Interview with Marcia Gruver

Interview by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Marcia Gruver is the author of Bandit’s Hope, book two in the Backwoods Brides series and the sequel to Raider’s Heart. Other books to Marcia’s credit include: Diamond Duo, Chasing Charity, and Emmy’s Equal, the Texas Fortunes Series.

Marcia, welcome to Overcoming Through Time.  Would you share either the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help, or the most tragic situation or circumstance one of your character’s has had to get past?

This is an easy question since I just struggled through the most difficult season of my life. Several doctors suspected that my mother’s recent illness was Lymphoma, a malignancy of the lymph nodes. Her diagnosis remained uncertain for several months until a biopsy could be performed. During this time, I had a manuscript deadline hanging over my head for Hunter’s Prize, the final installment in the Backwoods Brides series. I needed to be there for my precious mom, yet I felt an incredible responsibility to my publishing house and my fans. It began to feel like the Bible story of the baby King Solomon threatened to split in half—and I was the baby! Thankfully, God intervened in a miraculous way. Mom’s biopsy returned negative for cancer, and I made my deadline on time. So the baby survived in one piece. I can’t say the same for my shattered nerves.

What is your favorite bible verse and why?

My favorite scripture changes depending upon where I am in my walk with God. Going through a trial where you face the possible death of a loved one will change your perspective considerably. While my mom went through her cancer scare, we spent time reading about near-death experiences and discussing the realities of heaven. As a result, I think I wound up even more comforted than she did about our eternal destiny. Therefore, my latest favorite scripture is the promise made by Jesus in John 14, versus 2 & 3: “In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.”

Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?

All five of my books are available on Amazon.com in Kindle e-book format [link]. Four of them are available at BarnesandNoble.com on the Nook [link]. I’ve requested that the missing book, Raider’s Heart be made available, as well. Diamond Duo, book one of Texas Fortunes, and Raider’s Heart, book one of Backwoods Brides, are available in large print editions.

What has been the most important thing you hope your readers will get from your books and why?

I take care to weave threads of God’s mercy and forgiveness into every book I write. The decision to write inspirational fiction in the first place stemmed from a desire to leave behind a legacy of my faith for the coming generations. Someday, somewhere, someone in the distant future will pick up a dusty, dog-eared copy of one of my books and read the salvation message. It’s a way to keep my testimony alive when I’m gone.

As you researched your books, did you learn anything that particularly touched your heart?

I love writing about real hometown legends. In Diamond Duo, my first book, I wrote about the true-life  unsolved murder of “Diamond Bessie” Monroe in Jefferson, Texas. Bessie’s story intrigued me because, after more than 130 years, she’s still a household name in Jefferson. I figured there had to be a (hopefully) divine reason for this. Standing over her sad little grave in Jefferson’s Oakwood Cemetery, I decided Bessie, from her vantage point, wouldn’t mind my using her story to further the Kingdom.

I had a very touching moment after the release of Raider’s Heart. In the book, I feature Henry Berry Lowry, the Lumbee tribe’s hero in the fight for civil rights and tribal self-determination. Shortly after the release, the wife of one of Henry’s descendents contacted me. I can’t express how thrilled and excited I was to hear from her, and we’ve since become great friends. I get such a kick from visiting her Facebook page and seeing among her friends and family the same surnames as the characters in my book. J

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

In my next release, Hunter’s Prize, I feature an autistic boy, and I touch on some of the ways his governess found to help him. This book releases in July 2011.

Thank you Marcia for agreeing to answer these questions.  So glad your mother was fine!  


GIVEAWAY:  Marcia is generously offering a copy of Bandit's Hope to one of our readers!  Leave a comment with your email address to enter.

Marcia's Bio:

Marcia Gruver’s southern-comfortable roots lend touches of humor and threads of faith to her writing. Look for both in her Texas Fortunes and Backwoods Brides series. When she’s not perched behind a keyboard, you’ll find her clutching a game system controller or riding shotgun on long drives in the Texas Hill Country. Lifelong Texans, Marcia and her husband Lee have five children. Collectively, this motley crew has graced them with a dozen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter—so far.

www.marciagruver.com 

www.yieldedquill.blogspot.com