Mini-view with Stephenia H. McGee (Missing Mercy)

About the Author

Winner of the 2012 RONE Best Inspirational Book of the year (2012) and author of six Historical novels, Stephenia H. McGee has a fascination with hoop skirts and ball gowns, Greek revival homes and horse-drawn carriages, quirky Southern sayings, and home-grown recipes. She currently lives in Mississippi with her husband and two boys, (accompanied by their two spoiled dogs and mischievous cat) where she writes stories of faith, redemption, and stories steeped in the South. 
 
Visit her website at www.StepheniaMcGee.com and be sure to sign up for the newsletter to get sneak peeks, behind the scenes fun, the occasional recipe, and special offers.
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The Interview

1. What inspired the idea for Missing Mercy?
You’re going to hate this…but I don’t know. I wanted to write a story with Lydia and Ruth’s (the heroines from The Whistle Walk) daughters, but that meant stepping out of the Civil War era into something new. With no war in the backdrop to cause chaos, I had no idea what I wanted to do. This story probably has 35,000 words that ended up on the trash. It took a lot of time before I finally had the story right. But once I did (lots of prayer here!) I loved it. I think this one may be my best work.
 
2. What did you as an author take away from writing Missing Mercy?
God always uses these stories to first teach me something. This story ended up right in the middle of a big change for me. I felt lead to homeschool to help my youngest son through some struggles. I also still felt called to write, but I was having a really hard time balancing the two. I was used to working six hours a day when they were at school, and now that time was gone.

A lot of what you will see my characters struggle through are things I was struggling through. Mercy fights some inner battles with what to do when God’s plans are not what you expected (or maybe not even something you wanted) and dealing with the tension of trying to give your gifts back to Him while at the same time afraid to let them go. I’ll give you the quote from this story that pretty much sums up what I took from this book. “God had His plans. And any journey He invited her to go on would always be an adventure. Perhaps not the one she expected, but always the one that would be the best for her.”

3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it?
I’m finishing up my first Christmas story. This one is a time travel back to Belmont Plantation (from In His Eyes). Time travels are so much fun, and I had a great time this summer writing this little novella. Here’s the blurb for it:
 
On the brink of aging out the foster system, the last thing Isla Laird wants is to spend Christmas in an old-fashioned plantation. What’s the point of bonding with her foster mom when it’s too late to ever be adopted? But when a mysterious painting suddenly thrusts her into the nineteenth century, Isla is forced to face hurts and memories she’s long tried to bury. With time running out and her heart in tatters, can God use an impossible miracle to bring Isla hope for a new future?

4. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
1) My Dearest Dietrich
2) all of Tamera Leigh’s Age of Conquest books (I’ve been waiting to binge read them)
3) Outlander
4) The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond
5) Flights of Fancy

5. What is your favorite fall activity?
We finally get a break from the humidity, so my favorite thing is to sit in the hammock and read. Pumpkin patches are nice, and leaves are pretty, but honestly, my favorite thing about fall is the pretty weather that gives me time to relax outside. In Mississippi, that only lasts about two weeks, so I take advantage of it! 

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Giveaway

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