Spotlight Post: Surround Me (Marguerite Martin Gray)

Posted 24 January 2017 by Katie in Author Interview, Book Spotlight, Christian Fiction, Historical / 0 Comments

~ About the Book ~

Series: Revolutionary Faith
Genre: Christian, Fiction, Historical
Publisher: WestBow Press (Author)
Publication date: September 27, 2016
Number of pages: 277

Set in 1773 Charles Town, Surround Me takes the reader into the lives of colonists confronting imminent change and unpredictable circumstances binding them together to become a formidable force.

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~ About the Author ~

Marguerite Martin Gray is the author of Hold Me Close, Revolutionary Faith Book One and Surround Me: Revolutionary Faith Book Two. She enjoys studying history and writing fiction. An avid traveler and reader, she teaches French and has degrees in French, Spanish, and Journalism from Trinity Univeristy in San Antonio, Texas and a MA in English from hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Marguerite is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Abilene Writers Guild, and Daughters of the American Revolution. Originally from Louisiana, she currently lives in Abilene with her husband.

~ Interview ~

1. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project?
I’m editing Bring Me Near: Revolutionary Faith Book Three. I hope to have it released in June, 2017. The novel continues the journey of Louis and Elizabeth as they enter the hoovering revolution. Their lives entwine with real historical characters trying to make sense of the turmoil.

Also, I have completed two of the four novels in my Gardens in Time series. Labor of Love takes place in 1550 Florence and Promise of Purity,1660 Hampton Court. I’m hoping for a home for these soon.

2. Have you ever traveled for research? If so, where did you visit? If not, where would you like to visit?
I travel for every book. In fact, that is where I find my story and inspiration. For the Revolutionary Faith series, I traveled to Charleston four times to obtain a feel for the town as well as in depth research in libraries and museums. On the same note, I’ve been to Florence, Italy four times and fell in love with the Boboli Gardens. I lived in England for two years and have been back five times since. Hampton Court is one of my favorite haunts. I continue to travel and find unique people and places to spark my writing. Too many ideas and not enough time.

3. What does your writing process look like?
Once I formulate an idea for a story, I search for the books and resources to develop a deep historical foundation for my characters. For the first book in the Revolutionary Faith series I researched 25 books that I purchased because I must highlight and mark the books for my use. I’ve added a few more sources to the next books. After the research, I develop my characters’ basic characteristics leaving them room to grow and change. I plot out my chapters loosely giving the characters the opportunity to rearrange, delete and add to the overall plot. Then I write and write. Since I am a teacher I have the summer and breaks to write many hours a day. During the school year, I reserve one hour a day for writing. My books go through a critique group and multiple editing phases.

4. What inspired the idea for Surround Me? What do you want readers to take away from reading this novel?
Surround Me is the sequel to Hold Me Close. The series is inspired by my family history. Louis Lestarjette, the hero, is my eight times great grandfather. My father has his candlesticks, locket, portrait and papers. As an adult I started really listening to his stories and was fascinated. I wanted to know about the lives of these pre-revolutionary and revolutionary citizens.

My genre is historical Christian fiction and my slogan is Entertain. Educate. Encourage. I want my readers to be entertained by the fiction, educated by the history, and encourage by the Christian worldview.