This week I’m hosting Carol Cox with A Match Made in Texas (US only), Mona Hodgson with The Quilted Heart (US and Canada only), and Vickie McDonough with Call of the Prairie (US only). 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 (Jan. 26th) evening.
Heroine Interview from A Match Made in Texas by Carol Cox (novella collection):
1. Lucy Benson, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
Not long ago, I would have said there wasn’t anything noteworthy about me. Life with Papa was happy and carefree, and all I had to do was dream about finding the love of my life and settling down to raise a family. But everything changed when Papa died and I found out all our money was gone. Now I’m about to do the craziest thing you ever heard of—board a train to go live with a woman I don’t know in a place I never heard of before…and all on the strength of an anonymous letter. I only hope I’m not making the biggest blunder of my life.
2. What do you do for fun?
I’m a member of the Dry Gulch Ladies’ Sewing and Prayer Circle. I love being able to create something useful and beautiful with my hands, and I enjoy the fellowship with the other ladies even more. Right now I’m finishing up some French knots on an embroidered dresser scarf. Mrs. Whitfield was going to help me put a tatted edging on it, but with the sudden change in my circumstances, who knows when I’ll get it finished? At least I know the ladies will be praying for me, and that’s a comfort.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Breaking the news of my departure to Walter Harris. It’s especially hard to tell him I’ll be leaving Dry Gulch, since he’s the main reason I’m going in the first place.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
The future. Any expectations of the life I once anticipated disappeared when my father died.
5. What do you want out of life?
Right now I just want time to see what options the future might hold. Surely there’s something more for me than being forced into marriage with Walter. Now that I’ve taken up residence on Martha Simms’s lonely ranch, I’m hoping I’ll have the breathing space I need to sort things out and make plans.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
My life has taken a totally unexpected turn, and it looks like none of my plans for the future will come to fruition. It’s time for me to draw closer to the Lord, discover who I am, and what He expects of me.
7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?
I used to enjoy books of poetry, until Walter took to quoting love poems to me every chance he got. For the time being, I’m going to concentrate on the Bible until I get a clearer idea of the path God has for me.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I’d like to feel useful. The only thing I’m really skilled at is embroidery, and that won’t be much help to me in starting a new life.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
I always thought it would be delightful to have a little dog, or perhaps a kitten, but Papa wasn’t in favor of bringing animals into the house. Once I arrived at Martha Simms’s ranch, however, it was another proposition entirely. No animals in the house, but there are horses and chickens to tend to and cattle dotting the hillsides in every direction. And Maybelle, the big red cow, wanders around the ranch yard almost like a pet dog. Then there are those cows Martha sees jumping over the moon…but we won’t go into that right now.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
The first answer that sprang to my mind would be to go back to a time when both Mama and Papa were alive, and life was normal. But I find myself growing stronger by the day in this new environment. Martha has become a dear friend, and I’m more drawn to her handsome nephew Andrew every day. I feel like a new person—or maybe I’m becoming the person I was always meant to be. Instead of focusing on the past, I think I’m more excited about moving forward to see what God has in store for my future.
This book sounds good. Some good authors. Thanks Margaret. I would love to win one of these books. Please put my name in. Thanks.
Maxie mac262(at)me(dot)com
Good morning, Maxie! It’s good to see you here!
Carol, I will admit, your name is new to me…but can’t wait to read about Lucy and what God has planned for her!
Thanks so much, Cynthia! I hope you enjoy the story!!
I would so love to win this book…it is already on my to-be-read list! Thanks for offering it in a giveaway!
pbmax101@yahoo.com
I’m so glad to hear it’s on your TBR list, Jen! All four of the stories are fun, and I hope you enjoy them!
I can’t wait to read Lucy’s story and see what her future holds!
texaggs2000 at gmail dot com
I appreciate that, Britney! Thanks so much!
Thanks for the interview! I love the cover of this book, it must set the tone for the book. Thanks for the giveaway, too.
Lis K
garfsgirl [at] hotmail [dot] com
It’s a gorgeous cover, isn’t it, Lis? I wish I could take credit for that. LOL
I would love to go back in time and meet my grandmother at my age, see what life was like for her and spend the day hanging out with her 🙂
What a great idea, Lisa! It would be fascinating to visit relatives at different stages in their lives and see what helped shape them into the people they became.
The cover on the book is amazing…
deiselbuffs(at)gmail(dot)com
This Texas gal would love this book. Thank you for the opportunity.
melback at cebridge dot com
Thanks, Melanie! I fell in love with Texas during the years we lived there while my husband attended seminary. It was wonderful to be able to set a story in the place that has such a special place in my heart.
The entire Match Made in Texas novella collection has been high on my TBR list for the last few months, and even more so now that I’ve gotten a deeper look into Lucy’s and Martha Simms’s story! I can’t wait to “hear” about Andrew and Maybelle as well!
Kristen
kam110476(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m so glad to hear you’ve been looking forward to it, Kristen! Lucy’s story was such fun to write, especially since I was able to add in quirky characters like Martha, a couple of local cowboys, and Maybelle. Not to mention those jumping cows… 😉
I would absolutely love to win this anthology of novellas! I love the cover and, well, I’ve read a lot about it and really want to read it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win a copy. 🙂
😀 Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52 AT yahoo DOT com
Cindy, it was such fun to work with the other authors on putting this collection of stories together. Keeping everything consistent from one novella to the next was a bit of a challenge, but it all worked out in the end. I hope you have as much fun reading the book as we did in writing it!
I would love to win this book. It is going on my To Be Read List.
Thank you, Chris! I’ve always enjoyed writing novellas (Vickie and I did a collection together years ago–A Stitch in Time!), and it was fun to be able to be part of an anthology again. I hope you enjoy reading the results!
Hi Carol! This sounds like another fabulous book! You can’t help but sympathize with Lucy and her plight.
Hi Vickie! It was fun to work on this and try to figure out how poor Lucy was going to deal with her crazy situation. 🙂 You already know how much I enjoyed Call of the Prairie, but I want to let the readers here know what a great book that is!
Sounds brave
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Brave, yes. Lucy, though, sees her actions more as an act of desperation. I enjoyed watching her character develop throughout the course of the story!