Spring into Love: A story about abuse and God's healing power

Interview with Jo Huddleston, author of Tidewater Summer:

Alexis: Does the title of your book have special significance? Explain.

Jo: The story in Tidewater Summer equates the turbulence and danger of the ocean’s tidewater to the heroine’s recent experience of physical abuse at the hands of her fiancé.

Alexis: What is the theme for your story, Tidewater Summer?

Jo: Tidewater Summer is a story of renewal from brokenness.

Alexis: Rose Marie Henley is your story’s heroine. What qualities make people like—and strongly dislike—her? Describe her looks, personality, and heart.

Jo: Rose has brown eyes, she’s a brunette, and is tall and athletic. Her personality is subdued, damaged from the physical abuse she has encountered. Before the abuse, her heart was full of love that she shared with her fiancé, her parents, and longtime best friend.

Alexis: Why is Rose seeking solitude?

Jo: Rose is seeking solitude to escape additional abuse from her former fiancé, and to heal from her wounds.

Alexis: What, in her heart of hearts, does Rose really want?

Jo: When the story begins, Rose wants only to be alone. As the story continues and her character grows, she becomes more receptive to others.

Alexis: Rose was in a romantic relationship with a man who was physically abusive. Why did you make him abusive? What were the challenges of writing those scenes?

Jo: I find visits to beaches have a cleansing effect, a balm for whatever ails you. My premise was to write a story about a woman who visits a beach to get over a traumatic event in her life. The most traumatic event humans usually experience relates to their relationships. Tidewater Summer is the result of my story's premise and imagination.

Alexis: How does Rose’s ex-boyfriend’s abuse impact her life story?

Jo: The abuse Rose experiences fill her with fear, she’s broken and confused. Where romance is concerned, Rose must find a way to deal with the past in order to move on in the future. 

Alexis: Rose’s Great-Aunt Clara opens her beach home to Rose for the summer in North Carolina. What moves Rose to take it? How does staying there benefit her life?

Jo: Rose has fond memories of many family vacations spent at her Aunt Clara’s beach house in South Carolina. It is a stable place of safety. 

Alexis: Frank Sutton is your story’s hero. Why does Rose think he’s “over the top handsome”? Describe his looks, personality, and heart.

Jo: When Rose meets Franklin Sutton, she isn’t looking for another relationship and only regards his physical appearance—blond hair, blue eyes, tall—that she describes as over-the-top handsome. Frank is a patient, godly man, a true Southern gentleman. He senses Rose has been treated badly and is gentle in his approach to her.

Alexis: Despite her attraction to Frank, Rose doesn’t want a man in her life. Why?

Jo: Rose has thankfully escaped marrying her abusive fiancé. Her physical and emotional wounds are raw and she doesn’t want to give another man the opportunity to do to her the same as her former fiancé.

Alexis: Frank is smitten with Rose. What does he see in her that enthralls him?

Jo: Frank senses Rose’s hurt, her victim personality. He wants to protect her, care for her, help her recover. Her brown eyes almost mesmerize him.

Alexis: What does it take for him to win her over?

Jo: Frank must break through her defenses and convince her to open her heart to trust him.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about Tidewater Summer?

Jo: God didn’t create us for self-reliance or isolation. Scripture says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Those in the New Testament church relied on close friends or brothers and sisters in Christ for support—bearing one another’s burdens! If we share our burdens, our load is not as heavy, and with a lighter load, we know relief.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Jo! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Jo: Alexis, thank you for having me on your blog for a visit.

~*~
Author bio: 

Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author of books, articles, and short stories. 

Novels she has written include her West Virginia Mountains series, her endearing Caney Creek series, and her standalone novel, Tidewater Summer. These are sweet, Southern historical romances. 

Jo is a member of ACFW and the Literary Hall of Fame at Lincoln Memorial University (TN). 

Learn more at www.johuddleston.com where you can read first chapters of her novels and novellas and also sign up for her mailing list.

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Book blurb for Tidewater Summer: Will Rose find the solitude she seeks during her island summer or is solitude what she really wants? 

A compelling story of one woman’s pursuit of restoration from physical abuse at the hands of her fiancé. Rose Marie Henley’s Great-Aunt Clara convinces Rose to spend the summer at her South Carolina beach house.

Aunt Clara’s handyman sends his nephew to repair Rose’s water heater. Last year Rose would have been excited to see his over-the-top handsome nephew, Frank Sutton. But now she doesn’t want any man in her life again.

