Welcome back, Jayme. Why
do you write the kind of books you do?
I’m a storyteller (birthed from what I prefer to call
tall-tales told as a child) and hanging out with my imagination is a favorite
pastime. For me, fiction comes naturally, especially when history, art, and
elements of love intertwine.
Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
Amen to that! The others include marrying my husband nearly
28 years ago and the births of my three boys. Of course, bringing home our
female Golden Retriever was a milestone among a house of males.
How has being
published changed your life?
It didn’t happen immediately, but after committing to write
more books, I stepped out of my twenty-year career as an elementary classroom
and art teacher. Even though I’m convinced that, “once a teacher, always a
teacher,” the extra time opened up several writing opportunities. I still tutor
and teach art at my long-time studio, but my focus is writing—and I love it!
What are you reading
right now?
A giant stack! Actually, I have two stacks but they are
colliding into one, very Jenga-like tower. One stack has books about art
forgery, art theft, and art history in preparation for my new series. The other
stack has a special little gem, out-of-print long ago, but one of the best
books I’ve read – Pioneering in the San
Juan by George Darley. It’s his account as a Presbyterian minister going
into the wild areas and mining camps in remote Colorado
Sounds interesting. I
love reading books written in different historical eras. What is your current
work in progress?
Ah, a little spoiler above … I’m taking on a contemporary series
that’s laced with twists and suspense. Even though it’s not historical, the
story of a famous 20th Century Modern painter is key in the plot and draws in
the past. Delving into a new genre has been both challenging and exhilarating.
What would be your
dream vacation?
Just the other day I was day-dreaming about resting under a
palm tree and running my hands and bare feet through white sand—sounds pretty
nice right about now! But, after a little nap in the sun and a dip in the ocean,
send me off to the south of France
How do you choose
your settings for each book?
Interesting question … I believe my characters dictate the
setting. Chasing the Butterfly grew
out of my travels to France
What are your
hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I am a painter and that hobby brings me immense joy and
relaxation. I also love to travel, play tennis, walk with my dog, and ski the
beautiful Colorado
What is your most
difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
In initial drafts, I tend to write free form and
descriptions and dialogue get long and complicated. I have to step away from my
writing, often for several days, and then I read it with new eyes and
voice—always making for much better writing! What I may have thought was
eloquent, witty, or crucial, is better chopped and diced.
What advice would you
give to a beginning author?
If you are inspired to write, believe in yourself, take it
on, and be patient in the process. I admit, writing books is one of the most
difficult things I’ve ever done, but it is gratifying to know that God uses
authors for his glory.
I grew up hearing about my “Oklahoma Grandma” and her
participation as a young, single woman in the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush. The time
seemed right to tell her story. Fortunately, my family had stacks of letters,
documents, and photographs that became the seeds of my research. Even though
her story is fictionalized, it is largely based on truth—even many of the
surprises! She was a strong woman—her faith, perseverance, and trust in God
helped her survive and flourish in a wild and unwelcoming frontier.
Here’s the back cover blurb for a little more:
Mary Louisa Roberts won the race of a lifetime … or so she
thought.
In competition with desperate homesteaders, ruthless land
seekers, and a sheriff determined to see her fail, Mary rides out on a horse to
strike her claim in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893. When she finally thrusts
her flag into the dirt, 160 acres becomes her own. But with that claim, she
risks more than she could ever imagine. A naïve school teacher and young mother
abandoned by her hard-drinking, gold-seeking husband—whom she believes to be
dead—Mary is faced with letting go of a past riddled with loss, hardship, and
reminders that a woman isn’t capable of surviving on her own.
Daniel McKenzie, an illustrative journalist sent on
assignment to document the race, has his own past to forget. Bound by a lost
love and guilt from a haunting event in the streets of Boston
Will Mary’s and Daniel’s stubborn and independent spirits
keep them mired in the past? Or will two broken hearts find forgiveness and
love in the wild plains of the Midwest ?
Please give us the
first page of the book for my readers.
Mary ~ Alone, Missouri
I can’t stop shivering when I sleep alone.
As I pulled the threadbare quilt higher, daybreak peeked in
the window. Morning already, and he didn’t come home again last night.
Disappointment and relief played tug-of-war in my mind. But what kind of wife
did that make me, relieved my husband didn’t come home?
My eyes followed a crack in the ceiling that ran like a
river going nowhere. My hands rested on my flat belly, wishing for it to swell
again with a baby. But that was nonsense. There was no new life in me. How
could there be when I felt as though I were dying inside? Besides, having
another child wouldn’t make things better.
Tossing the quilt aside, I slid out of bed. The floorboards
creaked beneath my feet. Despite the heat, I still wore Tuck’s grayed wool
socks, slipped on last night before crawling into bed. When darkness fell on Adair County , Missouri
I pulled my shawl from the iron hook and wrapped it tightly
around my bare shoulders and thin, cotton nightdress. The logs from last
night’s cooking had burned down hours ago. Only a faint glimmer of red pulsed
from the ashes, determined to gain a last breath. I used the poker to rustle
the fragile remains, urging them to life once again. A small flame darted, then
receded as quickly as it had lashed out, reminding me of my own hurt and anger
that was squelching the love I once had for my husband. But love was a
requirement, wasn’t it? Especially for our son, six-year-old Wesley, who lay
sleeping in the other room.
I, Aaron “Tuck” Roberts, take you, Mary Louisa Johnston, to
be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse,
for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish;
until death do us part.
The promises were made nearly ten years earlier when the
leaves were brilliant, and I was twenty-two. Like so many others, my husband’s
sights—as well as my own—were focused on eventually heading west for a chance
at a better life. Now, the words he promised played over and over in my mind,
slowly losing momentum like the record on the phonograph, winding down, then
silent.
The window felt cool as my head rested against the glass.
“He’ll be home soon,” I whispered, wiping away tears that lately came too
easily. Outside, the dirt road took on an auburn haze—the mid-July sun
promising a new day.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
Visit Jayme’s website: www.jaymehmansfield.com to join her
newsletter.
Jayme’s blog http://bit.ly/2FwTiL1
Amazon Author page: http://amzn.to/2BFZbU5
Goodreads Author page: http://bit.ly/2nu0dgQ
Twitter: @jaymemansfield
Instagram: jaymemansfield
Readers, here are links to the book.
Rush
- PaperbackRUSH - Kindle
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