Heroine Interview from Charity House Courtship by Renee Ryan

» Posted on Aug 15, 2012 in Blog | Comments Off on Heroine Interview from Charity House Courtship by Renee Ryan

This week I’m hosting  with Diane Burke with Silent Witness, Renee Ryan with Charity House Courtship, Jennifer Fromke with A Familiar Shore (if winner lives outside of US the book will be an ebook), and Cara Lynn James with A Path Toward Love. If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (August 19th) evening.

Interview with the heroine from Charity House Courtship by Renee Ryan:

Laney O’Connor, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I spent the majority of my childhood living in a brothel with my mother who was a working prostitute.  Before she died of consumption, I was her money changer and timekeeper.  I left as soon as I was old enough to make my own way in the world.  That was around 1875 in Denver, Colorado.  I brought the other children with me when I moved out, and started a baby farm called Charity House.  People say Charity House is an orphanage, but most of the children living with me aren’t orphans.  Their mothers work in brothels, too, just like my mother.  We have that in common. 

What do you do for fun?

I play games with the children, mostly.  I’ve recently discovered a new outdoor game that I read about in our local newspaper, the Denver Chronicle.  We’re still a little sketchy on the rules, but we always have a good time.  Best of all?  Every child that wants to play can join in. 

What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Anything to do with money, especially balancing the orphanage’s books.  We’re always running short on funds, but God provides in the most unlikely ways when we need it most.  We’re blessed. 

What are you afraid of most in life?

Failing the children, namely by losing the orphanage.  The whole purpose of Charity House is to provide a safe home for children other orphanages turn away because of what their mothers do for a living.  If I lose the orphanage, where will they go?

What do you want out of life?

Financial security, for myself and the children, a seemingly impossible dream now that the local banker holding the loan on Charity House is threatening foreclosure in three weeks. 

What is the most important thing to you?

Saving Charity House from foreclosure.  Nothing else matters right now.

Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

I read to the children, either nursery rhymes or from the Bible, but I don’t have time for pleasure reading.  If I did have time, I would love to read some of those dime novels that are so popular.  I love happy endings.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I had more faith.  I know I should trust the Lord with my problems, but I’ve had to fend for myself most of my life and I can’t seem to let go of my need for control.

Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

No pets.  It’s hard enough keeping tabs on the children.

If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I’d like to go back and speak to my younger self, tell her that she isn’t going to turn out like her mother and that she’s going to save others from “the life” as well.  I could have used that assurance when all seemed hopeless.