BANDIT'S HOPE - Marcia Gruver - Free Book

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

God saved me at a very young age, eight years old to be exact. I immediately sensed that everything important had changed forever. I’d love to report that I lived a life of total surrender from that moment on, but I’m a slow learner. After too many tumultuous years away from God, we reconnected in my late twenties. I discovered that, though I’d tried to walk away, He’d been beside me all along. I made more mistakes, of course, but I’d drawn a firm line in the sand. Come what may, I wanted no part of life without Him.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

One, an aspiring author who I would try to dissuade from this crazy writing life.

Two, a brand new author who I’d offer to mentor.

Three, a contemporary to commiserate with.

Four, an author who’s sold a million copies so I can pick his/her brain and suggest we co-author the next bestseller.

If one and three sound negative, it’s not my intent. Writing is an all-consuming profession that not many people are ready for, whether they think so or not. Those I couldn’t talk out of it belong there. Those who have already taken the plunge are well aware it’s a love/hate lifestyle fraught with highs and lows.

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?

I always tell them I’ll be glad to help. I explain the process, involving hours spent writing first drafts, poring over books on craft, checking style manuals, submitting your work to critique groups, joining online communities, attending conferences to pitch your work to editors and agents, etc. If their eyes don’t glaze with fear, I figure they must be serious.

At what point do you stop proofing and editing and call a book done?

Writers are an insecure lot. Seldom are we satisfied with our finished product. I don’t think we ever stop tweaking our work. When I skim the pages of my published novels, I find myself still editing, wishing I’d written a line a different way or twisted the plot in a different direction.

Do you think reading other authors helps you as a writer? If so, who do you read?

I believe reading anything helps me as a writer. If there’s an author out there who wasn’t a reader first, I’d like to meet them. I think loving to read is part of the writer makeup. Who do I read? There’s no space here for that list. I have my favorites that I go back to repeatedly, but I love to discover new talent. I recently judged the ACFW Genesis Contest, and if those entries are an indication of the newly emerging pack of writers, I have stiff competition at my heels.

Tell us about the featured book.

In Bandit’s Hope we discover the fate of Tiller McRae, the runaway who disappears from North Carolina at the end of Raider’s Heart. In the years after he’s gone missing, Tiller’s been up to no good, running with a ruthless band of thieves along the Natchez Trace. Desperate to change his circumstances, he runs again--this time landing on the doorstep of Bell’s Inn near Canton, Mississippi. Tiller longs to pursue a relationship with the beautiful half-breed proprietress, but knows his shady past and secret life of crime take him out of the running for her heart and hand. Despite the danger he risks in staying, he finds it impossible to leave Bell’s Inn and sweet-faced Mariah Bell.

Mariah struggles with her attraction to the young man who has taken up residence at her boarding house, because his strength is the last thing she needs. After the secret death of her father, Mariah needs a weak and spineless husband to hide behind while she carries on as the new owner of Bell’s Inn. Handsome, take-charge, Tiller McRae, with his broad shoulders and manly ways will never do.

Can Mariah and Tiller escape the consequences of deception and find a way to be together?

Please give us the first page of the book.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36

One

Pearl River, on the Natchez Trace, June 1, 1882

Mariah Bell reached the bottom landing, stumbling under the weight of the most precious cross she’d ever had to bear. Balancing her father’s lifeless body as best she could, she reeled across the kitchen to the door she’d propped wide with her boots, a yawning gateway to the backyard and the early-morning darkness.

A breeze laden with the smell of magnolias met her at the stoop. The fragrant gust wrapped around her face, and her labored breaths sucked in the scent of the blooms. Mixed with the odor of Father’s pipe tobacco and the vile stench of his illness, the cloying wind threatened to turn her stomach.

Searching blindly with her toes, she found the top step then allowed the drag of her load to shift her forward and over the threshold. Heart pounding, her panting gasps a roar in her ears, Mariah tottered briefly at the edge of the second step.

Exhausted, she surrendered to the pull of the earth, and her trembling legs staggered wildly to the ground. When her bare feet touched the cold, wet grass, she glanced over her shoulder at the shaded windows of Bell’s Inn and whispered a grateful prayer.

If one curious lodger had peered out and caught her struggling along the hallway, knees bent beneath her unlikely burden, she’d be undone. With her clumsy gait and heavy tread, not to mention the squeaky step at the bottom of the stairs, it amazed her they hadn’t.

