Welcome, Mary. How
did this collection come about?
One of our authors, Debby Lee, had the idea to set a novella
collection around the Pony Express. This idea went through many proposal
variations with some authors coming and going over the course of a few years.
We had a hard time getting a publisher to say yes. I revamped the proposal—again—and I had my agent resubmit it to
Barbour. A few more authors were added, and the collection was contracted. Even
though this started with Debby, I loved this idea and knew it would make a
great collection, so I kept persisting.
Are these stories
connected in some way?
They’re connected by a series of roads and trails used by
the Pony Express riders. Each novella tells a little bit different aspect of
the Pony Express at a different station along the almost 2,000 miles. We hope
that readers will get an overarching picture of this brief point in history.
The collection is called The Pony Express Romance Collection.
How does your story
fit in with the others?
My novella is called AN UNLIKELY HERO. Each story is a
stand-alone. In my story, BethAnn is running from a mistake and finds security
at a Pony Express station and love in the quiet affection of a shy Pony Express
rider known as the “Fox.”
Who chose the setting
for this collection?
We each chose our individual setting for our own story, but
the over all setting—the Pony Express—was Debby’s idea. The route of the Pony
Express spanned from St. Joseph , Missouri , to Sacramento ,
California
What did you want the
reader to take away from your story?
To not be too fast to judge people by outward appearances
but seek to discover their heart. I found it a welcome challenge to create a
hero out of a man who was small in stature. We think of a “hero”—and especially
a Wild West hero—as a big, strong, strapping man. So to make my jockey-sized
rider a hero, I gave him a large dose of bravery.
I like to do that,
tell the story from a perspective the reader isn’t expecting. Readers want to
get to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers
probably don’t know about you?
~~ I have three children. My oldest is married and has given
me my first grandchild. She is sooo cute. I love being a grandma. My baby girl
got married last month and had a picture perfect medieval wedding. And my
middle son is rocking with the angels.
~~ I’m dyslexic. I didn’t discover I was until I had my
oldest son diagnosed and started researching. As I read books on dyslexia, it
was like looking in a mirror, and suddenly, so much of my challenges in school
made sense.
~~ I’m a Scottish lass. My great-great-grandfather emigrated
from Anstruther , Scotland
Very interesting. Please
give us the first page of your story.
June 1861
No one would likely be following them tonight. BethAnn White
tightened her hold around her twelve-year-old sister as the eastbound
stagecoach came to a lurching stop.
The driver called out, “Head of Echo Canyon Stagecoach and
Pony Express Station.”
BethAnn accepted the offered hand and stepped down from the
stage, then turned to help Molly. She gazed in the direction they’d come from.
The sun was just dipping behind the western ridge.
She heard rapidly approaching hoofbeats but couldn’t tell which
direction they were coming from in the dimming evening light. The sound bounced
off the canyon walls, making the sound appear to be coming from everywhere.
“Rider coming in!” someone yelled. That, too, bounced around
and came from everywhere.
This could be exciting to see a Pony Express rider exchange.
She searched the area around her. Where was Molly?
The hoofbeats grew louder, and station personnel scurried
around.
Molly would not want to miss this. Where was she? BethAnn stepped
out in front of the stagecoach team and saw the outline of the rider racing in
from the east.
Then she saw her.
Her baby sister.
Her only family.
In the path of a several-hundred-pound charging animal.
Way to take our
breath away, Mary. Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
Web Site: http://marydavisbooks.com
Blog: http://marydavis1.blogspot.com/
---Earlier this month, I ran a Pony Express series on my blog. A post from each
of the other authors. We chose a theme of “This date in history,” where we
picked something that happened in another year on April 3—since that was the
day in 1860 that the first Pony Express run took place. It starts on March 31st
with a brief history of the Pony Express.
Thank you, Mary, for
sharing this book with us. I’m eager to read it. I know my readers will be,
too.
Readers, here are links to the book. By
using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Pony Express Romance Collection - Christianbook.comThe Pony Express Romance Collection: Historic Express Mail Route Delivers Nine Inspiring Romances
- AmazonThe Pony Express Romance Collection: Historic Express Mail Route Delivers Nine Inspiring Romances
- Kindle
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.
You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us
where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America . (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.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz,
Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave
your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
