Author Interview with Grace Marshall

When I was a teen, one of my favorites was a YA Horse-lover series, so I'm excited to introduce you to Grace Marshall, who also writes YA books with a horse theme.

Grace is the author of the “Horse Haven” series as well as Person of Faith; she has also contributed several articles to newspapers. She enjoys hanging out with her dashing husband, J. Lindsey Marshall, their saucy cat, Amerigo Vespucci, and their playful Mastiff puppy, Mini. Grace loves all animals but especially horses. She has lived in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Tennessee, and currently resides in the Missouri hills. She believes in living life to the fullest and can’t wait to see where God will take her or have her write next. See more about Grace on her website http://www.wordsbytwo.com.

 Welcome, Grace! We're so glad you could visit us today. 

What made you decide to become a writer?

I wanted to make a difference in the world and I thought that I could show truths through writing. Through writing you can inspire people and change their minds, you can attack the roots of the problem and help those in need. Plus, it’s incredibly fun!

Where did the inspiration for your latest book come from? 

My own life. I grew up in Wisconsin and moved further south while I was in High School. I currently live in Missouri. I never lived on a ranch but did have horses for a few years, and have volunteered at horse ranches. I drew from those experiences and No Pizza Delivery? was born!

Why do you write the genre you do?

I honestly didn’t decide on the young adult genre, it just sort of happened. I desire to help people in my writing and I found that my books are targeted toward young adults. I’ve had a heart for teen ministry for a while and I feel that it’s such an important decision-making time in people’s lives, so I guess it just made sense.

How does your faith and spirituality work in with your writing? 

It’s hard to not have it work in with my writing since my faith is a part of me and my life. I want Christian teenagers to be able to read this and have an example of a girl who follows a Christian lifestyle. I don’t like how a lot of young adult book options have erotica or dark creatures in them, so I don’t include those in mine. The main family in my book also goes to church so I add some scripture in during those scenes.

Sounds great, Grace. I can relate to that. What are you working on next? 

I’m currently working on the second book of the “Horse Haven” series, that book is titled Unexpected Allies and Recurring Warts. It includes a spunky kitten on a daring rescue, a neglected mare full of love, and boys that recur like warts, which make Ruth’s life far from boring. It is scheduled to release this September.

Very interesting. Looks like you have some great stuff going on. Thank you so much for being with us!