Frank has an instant attraction to Rose. Can he break through her defenses? He’ll do anything to protect her, but will she open her heart to trust him?

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Buy Jo's book on Amazon

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Connect with Jo:

Website and blog (Read novel first chapters here): http://www.johuddleston.com

Sign up for Jo’s mailing list: http://bit.ly/1ZFaZwG

Amazon Author page: http://amzn.to/2cfSroU

Facebook Author page: http://bit.ly/2aqFEeT

Facebook personal page: http://on.fb.me/1Ubic69

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1QAPtFv

Inspirational blog: http://bit.ly/1QAPRnr

~*~
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Spring into Love: A story about the "Road to Harmony"

Interview with Sherry Kyle, author of Road to Harmony:

Alexis: What inspired your story title?

Sherry: My story title is a symbol for the inner journey as well as the outer journey for my characters. Elena Seifert is torn between her secret love and loyalty to her family, and she struggles with whether or not to choose the road to harmony and peace in her life. 

Harmony is also the name of the dairy farming community where the story takes place, and if she chooses to marry for love, she stays in the valley, but if she marries the wealthy shopkeeper, the man her parents want her to marry, then she would move to the nearby shipping port town of Cayucos. 

Alexis: Is there a special reason why the era for your story is the early 1900’s? 

Sherry: Yes! Harmony is a real town in California and Road to Harmony is based loosely on actual events. In 1907, rivalries and feuding among dairy farmers caused chaos in the valley. After one shooting death, a truce was called. From then on, all agreed to live in harmony, and named the town Harmony as a symbol of their truce. 

Alexis: Paint a picture of Harmony Valley. Is it a fictional setting or does it exist in the real world?

Sherry: Harmony Valley is a small town 13 miles inland from the California coast and five miles south of Cambria. In the early 1900’s, it was a dairy farming community and was the site of an old-time creamery. 

Today the historic structures have been repurposed to house a glassblowing studio, blacksmith’s gallery, garden shop, pottery store, music studio and the Harmony Café. Harmony Cellars Winery produces award-winning wines and offers remarkable views of the countryside. 

Several years ago, I had the chance to visit Harmony Valley and the nearby coastal town of Cayucos. It was fun stepping into the pages of my book and picturing my characters in that setting. If you get a chance to visit, stop by the nearby sites of Morro Bay, scenic Cambria, and Hearst Castle! 

Alexis: Elena Seifert is the heroine of your story. What are her hopes, dreams, and goals?

Sherry: In the beginning of the story, Elena Seifert resigned herself to marry Lars to provide her disabled brother a more comfortable life in Cayocos, but her goal changed when Jonas Bollinger, her childhood love, returns to Harmony. How can she marry Lars now? 

Deep down, she loves her life in the valley, but she’d do anything for her brother, including marrying a man she doesn’t love. 

Alexis: Why does Elena want to help her dad guard his dairy farm? How does her desire to work on the farm challenge society’s views regarding the roles of women in her era?

Sherry: There’s a thief roaming the hills of Harmony, and he’s chosen the Seifert’s dairy farm as his target. Elena’s parents have made it clear that hunting is a man’s job and she’s not to touch her father’s gun, but how can she sit idly by? Women living in the valley are used to hard work, but if she is to marry a man from town she’ll have to become a proper lady.

Alexis: Jonas Bollinger is the hero of this story. Tell us about his character, flaws, desires, strengths and weaknesses.

Sherry: Jonas Bollinger wanted more for himself than to become a dairy farmer and was working for his uncle in San Francisco when the earthquake of 1906 changed everything. He would’ve stayed away from Harmony, but a family crisis brings him home. Now he needs to prove his worth to his pa, and makes a promise that he’s determined to keep. 

Alexis: Describe the moment where Jonas became Elena’s secret love. Why aren’t they together?

Sherry: Elena grew up in the valley with Jonas and still wears the silver locket he had given her on her tenth birthday. She fell in love with him when the two of them square-danced in her father’s barn. They aren’t together because Jonas left Harmony Valley and broke her heart. 

Alexis: Lars Rissler is a wealthy middle-aged store owner who is Elena’s parents’ choice for her future husband. Why do her parents like him so much and why doesn’t Elena want him?

Sherry: Elena’s parents like Lars because he can provide a comfortable life for Elena and her brother, something they were unaccustomed to. Elena was resolved to marry Lars until Jonas came back into town. 

