Danna Carpenter, the heroine of Lacy Williams’ debut novel Marrying Miss Marshal, is the marshal of a small town in Wyoming. It’s hard enough to be a female law enforcer in this day and age, imagine what it was like back in the days of the Wild West! While on the job, Danna meets detective Chas O’Grady … who will be her future husband if the townspeople have anything to say about it.
WHAT LED YOU TO WRITE MARRYING MISS MARSHAL?
If you can believe it, Marrying Miss Marshal actually started out as a contemporary romantic suspense. The idea was inspired during a vacation my husband and I took in the Grand Lakes area of Oklahoma (a few hours from where we live). As I learned more about the craft of fiction writing, I started to realize I had a real passion for historical fiction (I love to read it!), so I started doing some research and the story changed from a romantic suspense to a historical romance… with an adventure/suspense layer.
STARTING OUT, WHO WERE THE AUTHORS WHO INSPIRED YOU? WHO INSPIRES YOU NOW?
I’ve loved reading Janette Oke since I was a teenager; originally she was why I decided to write for the Inspirational market. As a new writer, I wanted to evoke the kind of emotion Francine Rivers stirs in her books—I still think she is amazing! One of the biggest inspirations for me right now is Margaret Daley, not only for what she writes but for how she gives back to Christian fiction through mentoring and being President of ACFW.
HOW DOES YOUR FAITH INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING?
My faith shows up in different ways in each book. Sometimes it will be a character with a strong faith journey (that usually ends up being an example to me as well!); sometimes it might be more subtle, but I truly believe that the only way we as human beings can be completely content is through a strong relationship with God and I hope that shows in my characters, struggles and all.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN YOU WANTED TO BE AN AUTHOR?
I penned stories and started a neighborhood newsletter when I was a kid. One Christmas when I was around 10 or 11, I got a typewriter from Santa… and I still can’t believe how many of those expensive carbon cartridges my parents bought me! I still have a lot of the handwritten and typewritten stories I wrote back then, just for sentimental value (I doubt there are any original ideas in them!). It has been a dream that was a long time coming, but God never let me give up on it!
WHAT DO YOU MOST HOPE THAT READERS GET FROM READING YOUR WORK?
I hope that readers enjoy the story and fall in love with the characters, like I did while I was writing. Each of the main characters deals with something from their past and I hope that their individual journeys inspire readers to connect in a closer way with God or other people in their lives.