If you shop through my Amazon link for anything, I'll earn a small percentage. Thank you so much. :) Christian Books and Bibles

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Interview & Giveaway! Mary Moore ~ Author of Beauty in Disguise!


Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Mary!! Will you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi Melanie! Thanks so much for having me and supporting writers with your blog. It is greatly appreciated, I know. There’s nothing overly interesting about me, but I’d be glad to tell you what my life is like. My husband and I live in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia . The Falls around here are nothing short of breathtaking, but it is really beautiful all year long. We moved here from the suburbs of Washington , DC where we both grew up, so the culture shock was scary, but we’ve settled in a bit now. We have one child, a black lab named Darcy who might just be the most spoiled dog in the entire world! My husband just retired from the Veteran’s Hospital and I quit my part-time job in December to be able to devote a little more time to writing. (Picture me with a terrified look on my face!) That’s about it!

What is your newest book, Beauty in Disguise, about? 

I would say the overall message is about forgiveness, but I don’t like saying that because I’d really like to hit the reader wherever they are at the moment. I’ve had a few people share the different messages they associated with the story, so I don’t feel like I’m giving too much away. It is about Lady Kathryn who falls in love with Lord Dalton at 18 years of age, but is then persuaded by a rake that Lord Dalton does not return her feelings and asks her to marry him. He convinces her into an elopement, a serious discretion for any woman, but then leaves her at the altar after discovering Lady Kathryn’s father has disowned her and has removed her inheritance. The blackguard only wanted Lady Kathryn’s money and so he leaves her alone in the world requiring that she would have to get a position as a governess or companion. She believes that even God couldn’t forgive her actions and this new life is her punishment. I don’t want to give too much away, but she is forced into creating a disguise to cover her beauty and when nine years Lord Dalton discovers her true identity, the pain and anger make them hurt each other. Hopefully, they can each find a way to forgive each other and to accept the forgiveness God had never denied them.

What is something the average reader wouldn't know about you? 

I am a John Wayne fanatic and have been for close to 40 years! I actually saw John Wayne movies when they came out in theaters! (I just really dated myself, didn’t I?) I had a dog named John Wayne. My father laid down the law, “I am not going to the door and yelling for John Wayne to come inside!” So he became J.W., but he was always John Wayne to me! Most people won’t watch his movies with me anymore because I know every line, but fortunately, I brought my husband over to the John Wayne side and he likes to watch them now, too.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

You know, I don’t really know the answer to that question. I’ve mentioned before that I began writing out of necessity; my husband worked the midnight shift, so he was sleeping most evenings. He’s a very light sleeper which ruled out TV, so I just started writing, for me alone. Unfortunately, I told my sister-in-law, Carol (I love her dearly) that I had written some stories and she demanded to read them. I don’t know why I let her, I didn’t let anyone else, but once she read them she was on a mission. I still don’t think that was the start of wanting to be a writer, she made me enter a few contests and send the manuscript to some publishers, but I had no idea what I was doing and, of course, no one responded. The stories were boxed up and put in the attic when my husband switched to dayshift. But Carol had other ideas! We were at a women’s retreat, I guess five years ago, and Carol discovered there was a published author attending. She made it her business to find this poor woman, meet her, and then introduce her to me. The very sweet woman gave me a few tips and a few web sites to check out and I think that is when I thought I would really try. God blessed me with a wonderful agent, Jenni Burke, on my first query and when things started to move along and I found out I was going to be published, I really started to think that this is what I want to do. And I think the major change hit my heart when I realized I wanted to write Christian fiction with a message. It was no longer about me. (Side note: You need to learn to ask writers yes and no questions or else you are going to get ramblings like this!)


How many books have you written/published and do you have a favorite? 

I have six books written (VERY unpolished, needing major overhauls) and many stories half done on paper and several in my head. I think my favorite would have to be The Aristocrat’s Lady, my first one written and my first one published. I loved the story all the way and I was excited to tell people about it.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? 

