A DAUGHTER'S COURAGE - Misty M Beller - One Free Book

Welcome back, Misty. Where do you write? I dictate my stories into an app on my phone, and I usually do it while I’m walking outside. I’ve found movement really helps my creativity. With this book though, I was actually heavily pregnant (and sick) so I wasn’t able to walk. I dictated most of it from either my bed or the couch. J

When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? At any given time, I usually have a series releasing that I’m publishing myself and also a series being published by Bethany House Publishers. I was excited to partner with Bethany House for this Brides of Laurent series, because it’s such a fun setting! Laurent is a secret French village that’s been hidden in caves in the Canadian Rockies for over a hundred years.

What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing? My 5 kiddos definitely keep me busy! We love to go camping, and we all love music. I was a music major in college, piano concentration. Both of my older girls play piano too, and my oldest also plays every form of guitar she can get her hands on. J Three of our kids also play soccer, so I spend a lot of time at the soccer fields!

What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? This is always a tough question because there are so many things that are helpful!

First, place your writing journey in God’s hands. Seek Him above everything, and He’ll lead You along the path He’s chosen to reach His very best for you!

Second, read a LOT. Read in your genre. Read writing craft books. Absorb everything you can.

Third, join a writing organization that focuses on the type of books you write. Joining ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) was one of the most helpful things I’ve done to grow as a writer. I’ll always be grateful to the organization, and I do my best to give back as often as I can. I’m also a member of Novelists, Inc. (for career novelists).

What is your favorite book? Favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? So hard to pick favorites! Jane Austen and her books are all favorite classics. For authors still alive, Kristen Heitzmann and Deanne Gist are definitely favorites, and both helped inspire me when I began writing.

Where did you get the idea for A Daughter’s Courage? Charlotte, the heroine in A Daughter’s Courage is the little sister of the heroine from book 1. I knew I wanted this story to be a journey away from Laurent, so Charlotte could get away from the shadow of her family and have her own adventure. My brainstorming group helped me come up with the idea for her mission to find an artisan who can repair her village’s special chalice…and the special twist at the end of the story!

From idea to final revision, how long did it take to write? I began writing A Daughter’s Courage at the beginning of July 2021 and turned in the final manuscript to my publisher (Bethany House) on October 29, 2021. It was a race to finish the book before I gave birth to our daughter Leah, and I made it with just 5 days to spare!

Are you working on anything now? Yes! I’m writing book 2 in a new series for Bethany House! The series is called Sisters of the Rockies and follows four sisters who travel west in 1837 to accomplish their father’s dying wish. They arrive in time for the trappers’ rendezvous, and boy is it different from what they imagined! Book 1, Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, will release in May 2023, and book 2 that I’m currently writing will release in November 2023. I can’t wait for you to read this series!

I’m eager to read it already. Please tell us about A Daughter’s Courage.

I’d love to!

After accidentally destroying the intricately carved chalice her people have treasured for over a hundred years, Charlotte Durand sets out in search of a skilled artisan who can repair the damage. What she expected to be a two-day trek becomes much more daunting when a treacherous snowstorm sets in.
Searching for solitude and respite from his troubling past, the last thing Damien Levette needs in the middle of a mountain blizzard is to tend to another person, but he can't leave behind the mysterious woman he found half frozen at the edge of a mountain lake.
As they battle both the elements and their distrust of each other, Charlotte and Damien must work together to survive the peril of the mountains—or it could be the downfall of them both.

Please give us a peek at the first page of the book.

September 1817
Rocky Mountains, Rupert’s Land (Future Canada)

Cooking fulfilled Charlotte Durand like little else did.

Maybe not the act of slicing meat and stirring stew over a hot fire, but the steps required to ensure each morsel she prepared would bring her family pleasure. That her food would nourish and strengthen. And, in this case, furnish the setting for a celebration.

The trading party had returned from Fort Versailles.

Laurent’s council had finally opened their solitary village to a small bit of trade with the fort located two days’ ride to the east, but only a couple men went at a time. For this journey, Erik and Monsieur Rochette had been gone five days, returning this afternoon with heaping packs of supplies.

Tonight, their table would be overflowing just like the traders’ packs, and she had so many final preparations to finish. In less than an hour, both men would sup at the Durand table to share news. Who knew what fascinating tidings they’d bring this time? So many people passed in and out of the fort’s log walls. . . . Charlotte couldn’t imagine meeting so many strangers every day.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet? I love to connect with readers! One of my favorite ways is through my newsletter, and readers can get a free copy of my book, A Pony Express Romance, when they sign up for the newsletter. Here’s the link for that: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook

I can also be found at these links:

https://mistymbeller.com/

https://amazon.com/author/mistymbeller

https://www.facebook.com/MistyMBellerAuthor

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/misty-m-beller

https://www.goodreads.com/MistyMBeller

http://www.pinterest.com/MistyMBeller

Thank you, Misty for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I love reading your books.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Daughters-Courage-Brides-Laurent/dp/076423806X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667406856&sr=1-1 

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