Meet Bonny MacDonell, Heroine of Within Golden Bands
Meet Bonny McDonell, the main character in my latest novel, Within Golden Bands, the sequel to Land of My Dreams, which releases on May 19th.
Bonny McDonnell, Heroine of Within Golden Bands
Character Interview
Congratulations on your marriage to Kieran! How are things going?
I think most people go into marriage wearing rose-colored glasses. Ours came off rather quickly. We delayed our honeymoon for six weeks to allow Kieran more time to heal from the gunshot wound in his abdomen from a poacher.
I began feeling bad just before we left for our honeymoon and got very sick on the flight from Scotland to New Mexico. Twelve hours on a plane with severe nausea. By the time we reached landed, I was so dehydrated the flight attendant insisted on getting a wheelchair. My best friends, Kari and Dan McDowell met us at the airport and took us to the emergency room at Presbyterian Hospital. I’ll never forget the look in those sky-blue eyes of Kieran’s when the doctor said I was pregnant. He looked like a kid when the Christmas tree lights go on for the first time. I was in such shock that it’s a good thing I was lying down!
Meet Bonny MacDonell from Within Golden Bands, a romantic suspense novel releasing May 19th! #Christfic #RomSus #preorder Share on XNot long after we returned home, I awakened in the emergency room in Fort William. That’s the closest town to Stonehaven Farm with a hospital. All I wanted was Kieran but he was nowhere to be found. Now, I’m not giving out any spoilers here. But you know, my first thought was that I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get excited and start thinking about baby names and a nursery. There is loss too deep for tears. If I thank God, for one thing, each day, perhaps I can begin to heal.
If I thank God, for one thing, each day, perhaps I can begin to heal. Bonny McDonnell, Within Golden Bands #Christrom #preorder #amreading Share on X
It was almost two days before they found Kieran where his Land Rover had crashed in a ravine. While he was looking for missing sheep, some maniac hit him over the head. Between losing the baby and feeling as if we’re at war with some unknown enemy, we’ve had a stressful beginning to our marriage. We thought life would be so peaceful.
What do you find most surprising about marriage?
Kieran and I had our ups and downs before we got married but we always agreed on the big things. You know, faith in God, wanting a family, and working as a team on the farm. It’s been a real surprise to discover that when things go wrong, we don’t always agree. Marriage isn’t supposed to be this hard, is it?
What is amazing is the time we spend in prayer. All our differences melt away when we’re on our knees together. One scripture we lean on is Deuteronomy 33:25 (AMPC) “Your castles and strongholds shall have bars of iron and bronze, and as your day, so shall your strength, your rest, and security be.”
It’s been a real surprise to discover that when things go wrong, we don’t always agree. Bonny McDonnell, Within Golden Bands #RomSus #BYNR #Amazonbooks Share on XWhat’s it like to go from university professor to wife to a Scottish sheep farmer?
We decided before our marriage to quit teaching and concentrate on the farm and the chapel Kieran started building after our broken engagement. However, no longer teaching is a bigger change than I imagined. I miss being around people all the time. I’m learning about the sheep slowly but having someone stalk you makes it difficult to concentrate.
You lived in Scotland for almost a year before you married. Have you had any difficulty in adjusting to a climate so different from New Mexico?
I lived in Fort William, about an hour and a half from the farm. It’s much rainier here and I long for sunny New Mexico skies, especially when it rains for a week straight. I didn’t notice when we were falling in love and planning a wedding but sometimes, I miss that dry air.
What’s your favorite thing about living in Scotland?
I lived in the mountains even in New Mexico, so I love that here. I’m still a desert rat, fascinated by large bodies of water. It’s amazing to have a loch in the front yard.
Oh, don’t forget the sheep! I love the sheep. They’re not as dumb as people tend to think. They are easily frightened though, and that gets them into trouble. I understand why Jesus used them in parables all of the time and said people were like them. I know I’m going to understand those scripture references better the longer I live here.
What are you learning through all the problems you’ve experienced?
Kieran and I have had one trial after another since before we got married. I’m really aware of how much I need to stay close to God. If it wasn’t for his help, I’d be terrified all the time. I’m closer to God than ever before, and I think Kieran would say the same thing. It’s not easy choosing to trust and never question the wisdom of God.
My most frequent prayer is still to be a mother. I’m ready. Kieran isn’t. That makes it really hard. We’ll see where God leads. God has a plan, and we need to discover it.
It’s not easy choosing to trust and never question the wisdom of God. Bonny McDonnell, Within Golden Bands #pageturner #adoption #infertility Share on XDo you have any hints for the people who haven’t read your story yet?
