VBT# Marcia Gruver - Author of Christian Book "Emmy's Equal"

After reviewing Marcia's Book "Emmy's Equal" , I thought I would do an Author Spotlight on her and her new book :)

Author Bio:

Meet the Author:

Marcia Gruver, author and creative writing teacher, lives near Houston, Texas, and has published various articles, poems, and devotionals. Her novel, Love Never Fails, won third place in the 2007 American Christian Fictions Writers (ACFW) Genesis Contest. Marcia is a member of ACFW, Fellowship of Christian Writers, and The Writers View.

Stampede into Deep South Texas with Emmy’s Equal : Historical Fiction Author Marcia Gruver Pens Texas Fortunes Book Three

Uhrichsville, OH—Stampede into deep South Texas with Emmy’s Equal, a suspenseful romantic adventure in which a strong-willed city girl meets her match in a stubborn vaquero (cowboy). Scheduled for release in October 2009, Emmy’s Equal is the final release in author Marcia Gruver’s Texas Fortunes series.
Emily Dane doesn’t want to give up city life to move with her aunt to a ranch in barren, uncivilized South Texas. Then she meets ranch foreman Diego Marcelo and finds her resolve slipping. Diego is attracted to pretty, vivacious Emmy, but the boss’s son starts to court her, so Diego grudgingly steps aside. When Emmy’s family and Diego’s boss are overdue returning from a cattle drive, Diego sets out to find them—and Emmy insists on going along. Can Diego overcome his jealousy before he loses Emmy forever? And will Emmy ever be able to give up her frills and petticoats for boots and spurs?
Find this title online at www.netgalley.com . Register for free at the site, request to view the galley, and receive an e-mail confirmation with access to the online PDF and its press materials.
Emmy’s Equal by Marcia Gruver. October 2009. $10.97. ISBN 978-1-60260-207-6.
 
Interview With the Authoress : Marcia Gruver
 
Q: In the story, Emily Dane’s relationship with her father is strained. What role do you think the father/daughter relationship plays in the early development of young women?

A: Unfortunately, broken father/daughter relationships are entirely too prevalent in our society. This dynamic often destroys a young girl’s self-image. Like Emily Dane, these girls grow up to become the walking wounded. On the other hand, nurturing fathers build strong daughters. Perhaps it models our dependency upon God as Father. I would encourage any young woman who has grown up without a strong, supportive father figure to turn to God just as Emmy did. Often, He’s the only way to gain a renewed sense of self-worth.




Q: What would you say to any of your readers who have strained relationships with their fathers or who have absent fathers?
A: First, I’d encourage them to refocus. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never force a negligent father to become the parent you need. Your energy will be better spent striving to become the person God intended while praying for your errant father to do the same. Forgiveness is key. Until all that anger and bitterness is released, your healing will be delayed. Your father may be parenting the way he was parented. If that’s the case, a little mercy goes a long way.


Q: Several characters in the story have difficulty trusting God as their heavenly Father because of the example of their earthly fathers. What is your reaction to this situation?
A: I’m convinced this is the reason Satan attacks our fathers so fiercely. God clearly set up the parent/child relationship as an extrension of His care and devotion toward us. If a person’s view of this very important relationship becomes warped, they will begin to doubt the God’s reliability and trustworthiness. If parents could realize this truth and model God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness to their children, it could start a chain reaction and pass down a heritage of faith to coming generations.


Q: While God is changing Emmy on the inside, her outward appearance and behavior don’t yet reflect these changes. She ends up getting judged by others. In your opinion, what are some ways we can show love to new Christians who are “rough around the edges” and avoid judging them?
A: In the early days of the “Jesus Freak” movement, several members of a well-known motorcycle gang were invited to the church I attended and were subsequently won to Christ. Their efforts to evangelize on the streets though were less than orthodox. They preached gospel messages sprinkled with foul language and strong arm threats to accept Jesus (Or else!). It’s funny now. At the time, it had the pastor wringing his hands. These men, who later learned to clean up their acts and their testimonies, were simply using what they knew to reach their own. Saved on the inside, their new natures had yet to shine through their tough exteriors. I’m sure many judged these men as godless brutes, but countless tortured lives were forever changed by their efforts. Before we judge another person, we’d do well to consider their circumstances and try to see them through God’s eyes.


Q: The hero in your story is raised by a single mother who teaches him the truths of scripture. What advice do you have for your single mom readers?
A: I have a heart for single mothers because my oldest grandsons were raised by the best of the lot—my daughter. I’ve watched the difficult road she’s traveled, and I’m convinced my grandsons will be better men because of her. The Bible promises that if mothers will “train up a child in the way he should go” that “when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Scripture also says: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” This passage makes his first promise an offer single mothers can’t refuse.


Q: What do you hope your readers take away from Emmy’s Equal?
A: I didn’t intend to write Emmy’s Equal with a strong theme of broken parent/child relationships. But after I finished, I realized it oozed from every page. I’m aware that most situations don’t work out as smoothly as Emmy’s with her cantankerous papa, and some may end in tragedy like her friend Cuddy’s. The indisputable truth is, God is present in every circumstance of our lives, and He promises never to make us face the tough times alone. If my readers can close the book with a renewed sense of hope, faith, and family—and for some, a determination to be better parents—I’ll consider Emmy’s Equal a job well done.

Q: Did a certain scripture or Bible story inspire your writing of the novel?
A: I wouldn’t say a scripture inspired the novel. In retrospect, Psalms 68:5: “A father of the fatherless. . .is God in his holy habitation” has become the prevailing theme.