Interview with Margaret Daley, author of SHATTERED SILENCE

Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of eighty-two books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household.

Her latest book is the Christian fiction suspense Shattered Silence, about a series of murders that seem like a hate crime, but things aren't what they appear.

To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com. Follow Margaret Daley at Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/margaretdaley

Become a fan of Margaret Daley at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margaretripydaley

Purchase your copy of Shattered Silence at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Silence-Texas-Rangers-Series/dp/1426714297/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348583282&sr=8-3&keywords=shattered+silence

Purchase your copy of Shattered Silence at the publisher’s website: http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/DynamicContent.aspx?id=164&pageid=702

Q: Thank you so much for this interview, Margaret. How hard was it to write Shattered Silence and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

This was a hard story to write. It has a complex plot with several subplots that tie into my theme about bullying. One thing that is important when you start a book, especially one with several subplots, is to know what your theme is. What pulls the story together? In the case of Shattered Silence I have various situations in the book that concerns a form of bullying--one in a high school, a marriage and the workplace.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

My publisher for The Men of the Texas Rangers Series (Shattered Silence is the second book) is Abingdon Press. My agent sent a proposal on the first book in the series, Saving Hope, to Barbara Scott who was the acquiring editor for them several years ago. I was thrilled when she wanted to buy it.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your book published?

The first book in the series was about a gritty subject, human trafficking and child prostitution. It was a book of my heart, but I knew that some publishers wouldn't take a chance on that topic. Abingdon did, and I'm grateful they did. In this series, I'm tackling some current issues we face in our society from bullying to human trafficking to prescription drug abuse.

Q: Can you describe the feeling when you saw your published book for the first time?

I was on top of the world. I still get excited when I see one of my books on the shelf.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

The third book in The Men of the Texas Rangers Series (all stand alone books) is Scorned Justice. It will be out in March 2013, and the fourth one, Severed Trust, will come out in October 2013. I'm finishing up that book right now.

Q: Fun question: How does your book contribute to making this world a better place?

Bullying is a problem that not only children have to deal with but so do adults. I not only write about it but try to give a few solutions to the situations in my story.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?