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Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Guest Blogger Margaret Brownley and Waiting for Morning

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARGARET BROWNLEY, a New York Times bestselling author, has penned more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. Her books have won numerous awards, including Reader’s Choice. She has published the Rocky Creek series, and A Lady like Sarah was a Romance Writers of America RITA© finalist. Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband have three grown children and live in Southern California.

WAITING FOR MORNING
by Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson

DAWN COMES EARLY
by Margaret Brownley
Published by Thomas Nelson

ABOUT THE BOOKS

More Love and Laughter from N.Y. Times Bestselling Author, Margaret Brownley

Waiting for Morning

Molly Hatfield comes to Arizona Territory seeking stability and security. But living in Cactus Patch provides her with more than she ever dreamed of.

There is nothing Molly wouldn’t do for her teenaged brother, Donny. Blaming herself for the accident that left him wheel-chair bound, Molly has dedicated her life to his care. But in 1896, gainful employment for a woman is hard to come by. So when Molly learns that an eccentric rancher in Cactus Patch, Arizona, is looking for an heiress--someone to take over management of the ranch in exchange for future ownership--she jumps at the chance to provide a real home for her brother.

If she proves to have a knack for ranching and agrees to remain single for life, the ranch can be hers. Neither stipulation worries Molly. She’s resourceful and hardworking. And she gave up dreams of marriage long ago when she dedicated her life to her brother’s well-being.

However, Molly didn’t bank on meeting Dr. Caleb Fairbanks, the town’s handsome and charismatic young doctor. Caleb has a way with Molly that makes her nervous. But it’s how he is with her brother that really alarms her. Caleb sees past the wheelchair and genuinely likes Donny, but Molly fears he’s putting unrealistic ideas into her brother’s head. Falling in love with Caleb would threaten everything she’s worked for, even her brother’s future happiness.

But it could be the very reason God brought her to Last Chance Ranch.

Readers, buy your copy of Waiting for Morning today!

Dawn Comes Early

Looking for a woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona territory. Must be SINGLE and prepared to remain so now and forever more. Will be given ownership of ranch. —Eleanor Walker

Disgraced dime novelist Kate Tenney fled the city that banned her latest book for a fresh start at a cattle ranch in the Arizona Territory. She hopes ranching turns out to be as romantic as she portrayed it in her novels.

But what awaits her is a much harder life. There is no room for mistakes on a working cattle ranch in 1895, and Kate is ill-prepared for her new life. She quickly learns that dawn comes early . . . every day. But she is tenacious.

Having been abandoned by a string of men, Kate has no intention of ever marrying. But she didn’t expect to meet Luke Adams either. Luke awakens feelings inside Kate she doesn’t recognize, and his steady presence is a constant distraction. She has only written about love in the past, never known it herself. But her feelings for Luke stand in the way of all she has to gain if she is chosen as the heir.

Perhaps God brought Kate to the barrenness of the desert to give new life to her jaded heart.

Readers, buy your copy of Dawn Comes Early today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Kate Whittaker will never get a husband
as long as she keeps shocking
the town with her newfangled inventions.

The recent eBook release of one of my earlier books, Head Over Heels, brought back a lot of memories: some good; some bad.

While I was madly trying to meet my deadline, the Northridge earthquake struck and my house was practically destroyed. Even worse, my son's apartment slid off its foundation and he and his wife and baby barely got out alive. Though many roads were closed, they were able to make it safely to us.

We set up a crib on the front lawn and that's where we lived while waiting for the city inspector to tell us if the house was safe enough to enter. One thing worked in our favor; though the earthquake struck in January the weather was sunny and warm. I don't know what we would have done otherwise.

If having your roof practically cave in while on deadline isn't bad enough, the earthquake occurred five days before my daughter's wedding. Out of town guests who had already arrived pretty much had to fend for themselves. I was too busy trying to find an open store so we could purchase diapers.

When phone service resumed, we tried rescheduling the wedding, but reception halls were booked for a year and my daughter didn't want to wait that long. So, we set up "wedding central" on the front lawn next to the baby crib and got busy.

People bent over backward to help us. The church had suffered damages but we were assured it would be ready to go by that Saturday. Same for the country club where the reception was scheduled.

The news wasn't so good for the severly damaged mall where the wedding rings waited to be sized. Fortunately, management worked with us and we were able to retrieve the rings just in the nick of time. The photographer had set up shop on a sidewalk, but he assured as he was good to go. Ditto for the caterers and musicians. Many roads and freeways were closed and one of the hardest chores was rerouting guests.

On the third day of living on the lawn, the UPS man drove up to deliver a wedding gift, and we were able to toast our good fortune with the only unbroken drinking glasses for miles around.

With the help of friends and family, the wedding went off without a hitch, I wish I could say the same about the house renovations. I called my editor and got a two week extension on my deadline (which made me wonder what would have to happen to get, say, a month.) All local hotels were filled, so we had to stay in the house while workers sawed, drilled and hammered. I lived in a dust cloud for weeks.

While in the middle of writing a scene, I looked down to find a man under my desk pouring silicone into foundation cracks. The smell alone nearly knocked me out, but it was the aftershocks that bothered me the most.

When my heroine Kate in Head Over Heels blows up something in the book with one of her inventions, you can be sure that this writer was a-rocking and a-rolling when she wrote it. Now you know the story behind the story.

* * * * *

Thank you, Margaret, for sharing with us today.

Reader Question: Anyone have a disaster story to share? You might win a copy of Dawn Comes Early if you do.

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a free autographed copy of Dawn Comes Early. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the drawing is open to US/Canada residents only.

2 comments:

Pegg Thomas said...

I have led such a charmed/blessed life. Our biggest "disasters" cannot compare with what you've been through. Kudos to you, your church, and your friends for getting through it!
twinwillowsfarm at gmail dot com

Martha A. said...

A disaster? Hmmm.....well, my disasters seem pretty mild compared to yours, but I remember leaving the house for a very short time, I think I had to run to the store or post office. My husband watched three of our four boys. I came home to the kitchen covered in red...I was startled, thinking it was blood, but on closer examination, realized it was ketchup. Dad had fallen asleep and the three little boys decided to go skating in ketchup on the kitchen floor, which was quite large!!
martha(at)lclink(dot)com