ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MARGARET BROWNLEY - Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this—except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."
So that’s what Margaret did. She now has more than 20 novels to her credit. In addition, she's written many Christian articles and a non-fiction book. Still, it took a long time before Margaret tried her hand at writing inspirational fiction which led to her Rocky Creek series.
"I love writing about characters at different stages of faith," she says of the new direction her writing career has taken, "and I'm here to stay."
Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband live in Southern California.
A Lady Like Sarahby Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson
ABOUT THE BOOKWhen Preacher Justin Wells promises an injured lawman to help him take his prisoner to Texas, Justin has no idea the trouble that lies ahead. The slightly-built prisoner turns out to be a Sarah Prescott—sister of the notorious Prescott brothers--and she’s determined to miss the hanging party waiting for her in Texas.
But escaping proves to be tougher than she thought. The poor man doesn’t own a gun and hasn’t the foggiest idea how to survive the wilderness. How can she leave him alone with the injured marshal?
Nothing is more sacred to Justin than a promise made to a dying man. But can he really bring himself to turn the blue-eyed beauty over to the hangmen? She’s tough as leather, but there’s something about her that is pure and good.
When she rides into a trap, he blames himself. Now, she faces the gallows and nothing short of a miracle will save her.
He can’t bear to lose her, but how can a simple preacher fight an entire town? And how can either one of them know that miracles come in many guises—including love?
Margaret's book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prY2q9Oasp4Readers, buy your copy of A Lady Like Sarah today!AUTHOR INTERVIEW1. This is your debut inspirational novel after 20 novels for the secular market. Congratulations! What gave you the inspiration for this story?You never know when inspiration is going to hit. It’s different for every book. It can be something someone says or an item in the newspaper. Years ago I read an article in the National Enquirer about an Avon lady in the Amazon. She sold cosmetics to the natives who preferred buying their war paint than making it. From that article sprang my book Touch of Lace.
A Lady Like Sarah was inspired by Pearl Hart who robbed a stagecoach to pay her mother’s medical bills (Health care was highway robbery even in the 1800s). Her story got me thinking about how far we would go to protect or save a loved one.
My next book A Suitor for Jenny (September 2010) was inspired by an organization that really existed: The Society for the Protection and Preservation of Male Independence. What fun the heroine has breaking through that society!
2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?My experiences are, as one might expect, very different than what my characters experienced in 1879. However, human emotions haven’t changed and that’s the heart of my story. As for traits, Sarah and I are both survivors. The trait that is most hers is that she acts before she thinks. I try to think before I act and sometimes I even succeed.
3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?Sarah would be Rocky Road. It’s got hard nuts and soft marshallow. She’s a tough gal—had to be, it was the only way she could survive. But the hero sees a softness in her that others don’t see. Justin would be Napoleon. He doesn’t know what God expects of him just as Napoleon ice cream doesn’t know what flavor it’s meant to be.
4. Are there any themes in Wild West Christmas
that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?I hope that one of the themes that readers see is that it’s still possible today as it was more than a hundred years ago for goodness to triumph against all odds. An overt theme that developed during the writing of the book was that God always sends the right people in our lives when we most need them.
5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?One of the things I feel is missing from many inspirational romances is sexual tension. I don’t want to read what happened beneath the covers or behind the bedroom door, but I do want to see and feel their growing attraction and love for each other. Sarah and Justin were alone together for most of the story. The hardest part was to show their growing desire for one another without crossing the line. Though he was a preacher, God made him all man and he was greatly tempted. My favorite part was writing Sarah’s dialogue. She kept waking me up at night to tell me her odd though humorous take on life and I’d have to jump out of bed to jot it down. I loved every moment I spent with her.
6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?The 2nd book in my Rocky Creek series is
A Suitor For Jenny. The book is scheduled for publication September 2010. A little preview:
When seeking a husband, it is best to go where the odds are in your favor. That would be Rainbow Creek, Texas, with the highest number of eligible bachelors per capita of any other town in the west due to the and fulfill the promise made to her dying father.
Soon after arriving, she posts a sign that reads:
Wanted: Husbands
Must be clean, well-mannered and generous
Interested parties are to meet at the hotel
10 a.m. to 4.p.m.
Must provide proof of financial security
Her plan hits a snag when the enthusiastic applicants, including the handsome marshal, RICK ARMSTRONG, fail to meet her stringent requirements. Rejecting her sisters' poor choices for mates and riding herd on her own growing feelings for the marshal, Jenny doggedly continues the search. But she is about to learn that a man's faith is more important than his bank account and choosing a husband is a job best left to the heart.
Thank you all!
* * * * *
Thank you, Margaret, for being in the spotlight with us.
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SUSAN PAGE DAVIS
THE SHERIFF'S SURRENDER
MARGARET DALEY
CHRISTMAS PERIL