Misty Beller: Family, Western Romance, the Rockies, a Giveaway & More

I’m excited for you to read this interview with Historical Romance author Misty Beller and learn about her new release, Calm in the Mountain Storm. She’s offered winner’s choice of format of her new book as a giveaway! Be sure to comment below by September 27 for a chance to win.

Welcome to the blog, Misty! I’m so happy to have you. I’d love to hear a little about you and your family.

Sure! I’m a wife, mom (of five kiddos ranging from 10 months to 15 years!), homeschooler, and full-time writer. I also own a small publishing house, Wild Heart Books, that publishes only Christian Historical Romance, which is what I also write. From the very first Janette Oke book I read as an early teenager, I’ve loved that genre more than any other!

You’re one busy lady! How and when did you start writing? 

At the end of 2012, I was putting together my bucket list and realized that I really did want to write a novel. So, “Write a novel that’s published” made it near the top!

I decided, it’s now or never, and made the commitment to do it. So, I had a general idea that I wanted it to be a Christian western romance. But where to start? I finally decided I needed to find a good book to help me plan. I stumbled upon (a.k.a. God led me to) the best possible book to help me get started with a great plan: Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. For all you writers out there, I can’t recommend it highly enough!  

From there, I’ve soaked in every bit of writing instruction I can from some amazing groups and individuals. And I’ve spent countless hours sitting with my laptop pouring out words onto the screen, or dictating them into my phone.

You’ve come a long way in ten short years. Good for you. What genre do you write and what inspired you to write that particular genre? 

I love to read any version of Christian romance, but historical is my first love. When I finally worked up the nerve to write my first novel, there was never any question that it would be a historical romance. My favorite period is between 1800 – 1880, when the west was still an extreme frontier. I love the simpler life, where there’s no rat race. Just hard work, plenty of alone time (can you tell I’m an introvert?), and a strong family unit.

Simple life, alone time, and family sounds wonderful to me too. What is the setting of your current novel? Is it a real location or fictional? Tell us about it.

This series is set in the Rockies in what would become Montana and Idaho, and Calm in the Mountain Storm is a journey from the western side of the Rockies to the eastern side.

When I was growing up, we drove across the country several times to visit family in California. We would often take different routes and see new parts of the country. I loved many places we saw, but the Rockies really captured my heart. The majesty of the mountains there is too beautiful for words to describe, but I love to try!

Sounds amazing. What do you hope your readers take away from Calm in the Mountain Storm?

I pray this story draws readers closer to God. I pray they seek His will for their life each step of the way, and aren’t afraid to accept God’s grace and the fresh slate He offers when we seek Him. 

A great lesson, which ties into my next question. How do you incorporate Christ and hope into your writing?

Great question! God’s love and following his leading is a consistent theme in my books because it’s been so vital in my own life. I NEVER would have dreamed God would lead me to become a full-time writer, but I’m so grateful He has! I pray daily that He would give me the story and words He wants me to me to write, and that He would use them for His work in the lives of readers.  

Wonderful. What advice would you give an aspiring author?

This is always a tough question, because there are so many things that are helpful! 

First, place your writing journey in God’s hands. Seek Him above everything, and He’ll lead You along the path He’s chosen to reach His very best for you! 

Second, read a LOT. Read in your genre. Read writing craft books. Absorb everything you can. 

Third, join a writing organization that focuses on the type of books you write. Joining ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) was one of the most helpful things I’ve done to grow as a writer. I’ll always be grateful to the organization, and I do my best to give back as often as I can. I’m also a member of Novelists, Inc. (for career novelists). 

All great suggestions! What does a typical day in your writing life look like?

Since I do this full-time, I have a pretty solid routine. But I also have to be flexible when things shift with the family. I spend mornings doing edits, emails, or other parts of the business. Then around 1 or 2:00pm, I start on my “writing walk” until I get at least 2,000 words written. 

Sounds like you’ve settled into a nice routine. What does your writing space look like?

Well, my desk is in a corner of our living room. That’s where I do all my editing, correspondence, and everything else related to writing. I actually write through dictation into my phone while I walk outside. Dictation requires an extra layer of editing afterward, but I’ve found the creative part of my mind works much better while I’m outside and moving. 

Wow, I can’t imagine dictating my manuscript. I love how God designs each of us uniquely and all the different ways we get the stories out that He wants us to write. What’s next from you?

My next release will be in November, 2022: A Daughter’s Courage from Bethany House Publishers. This is book 3 in my Brides of Laurent series and I’m SO excited to finally share it with readers! One of the really fun aspects of this series is that it’s set in a hidden village in caves in the Canadian Rockies. They kept themselves separate from the rest of the world for about 100 years, and it was so neat to explore what that would look like for an entire town. You don’t have to read the earlier books in the series to enjoy A Daughter’s Courage. I’m praying readers will love it as much as I do!

Sounds like a great read! Congratulations! Thanks so much for sharing about your writing and new release with us. Blessings to you!

Join the conversation. Are you a Western Romance fan? How about stories set in the mountains? What do you think about dictating a novel while walking? Do you have any questions or comments for Misty?

Be sure to comment below by September 27 for a chance to win Misty’s new book. Winners choice of format.

Calm in the Mountain Storm by Misty Beller

Click the book cover for purchase link

This epic journey will test his ability to protect his children—and they’re all he has left.

Missionary Elise Lane returns with her team to the Rocky Mountain native tribe they serve to discover the entire village—including the children she’s come to love—has been massacred. A fierce brave standing at the edge of the devastation has taken the only surviving child.

Goes Ahead returns home with his son to find his worst fears have come true—his entire village has been slaughtered, including his wife. Only their infant daughter has survived. But there’s no time for grief or vengeance. He must get his children across the mountains to the protection of his family. 

The last thing he wants is help from the white people who’ve brought this disaster on his village, but his babe is not yet four moons old. Her hungry cries prove he can’t make this journey without the white woman already nursing a babe of her own. But she refuses to come without the rest of her group, including the opinionated missionary who thinks she knows best for his children. As winter closes in and the mountains prove treacherous beyond anything Goes Ahead can control, only a strength and love greater than his own can save his children—and the woman he’s come to love.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. 

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy. 

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

Connect with Misty: Website / Amazon / Facebook / BookBub / Goodreads / Pinterest

Please share Misty’s interview on social media to help spread the word about her new release!

If you missed last week’s interview with Penelope Marzec, find it here.