“Just a little farther,” Mariah whispered, a catch in her throat. “Almost there.”

If she could get Father’s remains secreted away without Mrs. Viola Ashmore, the most meddlesome woman in Mississippi, pressing her nose to an upstairs window, the unthinkable scheme might work.

Last night, the Widow Ashmore—Miss Vee, as she liked to be called—had returned from her sister’s down in Natchez. Her arrival threatened to ruin everything, and Mariah regretted the hasty decision to summon her home.

She trudged to the waiting wagon bed and eased Father down, her muscles straining from the effort to lower him gently. Clutching his nightshirt with determined fists, she lifted him aside to raise the tailgate.

Three months ago, toting him ten feet would’ve been impossible to imagine, despite her work-honed arms and sturdy Choctaw ancestry. Squinting in the moonlight at the dear face of the man who gave her life, his once burly frame reduced to a frail skeleton by the wasting disease, she bit off a cry of pain.

Not now, she ordered herself, choking on scalding tears. There’d be ample time for mourning once she hid the body. Covering up his disappearance would be another matter entirely.

From the time she’d leaned over Father’s sickbed the night before to find him still and cold, she’d known exactly what to do. She sat at his bedside until the parlor clock struck three times, long past the hour when even the restless Miss Vee had doused her lamp.

Slipping inside the barn, she’d hitched Sheki to the wagon and loaded a shovel before pulling around to the door. The hard part, the dreaded part, had been carrying Father through the house. It took all the strength she could muster, of both body and soul, but somehow she’d managed.

Mariah reached over the tailgate and smoothed his hair. “Forgive me, Aki,” she whispered. “It’s the only way.” Straightening, she wiped her eyes and steeled her trembling chin. She’d come this far, and she’d see it through.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Your readers can learn more about me at www.marciagruver.com . I’d love to hear from them on my contact page or ‘friend’ them on Facebook.


Thank you, Marcia. I love the peek into the book. Can't wait to read it.


Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Bandit's Hope (Backwoods Brides)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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RAIDER'S HEART - Marcia Gruver - Free Book

I'm excited about this new series, Marcia. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?


My books tend to have four distinct threads woven throughout or at least touched on. The themes most prevalent in my novels are salvation, forgiveness, parent/child relationships, and racial prejudice. Can’t seem to escape these topics, so perhaps they’re a calling of sorts. At least for now.

I know what you mean. Many of my my books touch on the same themes in varying ways. What other books of yours are coming out soon?

The fate of Reddick “Tiller” McRae, the impish but lovable boy the McRaes open hearth and home to, remains a bit of a mystery at the end of Raider’s Heart. In Bandit’s Hope (release date: October, 2011) we discover what happened to Tiller and the scandalous mischief he’s been about in the ten years since he’s been missing.

I'll put that on my schedule, too. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

I’m thinking Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world. Many people believe that acquiring great wealth will solve all their problems and ultimately make them happy. Since Bill is in a position to know, I’d like to ask him if he agrees.

I admire the way he and his wife have become philanthopists. What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Funny you should ask. After researching Raider’s Heart, I would love to meet Henry Berry Lowry, North Carolina’s infamous bad-boy/hero featured in the book. I first learned of Henry in a TV documentary where he was portrayed as irresistibly handsome and a tireless champion for his people.

There are very few pictures of Henry available, but from the written accounts, they hardly do him justice. Said to resemble a gypsy, he was known as the Don Juan of Scuffletown. Even the families of those he killed in the post civil war conflict called him one of the handsomest men they ever saw.

In The Swamp Outlaws by George Alfred Townsend, Henry is described in much detail. Some of his many charms are quoted below:

“His voice is sweet and pleasant, and in his manner there is nothing self-important or swaggering. He is not talkative, listens quietly, and searches out whoever is speaking to him like a man illiterate in all books save the two great books of nature, and human nature above all.”

“No man who stands face to face with him can resist his quiet will and assurance and his searching eye. Without fear, without hope, defying society. . .if he had lived ages ago he would have been a William the Conqueror.”

Sigh. . .

Yes, I’m a hopeless romantic. I confess to having quite a crush on Henry Berry Lowry by the time I finished my research.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Tell a good story! Studying trends and publisher’s guidelines are important, but without an interesting plotline and riveting characters, you’re wasting everyone’s time—including your own.