I’m not giving hints. However, I will say that the best decision I ever made in my life, next to asking Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, was to marry Kieran MacDonell. No matter what happens, he’s like this old, stone house, steady and strong through every storm. He’ll make a wonderful pastor. I can’t wait until that chapel is ready to open.
If you loved the taste of Scotland you got from Land of My Dreams, you’ll be thrilled to know that the land itself is still a huge part of our story. And, I’ve been working on my Scots-Gaelic. So be ready for an adventure in the pages of Within Golden Bands!
If you loved Land of My Dreams, be ready for an adventure in the pages of Within Golden Bands! #Scotland #RomSus #BYNR Share on XAbout the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (releasing May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.
Having a Noah’s Ark Experience During the COVID-19 Crisis
Noah’s ark provides a powerful example of isolation during an unusual event that changed the world forever. But God remembered Noah and his family. And he remembers each one of us.
Having a Noah’s Ark Experience During the COVID-19 Crisis
A 2MefromHim Devotional
But God remembered… Genesis 8:1
Noah’s Ark Shows God is in Control
The COVID-19 quarantine is a unique experience in our time. We have lived relatively free of the diseases and plagues experienced by previous generations. Without warning, we face a formidable and dangerous situation that threatens our lives, our livelihood, and our world economy. We don’t know how long the pandemic will last or how our world will change before we emerge. Rather than the world being out of control, God is in control just as he was during the Flood.
We don’t know how long the pandemic will last or how our world will change but God is in control. #pandemic #Godisgood #hope Share on XNoah’s Ark Shows God has a Purpose
In Noah’s time as in ours, evil flourished and few cared about God. He was the only righteous man in the world, intimate with God and obedient to him. Noah gathered his family, the necessary food, the animals, and entered the ark. Unlike our situation, Genesis 7:16 tells us, “Then the Lord shut him in.” However, whether due to our own health or the orders of authorities, ultimately God has a purpose for our isolation.
God Doesn’t Take His People Out of the Storms of Life
Once Noah and his family were safe, the deluge hit. Imagine the panicky people left outside. Picture them running to the top of buildings and then mountains, as the waters rose higher, accompanied by frightened animals desperate to save themselves. Perhaps Noah heard the screams. In the same way that people have rushed to buy essential items, and call professionals worried about their health now, the people of Noah’s day scrambled to find a place of safety.
As with the natural forces unleashed during the Flood, the coronavirus is an event of nature resulting in massive mortality. Whether by direct action or selective inaction, God holds ultimate control. Like the rest of the world, Christians can’t avoid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, our safety isn’t only in remaining virus-free and living. Christians have the assurance of safety in Christ even if they die. Likewise, God didn’t take Noah out of the storm but kept his family safe as they went through it.
God didn’t take Noah out of the storm but kept his family safe as they went through it. #safety #Godislove #safety Share on XGod Wants Us to Proclaim His Message to Frightened People
We will come out of isolation. Noah emerged from the ark into a changed world void of other life and everything that existed before. People will emerge from the COVID-19 crisis having lost family members, health, jobs, financial security, and with new fears of another disease outbreak. When that time comes, God wants his people to go forth and proclaim the message of salvation to those trapped in fear and darkness.
Share the Good News of salvation in Christ with the frightened people in our world. #coroanvirus #Jesus #hope Share on XOur Noah’s ark experience should equip us to share the Good News of salvation in Christ with the frightened people in our world. We have comfort and hope the world lacks. We have a God who says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Spend time with God during this quarantine and find ways to tell a frightened world that God remembers them and wants them to know him.
But God remembered… Genesis 8:1 God didn't forget Noah and he won't forget you. #Godislove #Noah #isolation Share on X© Norma Gail Holtman, March 21, 2020
About the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (releasing May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.
Broken Relationships – A 2MefromHim Devotional
Broken relationships hurt. They are never God’s way and the hole in our heart never goes away. The story of Joseph offers the best insight into a right response to broken relationships. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Read MoreWait My Time – A 2MefromHim Devotional
Wait my time is a phrase God has spoken to me often in recent months. Times of trial often cause us to act out of fear and frustration. We long to resolve conflicts, but God will do far more than we can imagine if we only wait on his time and his way. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Read MoreReturn to Walhalla by Laura Hodges Poole
Return to Walhalla, a delightful page turner by Laura Hodges Poole centers around a woman forced to return to a small South Carolina town filled with people and memories that challenge long-held ideas and secrets. I know you’ll enjoy meeting Laura and hearing about her newest book!
Read More
