I co-authored Christmas Next Door with Susan
Page Davis. The original concept for the book was her idea. We tweaked it a
little by adding the mystery element. I came up with my own novella ideas
though.
Are these stories connected in some way?
Yes, quite a bit. All four novellas are set in the same
small Texas town. You’ll see repeating characters from story to story, and there
is a repeating mystery that happens each Christmas.
What are you reading right now?
The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter
How many other books have you had published?
50
Me, too. My last book that released was in November, and
it was number 50. What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a
collection?
It’s definitely coordinating things. Characters have to act
and look the same in my stories and Susan’s. We had a town map and a guide,
which helped us keep everything straight. If we added a new character or big
event, we had to make sure to tell one another. I will say it was much easier
to coordinate this story with Susan than it was others I’ve done where there
are 4 – 7 authors.
How did collaborating with this team impact you?
Not much. Susan and I are good friends, so it was pretty painless.
It was fun working so closely together on this collection.
What did you want the reader to take away from your
story?
First off, I hope the reader is entertained and is able to
escape his/her normal life for a few hours. Also, I hope the faith message is inspiring.
Please give us a peek into your story. Well, I had two
stories.
The Marshal Next Door is about the town
marshal, who is raising his identical twin sisters after their parents died in
an accident. The twins are almost fifteen and wanting to step out with a couple
of boys. Justin, my hero, chases the fellows away with his rifle. Things go
missing in town, and fingers are pointed at the twins. Justin solicits help
from his pretty neighbor, who keeps the girls occupied by helping them improve
their sewing and cooking skills. Justin is attracted to his neighbor, but he
doesn’t have time to woo her. He must get to the root of the thefts, even if it
means arresting his own sisters.
The Outlaw Next Door is the story of a man with
a past. Dane runs the town livery he inherited from his mentor. Regina, the town
preacher’s only daughter, rents a buggy from him several times a week to go on
visitations with her mother. Dane is attracted to sweet and pretty Regina, but
he knows there’s little hope a good woman like her would be interested in a man
with a shady past. When outlaws capture Regina, Dane fears for her life. He
must help her, even if it means revealing his past to her father and the marshal.
What is the best piece of advice you received as an
author?
I guess it would have to be to just keep writing. At one of
the first conferences I attended, a speaker passed around a tin of buttons and
told us each to take one. She said they were the key to writing. At the end of
the class, she told us to keep the button near our computers as a reminder to
keep your “butt on” the chair and to keep writing, because a writer writes.
Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Newsletter sign-up: https://madmimi.com/signups/80262/join
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonough
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickiemcdonough
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/vickiemcdonough
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/VickieMcDonough/
Heroes, Heroines, and History blog: http://HHHistory.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/vickieamcdonough
Thanks so much, Lena, for letting me share about my newest
release!
It’s always fun to host you here on my blog. And since both
you and Susan Page Davis are good friends of mine, I’m glad to do this book.
Readers,
here are links to the book.
Christmas Next Door - Christianbook.comChristmas Next Door: 4 Stories of Love Found Close to Home
- Amazon PaperbookChristmas Next Door: 4 Stories of Love Found Close to Home - Kindle
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