Alexis: What brings Jonas back to Harmony Valley? 

Sherry: Jonas returns to Harmony Valley because he’s not the fickle young man with big city dreams anymore, and his ma needs his help if the words in her letter were true. 

Alexis: What does Jonas love about Elena and why hasn’t he told her?

Sherry: Jonas loves so many things about Elena, including her spunk, tenacity, and gumption. And, of course, the fact he thinks she’s beautiful. He hasn’t told her because he’s only just arrived back in Harmony when he discovers she has a new beau—the wealthy shopkeeper. How can he compete? 

Alexis: Is there hope for a romantic relationship between Jonas and Elena? Why or why not?

Sherry: Yes, there’s always hope! Jonas and Elena have loved each other for so long, they shouldn’t give up now, right? 

Alexis: What role does a persistent thief play in this story?

Sherry: There are five scenes in the thief’s POV in Road to Harmony. You’ll find out exactly what he’s thinking and the difficult life he lives. 

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in the lives of your characters?

Sherry: My characters have a relationship with God and pray to him often! Like many of us, they struggle with trusting God with their future and finding peace in their lives. 

Alexis: What was your favorite scene to write in this story? Why?

Sherry: I love the journey of writing a novel and have many favorite scenes, but one that sticks out in my mind is the last chapter. Obviously, I can’t tell you what it’s about, but I hope and pray I gave my readers a satisfying ending—one that will give them a big smile!

Alexis: What is the moral of this story?

Sherry: God will give us perfect peace when we trust in Him. 

Alexis: Complete this sentence: If I were not a writer, I’d like to be ________________ because _________________________.

Sherry: If I were not a writer, I’d like to be an interior designer because I love real estate.

~*~
Author bio:

Sherry Kyle is a graduate of Biola University, and the author of Delivered with Love, The Heart Stone, Watercolor Dreams, and Road to Harmony, as well as books for tween girls. 

She lives with her husband and four almost grown children on the California coast. 

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Book blurb for Road to Harmony: Torn between love and loyalty, will they choose the road to harmony? 

It’s 1907 and a cattle thief is loose in Harmony Valley. Elena Seifert wants to help her father guard his dairy farm, but everyone thinks that's a man's job. When her childhood sweetheart returns to Harmony, her heart is torn between Jonas Bollinger, her secret love, and Lars Rissler, the wealthy middle-aged storeowner her parents hope she marries.

Jonas never imagined he’d be back in Harmony Valley, but his pa isn’t well. When Jonas makes a promise he wishes he didn’t have to keep, he is torn between loyalty to his family and the woman he has loved since he was a boy.

The thief continues to strike, while a dispute among dairy farmers stirs up discord in the Valley. Is a truce possible so everyone can live in harmony? And will Elena and Jonas find the inner peace to choose love and still do what is best for their families?

~*~
Buy Sherry's book on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Sherry:
Blog - http://www.sherrykyle.com/category/blog/
Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSherryKyle
Twitter - https://twitter.com/sherrykyle
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/sherrykylebooks/

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Spring into Love: Jodie's story about an angel and a cowboy

Interview with Jodie Wolfe, author of "An Angel for a Cowboy":

Alexis: Essie Love is a sweet, creative name for your story’s heroine. How did you make her name up and what is Essie like? Describe her personality, heart, strengths and weaknesses.

Jodie: Essie's first name is actually Esther. I wanted to come up with a fun nickname for her, which is how I landed on Essie. When it came to her last name, I thought it would be fun to use love since she is a romance writer who has been burned by love.

She's the oldest and has two younger sisters. Her pa's dying words instructed her to care for her siblings. She'll do whatever she can to keep that promise. Essie is a strong and determined woman. She's willing to give up her own happiness in order to protect her sisters. Her weakness is trying to do things on her own. She's determined to marry a wealthy stranger in order to get the funds she needs to save her home and her sisters, as long as it isn't a cowboy.

Alexis: Jud Steele, with a name like that he sounds like a movie star! Describe his looks, hopes, character flaw and most redeeming trait.

Jodie: LOL. He's a rugged cowboy who is badly injured when he lands at Essie's door so he doesn't look so great then. His character flaw is that he's willing to be on the run instead of clearing up the misunderstanding in regard to him and his cousin. He does miss being a part of a family but hasn't given much thought to marriage. His most redeemable trait is that he'll do whatever he can to help Essie. 

