Mary Elizabeth Hall, Author

Author: Author Mary Hall

  • Book Spotlight! The Crystal Slipper, by Selena Fulton

    Check out Selena Fulton’s newest release, The Crystal Slipper!

    Here’s some info:

    Sometimes you just have to believe… A single crystal slipper.

    It was probably the weirdest gift librarian Celinda Branham ever received during a Christmas gift exchange. Who would even wear these in the real world? Not Celinda, wearer of sensible shoes and fairy tale naysayer. That said, she certainly has the requisite wicked stepmother, irritating stepsister, and empty bank account. Of course, if she actually believed in all that fantastical junk, she could wait for her Prince Charming… Only Prince Charming doesn’t exist.

    But Preston Chandler believes in fairy tales. Oh, does he ever.

    All he did was spurn the advances of a certain witch, and now his sister is under a sleeping spell. And the only way to break it? Find the other glass slipper and give someone “Love’s First Kiss.” But when Preston finally tracks down Celinda, he’s dismayed to discover that the shy librarian who owns the other shoe has no interest in anything remotely resembling magic—including love. Now he must find a way into his Cinderella’s cynical heart, or lose his sister… and his only chance for true love.

    Selena is also the author of Never Let Go – Check it out!

  • Author Highlight – Selena Fulton

    Author Spotlight – I get to introduce you to my dear friend and critique partner Selena Fulton, author of Never Let Go! Here’s some info about her:

    beth 11-06 close up (2)
    Selena Fulton, author of Never Let Go

    Selena was born in a small town in Indiana and moved to Florida as a teen. Now that their daughter has grown, Selena and her husband are empty nesters – if you don’t count the bossy cat! She enjoys camping, morning strolls along the seashore, making jewelry, and reading.
    A multi-published author, Selena belongs to First Coast Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Ancient City Romance Authors. Currently VP of Membership and past Secretary for First Coast Romance Writers, she believes in “paying it forward” by working with fellow authors in her critique groups and judging contests. She recently signed with Entangled Publishing and the first book in her new series is scheduled to be out this fall.

    Come check her out on Twitter or Facebook 
    or go to her blog , because it’s all about the journey…

  • My favorite D-Day Tribute

    May our nation never forget the sacrifices made for our liberty. Here’s my favorite tribute.

  • Interview by Selena Fulton

    Hi, everyone! Here’s an author interview by my dear friend and wonderful critique partner Selena Fulton, author of Never Let Go. Click on her name to visit her blog and check out her fabulous books. I’ll tell you more about Selena in a few days. Don’t forget to stop back and check it out!

    Selena: What are you working on?

    I’m working on a sequel to Amberly,  FINAL Cover Image 300dpia thrilling, historical/fantasy Christian romance with touches of humor. In this second installment to the Crestmere Series, several new characters will be introduced while the plot takes some interesting, hair-raising turns! The Crestmere story has been gripping my imagination since I was twelve years old. It was my own private little story that I worked on for decades, polishing up bits here and there, day by day, entirely in my mind. But once I started writing it out, the characters grabbed the reins and made the story even better—starting me on an unforgettable journey that I don’t want to ever end!

    Selena: How does your work differ from others of its genre?

    The genre is rather unique in that the story takes place in “a world that might have been,” where history has played out a little differently than the way we know it. A world where marauders still sail in from the north to wreak havoc upon an island kingdom that looks and feels a lot like Eighteenth Century England—except that this island is ruled by God-fearing kings who strive to honor the Almighty while struggling to quench imperialistic outbreaks among the nation-states around them. So, although the story has the epic feel of a sweeping historical series, the fact that its history is a little different than our own places it in the realm of fantasy. But there isn’t any magic, other than the sparkling magic of irresistible, heartrending romance.

    Readers who love the epic writings of Tolkien along with the dramatic romance of Austen and the Brontë sisters will relish being swept away to another time and place in a thrilling love story filled with adventure, intrigue, and heartfelt longing.

