Author Spotlight Week - Marion Kelley Bullock shares her passion for Inspirationals

I like to write inspirational novels because they challenge me to reveal true to life characters in real life situations. I have read some books that contain tacked-on scriptures or morals. I don't enjoy reading such stories, so I don't enjoy writing them. That's why I don't claim to write religious novels. I'm simply a Christian who writes from the overflow of my life. The main characters must be real, down-to-earth Christians. They may not start out as such, but they must show growth within the pages of my story. If not, I've failed.

I enjoy writing inspirational contemporaries and historicals that include elements of romance, sometimes touches of suspense and often a smidgen of wit. In every case, I've found some inciting incident that spurred me to tell a story. Secrets of Old Santa Fe grew out of my experiences living near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Christmas Stranger built on a blizzard and a young woman's unusual career that I learned about in my research. Christmas Bride came about when I researched early day stagecoach travel and Texas forts. My husband and I took a side trip to Brackettville, Texas, where Fort Clark is located. We picnicked at Las Moras Springs and toured the forts and my characters came alive.