Vickie McDonough Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A. I’ve been married for 38 years, and my husband and I have raised four sons. Our oldest son is married and has an eight-year-old daughter. I’ve lived in Oklahoma my whole life except for a year that my husband and I lived on a kibbutz in Israel.

When I was young, I loved horses and read every book I could about them. I also watched many of the cowboy shows of the 1960’s with my dad, and I think that’s where my love for cowboys and things of the west was born. I write fulltime now, but I have worked as a bookkeeper and administrative assistant for the following places: a law firm, a community college, a financial advisor, interior decorator, a bank and a church. My sister and I have a booth at an antique mall, so I’m always stopping at garage sales and looking for a good deal.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A. I don’t think there was ever a time that I “wanted” to become a writer. My story is a bit unusual. In the fall of 2000, a story started running through my mind and wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t quit thinking about it, and it was bothering so much that I was only getting about five hours of sleep each night. I decided to try writing it down in hopes it would go away and leave me alone. I finished that book in a month, and right on its heels came another one. By the time I’d finished the second book I started wondering if God was trying to get my attention. I talked to my husband about writing, and we prayed about it, and felt I should give it a whirl, so I started attending classes and conferences and learning all I could about the craft of writing.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A. My first sell was a novella in a collection with Cathy Marie Hake, Carol Cox & Tracey Bateman. I got to know Cathy on the ACFW loop, and she agreed to work with me on a novella collection for Barbour. Imagine my excitement me when she called to tell me the book had sold. That was in 2003. Since then I’ve written a total of 14 novellas. I later sold to Heartsong Presents and wrote 11 of those short novels. My first trade fiction was another sale to Barbour for The Texas Boardinghouse Brides series. All total, I’ve written 34 books and novellas, all but 3 of those are historical romances.

I’ve been blessed to have my books win some awards including the Booksellers’ Best, the Inspirational Readers Choice Awards, the Texas Gold, and I’ve been an eight-time finalist in the ACFW’s Carol Awards. I’m excited to announce that two of my books made the ECPA’s Best Sellers list this spring.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Rancher Under Fire?

A: I started this book back in 2008, and although it was a contemporary with lots of suspense, I wouldn’t have called it a suspense novel. My agent sold it to LIS, and I spent more time rewriting the book than it took to write it originally. I had to up the suspense a lot and make it directed more at the characters. I’m curious to see what readers think about it.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

SABOTAGE AT ANGELFIRE RANCH

Jackson Durant would go to any lengths to protect his young daughter and his ranch. He knows the puzzling incidents on his homestead are no accidents. Someone is after him…but who? And why? Reporter Mariah Reyes is determined to find out. She never

expected her pursuit of a story on the reclusive rancher would endanger her life—nor that she’d fall for the cowboy. But when Jackson’s daughter is kidnapped, she’ll do anything to help save the little girl—even if it means becoming a target herself.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Rancher Under Fire?

A: I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t remember since I started the book so long ago. I do remember that I wanted to write a contemporary set on a ranch in northeastern Oklahoma and that I wanted a Hispanic heroine.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: My hero is a good man who has lots of bad things happening to him. He questions why they happen, but he continues to put his trust in God, even when the unimaginable happens. I hope that readers will be inspired with Jackson’s story and see that they can always call on God to help them with their own problems,

Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

A: The scene where the hero and heroine meet is an especially heated one. Let’s just say neither was happy with the other at that particular moment. I also really love the scene where Jackson asks Mariah to marry him.

Q: What inspires you to write?

A. Writing is my ministry. There are people who won’t walk through a church door, but they’ll read a novel, and it’s my hope that my books will help them and lead them to God.

There are also many frazzled moms of small children who read as their “me” time. I hope that I can entertain them and inspire and encourage them.

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?

A: I didn’t go into writing with any expectations because I really knew nothing about the publishing industry. I’ve learned that the steps from selling a book and eventually getting it printed can take a very long time. One special blessing of becoming a writer is that I’ve met so many wonderful people and have made many friends, all over the U.S. and Canada. I’ve also learned how fast things can change. Contracts get cancelled. Ebooks are birthed and over take print books in sales.

Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

A: Read a lot in the genre you want to write, study the craft of writing, join a writers’ group either locally or online, and get in a critique group.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A. I’m working on Joline’s Redemption, the second book in my Land Rush Dreams series. Gabriel’s Atonement, the first book in the series, and it releases Jan. 1^st. Here’s what it’s about: During the Oklahoma land rush days, a gambler seeking to absolve himself of guilt for accidentally killing a man, goes on a quest to help the dead man’s struggling widow, but she wants nothing to do with him, no matter how badly she needs him.

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?

A. I love to feed my fiction addiction by reading, watching my favorite tv shows, and going to the movies. I also am always on the lookout for interesting items for the booth my sister and I have at an antique mall, and I love to travel when we’re able. Recently, I learned how to create stained glass projects.

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?

A. Website: vickiemcdonough.com (There’s a sign-up link for my newsletter on the Home page)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonough

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickiemcdonough

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/VickieMcDonough/

Heroes, Heroines & History, formerly the Christian Fiction Historical Society blog: HHHistory.com

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A. I’m thrilled that Rancher Under Fire has released and hope readers will enjoy reading Jackson and Mariah’s story.

I also have several Christmas novellas coming out this fall in collections:

Forging a Family in the Westward Christmas Brides Collection

An Irish Bride for Christmas in The Christmas Brides Collection

The Fruitcake Bride in Heartland Christmas Brides.

Lastly, I’d like to invite your readers to sign up for my newsletter. They can do that by clicking on this link: http://www.vickiemcdonough.com/www.vickiemcdonough.com/Newsletter_Sign-up.html