN TIME - Mary Davis plus other authors - One Free Book

Bio: MARY DAVIS is a bestselling, award-winning novelist of over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her 2018 titles include; “Holly and Ivy” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection (January), Courting Her Amish Heart (March), The Widow’s Plight (July), Courting Her Secret Heart (September), “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection  (December), and Courting Her Prodigal Heart (January 2019). Coming in 2019, The Daughter's Predicament (May) and “Bygones” in Thimbles and Threads (July). She is a member of ACFW and an active critique group member.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty-four years and two cats. She has three adult children and two incredibly adorable grandchildren.

Welcome back, Mary. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I write Christian romance because that’s what I most like to read. It’s what speaks to my heart and soul. The Lord has infinite ways to touch our hearts and souls, mine is romance. I write both historical and contemporary romance and some mystery romance.

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

The day my first child was born. I had always wanted to be a mother, and I’d had a miscarriage before him, so he made me a mommy. Now he has given me two adorable granddaughters.

Grandchildren are fun, aren’t they? So are great-grandchildren. How has being published changed your life?

It gave me a validation that this was indeed what the Lord called me to do and not just selfish musings.

As writers, we all need that validation. What are you reading right now?

I’m reading two past novella collections I’m in. I didn’t have time when they came out to read the other authors’ stories in them and am enjoying them. One is The MissAdventure Brides Collection and the other is The American Heiress Brides Collection. I’m also reading A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser, a book about dealing with loss.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m writing book 3 in my Quilting Circle series, The Damsel’s Intent ~ A hermit comes out of the mountains to snag a husband, and the quilting circle ladies are just the ones to help her succeed. Book 1 in this series, The Widow’s Plight, is included in the HEARTBEATS IN TIME box set. Book 2 in my quilting series, The Daughter’s Predicament, released May 1st.

What would be your dream vacation?

Lately, I’ve been dreaming of taking my adult children, their spouses, and my grandchildren to Disneyland. I went there as a child and then again for my honeymoon. I want to go back. There are many other places I dream of going, but right now, as silly as it may sound, Disneyland is at the top of my list. What better place than a land based on make-believe for an author who makes up stories?

You’re right about that. How do you choose your setting for each book?

Each book is different. It really depends on the story and what setting it needs. If I can, I try to set stories in my home state of Washington. It has such a rich history. And now that I'm back, it’s easier to do local research. But if a story demands another location, then that’s where I set it. Historical events and people will also determine location and setting. I’ve set stories in many locations outside of Washington State.

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

My granddaughter Katie. She just turned one, and I haven’t even met her in person yet. Over the computer just isn’t the same. I’m dying to hold her.

My youngest great-granddaughter turned one this month. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love doing various crafts; quilting, sewing, porcelain doll making, crocheting, knitting, and I’m eager to try my hand at making junk journals.

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

Spelling! I can’t spell my way out of a wet paper bag to save my life. One of these days, SpellChecker is going to quit telling me how to spell the same words over and over and over and over. I’m dyslexic, so spelling is a bit of a mystery to me. There are some words I can’t get close enough for SpellChecker to even have a guess at what I’m trying to spell. “No Spelling Suggestion.” Grrr. So I pull out my trusty thesaurus, look up a synonym that I do know how to spell, and in its synonyms is the word I want.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read. Read. READ. Write. Write. WRITE.

Read in the genre you want to write. Read in other genres as well. Read books on the craft of writing.

Write every day even for just a few minutes (or most every day). You can’t get better if you don’t write consistently. Give yourself permission to write badly—really badly. You can fix it when you go back and edit. But you can’t fix what’s not on the page.

Very good advice, especially the last sentence. Tell us about the featured book.

HEARTBEATS IN TIME is a set of 5 historical books of Old West Christian Romance (4 novels and 4 novellas) by 7 bestselling, award-winning authors. I’m proud to be in a set with these awesome authors! (Buy link: https://amzn.to/2VzRBoI)

THE NOVELS:

The Widow’s Plight (Book 1 in the Quilting Circle series) by Mary Davis

A single mother steps out of the shadows of abuse and into the sunshine. But will a secret clouding her past cost her the man she loves?

Finding Love In Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell

A young woman on her own after the death of her father, tries to run the family ranch while solving the mystery of sabotage--can a wandering cowboy with a young son help solve her problems and possibly bring love into her life?

Dreams of My Heart by Barbara Scott

Can a reluctant bride and her new husband fall in love despite their wounded hearts?

Hills of Nevermore by Janalyn Voigt

Can a young widow hide her secret shame from the Irish preacher bent on helping her survive? Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest, Hills of Nevermore explores faith, love, and courage in the Wild West.

THE NOVELLAS:

Heart of a Cowboy Novella Collection--four Old West romances

“Hearts in Pursuit” by Susan Page Davis

~Can Abby and Sam fight their way through danger and violence and live long enough to find love?

“Hearts Reunited” by Miralee Ferrell

~Taylor is determined to save her ranch after her father’s death, but she won’t let anyone help—especially not her old friend Jesse Townsend.

“Have Dress, Will Marry” by Yvonne Lehman

~Julie Hayes must escape from Wildcat Mountain. Her only hope is to approach the cowboy, saddleback preacher Timothy Sullivan, and ask him to marry her.

“The Hand-Me-Down Husband” by Vickie McDonough

~Ellen didn’t want a hand-me-down husband, but could their marriage be God’s will for them both?

I love reading books by all these authors.Please give us the first page of the book.

The Widow’s Plight, Central Washington State1893

Lily Lexington Bremmer would never let anyone hurt her son again. She stared at the fading green and yellow bruises on her five-year-old son’s neck and pictured the others on his small body. As he lay with his head in her lap, the train rocked back and forth, his arm wrapped around the little toy train engine she’d bought him at one of the stops. It was carved of wood and painted. He didn’t play with it, merely held it in the crook of his arm.

She combed her fingers through his nearly black soft curls. Her poor son hadn’t had toys to play with. But now things were different. The toy train would be the first of many.

The train they rode rattled along the track. The Pullman passenger car held nearly thirty people in the twenty seats. Most of the passengers hadn’t taken notice of her or her son. People had come and gone, come and gone over the week-long trip. She was ready to leave this train for good, stretch her legs, breathe fresh air, and wash off the soot and dirt of the journey.

She had moved near the front of the car when a seat had opened up. She didn’t know why, but she felt safer there. Closer to the door. Closer to an escape.

The well-groomed man across the aisle in a charcoal-gray business suit tossed glances her direction every few minutes. His attention heightened the nervousness of her already jittery insides. Was he interested in her? Or was he trying to puzzle out how a fair-skinned, blond-haired, blue-eyed woman could have a son with olive skin, dark hair, and rich brown eyes? No matter their contrasting appearances, he was her son.

The train’s steam whistle blew long and loud. Then the conductor strolled through the car. “Next stop Kamola.”

Leaning down to where her narrow-brimmed straw hat rested against the wall under the window, she retrieved it and pulled out the two adorned hatpins. She secured the hat onto her head as the train rolled into the station and shuddered to a stop.

Lily had run almost as far from her past as she could physically get. Clear across the country.

Toby would be safe here.

I’m eager to read the rest of the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Newsletter 

Blog 

FB 

FB Readers Group 

Amazon 

GoodReads 

BookBub

Thank you, Mary, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. I know they will enjoy all of the stories by these wonderful authors.

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