Alexis: What is it about Essie that makes Jud fall in love with her?

Jodie: Essie has been growing on him ever since she's daily cared for him and nursed him back to health. His angel needs protection and he's the man to provide for her.

Alexis: What is it about Jud that draws Essie to him?

Jodie: Jud isn't anything like her ex-fiancé. He shows Essie a sacrificial love she hasn't experienced before.

Alexis: Why is the bank threatening foreclosure on Essie’s home? Explain how she reached this perilous point.

Jodie: After the loss of her pa, grasshopper plagues, and drought the farm has fallen behind in their bank payments. She has two months to come up with the amount due on the mortgage or she and her sisters will be without a home.

Alexis: Why does Essie feel that she is the provider for her sisters? What happened to their parents?

Jodie: Both of Essie's parents have died and it's up to Essie to take care of her sisters.

Alexis: How would Essie’s last resort of marrying a stranger save her and her sisters?

Jodie: She's banking on being able to find a man who'll be willing to pay off the money due on their mortgage note.

Alexis: How did Jud land on the wrong side of the law?

Jodie: Actually Jud is an innocent man but the only problem is that he happens to closely resemble his no-account cousin, Jesse, who is on the run from the law. Jesse's wanted poster is for him to be taken either dead or alive. Problem is, men are shooting at Jud before he gets a chance to tell them they have the wrong man. 

Alexis: Why does Essie decide to help Jud restore his health?

Jodie: Jud has a gunshot wound and is too weak to go anywhere else.

Alexis: In what ways does Essie and Jud’s individual life stories intertwine and bring healing to their hearts?

Jodie: They both are on the run. Jud literally is, and Essie is running from the hurts in her past. When they both stop running, healing can begin to take place.

Alexis: What was the most fun part for you as you wrote this story?

Jodie: I loved creating a character who wrote dime novels. I've always wanted to have a heroine that also wrote.

Alexis: What lesson do you want to teach your readers through this tale?

Jodie: That no matter what you are going through, hope can be found in Christ. In the story, Jud and Essie tried to keep secrets and it didn't get them anywhere. So too, the Lord knows everything about us. We can trust Him to work in our lives.

Alexis: If you could step into your story and spend time with your main characters, what would you do, where would you go and why?

Jodie: That's a hard one. I guess since Essie and Jud's story has already been revealed, I'd like to spend time with Essie's sisters, Teddy and Kitty. In fact, I'll get a better chance to learn more about Teddy since my publisher asked me to write another novelette. So be watching for her story in November.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Jodie! Your story sounds fun! 

Jodie: Thanks for having me. It's always fun to chat with you about my characters and welcome others into my story world.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. 

She's been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests and is a member of ACFW. 

When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. 

Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

~*~
Blurb for An Angel for the Cowboy:

When the bank threatens foreclosure on Essie Love's home, it's up to her to provide for her sisters. She’ll do whatever it takes to save them, even if it means marrying a stranger
. 
Jud Steele is wanted for a crime he didn't commit. Wounded and left for dead, he lands on Essie's doorstep. While she nurses him back to health, he finds himself longing for a home and family.

Can two desperate people find a path that leads to what they both need?

~*~
Buy Jodie's book on Amazon

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Connect with Jodie:
Website

Facebook 

Twitter

"Digging for Pearls" blog

"Stitches Thru Time" blog

Google+

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Spring into Love: Character interview featuring Sloane Bradley

Interview with Sloane Bradley, heroine of the story, With No Reservations:

Alexis: What do you think of your author, Laurie Tomlinson? Did she tell your story well? Be honest!

Sloane: If anything, she exposed more than I was always comfortable with, but it was necessary. I could never write a novel like she does, though—too much chaos in her process for my liking! 

Alexis: How many years have you been blogging, Sloane? Tell us your blog’s name and describe its significance.

Sloane: I’m coming up on my blog’s ten-year anniversary! Can you believe it? It’s called Mise en Place, which is French for “everything in its place.” It’s a culinary term for getting all of your ingredients arranged before cooking, and I always include a photo of my own mise en place at the beginning of each post.

Alexis: What is the name of Cooper’s new restaurant and why were you wary about helping him to promote it?

Sloane: His new restaurant is called Simone, named after the woman who decided to sublet her upstairs to him when he lived in France. I was nervous about helping him promote it because I knew “the stories” about him. But it was mostly getting out of my routine. I have a little problem with control, but it’s getting better. 

