MrsK Books: Meet the Author: Mary Alford

Meet the Author: Mary Alford

Mary Alford website
Dear Readers,

My name is Mary Alford, and I write Christian and Amish romantic suspense and romantic thrillers.

I love taking my characters on a dangerous journey through situations that not only test their character but sometimes their faith. Just when things seem impossible, the bad guy is caught. Good triumphs over evil, and the hero and heroine always have their happy ending.

I love that!

My journey to become a published author was one that God directed me each step of the way even when I didn’t realize it. He gave me a love for the Christian romantic suspense genre to share His goodness with readers. And to show His grace and forgiveness throughout the difficult journey my characters have along the way.

Growing up, I loved to read. When I discovered Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt as a teen I was hooked on romantic suspense.

Though at the time I considered it a sheer accident when I entered the Love Inspired Suspense contest that later resulted in my first contract with them, looking back, I know it was God directing my path. I am so grateful to Him. It’s been an amazing blessing.

One piece of advice that I received early on in my writing career has always stuck with me. No matter how many rejections I received on the road to become a published author, or how many times I felt like quitting, this advice has always convicted me.
Writers write. It’s who you are. You can’t do anything else.
God called me to write and no matter how difficult it gets at times, it’s what I do for Him.

Many Blessings,
Mary Alford

For Him. Always.

"My soul waiteth for the Lord

more than they that watch for the morning...

Psalm 130:6

ISBN: 9781335736024

Meet Hope, she is an Amish midwife. While attending Naomi, a blizzard is raging through the area. Naomi is experiencing another "false alarm," her heart is anxious for the safety of her little one. After three miscarriages, what mother wouldn't be anxious? Neither Naomi, nor her husband Conrad want to bury another "boppli." All peace leaves the minute a strange voice yells that he is looking for the midwife. An intense struggle at the door causes Hope to pull Naomi to the back door. She had to get them to safety... blizzard or not.

Just beyond the woods, Hunter Shelter had a place. Hope hasn't spoken to him since they cancelled their engagement, yet she knows he could be the only one to protect them and the soon to arrive boppli. Tearfully, Hope explains the stranger sending others after them, that they heard the gunshot and no sound from Conrad, as well as the fear that these men would follow in the blizzard.

This wasn't the first time that Hope had experienced danger. The West Kootenai community has had strangers wanting to harm families and Hunter personally knew that "bad things happen to good people." While putting on his boots, Conrad recognized the creaking of one of his porch steps, the strangers had arrived.

Hope's panicked thoughts would prove to be a blizzard's nightmare... will there be any place safe for them to hide?

Intriguing characters, determined decisions, and pages turning with as quickly as the action.... this is a to be read with a quilt... a cup of tea... in a comfy spot for the rest of the evening.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,

but against principalities, against powers,

against the rulers of the darkness of this world,

against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Ephesians 6:12

ISBN: 9781691685424

Meet Piper, after the attack in Afghanistan, she has just been released to return to duty. The attack has left deep wounds beyond the bullet that dropped her two years ago. Now in Alaska, Piper is looking forward to starting new with the name Sidney. Strike Force will provide the trail to Legion's newest threat of terror.

Meet Reed, now known as Kaiden. the Legion's other target. His training and expertise helped save Piper from the attack that took out most of their team in Afghanistan. Now housed in a three-story log home, the Strike Force is gathering. Once gathered, the truth of the evil plot began unfolding.

Would Piper, Reed, and their friend Teddy (Aka: James) be ready for Legion to unleash death and destruction?

Deputy Director Jake Evans, once a valued friend, is now a leader for Legion. His plans? With eyes and ears on his moves in Texas, the Strike force learns that there is much more to Evan's plans than what they first knew. The threat is now beyond the U.S!

In and out of locations, on the run and the chase, will the Strike Force go down or will they escape long enough to see the Legion defeated?

Strike Force's characters are exceptionally developed, as a reader you will try to push them to survive... or run... you will be thankful they are safe for a moment or two... you will feel their tenson and tears... yet through it all, you will need to read the rest of the saga.

"How many more times could she and Kaiden escape death?"

"And he asked him, 'What is thy name?'

And he answered, saying, 'My name is Legion: for we are many."

Mark 5:9

ISBN: 9798611450215

Meet Ben Parker, a valued member of the Strike Force. As chaos is released within the U.S., Ben's most fearful thoughts are not about his safety but is beloved Jen. Due to the need for his training, long hours have caused a break-up. Now with Legion's well planned and calculated bombings, the most populated cities were in carnage. Is Jen safe? Why isn't she texting him? He has to find her!

Legion has nuclear weapons in strategic areas around the world. The U.S. President's location is unknown. The Vice President is being prepared to step in as the U.S. acting President, yet he is a suspected puppet for Legion. Strike force has blocked the President's assassin, yet there is no clue as to where he is.

With one Strike Force team heading to DC, Strike Force was compromised. Ben is on his way to Denver for Jen. It's Christmas Eve and all is not well.

Jen has never seen such destruction. Was Ben ok, she needed him. There was no cell phone service since the bombs exploded. As a large SUV pulled up in front of her house, Jen knew something was going to go wrong. It was being broadcasted the Ben was being sought as a terrorist. Once the men left, Jen quickly went to find a box of Ben's things. She had to reach him!

Meanwhile the new is showing the Vice President standing by the Afghani Governments plane who has safely flown him to Maryland. And so, it begins...

In Strike Force, I stated that the characters were exceptionally developed, well I must admit, the storyline is so well crafted. This saga is not just a page-turner, it is written with so many twists and turns, the dodging of bullets, the chase scenes, a splattering of relief, and then the roller coaster of events will keep you "hooked" long into the night!

Next up... is Thin Ice....

MrsK's personal connection:

While I am a reader who brings many connections to the books I review, Mary's forward introduction touched my heart, for I too was given the desire to read in Jr. High by my mother's decision to pass along her collection of Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, and Barbara Michael stories of waves crashing against a Victorian cliff, true romance, heroines who had heart and grit, and intrigue beyond the safety of my reading corner.

"Mary Alford was inspired to become a writer after reading romantic suspense greats Victoria Holt and Phyllis A Whitney. Soon, creating characters and throwing them into dangerous situations that tested their faith came naturally for Mary. In 2012, Mary entered the speed dating contest hosted by Love Inspired Suspense and later received "the call." Writing for Love Inspired Suspense has been a dream come true for Mary." Author profile taken from her Snowbound Amish Survival

2023 Family Fiction Top 20 Christian Suspense Author!
From USA TODAY, Parable, and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Mary Alford. . .

Amish Wilderness Survival - 2024 winner of the Holt Medallion for Short Inspirational!
2024 Selah Awards 2nd Runner Up in Romantic Suspense.

Don't Close Your Eyes - 2024 Kiss of Death Finalist!

Among The Innocent - AWSA 2023 Golden Scroll Mystery/Suspense Novel of the Year!

Amish Country Ransom - A winter storm turns a fight for justice into a struggle for survival…

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)