Today I’m happy to welcome Vickie McDonough back to my blog. A few months ago she gave away one of her Heartsong series and now I’m tickled to talk with her about Second Chance Brides, book two in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series from Barbour.
Vickie is offering a copy to one lucky reader, so please leave a comment below with your email address for a chance to win. And be sure to click “Follow” if you haven’t already!
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About Vickie
Vickie McDonough is an award-winning author of 20 books and novellas. Vickie’s books have won the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, Texas Gold, and the ACFW Noble Theme contest, and she has been a multi-year finalist in ACFW’s BOTY contest. The Anonymous Bride, book one in her debut trade fiction series the Texas Boardinghouse Brides, released this spring, and the sequel, Second Chance Brides, is now available. Vickie’s books promise An Adventure into Romance.
Vickie and her husband live in Oklahoma. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four grown sons and grandma to a feisty four-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
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What’s your latest book?
Second Chance Brides, book 2 in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series
Barbour, April 2010
Here’s a blurb:
Rejected mail-order brides, Shannon O’Neil and Leah Bennett, are stranded in Lookout, Texas, without husbands or future plans. Thankfully, the marshal has ordered the rascally Corbett brothers to pay for the women’s lodging at the boardinghouse, since they were the ones who brought the women to town in the first place. But the brothers are searching for a way to marry off the women and be free of their financial burden. Getting into the matchmaking business doesn’t sound as far-fetched as it once did. Will the Corbett brothers’ idea of hosting Saturday socials really bring these women the kind of loves they long for? Or will their plans backfire?
Okay, that sounds like flat-out FUN. What’s your favorite part of the story?
I loved making Mark squirm as he wrestled with falling in love and at the same time not wanting to and feeling worthy of a woman’s love. Also, I enjoyed seeing more of Jack, the daughter of the boardinghouse owner. In book 2, she is still causing trouble and battling her nemesis, the town bully.
Make ’em squirm! =) What was the hardest part to write?
There is a scene where one bride walks away from her fiancée when he’s in a big bind and needs her deeply. That was hard to write. I wanted to help him, but that wasn’t something my female character could do at the time.
Always tough on us, though, isn’t it? What do you hope your readers will get out of the story?
It’s my hope that readers are entertained and taken away from their own worries and struggles while they’re enjoying Second Chance Brides. But more importantly, is that I hope they will see that God is always several steps ahead of them. Even though they may be going through hard times, like Shannon and Leah in my book, there is always a way out. If we turn to God, He can bring us through the difficult times and help us learn something in the process.
So true! Is there a theme to this book?
Trusting God during hard times.
What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?
That’s an easy question. Historical Christian romance—and if the book has a cowboy, lawman, or rancher, that’s even better. I watched all the westerns of the 1960s and early ‘70s with my dad and fell in love with them way back then.
Is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?
I love using the book Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes when I’m first creating my characters. It lists the 8 archetypes for heroes and 8 for heroines and tells their strong and weak points. It also explains how the different male and female archetypes mesh and clash, which I find very helpful when developing the conflict of my books.
Sounds like a good one! Aside from writing, what takes up most of your time?
I’m primary caregiver to my partially handicapped mom. She can’t leave her home without assistance, and I do all her errands, things at her home that she isn’t able to, and fix some of her meals. I also pick up my four-year-old granddaughter from school two days a week and watch her until her mom gets off work.
If someone were to give you $5,000 to spend on anything you wanted, what would you buy? (No saving or gifts to charities allowed!)
I’d buy an Ipad and then probably use the rest to get the outside of my house painted. That’s our next big project.
Those things look sooooo cool! Any funny family stories about living with a writer?
I have three grown sons still living at home, although one is currently at college and another just deployed this past weekend to Egypt. They got in the habit of calling before coming home from work and asking, “Did you cook tonight?” They learned that when I’m on deadline, dinner is usually pizza, carryout Chinese, leftovers—or whatever they choose to but on their way home.
Reminds me of a Facebook status my hubby saw a while back: “How am I supposed to make dinner when the Pizza Hut website isn’t working?” LOL. Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?
I’m in a Christmas novella collection that just released. Christmas Mail Order Brides tells the tale of four brave—and sometimes desperate—young women who travel the transcontinental railroad to marry men they’ve never met.
Heartsong Presents is releasing the first book in a South Carolina trilogy in December. It’s called Mutiny of the Heart. The other two books, Indigo Dreams and Dueling Hearts will release in 2011.
