Meet Catherine, a Runaway Cinderella in Search of Love
Today we're interviewing Catherine Malloy, the heroine from Echoes of the Heart, one of the novellas in the Pony Express Romance collection.
Welcome, Catherine! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born to educated parents who believed in the benefit of education, even for girls. My parents loved me, and when they died suddenly, my uncle became my ward. He told me that my father was a poor businessman—which I never believed—and he eventually hired me out as maid in a mansion in Boston. I always dreamed of marriage, but once in my destitute position, I believed my uncle when he said I could no longer expect to enter Boston society but must settle to marry another servant.
What brings you to the West?
I saw an advertisement for a woman to come to Kansas to marry, and I showed it to my best friend and fellow servant, Maggie. She was so excited at the prospect of getting out of Boston that I didn’t have the heart to tell her I was thinking of answering the advertisement myself. Because she couldn’t read or write, I wrote her letters for her, and answered the ones she received from Mr. Troudt. Maggie didn’t love him—she just wanted to escape from Boston. However, I started to dream about this man who would rescue me from my situation.
What would be your dream occupation?
I have a great talent for sewing and needlework, and I love to cook. So being the wife of a station master would suit me fine—I can sew for the riders and cook for them and the stage and wagon train passengers, too.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is of not being wanted. My uncle made me feel that way, as though I were an unwelcome encumbrance upon him.
If you could go back ten or fifteen years, what advice would you give yourself?
If I went back ten years, I would be but a snippet of a girl, barely into her teens. I would tell her that who she is doesn’t depend on who others say she is—she must listen to what God says about her.
Where do you see yourself being ten years down the road?
In ten years, I hope to have at least six children, and looking forward to growing old with Mr. Troudt.
Any parting remarks?
I would like to thank your readers for taking such an interest in my story, and to be sure to enjoy the other stories in this collection. And perhaps to consider sitting down and writing their own story. But always remember—without Him, no story is worth telling.
Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Catherine!
About Donna:
Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid publisher who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. Her current release, Echoes of the Heart, a 9-in-1 novella collection titled "Pony Express Romance Collection" released April 1. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She will be teaching an online course for American Christian Fiction Writers in June 2017, “Don’t let your subplots sink your story”. Donna loves history and research, and travels extensively for both.
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter
Books: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq
Echoes of the Heart: http://amzn.to/2lBaqcW
About the book:
In nine adventure-filled novellas, you will meet the hardy souls who face the daily urgency and danger involved in moving the mail across country, and join them as they experience love and romance along the way.
Echoes of the Heart features a mail order bride and a crippled station master. With no way out for either of them—except with each other—can they surrender their hearts and find true love? Or will a mysterious woman traveling the trail, and the Pinkerton agent intent on catching this criminal before she robs another man keep them apart—forever?
Very nice. Takes a lot of faith to make a journey like this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Harold. Good luck in the drawing. Got any writing projects of your own? Or are you reading a great book?
ReplyDeleteIt sure does. Thanks for stopping by, Harold.
ReplyDeleteDonna, such a pleasure to host you! Thanks for sharing a glimpse into your character's life.
Amber, thank YOU for the opportunity to share :)
ReplyDelete