Tell us about the featured book.

Since I can’t say it better, allow me to answer with the back cover copy:

A Silly Little Lamp has turned Dawsey Wilkes's life upside down.

Hooper and Duncan McRae grew up hearing their father's tales of the little golden lamp that eluded his possession. Hooper, always the daring brother, seizes a once-in-a-lifetime chance when passing the Wilkes house to get a peek at the legendary lamp. But simple curiosity could open a Pandora's box of trouble for the McRaes.

Whisked from her opulent home in the middle of the night, Dawsey Wilkes wakes up deep in the Carolina swamps, the prisoner of a rowdy family who support the infamous Henry Berry Lowry, a vigilante intent on bringing justice to the poor.

Wooed by the competitive McRae brothers and shunned by their sister Ellie, Dawsey remains intent on getting back home to her ailing father. But has it been God's plan all along to unite these two very different families?

I know I'm going to love reading this. Please give us the first page of the book.

Fayetteville, North Carolina, 1852

Silas McRae crashed through the moonlit cornfield and burst out the other side panting like a hounded deer. Free of the noisy stalks, he lit out at full speed then tripped and kissed the bottom of an irrigation canal. Cursing his foolhardy decision to return to Fayetteville in the first place, he lifted his mud-smeared face and took stock of the situation.

He saw not a soul of his band of misfits across the wide expanse of newly mowed grounds, and no one hunkered along the tree line past the nearby manor. They’d cut out on him when the heat turned up. As simple as that.

A surge of warmth crept up his neck at the thought of the skirmish he’d just dodged. Every lead slug exploding from the end of a scattergun had missed him cold. Every indignant hand on the scruff of his neck had fallen away as he ran.

By thunder! He loved the thrill of the chase. The bulging knapsack of loot under his arm only topped the cake.

His roaming gaze eagerly swept the stately main house, and he closed his eyes for fear their sudden twinkle might be spotted from afar. It appeared his night of plunder wasn’t done. What treasure lay behind those gilded walls? Beckoning. . .

As stealthy as a panther, Silas crept toward the siren’s call. With any luck, he’d have a king’s portion to lay at Odie’s feet on his return. His lovely wife would be most proud.

He angled across the courtyard to the backside of the house and came to the first window. Squinting in disbelief, he watched the curtains gently swaying. With a sense of destiny, he raised the sash higher and peered inside. Cocking his head, his trained ears strained for the slightest noise.

Nothing.

Smiling, he swung his lithe body over the sash and soundlessly touched the floor. When his eyes adjusted to the meager light, he gasped.

Trinkets and charms of every description lined the top of the polished dresser. On one side a solid brass bell, a fine kerosene lantern on the other. In the center, a delicate silver tray held an infant’s brush and comb along with matching vessels of various shapes and sizes. Fanciful falderal, his for the taking.

He placed the lantern near the window to snatch up as he slipped out. But first. . .

Stuffing a crocheted doily into the mouth of the bell to silence the clapper, he opened his sack to add it and the silver pieces to his collection. Rubbing his hands together, he took inventory of the dusky room to see what might be next.

A glint of reflected moonlight caught his eye from across the room. He tiptoed toward it, amazed that the shimmer seemed suspended in midair. Closer inspection revealed an item displayed on a glass-topped table.

A chill shot up his spine. Had he stumbled across Aladdin’s magic cave?

The curious low-slung lamp had a long spout and ornate handle—fashioned of gold, if he knew his business. Breathless, he hefted it to test the weight and smiled.

Worth a fortune!

Rustling in the corner spun Silas toward the sound. More startled by what he saw than what he heard, he crept close for a better look. Heart racing, he parted the mosquito net draped around the crib and gazed at the unforeseen windfall.

A baby sat up in bed, propped by legs so fat they creased in impossible places. A white nightdress tucked under one side of its bum made it difficult for the little mite to stay upright. Struggling to keep its balance, the child stared at him with round, questioning eyes.

Laying aside the lamp, Silas’s hands inched forward, stopping when sudden creases feathered the delicate brow and the rosebud mouth puckered to cry.

Odie’s words flew at him like darts from the shadowed corners. “Promise me! Swear on your life you won’t steal a babe and leave its mother with empty arms—not even for me.”

