Dear Readers, Misty
is one of my favorite authors of western historical fiction. I’ve read all her
books and loved them. This Treacherous
Journey is my all-time favorite. When I read the short story of the time this
hero gave his newborn twins to another couple when his wife died in childbirth,
I knew he had to have his own story somehow. As you’ll read in this interview,
Misty felt that way, too. The journey in the story is long and hard. He
characters grabbed my heart right away and dragged me along on that journey. I
had a hard time putting the book down when I needed to do something else. I
think you will, too. Don’t miss this one.
Bio: Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the
1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
She was raised on a farm in
God has placed a desire in Misty's heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God's abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Welcome back, Misty. How
did you come up with the idea for this story?
I’m SO excited about this book! I think it’s definitely my
favorite so far. I’ve had so many readers ask me if I was going to write
another book in the Mountain Dreams Series. I wanted to, but couldn’t seem to
find the right storyline or characters.
I kept coming back to Simeon Grant, who was the birth father
of the hero in book 5 of that series. Simeon wasn’t actually part of book 5,
but I wrote a short story later that talked about how he gave up his twins for
another family to raise when his wife died in childbirth. It was the only way
he knew to keep them alive and give them a decent life out in the wild Montana
So I decided to write this book about Simeon, five years
later. He regretted his choices, still mourning the loss of his wife and
babies, and had become bitter and hardened. I could imagine the kind of pain he
must have endured, and it was quite a journey as I wrote the novel. A journey
to find peace with himself, peace with God, and to accept that fact that he was
worthy of a second chance for love and a family. I pray your readers will love
the story as much as I do!
If you were planning
a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would
you invite and why?
Oh, that’s a fun question! It’s hard to choose just six,
though! I’m torn between choosing the author friends that I’ve become so close
to during our writing journeys, and some of my favorite superstar authors. I
guess I would choose a mix of both groups. Let’s say Janet W. Ferguson, Jackie
Layton, LeAnne Bristow, Robin Patchen, Susan May Warren, and Lisa Wingate.
Now let’s do that for
a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you
invite and why?
Well…Definitely you, Lena !
And I’d want to add Cynthia Roemer, Laura Frantz, Karen Witemeyer, Roseanna M.
White, MaryLu Tyndall, and a bunch more!
Thanks for inviting
me. Both the parties look like fun. Many times, people (and other authors)
think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most
difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?
Honestly, telling a good story. I desperately want each book
I write to be better than the last, and sometimes it feels like the pressure is
strong even when the ideas or words don’t feel strong that day. Recently, I’ve
adjusted my devotion time so that I’m spending time with the Lord just before I
write. It seems like the words are coming easier most days!
I understand.
Sometimes, I just have to keep writing, even when I don’t feel it’s as good as
it should be. Funny how when I come back to that chapter, it’s much better than
I thought. Tell us about the featured book. I’d love to!
Widowed and with child, Emma Malcom is fleeing from the
reward offered for her arrest. She’s innocent of the dirty dealings her
deceased husband orchestrated, but the angry townspeople didn’t stop to listen
to her defense before she narrowly escaped with her life. Now, she and her twin
brother, Joseph, must battle the mountain wilderness of the Rockies to reach Canada
Simeon Grant makes bad choices. His deceased wife and twin
babies are lost to him now because of his reckless decisions, and the penance
he pays by living alone in this mountain wilderness is only a small piece of
what he thinks he deserves. When a city woman, heavy with child, appears on his
doorstep with her injured brother, her presence resurrects the memories he’s
worked so hard to forget. And when she asks for his help to travel deeper into
the mountain country, he can’t help wonder why God would force him to relive
the same mistakes he’s already suffered through. Or maybe taking these two to
safety could be the way to redeem himself.
But when their travels prove more treacherous than he
imagined, Simeon finds himself pressing the limits of his ability to keep Emma
and her brother safe. Can he overcome the past that haunts him to be the man
she needs? Will Emma break through the walls around Simeon’s heart before it’s
too late, or will the dangers of these mountains be the end of them all?
Please give us the
first page of the book for my blog readers.
August, 1851
Rocky Mountains, Montana Territory
Simeon Grant glanced at his wife as another moan slipped
from her lips.
Nora clutched her swollen belly, bent over from the pain.
She’d turned in the saddle so she almost rode sideways. It must’ve hurt too
much to straddle the horse.
Should he stop and set-up camp here? Or press on until they
reached shelter? Surely it couldn’t be much farther to the smoke he’d seen
curling up through a break in the trees. Lord, let it be a home, and let there
be a woman there who can help us.
His wife straightened in the saddle and offered him a weak
smile. “That pain is gone.”
He tried to offer an encouraging smile. Nora was always so
strong, always taking on the burdens for those around her. If only he could
take this burden from her now. He had to get help soon— for both her and the
wee one inside.
He glanced around, a scent touching his nostrils. Wood
smoke. Thank you, Lord. “I think we’re not far now.” He glanced at his wife.
“Do you think you can make it a few minutes longer?”
She gave a weak nod, which turned to a grimace as she
pressed her eyes shut and curled into another pain in her midsection.
How had he let this happen? He’d brought the love of his
life into this mountain wilderness to chase his dream. She’d never once dashed
his enthusiasm, just willingly sold off their meager home, loaded what
possessions they now carried on the pack horses, and headed out to settle the wild
Montana
Never had he imagined Nora might be with child so soon after
their marriage. Never had he thought the journey would take so long. And now
the remote, unsettled freedom of these mountains that had drawn him was the
very thing that jeopardized his wife’s life.
But even with the length of their journey, wasn’t it still
too soon for Nora’s time? They’d only be married eight months. Not that he
doubted her faithfulness. No, the thought struck a deeper fear in him. Would
coming early put the baby at risk? And Nora, too? If only he knew how to stop
this.
He would give everything he had to find a doctor right now.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
I love to connect at:
my website
Thank you, Misty, for
letting me introduce my readers to your new book.
Readers, here are links to the book.
This Treacherous Journey (Heart of the Mountains)
- PaperbackThis Treacherous Journey (Heart of the Mountains Book 1)
- KindleThis Treacherous Journey: Heart of the Mountains, Book 1 - Audio
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