That I still write with paper and pen. (Has the laughter died down?) Yep, paper and pen. I was an administrative person during much of my career and typing is second nature. When I tried to write on the computer, I could tell I had misspelled a word after writing that sentence and it drove me crazy not to go back and fix it then. So I spent hours spinning my wheels. I can never say paper and pen is better. I get them written, but THEN they have to be typed in! It is no fun trying to read hurried handwriting and typing in 250+ pages! Maybe soon I’ll find a happy medium, but that’s my quirk at the moment.

Where do you like to write? 

We have a plush comfortable couch in the TV room, and I love to wriggle down into it and write. It seems like there isn’t near enough time to write now that I’m published, but that’s my favorite spot.

What is the best and/or worst part about being a writer? 

The best part is always the stories. When the groups of characters in your head come together as a story it is a wonderful feeling. And if I can put a serious message to go along with it, so that God gets all of the glory, that’s the greatest! The worst part is the promotion needed once a book comes out. I am a very, very behind the scenes person. I hate to get up and talk and I hate to be the center of attention. That makes speaking and book signings dreaded things for me. I know they are necessary and I do them, but I really don’t like it. I do like the blog opportunities that people like you give me. I can talk about the book and answer questions in the quiet of my couch in my pajamas if I like!

What do you like to do when you're not writing? 

First would be traveling. Not to far off and exotic places…my husband and I just love little three day getaways to a B & B a few hours in any direction. We used to take the dog, but she is really old now and doesn’t travel well, so that has been put on hold for now. I love to read, but that, too, seems almost impossible when there are so many “writing” things to do. But when I get the chance I settle in with a good Regency and I’m in heaven! My husband and I love to watch movies…I got a keeper in him, because he loves the romantic ones as well as the science fiction ones. That we do get time to do. When I’ve taken the day checking hundreds of emails, and doing rewrites and trying to keep the house up, we are happy to curl up with a good movie.

What is your favorite genre to read and why?

The Regency genre, hands down. Since the time I was 15 years old and discovered Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer I have been hooked on them. I love everything about that time period and I am amazed that so many different stories can be written about a time that was only about ten years in history. The glittering clothes and balls are wonderful, but I even enjoy delving in the poverty below the relatively small group of the rich and titled. So, they are still my favorites and that’s also why I write them.

Is there a place you’d like to visit, but haven’t yet? 

Actually, I would love to visit Ireland . I still have family over there, pretty distant now, but it is my heritage. My maiden name is O’Leary and my mother’s maiden name was Callaghan, so I got a double whammy. And while I’m there, I certainly wouldn’t mind taking a few weeks over in England seeing all of the places that I write about! I hope it will someday happen, but my husband has never flown so that’s half the battle!

Do you have a favorite Bible verse? 

I do. It is Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me, with all your heart.”  There’s so much hope in these verses and so many promises from God that should give us peace and comfort; we can just come to him and He will listen and we will find Him. I call on this verse so often. It was the theme of my first book.

Do you have a favorite song and/or movie? 

Oh my, a favorite song…I don’t ever think I could pick just one. I hear old songs from my high school years and think “Oh, I love that song.” Then I hear an old hymn and I love it. Then I hear the praise team at church and hear a new one I love. Nope, can’t narrow that one down. But I do have a favorite movie – Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South. (You thought I was going to say John Wayne didn’t you?) This is later than the Regency period, but it is such a wonderful story with great acting. I’m sure I love it so much because it is also one of my favorite books.

What is your favorite holiday? 

Wow, this one is hard, too. I do love Christmas with all of the lights and decorating the house, but I really love it because it makes us think about Jesus. The same with Easter. I love Spring and the little kids doing egg hunts, but the importance of Easter to me, as a Christian, is about Jesus’ death and resurrection. So I guess they would be my favorites. Life gets so busy with “things” (whatever they are in your life and whatever they are in mine) that I actually need the times of year that take me back to my Savior.

A few this-or-that questions:
Snowstorms or Thunderstorms? Snowstorms, by a mile!
Tea or Coffee? Tea, I think.
Call or Text? Calling. I am so behind technologically it’s not funny!
Early-bird or Night-owl? Definitely a night-owl
Cats or Dogs? Dogs for sure, but…I’ve run into a few cats lately that are affectionate and more like dogs, so cats are not a definite no.
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook. Again, my website links to twitter, otherwise you’d never hear a tweet out of me.

