Eeep!!! Jocelyn Green is here today!! I became a fan from the moment I read Widow of Gettysburg and I continue to be one with her newest book The Mark of The King. I reviewed it for RT Book Reviews so I can’t review it here, but follow along with the Litfuse Blog Tour to see what others are saying about this exquisitely written book!
Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including Wedded to War, a Christy Award finalist in 2013, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Jocelyn lives with her husband and two children in Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.
You can also connect with Jocelyn at Facebook and Twitter.
Jocelyn’s newest book, The Mark of the King, released January 3rd from Bethany House.
After being imprisoned and branded for the death of her client, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana, where she hopes to be reunited with her brother, serving there as a soldier. To make the journey, though, women must be married, and Julianne is forced to wed a fellow convict.
When they arrive in New Orleans, there is no news of Benjamin, Julianne’s brother, and searching for answers proves dangerous. What is behind the mystery, and does military officer Marc-Paul Girard know more than he is letting on?
With her dreams of a new life shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous, rugged land, despite never being able to escape the king’s mark on her shoulder that brands her a criminal beyond redemption.
Hi Jocelyn! Welcome to the blog! It’s such an honor to talk with you! I start all of my guests out with a fast four –
Jocelyn: Apples, because they go so much better dipped in peanut butter.
Carrie: Yummm… they so do. I’m currently on an autoimmune/anti-inflammatory diet that has me on NO FRUIT for TWO MONTHS. I may have to revise this question until then… it’s making my mouth water haha!
Jocelyn: Summer! Why? Sunshine, fireflies, flowers, fresh fruits and veggies, swimming, grilling, reading outside, no searching for gloves, boots and hats!
Carrie: Again with the fresh fruit … wail!!! LOL 😉
Jocelyn: In theory, dogs. In practicality, cats. We’ve had both and right now we have two cats we adore. They are so clean and cuddly and really don’t ask for much.
Carrie: Cuddly cats? Is there such a thing?
Jocelyn: Both, please? I drink coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon and evening. It just makes sense to me. 🙂 No seriously, I have to watch how much caffeine I have because too much of it makes my heart rapid-fire. It tricks me into thinking I’m stressed out when I’m not. I just need to back away from the coffee maker.
Carrie: haha! Back away slowly… and no one gets hurt.
Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Jocelyn: My superpower is crying over things that happened hundreds of years ago. 🙂 You’d think that after years of researching hard things, including almost every war America has fought in, I’d grow a protective callous over my heart. But every once in a while, I’ll read something about someone’s life from long ago and I will just snap inside with sympathy and compassion, and I’ll soak a few Kleenex.
Carrie: Oh i love that! I do that when I read too…
Which books are “on your nightstand”?
Jocelyn: The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People; Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers; The InnKeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen; The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah; The One Year Book of Christian History; Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline; and a random book of poetry. It’s a tall stack.
Carrie: Redeeming Love is an enduring favorite of mine. Julie Klassen’s latest is on my nightstand too, and I just finished reading Orphan Train! The Nightingale is on my must-read-this-soon list.
If I asked your characters to describe YOU as an author, what would they say?
Jocelyn: They would say that I am absolutely so mean. When I’m writing, I often ask myself, “What is the worst thing that could happen to this character?” And then I do it. I will even ask, “What could possibly make this feel even worse for this person?” And then I will work in a fear or dark moment into their past to magnify the drama and intensity of the current situation. Ha!
Carrie: LOL!! The dreaded “dark moment” – you are one of “those” authors haha! Your poor characters 😉
Speaking of characters, describe your main characters in one sentence each, and tell me who you would cast in their roles if Hollywood wanted to produce The Mark of the King as a movie!
Jocelyn: Julianne is a determined, capable midwife who struggles to forgive those who have caused her to lose the ones she held most dear. (Played by Emily Blunt.)
Marc-Paul is a by-the-book military officer who learns to crave grace and peace in a frontier ravaged by war and savagery. (Played by Ioan Gruffudd.)
