Author Marsha West Talks Romance, Suspense, and ‘Happily Ever After’ – Fort Worth Magazine

Vermont Escape by Marsha West

Two years after the murder of her husband, someone guns down Jill Barlows father, a Texas State Representative. Authorities suspect a connection between the murders but cant find proof. Jill seeks refuge and a new life in a small Vermont town, but she cant escape the mysteries of the past.

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

Gilda, a young atheist, animal-loving lesbian who cant stop ruminating about death, responds to a flyer for free therapy from the local Catholic church but is mistaken as an applicant for the church secretary position. Too embarrassed to correct the priest, shes hired on the spot. With both poignant moments and deadpan humor, Austin gives us a thought-provoking and delightful novel.

A Good Apology: Four Steps to Make Things Right by Molly Howes, Ph.D.

In a world as fractured as ours, effective apologies are an important process in healing and moving forward. Dr. Howes combines research, stories from her practice, and new stories to illustrate the power of an apology and provide readers with the tools to truly make amends and rebuild relationships both in small breaches and large.

5 questions: Marsha West

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Give us a snapshot of who you are. Im a retired elementary school principal, former FWISD board member, and theatre arts teacher. I write second-chance romantic suspense, also called seasoned romance. Ive lived in Fort Worth since my husband finished law school in Austin. Our two daughters are grown and live near, giving us plenty of quality time with our three grands. We share our home with a deaf rescue Chihuahua/Jack Russell terrier, Charley, who made his way into my most recent book, Tainted.

The theme of my books is second chances, with my four-part series titled, The Second Chances Series. I believe in happily ever afters. My husband picked up a plaque for me on a trip to Maine stating my philosophy exactly: Everything will be all right in the end. If its not all right, its not the end. The heroines and heroes in my books are in their 40s and 50s with their parents and children playing supporting roles

2. What compels you to write and why romance and suspense? Every writer begins as a reader. Nancy Drew and Dana Girl mysteries were high on my list, and then during high school, I started reading my mothers romance books. Daphne du Mauriers Rebecca hooked me on the wonderful combination of romance and suspense.

After many years of only reading education-related books, when my mother became ill, I needed the comfort of books with a happily ever after. I said to a friend, Ive read so many, I could probably write one. The friend said, Go for it! So, I did.

3. What do you hope readers experience through your writing? I hope my books uplift readers, providing encouragement, hope, and the strength to keep on keeping on toward their own happily ever after, whatever shape that takes.

4. Has a story or character ever taken an unexpected turn? Vermont Escape is my first published book but the fourth book Id written. I was more than halfway through when one of the supporting characters just took off. It looked like hed end up winning the heroine, but that wasnt my plan. I promised him if hed back off, Id give him his own book. Three books later, he became the hero of Second Act, Book 1 of The Second Chances Series.

5. Whats next for you? My eighth book, Compromise, set in New Hampshire, will release in October of this year. This book was supposed to be a Hallmark-type Christmas book, but on the second page I discovered a murder, and the story became too complex to fit the two-week Christmas format. Ill try again, but this isnt it (though we do have a snowman-building contest and snickerdoodles). Im eager to finish Compromise because another story is rumbling in my head, struggling to get out.

You can find Marsha online at authormarsharwest.wordpress.com and on social media. She loves to connect with readers.

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Author Marsha West Talks Romance, Suspense, and 'Happily Ever After' - Fort Worth Magazine