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, could you give us a hint? 

Yes, I’m currently proposing a series of three. They would not be sequels, but the themes are the same. But I can’t give away the theme, it would ruin the surprise. It’s different for me and really fun stories. I actually have loved writing these.

Thank you so much for being here! Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we find you on the web?

This had been a wonderful interview (for me, at least, you made me have to think!) and I appreciate the opportunity to be here. I love your site, too. I hope you like the books. You can reach me by email at mmooreauthor@swva.net, on the web at www.marymooreauthor.com, and on facebook at facebook.com/mmooreauthor. Thanks again, Melanie!

Book Giveaway!!


Mary is giving away a copy of The Aristocrat’s Lady and Beauty in Disguise! Open Internationally!

Enter via the Rafflecopter below for your chance to be one of the two winners! :) Ends 3/5

a Rafflecopter giveaway

68 comments:

  1. I've read some Love Inspired books recently and loved them! I would love to win a copy of your books. I think visiting Ireland would be a beautiful site to see.
    Clean Teen Fiction
    Clean Adult Fiction

    ReplyDelete
  2. This question is for the author, Mary. What inspired you to write these books? Are you a big fairytale fan as your books appear to have a fairytale-like quality to them?

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    mestith at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interested in what disguise she used to cover her beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My mom is from VA origianlly and mybrother now lives there. It is a beautiful part of the country!
    I would love to read both of Mary's books=)

    Patty
    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. You know, I have been seeing so many of these series that I would be interested in. (And about a year ago I wouldn't have been). They sound so intriguing, with several plot points. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very interesting interview! I'd love a chance to read your work.
    kandrajane at bell south dot net

    ReplyDelete
  7. I wish I still wrote my stories with pen and paper. However, I'm the type of person who likes to edit as they write, and I got tired of eraser holes in my manuscripts. So, now I do mostly computer-typing-writing. And it works for me.

    Great interview, Melanie!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This looks like a great book! Thanks for having a giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful covers! I love inspirational romances :-)great interview (I enjoy snow, tea and Christmas and Easter are my fav holidays for the same reason)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good morning, Melanie!!! I'm so happy to be with you today...I've been looking forward to it. I wasn't sure if you would get comments by readers that I would need to answer, so I'll be hanging out with you today (I've got a great boss!) and watching the entries to win the books! Thanks again for having me!

    In Him,
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sounds perfect! I love the Regency period along with Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. North and South is a favorite film (favorite has to go to P&P 1995)and I even like John Wayne most of the time!:)Looking forward to reading these.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh the books sound lovely! I absolutely love The Love inspired Historicals <3

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love North and South too...I found it a couple years ago and every year during hunting weekend I watch it...just love everything about it and now I own a copy and it is fairly worn!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I LOVE North and South to!!! It is a fabulous movie and an excellent choice! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm glad she doesn't just ask yes/no questions. Ramblings are the best! Typing 250+ pages may get tedious but I bet you get some revising done at the same time?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Both of Mary's books look very interesting! I have never read by her, but would love to give her books a try!
    Thanks for this giveaway! :)

    -Shantelle

    ReplyDelete
  17. these books sound so good love reading about this era thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. I haven't read any of Mary Moore's books...yet. They sound good. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your books look Awesome! Thanks for the Giveaway!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. These look and sound wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the giveaway! Hope to read this book soon.
    Salyna Gyger

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your books sound great Mary and I do need to read a few romance/ historical for one of my challenges, this giveaway would be perfect for me! Thanks and great interview!
    Alice (Aj)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Enter me these books look great!!
    Sharon Richmond
    Blanch,NC
    sharonruth126@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sounds really good!!
    Thanks for the great giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Mary and Melanie--really enjoyed the interview. Very interesting. I haven't read any of Mary's books, so thank you for the giveaway.
    may_dayzee (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sounds like a fascinating book, haven't read any of Mary's books & would love to win some! Thanks for the opportunity!

    bonnieroof60@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. These look like great books. I had never seen them before.
    Rebekah Gyger

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hello All!

