THE SECRET HEART, by Marie Wells Coutu, was inspired by the biblical story of David and Bathsheba, but could just as easily have been taken out of the headlines.
When real life imitates fiction, some might question the timing of the publication of a novel, but for award-winning author Marie Wells Coutu, current events make the upcoming release of The Secret Heart more relevant and compelling. She worked on the manuscript, which focuses on the wife of a governor who is running for re-election, during the 2016 presidential campaign. “I couldn’t help drawing comparisons in my mind between the real politicians and the ones in my book. But you might say my main characters are the ‘kinder, gentler’ sort, although the opponent certainly plays dirty politics.”
News stories about a shooting by a Memphis police officer, similar to a scene she had already written for the novel, also surfaced in the months prior to the book’s release. “I want my stories to be realistic, which is why I had included that scene, but I also want to be empathetic to people who might read my books. My desire is that readers find hope in the way the characters deal with difficult situations.”
Published by Write Integrity Press, The Secret Heart deals with politics and protests, with secrets and sorrow and is the third book in the Mended Vessels series, contemporary re-imaginings of women from the Bible. The first two books are based on Queen Esther and the Samaritan woman at the well.
Order your copy in the next few days and send your confirmation to freebookforpreorder@gmail.com and Write Integrity Press will send you an e-copy of the pre-quel, THE DIVIDED HEART for free!
My first full novel launches on November 1st, and you can receive it right away without having to remember to order it! Order the digital version of 
Marji Laine 