Fwd: Readers Make Room for McDonough's Texas Boardinghouse Brides Series

 

For Immediate Release                                                                           

Friday, February 05, 2010

                                                                       

                                                                                   

 

Readers Make Room for the Texas Boardinghouse Brides Series   

Award-winning Author Vickie McDonough Releases The Anonymous Bride in April 2010

 

Uhrichsville, OH— Marshal Luke Davis finds himself wanted--as a husband. Find out which woman will win the contest of his heart in The Anonymous Bride, book one in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series by Vickie McDonough. The historical novel is scheduled for release in April 2010.

 

In the novel, Luke Davis, marshal of Lookout, Texas, flippantly tells his cousin he'd get married if the right woman ever came along. When three mail-order brides are delivered to Luke a month later, he's in an uncomfortable predicament. How will he ever choose his mate? Rachel Hamilton's long-time love for Luke is reignited with his return to town. So when three mail-order brides appear, she panics. Will she find the courage to tell Luke that she loves him? Or take an anonymous part in the contest for his hand?

 

Vickie McDonough is an award-winning inspirational romance author. She has written 16 novels and novellas. Her Heartsong books, The Bounty Hunter and the Bride andWild At Heart both placed third in the Top Ten Favorite Historical Romance category in Heartsong Present's annual readers' contests. Her stories frequently place in national contests, such as the ACFW Book of the Year contest and the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest. She has also written book reviews for over eight years. Vickie is a wife of thirty-three years, mother of four grown sons and grandma to a feisty three-year-old girl. When she's not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie's books, visit her website:www.vickiemcdonough.com

 

Find this title online at www.netgalley.com at this link: http://bit.ly/bzTiOF .

To schedule an author interview, contact Angie Brillhart atabrillhart@barbourbooks.com or call 740.922.6045, ext. 171.

 

The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough. April 2010. $10.97. 320 pages.

ISBN 978-1-60260-696-8.

 

Author Q&A:

 

Q: How did you get your start in writing?

 

A: I have always been an avid reader, so I'm sure that influenced me to become a writer, even though I'd never planned to be one. A story started going through my head, and it got to the point where I wasn't sleeping at nights because of it. I decided to write it down, hoping it would go away and leave me alone. As soon as I finished that book, another one started running through my mind. At this point I took a step back and started praying about my writing, and that's when I felt God leading me to into the writing field. I jumped in and started learning all I could about writing by taking classes online and at my local community college. I joined ACFW and some local writer's groups and began learning the craft of writing.

 

 

Q: Explain how you came up with your idea for the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series and what research went into the series.

 

A: I actually had the idea for The Anonymous Bride as a stand-alone, and then my editor asked if I planned to make it a series. I hadn't originally, but it was easy to do. There were several brides leftover from the first book who needed romance and to find a mate, so I plotted two sequels for them. As far as research, I've visited Texas many times, so I already know quite a lot about it. My research was more in picky details like what kind of plants and trees grow in northeastern Texas or what was life like in Texas during the 1880s. I also started out with my hero being a sheriff but research showed that a small town would have had a town marshal instead. I also did some interesting research on mail-order brides.

 

 

Q: In The Anonymous Bride, Luke had a hard time forgiving Rachel for marrying James when she'd pledged to marry him. What advice do you have for individuals struggling to forgive?

 

A: Forgiving someone who hurt you deeply is not an easy thing. I believe it takes a conscious effort to mentally say that you forgive that person, and then every time you feel the hurt or anger over the event seeping in, you have to once again take control of your thoughts and forgive them. God is always willing to help someone forgive, if you just ask Him.

 

 

Q: Luke was also a fairly new Christian. What encouragement can you give to new believers struggling with faith issues?

 

A: Pray diligently. Read your Bible, and fellowship with other believers. It may be necessary to find a new set of friends if your old ones are pulling back into your old life. You are a new creation in Christ, and He has set a new path before you, so don't be afraid to find strength in God and other believers and walk that path.

 

 

Q: In the novel, the mail-order brides found themselves in a difficult situation. Like the brides, how have you found yourself in a situation where you had to totally trust in God even though there seemed no way out?

 

A: Most definitely. Two years ago, my husband was due a promotion on his job and a bonus for working above and beyond what was expected on a big project. Instead, his company informed him and his fellow employers that they were closing down his shop and moving it to California. He was out of work four months, but then he landed his dream job. We were thrilled! But six weeks later, he and twelve others were laid off when expected contracts were cancelled because of the economy. This was a real time of testing for me. I thoroughly believed that God would give Robert an even better job—and you know what?—He did. Six weeks later, he started a new job, which he still has. He's able to work mostly from home, and occasionally travels. Last summer I went with him to Salt Lake City, where Robert worked a week & I wrote in the hotel room. Then we drove back home and took a ten-day tour of the Southwest. I could have gone to pieces and fretted over his job loss, but I mentally made the decision to trust God and to sit back and see what He would do.

 

 

Q: Was there a scripture that inspired this story?

 

A: 'And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.' " The mail-order brides were so desperate that all they could focus on was winning the bride contest and becoming Luke's wife. They couldn't see that maybe God had brought them to Lookout for another purpose. The same with Luke. He thought God brought him back to Lookout so he could finally forgive Rachel and get her out of his system, but God had far greater plans for him than he could have imagined. Many times we limit God with our human perspective. He's so much bigger and greater than our limited minds can comprehend. He wants to do great works in our lives, but we get in the way with our impatience, our lack of vision, and lack of faith. If only we could see the future God has planned for us.

 

 

Q: What do you hope your readers learn from The Anonymous Bride?

 

A: God sometimes uses extraordinary means to do a work in us. For Luke, it took having the mail-order brides competing for his affection & another traumatic event for him to realize where his heart truly laid. He had to seek wise council from his pastor and forgive himself before he could open his heart and find love. We often let petty things stand between us and the people we love, and I hope that in reading The Anonymous Bride readers will see the need to turn lose of such things in their own lives and to let God heal their wounds.

 

 

Q: Where can your readers find you online?

 

A: My website is www.vickiemcdonough.com. People can also find me on Facebook. I'm also a regular blogger on www.bustleandspurs.com.

 

 

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