We're happy to have Sherrinda Ketchersid with us today talking about her book Lord of Her Heart. To learn more about Sherrinda and her book, read on!
Back cover blurb
Lady
Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle because her father ceases to write to her. When
she overhears a plot to force her into vows—either to the church or a
husband—she disguises herself and flees the convent in desperation to
discover the truth.
Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways.
Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are
determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives.
Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways.
Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are
determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives.
Please give us the first page of the book.
“I tire of this
endless cleaning.” Jocelyn Ashburne sat on the cold stone floor of the
cellarium and put a hand to her aching back. Her gray woolen habit made her
itch. She wanted to pull off the veil to release her damp curls from its
confines. “Methinks the Reverend Mother Agatha is attempting to tire my body
and mind into forgetting my desire to return home. My petition for release has
been again ignored, and I know not what to do.”
“Perhaps you should write to your
father once more.” Sister Mary, her dearest friend at the convent, scrubbed the
floor, swiping at her forehead before looking up at Jocelyn. “It could be he
has had much to deal with at Ramslea and has been too busy to answer.”
Jocelyn dipped her rag
into the bucket of rosemary-scented water and wrung it out. “I’ve been here
four years. I know I’ve only heard from him a few times, but ’tisn’t like him
to be so silent, even with the distraction of his new wife. My father has been
silent for an entire year, and I am worried.” Perhaps she should scour his
missives for clues to solve the mystery of his silence.
“Do you sincerely
think Helen might sway his ability to make decisions?”
Jocelyn huffed and
scrubbed the floor with renewed vigor. “Aye, she cares not for me and only
fawned over me in the presence of Father. He was blind to everything but her
beauty and charm.”
“He was lonely after
losing your mother. I’m sure Helen fills the void in his heart. God will
provide for you. Never fear.”
Would that Jocelyn had
Mary’s faith in God’s ability to manage her return home. So far, He had been
silent to her pleas. Perhaps His lack of communication was His answer. Perhaps
she was to have faith amid the silence of her earthly father, as well as her
heavenly one.
Please tell us five
random things we might not know about you.
1. I love to paint and
letter in my Bible.
2. I have scoliosis and
had to wear a metal back brace as a freshman and sophomore in high school.
Think Joan Cusack in Sixteen Candles. J
3. I moved away from home
to attend a Bible school when I was 17 and just out of high school.
4. My husband gave me a
dozen roses on my 18th birthday (I’d only been talking to him for
two weeks.) and we were inseparable after that.
5. Coffee with cream is
often my go-to dessert.
Why did you choose to write this book? I
originally wrote this book to tell a good story and bring someone as much joy
as reading has brought to me. But as I wrote, the message of trust came through
and I hope that brings hope to others as they journey with God.
What one thing about
writing do you wish non-writers would understand?
Hhmm. My friends and family are very
supportive of my writing, but I hear others say they wished people would
understand how time consuming the writing life can be. A writer must treat
writing as a job and pass up invitations sometimes in order to get their “job”
done. It takes a lot of discipline and hard work to get a book written and
rewritten.
What is the toughest test
you've faced as a writer?
Rejection is always difficult. There have been times
when I have wanted to give up, but as a spinner of stories, I have decided I
would write even if the book doesn’t see the light of day. I write because I am
a writer.
What do you hope readers to take away from
your novel?
I would love for readers to get lost in the story and come away
smiling. But on a deeper level, I hope they can see in themselves a need to
trust—not only the need to trust God in difficult times, but learn to trust
others for help when they need it. Everyone needs a listening ear or help from
time to time, and sometimes we are afraid to ask. We need to get over that
feeling of not wanting to bother someone or not trusting others to step up to
the plate and help us out.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not?
I’m most proud that I have raised self-sufficient and
loving children. They are kind, thoughtful, and generous. They are my greatest
accomplishment and I love them dearly. Writing-wise, I am most proud that I
stuck with my first story and didn’t shove it under the bed. The book needed a
lot of work, but my publisher took a chance on it and molded it into something
I am super proud of.
What do you do for fun when not writing?
I
love to read inspirational romance, historical or contemporary. I also like to
paint and letter in my Bible as a way of worship. I like to spend time with my
seven month old puppy, Phineas. He gets me outside and moving.
What are you working on
now?
I am editing and rewriting my
second story, His to Keep. It is the story of Ian McGowan, the head guardsman
in Lord of Her Heart. He receives an
inheritance that forces him to marry an English woman.
Bio
Sherrinda Ketchersid is a lover of stories with happily-ever-after endings. Whether set in the past or present, romance is what she writes and where her dreams reside. Sherrinda lives in north-central Texas with her preacher husband. With four grown children, three guys and a gal, she has more time and energy to spin tales of faith, fun, and forever love.
Where else can readers
find you online?