He straightened and patted the pudgy leg. “S’alright, snippet. Don’t aim to hurt you none.”

With practiced hands, he eased the child down on the mattress, tucking the cover into the folds of its chubby neck. The delicate threads of the blanket were so fine, they snagged on the tips of his calloused fingers. “There you are, little one,” he cooed. “All snug in your bed.”

The baby blinked up with wary eyes.

Silas chuckled. “Don’t fret, now. Go on to sleep. Tomorrow’s another day.”

He carefully swept up the nearby bounty and bundled it into a spare knapsack. Satisfied, he nodded. “Your husband’s a man of his word, Odell McRae. What I take from this room will leave no empty arms behind.”

Crossing to the door, he cast one last glance at the sleeping baby in the cradle and nodded. “That’s right, good wife. A man of his word.”

Wow! Once again your opening really grabs me, Marcia. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers may contact me at http://www.marciagruver.com/. I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you, Marcia, for the thought-provoking interview.
 
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 6 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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EMMY'S EQUAL - Marcia Gruver - Free Book

Welcome back, Marcia. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Lena, the horizon is a bit distant for me to focus on these days. I’m learning to keep God in the driver’s seat. If I look too far ahead, I tend to slip behind the wheel and wind up in a ditch. Landing upside down with your wheels spinning gets a bit old after awhile.

Tell us a little about your family.

I have the greatest husband in the world. You can ask anyone who really knows him and they’ll tell you I’m not just spouting words here. My hubby is one of a kind—godly, loving, trusting, supportive, funny, compassionate, loyal, faithful, generous to the core . . .and the list goes on. My children and grandchildren (my original cast of characters) are real people with wonderful attributes and just as many faults and failings. They’re still growing, with all the resultant growing pains. Of course, if they’d just listen to me, their lives would be perfect, right? But with all of their warts and wrinkles, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Isn't that the truth. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I’ll pick up any genre of book and crack the cover. Story’s the key. However, I’ve become a bit fussy these days about a quality read. I know how hard writing is, so I’m thrilled and inspired by a well-written novel. Still, I have more patience with a great story in a clumsy package than a snooze wrapped in flashy prose.

What are you working on right now?

Barbour Publishing has trusted me with another three-book contract. The series title is Backwoods Buccaneers, and it’s been so much fun to research and write. It's the story of three generations of land pirates--a quirky band of crooks who make their living by raiding and stealing in the aftermath of the civil war. The story begins in Scuffletown, North Carolina, and makes its way down the Natchez Trace to Uncertain, Texas. In some ways it’s quite different from Texas Fortunes, but I love these new characters, and I hope my readers will as well.

I can hardly wait. You must let me feature them on my blog. What outside interests do you have?

I’ve become a bit health conscious lately, so I love to pore over whole food cookbooks and surf the Web for healthy recipes. I’ve filled my kitchen with free-range poultry, organic produce, almond milk, quinoa, and brown rice. It’s challenging and fun to turn unusual foods into something palatable, and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I’m trying to shore up these old walls against Father Time’s relentless attack. That doesn’t mean I won’t still order the triple-chocolate turtle cheesecake for dessert. One must remain balanced! (wink)

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My ears perk up at the mention of a great historical story. We travel a lot, and I’ve found that every town, large or small, has exciting tales of heroes and outlaws of the past. These men and women are wonderful fodder for a fictional story. I love to marry fact with fiction and rewrite the story in my mind. It’s great fun to step back in time to an era where these legends lived and loved.

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

It would have to be Jesus, the greatest historical figure of all time. When I read the Gospel accounts of the Master’s daily interactions with His disciples, I close my eyes and imagine how it might have been to know Him in the flesh. I get a little jealous of the Apostle John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and think how awesome it would’ve been to lean close to him in loving fellowship. I often wonder why God chose me for this time and not theirs when I would’ve been so good at “reclining next to Him.”

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I once gazed fondly at the goal of becoming a published writer. . .then reality dawned. I’m joking here, because I love writing books. I just never realized how hard it could be. I caution those seeking this crazy life to be certain it’s what you want, and in the case of a Christian author, be sure it’s your call. You must be totally committed or you won’t be ready for the consumption of your time or the sacrifices you and your family will have to make.

What new lesson is the Lord teaching you right now?

This answer goes hand-in-hand with the previous one. God is teaching me to trust Him with this new writing life. I have to believe He’s in control because one of us has to be!