    I've been having a terrible time with my computer...it does not want to use the reply option (I really want to talk to each of you) so I'm going to try to address some of you here in my own comments. So impersonal, I know...and I'm sorry! :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry the reply button isn't working for you... thanks so much for taking the time to comment! :)

      Delete
  29. I was shocked to see all of the North & South lovers. Isn't it just like that, you think you have this great find, you're sitting on your couch in fuzzy slippers just soaking up Richard Armitage and then you find out he has girlfriends everywhere you turn! :0) I wonder how many other loves we all share.

    And to you John Wayne fans...help me start a campaign to get more of his movies on dvd! I have so very many of them - on VHS!@ There I go dating myself again. So glad the Duke isn't gone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My favorite John Wayne films are Angel and the Badman, The Quiet Man, Without Reservations, and Rio Bravo.

      Delete
  30. Kathryn,
    Do you have some Irish in you? I love to blame all my bad qualities on being Irish. My husband does not fall for that anymore! And with a husband that doesn't fly it doesn't sound like I'll get there and with the recent cruise troubles I don't think I'd like the QE II! Thanks for stopping by today!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Meghan,
    Fairy tale quality...I like that! Thank you for those kind words! I hope the stories live up to that. I haven't intended for them to be that way, but when I think about it Cinderella and Snow White had their problems, too. Maybe it is fairy tales that started the whole romance genre! You are on the something!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Patty,
    Do you remember where in VA they lived? We're over in the SW (I guess it is like a panhandle)and the mountains just surround us. It really is beautiful all year round. It's the one stop light and 2 cars (at rush hour) that throw me for a loop! :0)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Marie,
    You really should give the Love Inspired Historicals a try. Actually any of the Love Inspired line is good, I love Regencies so I'm in the Historical category. And it certainly isn't limited to the Regency era. The westerns are very popular and I've seen several in the WWI and II era lately. And what is really cool is that there are Biblical Historicals, too. I love getting the history of the portion of the Bible I'm reading. The research must be humongous but to be able to mix in fictional characters sounds awesome. One of those is my next read. Let me know what you think at my website or my email. Melanie has got some pretty great followers!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Kiri,
    I know I need to let go of the pen and paper thing. I don't know why it is ok to mispell a word with a pen but bugs me on the computer. My next book is already written for the most part, but the next one is in my head and I'm gonna try my darndest to work it out on the computer. I'll let you know how that goes!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Sylvia,
    Georgette Heyer (sigh). My books by her are all held together with rubber bands; I have read them so many times! I found the Regency era through Jane Austen, I fell in love with it through Georgette Heyer. I was recently reminded of another Heyer-esque author, Clare Darcy. Have you read her? She had about 19 Regencies out. I just ordered the two I didn't have off of Amazon last week. When I'll find time to read them I have no idea, but they beckon me!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I haven't read any of Clare Darcy's books. Are they clean? I stay on this side of the bedroom door in my reading. If the couple is married I don't mind a little on the other side, but not a lot of detail. I'm always on the lookout for good Regency authors, though.

      I own several Georgette Heyer books, but haven't read all of them yet. My favorite so far is Devil's Cub. Venetia is one that I don't like so well. The idea of it was great, but the ending went downhill for me. Why would a woman want to marry a man who wouldn't make any promises to be faithful to her? The ending just made my stomach turn.

      Ahem...did you know that Richard Armitage reads an abridged version of Sylvester by Georgette Heyer on audio CD? Just thought you might like to know that!:)That book was very good! I've read it twice so far.:)

      Delete
  36. Rebecca,
    Thanks for the kind words about the covers. It is really a scary process for me. Love Inspired has their way of creating covers down to a science. Actually, once they accept a book, that is the very first thing they do. We have to have very detailed info as to how we picture our characters and we give them 3 options as to how WE would see the cover. We also send pictures of items we can find on the web that relate in some way to the story (like Pinterest for cover artists). Then we don't see it again until it comes out!!!! The other authors seem pretty settled with that, but I always worry. And yet, my two covers have come out exactly the way I pictured them. So thank you for noticing and all of the credit goes to the art department at LI.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I haven't read any of Mary Moore's books before, checking on it then

    ReplyDelete
  38. These books look so good. I enjoy reading about this era. The covers are absolutely beautiful! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  39. I would love to win!!!
    Thanks for the giveaway and God Bless!!!
    Sarah Richmond
    sarahrichmond.12@gmail.com
    N.C.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love Regency stories, please add me!