Carrie: oh I can both of those actors as these characters, yes!
What surprised you about The Mark of the King or your characters as you wrote their story?
Jocelyn: There is a child character who shows up in the later chapters of the book, and she surprised me by writing her own scenes in her own voice. I hadn’t intended on allowing her that privilege, especially since she shows up so late in the story, but she totally won me over—and my editors, too!
Carrie: I loved that shift in voice and perspective when she came along!
What do you most want readers to take away from The Mark of The King?
Jocelyn: Whatever scars you may carry from your past, however marked by judgment you may feel that you are, God’s grace covers it all. There is no mark black enough that His grace cannot redeem you.
Carrie: My heart song. Yes. Amen.
Jocelyn, thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Jocelyn: My next fiction release is a novella collection from Barbour releasing in March! The Message in a Bottle Romance Collection was written by five of us, including Joanne Bischof, Heather Day Gilbert, Amanda Dykes, Maureen Lang and myself.
Carrie: I am so looking forward to this collection – 5 of my very faves!
What about you? What historical event or story hits you in the feels?
I looooved The Mark of the King–it was so rich with historical detail and emotional poignancy. One of my faves of 2017 for sure. And YES! I, too, am really anticipating The Message in a Bottle Romance Collection (grin).
LOL i wonder why 😉
Hmm. Civil War and stories surrounding it always makes me emotional.
Message in a Bottle collection is on my TBR planet for sure.
i love reading about the Civil War and Underground Railroad – so much emotion there.
Carrie, thank you so much for hosting me here! This was a really fun interview with questions I hadn’t been asked! It’s a pleasure to be on your beautiful blog.
such an honor to have you here 🙂
Loved, loved The Mark of the King. Was telling my sister about it yesterday and she is requesting at her library in TN. Enjoyed the interview.
yay! Thanks Lucy 🙂
I read Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s ‘Harold, Last of the Saxon Kings’ a few years ago. I got to the Battle of Hastings and didn’t have the courage to go on for a little while. I love reading historical fiction based on real events, but the downside is that it doesn’t always go the way you want…
Suzanne Wolfe’s ‘Confessions of X’ was another one where I balled my eyes out. I knew how it would end, but I wasn’t expecting to feel so gutted and angry with the early church!
I take my history very seriously!
I have had an historical novel of Richard III of England sitting on my shelf for over two years now, and haven’t had the courage to pick it up, because I know how that ine’s going to end too. Even the author said it took her two weeks to get Richard from his tent to the battle field at Bosworth.
History can be cruel. Especially to Richard III!
Confessions of X was gutwrenching!! Yes! I agree
I was a little amused by Jocelyn’s comment about being mean to her characters, thinking up the worst that could happen to them. She certainly did this to Julianne in The Mark of the King. She faced so much hardship. Just when things would start to get a little better, wham! along came another tragedy. I remember wondering how much that poor woman could take!Jocelyn has quickly become a “must read” author for me. Her historical fiction books are so well written and researched.
lol I thought the same about poor Julianne!!
Thank you for this fun interview Carrie and Jocelyn! Looking forward to reading Mark Of The King. The historic event/novel that always gets me is the Titanic sinking. My favorite novel based on it is Tricia Goyer’s By The Light of the Silvery Moon. Gets me everytime ! Even though I know what ultimately happened to the Titanic I always tear up at this section of the story and wish I could change history.
Such a tragedy!
Carrie and Jocelyn, this was such a fun interview! Jocelyn, I’ve heard SO many wonderful things about your book. I’ve got it on my wish list. Do I need to keep the tissues handy?
Yes, definitely! 🙂
Great story! I am a glutton for tearjerkers too! I actually really enjoy those stories of castaways, captives, and those in exile. I think these stories highlight the strength of the human spirit and God’s amazing grace.
Yes! Me too!
Since I’m against slavery, the Civil War sticks out in my mind. I love the era and the history and what President Lincoln did for the country.
me too 🙂