Interview: Mary from Lena Nelson Dooley’s MARY’S BLESSING

2013/June by Marji Laine 2 Comments

I love this author and I love this series. Lena Nelson Dooley is not only an award-winning author and mentor, she a special friend. Mary’s Blessing is the second in her McKenna’s Daughters series and gives a great glimpse into the world of the late 1800’s. 

Marji: I’m so pleased to welcome Mary to Faith~Driven Fiction and I can tell you that her romance is indeed “faith driven.” Thank you for visiting with us.
Mary: I’m happy to join you.

Marji: You’re a long way from home. Does your family play any role at all in your life?
Mary: Yes, too much. My mother died when I was eleven, and I was thrust into the job of keeping the household and caring for three younger siblings. My family is active in every day of my life.

Marji: Oh, that could be intrusive. If time and money weren’t limitations, what would you spend most of your days doing?
Mary: I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be a drudge, taking care of a household, siblings, and a distant father.

Marji: I guess getting away would be a big plus. What does your kitchen look like normally?
Mary: Messy. Have you ever tried to keep a neat kitchen while cooking three meals a day, every day, for at least five people? I spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Marji: Yikes. That sounds chaotic and terrifying to me. Especially since you don’t have modern technology like microwave ovens. Positively a nightmare. What is your greatest fear?
Mary: That I will have to continue to take care of everything while life completely passes me by.

Marji: I can see you feel trapped. Though women in your time period did little else than care for home and family, still, when you’re forced to take that role as a young girl, you can feel like you have no life of your own.
Mary: Exactly.

Marji: What traits should your hero have?
Mary: I’d love a knight on a white horse, who will sweep in and take me away from all my labors.

Marji: Ha! Didn’t we all. I’m looking forward to reading about what your white knight was like! What personality flaws would be a deal breaker with a man wanting to attract your attention?
Mary: If a man ever wants to attract my attention, he’d have to keep his word to me. I’d need to be able to trust him completely.

Marji: Lies and dishonesty are a deal-breaker for me as well. But they are an easy trap to fall into. For instance, what lie do you believe about yourself?
Mary: I don’t know if it is a lie or not. I feel invisible, unworthy. After all, the parents who gave birth to me gave me away when I was born. I must be unlovable.  The mom who adopted me was the only person who really loved me, and she died so long ago.

Marji: You certainly have the set up for a wonderful story, Mary and I hope you find what you’re looking for!

Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 750,000 books in print.

Helping other authors become published really floats her boat, with over 20 signing their first book contract after her mentoring. Three of her books have been awarded the Carol Award silver pins, and she has received the ACFW Mentor of the Year award. The high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially people whose lives have been changed by her books.

Her 2010 release Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, won the 2011 Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in publishing Western Fiction. Maggie’s Journey appeared on a reviewers Top Ten Books of 2011 list. It also won the 2012 Selah award for Historical Novel.

Find her online at her website, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Shoutlife. She also contributes to the Christian Fiction Historical Society, Just the Right Charisma, and Bustles and Spurs blogs and she is a host for the Gate-Beautiful Radio Show on Blogtalk Radio.

You can purchase Mary’s Blessing at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Mardel’s, and Christianbook.com and while you’re there, pick up Maggie’s Journey which is the first of the series, and her final book in this series, just out this February, Catherine’s Promise.

Your Turn! TV show, movie, or book where the main character didn’t find what she expected. Oh this is an easy one!