Alexis: You and Cooper share a passionate love for food. In what ways has the kitchen (in the restaurant and at home) brought you together?

Sloane: We both speak the language of food, which gave us a common denominator when we thought we were nothing alike. Of course, we soon discovered we had much more in common with our pasts than we ever could have imagined.

Alexis: What is it about Cooper that makes your heart warmer than hot apple cider?

Sloane: He’s resilient. He’s been through so much and yet he’s constantly working behind the scenes and giving all he has. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes, too. And he’s a good kisser. Did I just say that out loud?

Alexis: What made you fall in love with Cooper and never want to leave his side? Where do you see your relationship with him five years from now? Details, please!

Sloane: I don’t know what it was that finally did it, but I do know that I’ve never felt safer with anyone else. He helped me realize that I couldn’t keep living the way I was living, and I’m so much stronger because of that. I don’t know what the next five years will hold, but I do know I want to be with him for the rest of my life!

Alexis: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious disability that people often think only affects American soldiers who are trying to transition back into civilian life. But clearly, it affects you. When were you first diagnosed with this disorder and how do you cope?

Sloane: Yes, PTSD is something that affects a lot more individuals than people think, but I’m so glad that veterans programs have created more awareness recently so more can get the help they need. I was diagnosed when I was 16 and had discouraging experiences with many therapists and counselors, so I sought help but didn’t really want to be helped, if that makes sense. While PTSD looks different for everyone, it looks like OCD in my case. Control is how I cope.

Alexis: Paint a picture of your home studio, with words. Describe the layout, paint color(s) that coat your walls and the aromas that radiate from your kitchen.

Sloane: There’s a lot of white and clean lines. I’m a little ashamed to admit I have expensive tastes, so there are a lot of minimalistic European influences in my décor. But I do like to have a few rustic and colorful accent pieces. My kitchen always smells like butter and either garlic or vanilla, depending on what I’m making in a given day. But real, Irish butter is a must in my home! 

Alexis: What are your thoughts about Cooper’s pet dog? What’s her name and how did her unconditional love help you heal?

Sloane: Maddie! I wasn’t really a dog person before I met her, but she has taught me the importance of playing. She is so warm and comforting and has this sense when her presence is needed. Do all dogs have that or just her? 

Alexis: Do you have a Starbucks habit? If so, what’s your favorite fix there and how often do you drink it?

Sloane: I usually get my morning coffee fix from my home espresso machine and all the fixings I have at home. The companies I’ve worked with have been so generous to send me fun coffee products to try. But on the go, I enjoy an almond milk latte from Starbucks every once in a while! 

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Sloane! Do you have any closing thoughts?

Sloane: Thank YOU so much for the kind and thoughtful interview, Alexis! It’s been my pleasure. I hope people are inspired by this story that they can have a full and healthy and meaningful life – no matter what they’ve been through!

~*~
Author bio:

Laurie Tomlinson is an award-winning contemporary romance author and cheerleader for creatives. 

She believes that God’s love is unfailing, anything can be accomplished with a good to-do list, and that life should be celebrated with cupcakes and extra sprinkles. 

Her novella "That’s When I Knew" was featured in the Love at First Laugh collection, and her debut novel, With No Reservations, is now available from Harlequin Heartwarming. 

You can connect with Laurie on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

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Book Blurb for With No Reservations:

There can be more than comfort in food…

What could well-known and wealthy Graham Cooper Jr. have in common with a blogger like Sloane Bradley, a woman with secrets she's kept firmly out of the public eye? That is, besides a love of food. 

Sloane still can't believe Cooper's the chef at the restaurant she's been assigned to promote. But she's boiling to prove to him that her "little blog" can put his place on the map. 

She can also fall head over heels for the guy, who has secrets of his own, it turns out…except for one thing. She can't get past the post-traumatic stress disorder that keeps her walled up in her home studio.

Available for purchase on:

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin.com | Google Play | Goodreads

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Spring into Love: Pegg's personal essay about a horse and true worth

A Worthy Steed
A guest post by Pegg Thomas

Writing for The Pony Express Romance Collection gave me a wonderful opportunity to combine my love of history and my love of horses. "Embattled Hearts", my story in the collection, includes a one-eyed horse named Cyclops. He’s a solid black thoroughbred with attitude.