Yes, I had to learn tht lesson early in my writing career, too. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1. Be sure you’re where you’re supposed to be (see above).

2. Learn your craft inside out then trust your own voice.

3. Surround yourself with the best writers you can find. They’ll inevitably pull you up to their level. It’s a natural law.

Tell us about the featured book?

Emmy’s Equal, book three of the Texas Fortunes series, jumps to 1907. When a high-spirited girl lands in country thick with cattle, cactus, and cowboys, the South Texas border may never be the same. Emmy’s finding obedience to God a bother, and sure won’t take orders from a hardheaded wrangler. But as hard as she pushes God and the cowboy away, they continue to pursue her with equal fervor.

Please give us the first page of the book.

August, 1906. Humble, Texas —

The stagnant well appeared bottomless, as dank and murky as a grave. Emmy rested her arms on the cold, jagged stones and leaned to peer into the abyss. Mama’s embroidered lace hankie, shimmering in the meager light, hung from an outcropping of rock about four feet down. Narrowing her eyes, she peered at the spot of white that stood out from the surrounding darkness and heaved a sigh, stirring the fetid air below and raising a noxious odor that took her breath.

She pushed up her sleeves and blasted a droopy blonde ringlet from her eyes with a frustrated puff of air. There was no help for it—at the risk of certain death, she had to retrieve that handkerchief.

A figure loomed, drawing alongside her with a grunt. She jumped, and her heart shot past her throat. Chest pounding, she wasted a glare on the dark profile, noticing for the first time a scatter of lines around his eyes and tiny gray curlicues in his sideburns.

“Nash! I nearly leapt over the side.” She swatted his sleeve. “I’ve asked you to stop sneaking up on me. I’ve a good mind to fit you with a cowbell.”

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, as deep as the chasm. “I didn’t go to scare you, Miss Emmy.” He bent his lanky body so far she feared he’d tumble headfirst into the never-ending shaft. “Say, what we looking for inside this hole?”

“We’re not looking for anything. I’ve already found it.” Emmy clutched his arm and pulled him away. “Go fetch me a lantern, and be quick about it.” She tucked her chin in the direction of the palomino pony languishing under a nearby oak, nibbling at the circle of high grass around the trunk. “Take Trouble. He’ll be quicker than walking.”

Nash frowned and rubbed the knuckles of one hand along his temple, as if an ache had sprung up there. “What you need a lantern for, with the sun up and shining the past five hours? There’s plenty of light to see.”

She braced herself and pointed. “Not down there.”

Nash’s sleepy eyes flew open. His startled gaze bounced along her finger to the circular wall of weathered stones. “Down there?” He took a cautious step back. “What’s in this sour old pit that might concern you?”

Emmy swallowed hard. She could trust Nash with anything, but dreaded his reaction all the same. “It’s. . .one of mama’s hankies.” She squeezed her eyes shut and ducked her head.

His shoulders eased, and he ambled over to gaze inside. “Is that all?”

If only it were. Emmy risked a peek at him. “You don’t understand.”

He winced as if she’d spoken a bad omen. “Uh, uh. Not from her good batch? Them she’s always cackling about?”

Emmy cringed and nodded.

The delicate, lacy linens held an uncommon depth of meaning for Emmy’s mama. Hand embroidered in Germany by her grandmother then brought to the Americas and placed in Mama’s hope chest, they represented heart, hearth, and homeland to Magdalena Dane. In equal measure, they represented distress, discontent, and discord to her only daughter, because the bothersome bits of cloth seemed determined to cause Emmy grief.

Nash’s stunned expression hardened into an accusing glare. “Why, Miss Emmy? Why you done brought about such misery? You ain’t s’posed to touch ‘em, and you know it.” His graying brows fluttered up and down, like two moths bent on escape. “There’s scarce few left, and your mama blames you for them what’s missing.”

She moaned and flapped her hands. “I didn’t mean to take the silly thing. It was warm when I rode out this morning. I knew I’d likely sweat, so I snagged a hankie from the clothesline. I never looked at it until a few minutes ago. That’s how this terrible mishap came about. I held it up as I rode, staring in disbelief. Trouble was galloping across the yard when the wind caught it and. . .” She motioned behind her. “The willful rag drifted down the well before I could stop the horse and chase after it.”

