Dear Readers, Marion is one of the authors I like to feature who doesn�t live in the US
Welcome back, Marion
I was around five years old. We had a child evangelist at our church called Sunny Blondell (totally not sure if that�s spelled correctly) � an elderly lady who did the most amazing flannel graph stories (anyone remember those? Probably giving away my age now.) It was at her campaign that I gave my heart to Jesus. I still have the little card with that famous picture of Jesus standing at the door with a lantern, knocking. As a teenager I had my years where I did not live the way God wanted me to, but thankfully He�s faithful, even when I wasn�t. That�s grace.
I was seven years old when I asked Jesus into my heart, and later, I was the flannel graph lady. You�re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?
There are so many I�d love to choose, but if I have to narrow it down, and this is really hard, it would be the following people for the following reasons:
Angela K. Couch � one of my critique partners. At ACFW last year, I got to meet two of my critique partners (and if I was allowed 6 on this retreat, Heidi and Janet, you�d be in there), but unfortunately Angela couldn�t come. I�d love to meet Angela in person because I love her writing, as well as her input into my work.
Judith Robl � just because I love this woman. We�ve been cyber-friends for over five years now. I got to meet her at ACFW in Dallas but because of the busyness of the conference, we didn�t get to spend that much time together. I�d love the opportunity to be with her again in a more relaxed environment.
Jan Edtti Thompson� I�ve been in several box sets with Jan. Spending time with Jan one-on-one, tapping into her vast knowledge of Indie publishing would be WOW! Plus, I�ve never met someone with so much energy ... perhaps some would rub off on me if we were to spend time together (although we�d probably be Facebooking each other silly stickers all the time, laughing, and just having fun).
Autumn Macarthur� Another of my box set buddies who I would love the opportunity to meet in person.
ACFW will be in Dallas (actually Grapevine, a suburb of Fort Worth Dallas
Only a writing ministry, but who knows what God has in store in the future...
What�s the most exciting thing that has happened to you recently?
Ooh, there are actually two exciting things that have happened recently. I�ve just returned from a two week holiday in Scotland which was awesome. During our time there, I had the opportunity to visit Glasgow , where this featured book is located. I had so hoped to get a photograph of me outside the opera house, or on one of the bridges I speak of in the story, with a copy of my book. Unfortunately, I only discovered when we were on the train home that where we were in the city was rather far from my story�s location. Glasgow is a BIG place, and we walked over 22,000 steps that day (according to our phone�s step-counter app.)
The second exciting thing happened just before we left Scotland . I received news from Pelican Book Publishers that my first Passport to Romance novella, Helsinki Sunrise�Glasgow Grace is my third in this series�is one of two novellas in the Passport to Romance series that have been chosen by Norway-based publisher, Hermon Forlag, to be translated and published in Norwegian. Plans are to release the novellas in both e-book and paperback.
Wow! That is awesome. Helsinki Sunrise is the first book of yours that I read. I�ve wanted to have a foreign edition of one of my books, but it hasn�t happened yet. People are always telling me that they�d like to write a book someday. I�m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?
Good question, and in fact I had this happen to me about a year ago. My advice was: take several months (a year if possible) and spend the time learning the craft of writing. Only, then put pen to paper ... it�ll be so much easier.
Tell us about Glasgow Grace.
Easiest way is with the blurb, so here it is:
Opera star, Skye Hunter, returns to the land of her birth as leading lady in Phantom of the Opera. It�s the first time she�s been back to bonnie Scotland since her mother whisked her away to Australia sixteen years ago after Skye�s father died.
When Skye decides to have dinner at McGuire�s, she�s not going there only for Mary McGuire�s Shepherd�s Pie. Her first and only love, Callum McGuire, still plays his guitar and sings at the family-owned tavern.
Callum has never stopped loving Skye. But, desperate to know if she�d want him if he was still a singer in a pub, he keeps his real profession hidden from her. When Skye�s worst nightmare comes true, Callum discloses his secret to save the woman he loves.
Can they rekindle what they had lost, or will Skye�s mother threaten their future together once again?
Please give us the first page of the book.
That she�d miss spending a warm Christmas and New Year with family and friends this year mattered little to Skye Hunter. Even though she wasn�t home, she was home. She could�ve sung an aria right there in the middle of Glasgow International Airport and let the myriad of holiday travelers know exactly how she felt about being back in bonnie Scotland .
Sixteen years. A lifetime.
She caught her breath. Surely, everything would be different. Everyone. People would�ve moved on with their lives � to other cities, maybe even other countries as she had. Not that she�d been given a choice in that matter. Nevertheless, her life had turned out well for the change.
But, she wasn�t here to rekindle friendships. Pushing a trolley laden with her baggage, she stepped outside to a gray monochrome sky. One thing had remained the same�the weather.
Sheltered beneath the roof overhang, she hailed a taxi. She had so missed these black London-style vehicles. Once she reached her hotel room, she�d need to call her mother�let her know her precious cargo, marked fragile, had arrived in one piece.
The fact that Rita Robinson hadn�t followed Skye across the globe was a miracle. At least her stepfather�s ill--health had one upside�it kept Mother home where she belonged. How Skye would enjoy these months of freedom out from under her mother�s thumb.
Snowflakes fell on the taxi driver�s dark jacket as he hopped out of the vehicle. He groaned. �Awnawsnaw.�
Amused at his protest, her lips curved. She�d forgotten how Glaswegians lowered the pitch of their voices and strung their words together in one sentence.
As he loaded her suitcases into the back of the vehicle, he chatted nonstop. All unintelligible to Skye. But hearing the patter again was good�it had been so long. Adjusting to this dialect would take time, however.
His accent made her think of her Da. She swallowed, blinking away moistness as she brushed the snow from her coat and slid onto the back seat. �Crowne Plaza Hotel, Congress Road ,� she instructed as she sank against the worn leather and stared out the window, drinking in both familiar and unfamiliar sights.
They were in the city center within minutes. The armadillo-shaped Clyde Auditorium came into view, reminding Skye of her own Sydney Opera House back home where she�d wooed audiences during the past year. At least that�s what the tabloids reported.
But this was her big break into the global operatic scene. Phantom of the Opera. She had finally arrived.
Star of the show, her name in lights. First Glasgow, then Edinburgh. Finally, the Royal Albert Hall in London . This would be her year. It wasn�t every day a girl got the opportunity to portray Christine Daa� and sing with her angel of music.
She released a sigh. Once she�d had an angel of music, too. Her mind tumbled back to another world filled with song. Callum McGuire. What had become of him?
A smile touched her mouth as forgotten feelings filled her, warming her like a mug of hot chocolate. She savored the sweetness they left on her lips.
Wonderful! How can readers find you on the Internet?
Readers can connect with me on any of the following links:
If readers would like to receive information on new releases, cover reveals, writing news, they can visit my website, www.marionueckermann.net to subscribe, or sign up following this
newsletterlink.
Thank you for hosting me today on your blog, Lena .
It's always a pleasure to visit with you, Marion. I know my readers will want to get a copy of this book.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Glasgow Grace - Christianbook.comGlasgow Grace (Passport to Romance)
- KindleComments Question: Have you ever visited a foreign country? If so, which country. If you haven't, which country would you like to visit?
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