When our son decided that he wanted to be a cowboy, we put obstacles in his way. You see, I’d had horses as a kid and I knew the expense and the work involved. We told him he couldn’t get a horse until he was 13 and able to do the work involved. He also had to take riding lessons first, which we weren’t going to paying for. And he’d have to purchase his own horse. That should have deterred any youngster, right?

Wrong.

He cleared the last hurdle just weeks before his 13th birthday, and had his money in the bank. It was time to horse shop. We knew our son was going to be tall—he’d passed me at age 12—so we went looking for a tall horse, something he wouldn’t outgrow. The market was high at the time and Quarter Horses over 15 hands were bringing a small fortune. Then we heard about off-track Thoroughbreds. Retired racehorses ready to take up a new career.

That led us to Jason.

Jason was a 16.2 hand solid black gelding with a been-there-done-that-got-the-tee-shirt kind of sanity that a mother appreciates. He was as smart and level-headed as any horse I’d ever been around. But he also had attitude. Did I mention our son was 13? One attitude deserves another.

Our son, who had been active in 4-H for years, was thrilled to take his horse to the fair. People proceeded to tell him that he should have bought a Quarter Horse. They told him that he couldn’t contest with a Thoroughbred. Never throw the gauntlet down before a pair with attitude. Within the year, our son and Jason were weaving between poles, circling barrels, sliding to a stop between chalked lines, and bringing home the ribbons to prove it.

The big black taught my son a lot of lessons along the way. He taught him patience. He taught him perseverance. He taught him trust. He taught him to overcome obstacles, some physical and some mental. He taught him to stand his ground. And he taught him that mom meant it when she said to unplug the electric fence before riding in the paddock.

I started writing "Embattled Hearts" almost a year to the day after we lost Jason at the ripe old age of 25. It seemed only fitting to capture his spirit in the story—which turned out to be my debut. I think Jason would have approved, although he may have given me some grief about the one-eyed thing, since he had both of his.

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Author bio:

Pegg Thomas lives on a hobby farm in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years.

A life-long history geek, she writes “History with a Touch of Humor.” 

When not working on her latest novel, Pegg can be found in her garden, in her kitchen, at her spinning wheel, or on her trusty old horse, Trooper.

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Blurb for "Embattled Hearts": Alannah Fagan escaped from a battle she wouldn’t survive. Stewart McCann left behind a battle he couldn’t face. Thrown together at Horseshoe Station, can they find something worth fighting for?

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Buy Pegg's story "Embattled Hearts" in The Pony Express Romance Collection, available now at Amazon and Christian Bookstores

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Connect with Pegg:
Amazon Author Page
Twitter 
Goodreads
Website 
QuidProQuills 
ColonialQuills

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Spring into Love: An Unlikely Hero

Interview with Mary Davis, author of “An Unlikely Hero”:

Alexis: What makes 1 Samuel 16:7 the focus of this story? Explain the significance.

Mary: This is the verse where God doesn’t look on a person’s outward appearance like people do. My hero in this story was always judged by his small size and deemed incapable. The Pony Express hired only small men and boys to have less weight on the horses so the horses could run faster. And like most other people, the heroine also misjudges the men at the station by outward appearance as to their ability to protect her.

Alexis: Your story is set at the Head of the Echo Canyon Pony Express Station in 1861. Would your book be a historical romance then? Explain what that means in this case.

Mary: Yes, “An Unlikely Hero” is a historical romance. People often get a historical romance mixed up with a historical with romantic elements. What’s the difference you might ask? A historical story is a story set in the past, in a historical setting and can encapsulate a variety of other genres with it and may or may not have romance. For instance, the TV series Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman is a historical with romance elements. The romance isn’t the main part of the story, but there is romance. A historical romance is a romance first and historical second. If you tried to take the romance out of a historical romance, the rest would fall apart and you wouldn’t have a story. It’s a story about a boy and girl falling in love that happens to be set in the past.

Alexis: BethAnn White is the heroine of your story. What does she look like? What are her life passions and goals? How does she act and why?

Mary: You wouldn’t think so, but this question gives me pause. It seems like a simple enough one, but I’ve written another novella and a novel as well as several proposals since finishing “An Unlikely Hero,” so let me think a minute. BethAnn has golden blond hair and blue eyes. Her current goal in the story is to keep herself and her sister safe. She is a helpful person. She treats all people kindly and doesn’t think of some people as better than others.

Alexis: What was the terrible mistake that BethAnn made and why is she in grief?

