Helena Fairfax

I first met Texan author Marsha West around ten years ago (ten years, already!) when we were with the same publisher, and we’ve been friends ever since.

It’s a great pleasure to welcome Marsha to Yorkshire today to celebrate release of her new romantic suspense, Determined.

Marsha, you’ve often dropped in and commented on my blog posts. I’m so happy you’re here in person. I’ve made a pot of tea and bought in some parkin (a Yorkshire cake we have at this time of year).

Help yourself, while I get to my first question!

Where do you live, Marsha? (Let’s pretend I don’t know)

Hey, Helena. Thanks for having me on your wonderful blog. I live in Fort Worth, Texas, and have for over 50 years. I was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but I never lived there, travelled around the country when my father was in the Air Force. Many years ago, I was fortunate to visit your lovely country.

I’d love to visit your part of the world some day. The settings in your novels have made me specially want to see some of your favourite places. Which leads to…

Where is your favourite place in the world?

I should probably say Fort Worth because my husband, two daughters, and their families are here, but I love Maine. I even have the Portland Head Light on the top of my website. There are several places in the state I could live, well at least for half the year. I’m sure if I’d lived through their winters when I was younger, I could manage them now, but I didn’t and have rarely lived with snow, though I LOVE it. Two places I could live are Camden and Boothbay Harbor. I also love New England, so places in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut would work, too.

What’s your favourite song?

Chestnuts Roasting by the Open Fire. I know it’s a Christmas song, but it always gives me such a good feeling of small towns, friends, and family. The pictures of Christmas in my mind come from this song. I do like chestnuts. While my father didn’t roast them on an open fire, he put them in the oven and always included them in our Thanksgiving and Christmas dressing. I’ve continued that tradition, but I’m the only one in the family who likes the chestnuts. 😊

Great choice. I love a Christmas song!

What’s your happiest childhood memory?

I’m an only child and we moved a lot, so some of my happiest childhood memories connect to visiting my cousins in Georgia and Arizona. Generally, those trips were connected to being transferred and only rarely did we make a road trip just to see them, but it was always wonderful.

If you had to marry a character from film, television or books, who would it be?

Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Such a brave, strong man and he kept fighting for what was right.

I love James Stewart, too! It’s a Wonderful Life is one of my favourite films of all time.

What’s the most important lesson life has taught you?

To keep on keeping on. Never give up. You can do anything if you want it enough and are willing to work hard enough for it. And lastly give yourself some grace. None of us is perfect and sometimes, good enough is good enough.

It’s great advice for writers, Marsha.

Please tell us about your new release, and where we can find it.

DETERMINED is my 11^th book, and I’m so excited about it. I like to think all my books have   a theme or an issue, and the issue for this book is homelessness and what we can do about it. My church has been involved in this issue and I’ve been able to go to various seminars and training sessions and I used some of that to give meat to this story. The heroine and hero in my books are always in their 40s and 50s. I think I may move into 60-year-olds with the next book. We’ll see. 😊

Here’s the blurb:

Divorced, fifty-seven-year-old real estate developer Hollister Grant (Holly) and her sister, fifty-nine-year-old Lee, an interior designer, and fifty-five-year-old Kay, an artist, are determined to use the trust fund their parents set up for them to build a tiny home project for people who’ve recently been homeless, honouring an aunt who found herself in that situation.

Barrett Armstrong, president of a nearby homeowner association, doesn’t want “those people” living across from his fifty + neighbourhood, and he will do anything to prevent the land’s development. Anything. Even murder.

Dan Morgan, Holly’s long-time friend and lawyer, wants to continue to work with Holly on this project, which he believes in as he serves on the board of the Homeless Coalition, but he realizes his feelings for the woman are moving past friendship. Dan fears because of her past experiences as an abused spouse she isn’t ready for a change in their relationship. And she might not ever be. Should he remain silent to maintain their friendship or risk everything for the chance at real love? When danger strikes, will he be able to keep her safe?

Here’s the link and you can get it from whichever site you choose. https://books2read.com/u/bxAVzD

Here’s the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/UB40vwfuAHc

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Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, and for your thoughtful answers. I love the premise of your new novel. Many congratulations on release!

If you’ve enjoyed Marsha’s interview, or if you have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!