    ReplyDelete
  41. My favorite time period. Thanks so much for the interview and giveaway.
    godblessamerica.jan(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Sylvia,
    Oh my goodness, thanks for the heads up about Richard Armitage reading so many of the Georgette Heyer novels! I guess I'm going to have to make my 2014 Christmas list now (and buy a little prematurely!

    As far as I remember, all of Clare Darcy's books are clean, much like Heyers'. But I did not feel that her Venetia was risque. I really like reformed rake stories, but I can't remember enough about Clare Darcy's specific stories to compare...I could get back to you on them, however. I just finished Lydia and it came back to me. It was really good.

    Thanks for sharing with me!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Sylvia,
    No way! No way! Angel and the Badman has always been my favorite but no one evers knows about it. And Without Reservation :0) another of his overlooked best. Guess I don't have to tell you with my Irish background how I feel about Quiet Man! That's so fun.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I never read book with author Mary Moore, so she was new author for me. But i liked cover book this books, it's very beautiful. Will love to read it :)

    ReplyDelete
  45. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of your books. They sound so interesting and I know my daughter would love them also. She loves Jane Austen. So glad to have been 'introduced' to a new author. My library of books is growing as well as my wish list.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I really would love to win so I can get to know your work. I will even review them.
    jrs362 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  47. Your books sound lovely, and the bookcovers are so beautiful. I really want to win and to have a chance to read your books.

    ReplyDelete
  48. I love these covers they are gorgeous and somewhat poetic
    thank you a lot for this int giveaway!
    isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  49. The books sound really interesting. I love stories that demonstrate the best we are capable of! Thanks for the chance to win! Raluca P.

    ReplyDelete
  50. I love Regency romances, even better when they are clean. So thank you for writing some. :)

    ReplyDelete
  51. The covers really portrey the story and i really like that! Thank you very much for the chance to win! :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. Would love to read both of Mary's books, she is a new author for me. Would be nice to win them!!!

    ReplyDelete
  53. I SO hope I win!!!!
    Both of these books sound fascinating! And the covers are just GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  54. I love this time period and enjoyed this interview.

    sonflower277 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  55. Thanks for the opportunity to win one of your books!

    bonnieroof60@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  56. Many in my family really enjoy historical fictions.
    It would be great to win one. They sound like very good books. We feel it would be a great addition to our library.
    Thank you for your generosity in with the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Would be so excited to win! How awesome it would be!

    ReplyDelete
  58. I would love to win. It truly sounds like a great book.
    Thank you for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  59. I look forward to reading your books! The book covers look great!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
  60. I love historical romances and both of these sound like something I would love to read

    ReplyDelete
  61. These sound like wonderful books. I can't wait to read them. Thanks for having the giveaway.

    Rose
    harnessrose(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  62. Thank you for sharing of yourself thru your interview. Really hope to win these books, along with everyone else!

    missionwife@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  63. A new found author for me. This sounds like a good read and thank you for the chance to win. North and South was just on TV and we really enjoyed it. Genie Francis was just on a movie on the Hallmark Channel and she still is so pretty with a nice smile. Thanks for the suthor's name. I will add it to my TBR list.
    Leona
    mnleona at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment - I love reading them! Comments are moderated and I reserve the right to not publish any comment that I find to be offensive (i.e. foul language, inappropriate content, etc.) or spam.

Thanks for stopping by and for commenting! =)

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~ Philippians 4:8

Some of the links in my blog posts, tweets, social media posts, etc. contain “affiliate links.” This means if you click on a link with my affiliate code and purchase an item(s), I will receive an affiliate commission. You won't be charged extra, I'll just receive a small percentage of the purchase price. See my disclosure page here.
Powered by Blogger.