Mary: When BethAnn’s other sisters and parents got gravely ill with diphtheria, she mistakenly allowed the wrong sort of man to help her with medical expenses and then funeral costs. Her other sisters and parents died, thus the reason for her grieving. So now it is just herself and her little sister, Molly.

Alexis: How old are BethAnn and her younger sister? Why are they on the run?

Mary: Hold on a second while I look that up, BethAnn is in her early twenties. Her sister is twelve. They’re on the run because the man who gave BethAnn money to pay for medical treatment for her family is demanding repayment . . . in one form or another. He’s not a nice fellow.

Alexis: Why does BethAnn believe that she needs to find a strong man to protect she and her sister?

Mary: Because the man she owes money to is coming after her, and she mistakenly believes that only a “big, strong man” can protect her from this other man.

Alexis: Fox is the hero of this story. Tell us about his looks, personality, and heart. What makes him “An Unlikely Hero”?

Mary: He has red hair, “kind, gentle green eyes with flecks of gold,” and is small in stature. Think horse jockey. He has a quiet personality and the heart of a romantic. He has a knack for drawing and fills his sketchbook with secret drawings of BethAnn. What makes him “An Unlikely Hero”? His size, but not his heart.

Alexis: How did Fox start riding for the Pony Express and how long has he done that?

Mary: When the Pony Express first started looking for riders, Fox answered the recruiting poster asking for “Young, Skinny, Wiry Fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.” This was the one place that Fox’s smaller size was wanted and needed. There were riders over eighteen even up towards thirty, but most were teenaged boys. Fox joined at the beginning, so since April of 1860. The Pony Express ran for about eighteen months. My story takes place near the end of the Pony Express, which ended in October of 1861, so he’s been riding for them for over a year.

Alexis: Describe BethAnn and Fox’s meet-cute. What draws them together and what keeps them together?

Mary: BethAnn’s sister nearly gets run down by a speeding Pony Express horse and rider with the setting sun in his eyes. Fox swoops in from out of the shadows and gets her sister out of harm’s way and rolls her to safety. BethAnn approaches and thanks him profusely. This event draws them together, and both being at the station keeps them together.

Alexis: What is it about BethAnn that makes Fox fall in love with her?

Mary: Her appreciation for him. Because of his smaller size, no one had ever appreciated anything he did. Her kind heart and willingness to help others.

Alexis: What is it about Fox that BethAnn admires? Explain.

Mary: His quiet way and his willingness to risk his life for a stranger. His kind heart and helpfulness. His actions and sketches speak more than his words because he doesn’t do a lot of talking. When he isn’t on a ride, he’s near to BethAnn and her sister, helping them in various ways. He helps them in the garden and teaches Molly to sketch.

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in this story and how does it affect the ending?

Mary: Both BethAnn and Fox are Christians and believe the good things that happen are because of God. If they both didn’t believe in God, I don’t know that they would get together at the end. BethAnn might not have stayed as long as she did if the Lord didn’t make her feel safe at the station, and Fox would have left when he felt BethAnn thought poorly of him and wouldn’t likely fall in love with him.

Alexis: As the author, how does your faith in God in the real world affect your fictional storytelling?

Mary: Every story I write is through the filter of knowing a loving God who never gives up on me and sees more than what is on the outside.

Alexis: What was the most challenging aspect of writing this story?

Mary: Creating a believable hero from a jockey-sized man. But I believe I’ve succeeded in creating a man who measures up to hero status regardless of his height.

Alexis: What’s the moral of the story?

Mary: Don’t judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a hero by his size.

Alexis: If you were not a writer, what would you like to be? Why?

Mary: A craft teacher. I love to sew, quilt, and do various other crafts. Being able to help someone else create something wonderful out of this and that is quite rewarding.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Mary! God bless you. 

Mary: You’re welcome! I had fun!

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Author bio: 

Award-winning novelist Mary Davis has over two dozen titles in both historical and contemporary themes. 

She is a member of ACFW and active in two critique groups. 

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty years and two cats. 

She has three adult children and one grandchild.

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Book Blurb for Mary's story inside The Pony Express Romance Collection: 

In "An Unlikely Hero", 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.”

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Connect with Mary: 
Website - http://marydavisbooks.com
Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/mary.davis.73932
Amazon - http://amzn.to/2qKxFzs
Barbour Books - http://bit.ly/2qxWl1P
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/2pbTdDX
Blog - http://marydavis1.blogspot.com/

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