Emmy lowered her eyes then peered up at him through her lashes. “None of this is my fault, Nash. Papa should’ve covered this smelly cistern months ago, and those wretched handkerchiefs have a mind of their own.”

The hint of a smile played around Nash’s lips. “If so, they harbor a mighty poor opinion of you.”

Marcia, I love your writing. You drew us straight into the story on the first page. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can contact me through my website, www.marciagruver.com or my blog at www.yieldedquill.blogspot.com. I’d love to hear from them. They can also find me on Facebook and Shoutlife. For an autographed copy of any of my books, they can go to www.signedbytheauthor.com and search for me by name or title.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link where you can order the book:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.

Void where prohibited. The odds of winning depends on the number of entrants.

The only notification you'll receive will be the Winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you are the winner. You will have 6 weeks to claim your book.

If you're reading this on Facebook, Shoutlife, or Feedblitz, please come to the blog to enter. Here's the link:

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Marcia Gruver - CHASING CHARITY - Free Book

Marcia is back with the second book in her historical series set in Texas. Welcome, Marcia. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I once said I’d never write a historical novel. All the required research! It seemed so hard, and I figured I didn’t have the credentials. Convinced I was an author of women’s fiction, I had plans to crank out tomes of profound prose with intense, multilayered characters waltzing through thoroughly modern settings. I never consciously made the switch to writing historicals. Looking back, I believe my first historical novel was an offspring born of my fascination with the past and the origin of my own roots.

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

I’m glad you prefaced the question the way you did, because accepting Jesus Christ’s offer of eternal life is hands down the happiest event of my life. Besides that day, there are two more that stand out in flashing neon. One: The birth of my daughter, though I was too young and stupid at the time to appreciate the incredible gift she is. Of course, I know it now. Two: Meeting my wonderful husband at a time when I didn’t believe myself worthy of love. Every day of our lives, he is the flesh and blood picture of God’s unconditional love.

How has being published changed your life?

I gave up my life of leisure, that’s for sure! After working most of my life, we had finally reached a place where I could afford to quit work and stay home. With no little ones underfoot, after a bit of housework, my hands were idle all day. That lasted until I took up writing as a "hobby" that soon became a beloved obsession. Until I contracted with Barbour, it was an obsession I could pick up and lay down at will. Well, those days are gone! No more TV and bonbons for me, and that’s okay. You know what they say about idle hands.

I’ve also had to make peace with my fifteen minutes of fame. For someone like me, it’s a humbling experience indeed to suddenly be signing autographs and corresponding with "fans." Crazy! But quite nice.

What are you reading right now?

Funny you should ask. Not fifteen minutes ago, Amazon delivered my copy of Susan Meissner’s The Shape of Mercy. There’s been so much buzz about it, I couldn’t resist. I’ll be cracking the cover tonight.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m pushing to complete Emmy’s Equal, the last installment of Texas Fortunes, and my favorite so far. It features Emily Dane, the best friend of Charity Bloom, the heroine in Chasing Charity. Emmy is a mischievous rascal who keeps Charity’s life interesting, to say the least. She stood out so vividly while writing book two, I had to give her the final story. Actually, she insisted.

What would be your dream vacation?

I’m partial to mountainous regions and love Colorado, but since I’m lately prone to altitude sickness, the gorgeous Texas hill country provides a nice alternative. I’ve been an Anglophile since the early sixties, about the same time I became a Beatlemaniac, so a trip to England is at the top of my "bucket list." Of course, after watching Under The Tuscan Sun, I longed to visit Italy. But wouldn’t it be amazing to tour Africa?

I can’t decide! There’s too much of this beautiful planet I’ve yet to see.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

A historic event will catch my attention, like the murder of Diamond Bessie in Jefferson, Texas, or the oil boom in Humble, and the seed of the story grows. The setting becomes part of the package. Emmy’s Equal is a little different. While living for a few months in the South Texas town of Carrizo Springs, I fell in love with the beauty and history of the place, as well as its people and local legends. A region filled with cactus and cattle ranches; it seemed the perfect setting for feisty Emmy Dane with her prickly personality and personal aversion to being lassoed or branded by any man.

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

President George Bush. I’d love to ask how the negative media has affected his life and his family. I’d ask him what he prays for these days and if he has forgiven his enemies and detractors.

