Quiet Desperation received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Nancy White.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Guilty of Stealing His Heart was published June 6, 2023. It’s my first book and it took me ten years to write it.
What’s the book’s first line?
Five-year-old Carrie writhed, thrashed, and bowed her back viciously flailing as her mama pushed her into the outstretched arms of a stranger.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Betrayed by her parents and her criminal husband, naive young widow Carrie Wagner flees her home in Columbus, Ohio, to follow her dream of starting over in California. Even though she’s sworn off men, Carrie is determined to carry on and adopt orphans, creating the loving family home she longs for. But, when an uneducated, foul-mouthed, stowaway, twelve-year-old Billy drops into her life, her dreams are one step closer to being answered.
When handsome JT Grant saves her, setting her nerves tingling and testing her sworn celibacy, she’s determined to push on, not trusting her heart after so many betrayals.
Ex-Pinkerton detective JT Grant has pledged to avenge the death of his best friend, Hank Lipton, a man who saved his life twice. And then he meets Carrie. She’s an ornery woman who needs protection, but she’s also alluring in a way he cannot resist. JT finds himself falling for the petite, chestnut beauty, but he faces a conflict because his heartbreaking secrets could keep Carrie from her goals.
Beset with hardships, chased by criminals, and under constant threat of death, these two strangers form a bond forged by heartache and desperation. Together, they seek truth, justice, and the fulfillment of their dreams.
Lovers of historicals, murder mysteries, western romances, and inspirationals will lose themselves in this uplifting saga of loss, faith, and love.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
I attended college late in life at the age of thirty-nine. I didn’t know I could write until one professor assigned us to write a fifteen-page paper on the effect of religion on my life. I had three weeks to complete the assignment. I panicked, bit my nails, and lost my appetite. The thought of putting words on a page and have it make sense stopped me in my tracks. But I signed up for college and I needed that class to be an “A” so I closed myself in my office, smoked dozens of cigarettes (I quit cigarettes after college) and consumed gallons of coffee.. I couldn’t think of a beginning so I told myself just put any old thought about the assignment on paper, and then another one, and another one. All the different thoughts finally ended up as paragraphs in my paper and I submitted it just in time. Then, as if I hadn’t abused myself enough already, I had a nervous breakdown waiting for the grades to come in. I got a “B”. I was so shocked, I fainted. I actually wrote fifteen pages of original thought that my professor thought deserved a “B”. That was the beginning. The more I thought about, the more I wanted to see if I could write a short story, essay, or book. It all resulted in the creation of Guilty of Stealing His Heart. By the way, I got an “A” in that class.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Have you ever gone to a movie that moved you emotionally? As a result, you carry that movie in your heart, and every time it’s played on TV you stop whatever you’re doing and sit down and watch it again. It still affects you the same way as your original viewing. Maybe you have a library of well-loved movies in your home and view them often. My example is Marley. Most people who saw the movie are sorry they saw it the first time because of the sad ending, but not me. It pulls my emotional triggers every single time I watch it. And, yes, I always cry at the ending. The crying is worth the heart-warming story.
While you’re reading Guilty of Stealing His Heart, you will forget you’re reading because you’ll be gripped by the story. The characters are so real you’ll feel like you’re eavesdropping on them. The story is a historic Western Romance with mystery and Inspirational subplots. The story is riddled with twists, plot changes, and surprises. Some of my reviewers mention the realistic setting as their favorite part of the book. All three main characters have their own character arc that develops as the story unfolds. And if you ever need to stay up late for some reason, read this book. My fans have said once they started the book they couldn’t put it down. Hopefully, this will become one of the coveted books you’ll add to your library at home. Good reading!
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Carrie Wagner is based on some of the events of my life. Actually, I found writing the book to be a catharsis for me. After spending ten years writing the book, my life has improved. Carrie is every deserted single mother who had to start over and figure everything out all on her own.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Never give up.
Keep learning—take seminars, go to classes, and attend training sessions. Meet other writers.
Don’t let negative reviews or comments get you down. It’s only one person’s opinion. Wait to see if you receive similar comments before reacting.
Develop or join a critique group.
Join the organization that supports your genre. Since I write Romance, I’m a member of Romance Writers of America.
And most importantly, NEVER GIVE UP.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Indie Publishing means just that. You alone do everything from writing the book to figuring out to sell it. Most indie writers are buried in writing the book which they assume is the hard part. It is, but once your book, has been finalized, copywritten, developmentally edited, and proofread, then published, what next? You’re all ready for the money to roll in, but nothing happens. It’s up to you to take off your writer hat and put on your Book Marketing hat. You have to learn how to do marketing all on your own. I have found it tough going and would jump for joy if a traditional publisher wanted to publish my book. Because they do all the marketing.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Hearing from my readers or reading my reviews.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Rosanne Bittner. Boy, can she write a good romantic Western or what?
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Blaze of Glory, By Rosanne Bittner.