Author Hightlight: Joanie Bruce

Today's guest on Rebel Book Reviews is Ambassador International author, Joanie Bruce. She has written three suspense novels: Alana Candler, Marked for Murder, A Memory Worth Dying For, and Murder for the Time Being; plus, she has illustrated a children's book authored by Carrie Daws: A New Home for Allie.

Read below to learn more about Joanie Bruce and where you can connect with her.

RBR: If you had to break out of your comfort zone to write a novel, what genre would it be? Why would it be different from your normal style?

JB: I LOVE historical novels, so if I were to veer away from the suspense genre, I would try a book set in the old, old west. It would take a lot of research, but I'm sure it would be fun. I would still like to add a touch of suspense to the story. What can I say? Suspenseful stories are my favorite.

RBR: Readers enjoy to read about different locales. What would be the one place you would love to have as a setting for one of your novels? What makes that place appealing to you?

JB: I'm actually writing a series set in my sweet little town of Madison, The Murders in Madison Series. It has so much to offer tourists, and yet it's such a quaint little town. Many of our houses have been here since before the war and were homes that Sherman refused to burn when he marched through like he did to so many other houses along his trail.

RBR: Authors are readers, too. Do you have a favorite author or book? What is a quote from that author/book that you like?

JB: I love so many authors, but one book that I keep going back to read again is Never Say Goodbye by Irene Hannon. It's an inspirational romance published by Love Inspired, and it's about a man who causes a horrible accident and ends up in prison for three years because of it. The story begins after he is released from prison. He has restored his relationship with God, and now he has returned to ask forgiveness from his ex-wife. This is a paragraph in the book where he talks about his past. I feel the quote I love is true for so many people:

"You can't forget the past. God knows, I've tried. I'd still like to erase the memory of the bad days in our marriage, of the accident, of the trial, of prison. But I can't. It's a part of me, both the good and bad. And that's true for everyone. So eventually you have to accept the past, learn what you can from it, then leave it behind and move on."

RBR: What is your favorite parable in the Bible? What is it about that parable that you like?

JB: I think my favorite parable in the Bible is the one about the Prodigal Son. This reinforce the truth that God loves us, just like the father loved his wayward son in the story, and when we sin, He forgives us and accepts us back into His graces...loving us all the time. 

RBR: Share a piece of your book, your favorite part, for the reader.

JB: I think my favorite scene of all my books happens at the end of my second book, A Memory Worth Dying For. This story is about forgiveness, redemption, and total restoration...about restoring what the "locusts" had eaten as in Joel 2 of the Bible. Daniel jumped to conclusions and destroyed his marriage to Marti, but in this passage, he has realized he was so totally wrong and begs for her forgiveness.

     "Marti, can we talk now?"

     She clutched her stomach, but she nodded.

     He walked toward her, stopped six feet away, and sat down on the grass facing the falls.

     "Marti...I have several things to say, but the most important thing I have to say is..." he turned toward her then and looked into her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for the pain I put you through--for not believing in you, for not waiting to hear all the facts before I judged you, for not honoring a wife as a husband should...for letting my pride get in the way of the truth."

     Marti lifted her head. He saw shock in her eyes.

     "Did you say wife?"

     His belly knotted, but he nodded. "Yes, I said wife. I know who you are. My memory returned when I saw you at the hospital after the fire. I remember...everything--you...our marriage...the accident. I called you." He scrubbed his face with his hands. His voice broke as he said, "And I slapped you. Oh, Matty, I'm so sorry for that."

He shut his eyes and let the tears fall.

     "Did...did you call me--"

     "Matty. My sweet, wonderful Matty." His voice broke with emotion.

     "Daniel, did you say you remembered...the accident?"

     Daniel looked at her then. "I remember everything, sweetheart. Your smiles, your funny faces when you eat persimmons, your love of horses, your love of books, but most of all, I remember you captured my heart."

     "Daniel, I don't understand. After the accident you said--"

     He put his finger over her lips. "I don't want you to remember what I said after the accident. I was a fool. No matter what I said then, I don't believe it now."

I wish I could go on, but it would give away the ending of the story. Of course, Marti forgives Daniel, and the book has a good ending, as all my books do.

RBR: You can connect with Joanie in the following links. 

The Top 4 Platforms

WEBSITE:  http://www.joaniebruce.com

FACEBOOK: : https://www.facebook.com/joaniebruceauthor/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/joaniebruce/?hl=en

TWITTER: : https://twitter.com/joaniebruce

SHORT BIO: As an avid reader, Joanie welcomes the transition from reading to writing and considers it a wonderful way to honor the Lord. She has three married children with one grandson and lives with her husband on their Black Angus cattle farm in Georgia. Her favorite ways to spend her time are writing, painting portraits, and taking long walks on the farm.