Author Interview (and a Giveaway!): Mary Alford & Among the Innocent

Please join me in welcoming Mary Alford to the blog today to chat about her new romantic suspense, Among the Innocent – a book that’s at the top of my TBR list!!

Mary Alford is a USA Today bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog. Learn more at www.maryalford.net.

AMONG THE INNOCENT by Mary Alford
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
PUBLISHER: Revell
RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2022
PAGES: 297

When Leah Miller’s entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. Since then, Leah left the Amish and joined the police force. Now, after another Amish woman is found murdered with the same MO, it becomes clear that the wrong man may have been blamed for her family’s deaths.

As Leah and the new police chief, Dalton Cooper, work long hours struggling to fit the pieces together in order to catch the killer, they can’t help but grow closer. When secrets from both of their pasts begin to surface, an unexpected connection between them is revealed. But this is only the beginning. Could it be that the former police chief framed an innocent man to keep the biggest secret of all buried? And what will it mean for Leah–and Dalton–when the full truth comes to light?

USA Today bestselling author Mary Alford keeps you guessing as two determined souls plumb the dark depths of the past in order to forge a brighter future–together.

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Hi Mary! Welcome back to the blog!

Mary: Winter, or at least what I imagine winter should look like. Here in Texas, we rarely have snow, but when I think about winter, I imagine being snowed in with a fire in the fireplace, and a cup of flavored coffee along with my favorite book. The humidity in Texas during the summer months can make it feel like you’re living underwater. During those months, when I’m hibernating indoors, dreaming about winter makes me happy.

Carrie: I am completely with you on this! I grew up in Northern Illinois and I haven’t had a proper winter since moving south – but I still dream about it 🙂

Mary: Hum, I like the idea of hot tea, but I’ve never really gotten into the habit of drinking anything but iced tea. Maybe because I’ve been drinking coffee for such a very long time, and my body would probably freak out if I gave it hot tea.

Carrie: hahaha

Mary: Over. Is there any other way? Actually, I prefer placing it over while my husband always puts it under, so I guess we’re a divided household. But we make it work.

Carrie: there are worse things to be divided over, right? 🙂

Mary: Card games. I love playing Gin Rummy and Spades with my oldest granddaughter and my husband. We have some exciting games. Usually, she and her grandpa like to gang up on me, but that’s okay, it’s all in good fun.

Carrie: aww i love that! making great memories…

Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?

Mary: Oh, that’s easy. I would love to be able to transport myself instantly to another location anywhere in the world. Wouldn’t it be great to simply wiggle your nose like Samantha on Bewitched, and things would happen? I would visit all the places on my bucket list and still be home for dinner…or maybe breakfast.   

Carrie: right?!? Me too!

Q: Who is your favorite book character from childhood?

Mary: Laura Ingalls Wilder from Little House on the Prairie. I loved that book series. Even though the family suffered many hardships, I loved their simple way of life and all the great fun Laura and Mary had together.

Carrie: I adored Laura too (and was partial to her little sister Carrie, for obvs reasons lol)

Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?

Mary: I think readers would be disappointed if they could see my writing space. It’s my chair in the living room. I know—that’s a letdown, right? Don’t get me wrong—I have an office that I sometimes use, but mostly I’m sitting in my chair where I can look out the French doors and see the outdoors. Sometimes there are deer walking across the backyard which can definitely be a distraction. For me, it makes me feel less isolated. When my husband is inside, he keeps me company. Even though I’m working, I like having him close.

Carrie: my office is my recliner, so I totally get it 🙂

Q: Do you have the whole plot outlined before you start writing, or do you let the characters dictate what comes next?

Mary: When I start a book, I usually have the story outlined so I have an idea of how it’s going to turn out, but it never works out that way. I laugh every time I get to the end of a story because it never fails—my characters love to hijack the story and take it to where they want it to go. And it usually works out far better than what I ever had planned.

Carrie: haha!

Q: Some authors like to hide little things in their stories. Is there anything you have hidden in Among the Innocent?

Mary: I do in a way. I hide little personal preferences of mine in my books. For instance, Among the Innocent is set near the mountains because it’s my favorite place to be. And both Leah and Dalton drink far too much coffee because, well, you guessed it. I drink far too much coffee.

Carrie: the mountains are my happy place too!

Q: What is one of your favorite quotes from Among the Innocent & why do you love it?

Mary: Her grief had wrapped its spindly limbs around her and took up residence in her soul. That night in the barn—the things she’d witnessed—had imprinted itself in her DNA.

I just love the way this describes Leah’s grief over losing her family as if it were a physical part of her. Grief is like that. It doesn’t just last for a season; it becomes part of you, and it can change you.

Carrie: that is so true – I have learned a lot about grief since my dad passed away in December and can absolutely relate to that quote.

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.

Mary: Thank you, Carrie.

I am working on a second book that will feature one of the characters from Among the Innocent, though I can’t tell you which because I don’t want to spoil the ending of the book.

Revell is offering a print copy of Among the Innocent by Mary Alford to TWO of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Among the Innocent by Mary Alford?