    Selena: Why do you write what you do?

    I delight in writing the kinds of stories I love to read! I love well-written, thought-provoking tales that carry me away to other lands—my favorite ones being those where wonder fires the imagination and chivalry still rules—and I especially adore novels that warm my heart and bolster my faith. My greatest desire in writing is to inspire my readers to love God with blazing passion and serve Him with every bit of strength they possess.

    Selena: How does your writing process work?

    I’m chuckling because I usually think of myself as a consummate planner and organizer, but I’ve found in writing that my characters and their stories rise up take on a life of their own, often leading me down unexpected paths. I recently came across an interview with Ray Bradbury and learned that he found the same thing very early on in his writing career. One of his stories kept changing on him, eventually taking him more than 40 years to complete!

    I don’t intend to take anywhere near that long to write this sequel 🙂

     

  • Great Irish Sayings & Blessings!

    Irish Eye

    Who doesn’t love a great Irish saying? Here are a few of my favorites:

    Blessing Every Action quote Irish Eyes Irish Woman Live as if.. May you have.. Roof Blessing Seriously

    Please share, and visit my Pinterest page for more great Irish sayings!  Blessings to you.

    – Mary Elizabeth

  • A Valentine’s Day Romantic Remembrance

    A Promise KeptThis Valentine’s Day, I’d like to talk about a man who truly cherished his wife. His name is Robertson McQuilkin, former missionary to Japan and later president of Columbia International University. At the age of 58, his wife Muriel was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. During the course of the next two decades, Robertson resigned his position and cared for her with such tenderness and affection that it can truly be said that Muriel was a cherished wife. Their story is told in this book, A Promise Kept, which says, “Sharing lessons learned from his own marriage, Robertson McQuilkin shows how weakness generates strength, servanthood births freedom, joy is found in a promise kept. For anyone who has ever loved.”

    He writes, “In the summer of ’95 Muriel’s right hand went limp – the first major decline since she lost the ability to stand and feed herself eighteen months before. A little loss, you would think, but I shed a few tears. It’s almost like part of me dies with each of her little deaths. That precious hand, so creative, so loving, so busy for me and everyone else. But it wasn’t just the old memories. That right hand was the last way she had to communicate. She would reach out to hold my hands, pat me on the back when I hugged her, push me away when she didn’t like what I was doing. I missed her hand. Memories, sweet and bittersweet.”

    My prayer is that we all  would learn to love as this man did. In our increasingly self-centered culture, it’s such a joy to know of people who devote themselves to God and family, and who love with selfless, tender care. springtime_tulips

  • Pray For Your Children

    No one can pray for them like you can.
    GodlyMother

  • My 2-Year-Old Judges Books By Their Covers

    Check out this viral reblog – hilarious!

  • A Verse for Today – Perseverance

    Blog Post Photos 054

    “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” – James 1:12

    Remaining steadfast is all about perseverance – through trying situations and especially in relationships. Marriage, it’s been said, is meant to make us holy, not happy. Grrr. This rubs against all my idealistic romance-writer sensibilities. If you’re like me, you carry around lovely little snow-globe images of what relationships should look like, whether they be with our spouses, children, friends, co-workers, or whoever. And if you’re like me, you nurture and polish those images all the time, worshiping and perfecting them.

    Right?

    But if I’m honest with myself I have to recognize that all of life is meant to make me holy, not happy. All I have to do is peruse a few flannel-board Bible stories to see that. No snow-globes there. Amy Carmichael once wrote this to someone who had prayed for her healing:

    “No good thing will He withhold from them that live a godly life.”

    Amy wondered whether He’d prefer that the emphasis were on making sure we didn’t miss any good thing that might come from the illness, instead of: ‘Health is a good thing. Lord, give it.’” – Quoted from Candles in the Dark

    Father God, let me respond to the stresses of life and relationship in ways that make me more holy.

  • Interview by ACFW Indiana!

    Come leave a comment on my interview by ACFW Indiana!