I'm sure he has. He iss a brave man who ran because he felt he should and stuck to his beliefs, no matter what detractors said. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I talk a lot about my favorite avenue of escape. . .playing games on my Playstation3. People laugh and some make fun of me a little. My son’s friends are amazed that I have more games in my collection than they have. But I’m not such a dumb old broad. Recent studies proved the importance of using our cognitive skills as we age in order to keep our minds sharp and focused. This granny spends her free time helping Laura Croft break into tombs and solving puzzles for Lego Indiana Jones. While I de-stress, I’m exercising my mental muscles with a few cranial calisthenics. Pretty smart, huh? I plan to stay that way.

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

These days, it’s time management. Writing the first book, you don’t have the added time expenditure of marketing. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of time needed for blog tours, interviews, traveling to signings, etc. Don’t get me wrong, this is the fun part. But it can bite a sizable chunk out of twenty-four hours. To be honest, I haven’t overcome it yet. Do you happen to know of a good deal on juggling lessons?

Tell us about the featured book.

Chasing Charity started out as book one of the Texas Fortunes series. When I decided to write the story of Bertha Bloom, Charity’s quirky little mama, Barbour liked the idea, but made the call to release the books in chronological order. Book two became book one and Diamond Duo was born. So actually, all of the characters in the series sprang from the pages of Chasing Charity.

I had so much fun writing this book. In it, Charity Bloom’s childhood friend, Emily Dane, follows Charity’s fiancé from the church when he spins on his heels and leaves Charity stranded at the alter. This leaves the whole town buzzing about the three of them, and Charity has nowhere to hide from her disgrace. After a handsome oilman named Buddy Pierce discovers oil seeping onto her property, Charity reacts with anger and fear. Despite Buddy’s confusion about her response, he soon realizes the real treasure is above ground in the form of Charity herself. While Charity wonders how she’s so attracted to another man just days after her failed wedding, her rogue ex-fiancé decides he wants her back. Suddenly the wrong man wants to marry her after all, and the right one leaves town just when she needs him most. Charity decides it’s up to her to save her mama’s land from a scheming, land-grabbing neighbor, so she makes a decision that is bound to ruin her life.

I am totally intrigued. This book now moves to the top of my to-be-read pile. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website URL is http://www.marciagruver.com/.
My blog is http://www.yieldedquill.blogspot.com/.
I’m also a contributor to The Internal Monoblog at http://wwwinternalmonoblogcom.blogspot.com/.

Thank you, Marcia, for spending this time with us.

Readers, if you can't wait to get your hands on a copy, here's a link where you can order it:

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Author Marcia Gruver - DIAMOND DUO - Free Book

Today we're welcoming Marcia Gruver with her debut novel. Marcia, tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Evidently a lot. It took me awhile to realize I’m actually guilty of this. The possibility occurred to me a couple of times, but I promptly slid back into denial—until a critique partner called me out.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’m an intuitive personality—a fancy way of saying my head is generally in the clouds. I don’t process my world with the five senses, but rather feel my way through. Details are lost on me, so I’m generally oblivious to my surroundings.

I once exited the restroom in a Mexican restaurant, sat down across from my husband, and took a couple sips of iced tea. Something made me glance up...into the startled face of my husband two tables back. I gaped at the smiling stranger sitting across from me, said, “You’re not my husband,” then shoved someone’s tea glass aside and hurried to my table. Did you say quirky or most embarrassing? I use this story for both.

I know what you mean. When I was doing the final edit on one of my books, I had accompanied my daughter to Austin to take her state test to become a hairdresser. I sat in the van and edited when I needed to go to the restroom. A McDonald's was next door, so I went in and hurried to the bathroom, all the time going over the story in my mind. I opened the door and came face-to-face with a startled man. Then I noticed the sign. Embarrassing! Now when did you first discover that you were a writer?