Also, Finally A Bride, the third book in my Texas Boardinghouse Brides releases next April. It’s set ten years later than the first two books. Jack is the heroine, and she’s now a young woman, but she still finds herself in odd predicaments. Garrett, one of the Corbett brothers, also gets lassoed by a most-unexpected woman.
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Thanks for visiting again, Vickie! Readers, you can check out her website at www.vickiemcdonough.com and find her books at Amazon, ChristianBook or CrossPurposes.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Chance of winning depends on number of entries. Contest ends 10/14/10. Winner will have two weeks to claim prize.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
This sounds like a great read! The cover is too cute as well! Enter me, Please!
TaraTagli at gmail dot com
Another book that sounds like a interesting read and have had on my list. Please enter me.
Blessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com
It is always interesting to read the interviews and learn more about the author and realize that they are human just like me and that they love the same God I serve. I would love to read this book.
charliebear@rogers.com
I've had the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series on my TBR list since I heard about the first one! I would love to read this – please enter me 🙂
ksmiley2[at]kent[dot]edu
Loved Anonymous Bride. Want to know the outcome of the additional mail-order brides! Please enter me.
desertrose5173 at gmail dot com
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed The Anonymous Bride, and I'm eager to continue this series. The plot was different from what I usually read, and Vickie created characters that I wanted to spend more time with. I enjoyed this interview and appreciate the chance to win Second Chance Brides.
cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net
This book sounds really good. Looking forward to reading it. carmen sent me.
plhouston(at)bellsouth(dot)net
Looks like a great book! Please enter me!
Thanks much!
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com
Great interview! I loved The Anonymous Bride and can hardly wait to read Second Chance Brides. I would love to win a copy. Thank you for the opportunity.
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
Thank you! I have a real hankering to read this book!
April
apeygirl[at]gmail[dot]com
This book sounds like just the type that I like to read! Thanks so much for entering me!
I enjoyed the interview!
Blessings,
Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net
Please enter me in this giveaway:) I like reading Vickie's books and this one sounds like fun. Thanks!
esterried[at]yahoo[dot]com
Great interview! Love reading Christian Books! I was a caregiver for my mother-in-law for 10 years before she died. I have never regreted one minute even through she had Dementia and didn't know me in the last six years of her life. My husband was a truckdriver so I was the only one to take care of her even through she had two other sons that wouldn't even help out. Their loss!
God Bless You!
rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sounds like a terrific book. I also appreciated the referral to the "Sixteen Master Archtypes."
If someone gave me $5000, I'd get our house painted, too. It really needs it.
Blessings on you for caring for your mom.
I'm currently reading The Anonymous Bride and look forward to enjoying the next book in the series as well.
I feel for Vickie. Caring for a parent is a labor of love, one that can be rewarding as well as emotionally taxing. To do that and write has to be a challenge.
My email address is in my Google profile.
Would love to win a copy. 🙂 And I loved the part about your son's checking to see if you made dinner. I have 3 boys too, and I can totally see them doing something like that.
My email is in my profile. Thanks,
thanks for the chance to read this novel…
karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
This looks like a very good book! Thanks.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Second Chance Brides are on my must read list!
alekee02[at]yahoo[dot]com
I would love to win this book!
pepsi324[at]yahoo[dot]com
This definitely sounds like something I want to read! Please enter me…I'm looking forward to reading this.
norgemtgal*at*gmail*dot*com
Shooeeee!!!
I don't think Vickie is writing enough!
Seriously … what a treat for all of us McDonough book addicts to be able to look forward to this plethora of pure reading enjoyment! Don't enter me to win a copy of Second Chance Brides; my copy should be arriving any day now! 🙂
Vickie's stories always touch my heart, I'd love a chance to win Second Chance Brides. Thanks!
worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com
Enjoyed the interview and would love to read this book! Thanks
Jennifer
jenmmcclure(at)yahoo(dot)com
Please enter me.
bkhabel at gmail dot com
Please enter me! I have been wanting to read this book! 🙂
Kim
lonebanana(at)msn(dot)com
Please enter me! Looks like a great book! Thanks!
God bless!
~Katie G.
katiegalyean (at) yahoo (dot) com
vickie,
You always come up with such fun stories.
Linda
I love reading interviews on the blogs! They're very informative and entertaining….I would love the chance to win Second Chance Brides, especially aftering reading The Anonymous Bride!
Thanks!
Molly
Mollydedwards AT yahoo DOT com
Fun interview! I loved The Anonymous Bride and would love a chance to win this one!
Blessings
Michelle V
lifeinreviewblog[at]yahoo[dot]com