I could tell about the time in elementary school when I wrote a story that my third grade teacher claimed she loved, but the real “light-bulb moment” came when I attended my first writer’s conference in 2002. Before then I thought I liked to write. After experiencing the inimitable world in which we move, I knew I was a writer.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Unbelievably, this writer of sweet, funny historical novels devours scary suspense and horror stories in her spare time. Think Peretti and Brandilyn Collins. Maybe I need it for balance. I’m also a member of Heartsong Presents Mysteries, a great cozy mystery book club. In other genres, I’ll pick up anything written by Linda Nichols or Francine Rivers. I love historicals, but try not to read those I might be tempted to copy. :-)

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Besides Diamond Duo, Chasing Charity, the sequel, releases in April 2009, followed soon by book three of the series, Emmy’s Equal.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

When it gets to be too heavy, I run, run, run in the other direction. I don’t stay long, though. :-) An hour or two on my PS3 playing Ratchet and Clank, a visit with my mom, or a drive in the country with my hubby, and I’m good to go again.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Some names come to me, others I research. It dawned on me recently that I need to choose names with historical accuracy. For Diamond Duo, I found an old census list of Jefferson, Texas, where the book is set. Since I wrote the story around the account of an actual unsolved murder, most of the names in the book are the real people who were involved. That made it easier. I just had to come up with my fictional character’s names.

I've visited Jefferson and was intrigued by that story, too. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

It would have to be landing a three-book contract with Barbour Publishing at my age. The reason this is so significant? I have five children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild (gifts, not accomplishments) who are watching old granny with wide-open eyes. By striving to fulfill an impossible dream and persevering to reach an unreachable goal, I think I’ve taught them it’s never too late, and that you really can do all things through Christ.

You can't tell that from your picture. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A cat. Cats know how to get what they want without making fools of themselves.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate, what else? The writer’s staple.

Yes, M&Ms eaten at the computer while under deadline can pass for lunch, can't it? What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Overcome it? I’m still working toward that goal. It would have to be my introverted personality and tendency toward being a loner—traits good for writing, bad for marketing. If you mean the writing itself, then the answer is my struggle with focus. I’m easily pulled away, especially while working through a difficult scene, by anything that looks to be more fun at the moment. A publisher’s deadline is the quickest way to overcome this problem.

A problem I’ve conquered? As you can imagine, my aforementioned tendency not to notice my surroundings makes writing descriptive scenes a challenge. I have to force myself to observe my environment; making mental notes of what I see, so later, I can translate it to the page. Even then, I tend to “feel” rather than see the world around me. If I can get that feeling onto the paper in words, I’ve done my job for the day.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Immerse yourself. Get into writer’s groups, both local and online. Find a critique group, one with writers a little farther along than you are so they can pull you up. Attend conferences every chance you get. If you feel called by God to write then seek Him daily for marching orders. Never, ever compare yourself to other writers, and never give up.

Exccellent advice. What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

I had so much fun writing Diamond Duo. The quirky characters got under my skin, though the story that inspired the book broke my heart, and the suspenseful elements kept me up at night. In her quest to win a fellow’s heart, my main character, Bertha Maye Biddie, seeks lessons on the art of wooing a man from a savvy young stranger. In the end, Bertha learns her chance meeting with the woman had nothing to do with spurned love and everything to do with eternal security.

I feel this question can best be answer by excerpts from the author letter inserted in the book:

“This story is woven around the actual murder of Annie Stone, aka Bessie Monroe, aka Diamond Bessie, on January 21, 1877, in Jefferson, Texas. The ill-fated Diamond Bessie left a mark so deep during her brief visit she’s still a household name in Jefferson today. I chose to call her Annie in the book, because I believe if not for one early, impetuous mistake, she’d never have needed these aliases or the others I didn’t mention.

I researched for months to learn why Annie made such an indelible impression on the town. From the considerable distance of 130-plus years, I found it impossible to get an accurate look at her. Even the opinions and attitudes of her day were conflicting. Some judged her a disease-ridden prostitute without morals or conscience. Others considered her an unfortunate young girl who lost her way. Jilted and abandoned by an older man at fifteen, possibly disinherited by her family and left to her own devices (emphasis on vices), then abused and victimized by Abraham Rothschild, there’s no question she had a rocky start.

As I stood over her humble grave in Oakwood Cemetery, I found myself in the same dilemma as Bertha Maye Biddie, the heroine of this book, who asks: “Devil or angel? I couldn’t tell.” I feel certain of one thing, however. From Annie’s vantage point, whether resting with angels or contending with devils, she would heartily approve of using her life to share my witness.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website URL is http://www.marciagruver.com/.
My blog is http://www.yieldedquill.blogspot.com/.
I’m also a contributor to The Internal Monoblog at http://wwwinternalmonoblogcom.blogspot.com/.

Marcia, thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers you can order Diamond Duo by clicking on this link:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.