Marsha Ward, author

              ...Westerns with Heart & Grit

FinalistTrail of Storms is the Award-Winning Finalist in the "Western Fiction" category of the "Best Books 2010" Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

USA Book News Best Books 2010 Awards (scroll down halfway or more to Fiction & Literature: Western)



Books by Marsha Ward


Fiction

The Owen Family Saga
a series set in post-Civil War times, recounting the adventures of the Owen family of Virginia and their neighbors

Book 1: The Man from Shenandoah

The Man from Shenandoah

Carl Owen doesn't intend to lose anything—not his land, not his cattle, and certainly not his girl—ever again!

Review from WESTERN WRITER'S NEWSLETTER
This is a book to prize, and not only for its gritty realism, exciting action, and compelling characters. The story further engages us by examining the ties that hold family and community together. Not many Westerns do that. Heartily recommended! - C.K. Crigger

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Book 2: Ride to Raton

Ride to Raton Thinking he's been treated unjustly by his father, James Owen leaves the family homestead to make a new life for himself.

Review from ROMANCE JUNKIES
I was enthralled, and sitting on the edge of my chair, as I read RIDE TO RATON. This is an exciting, quick paced, heartwarming, and heartrending story! James and Amparo are wonderfully "real" characters, with the emotions and interactions between them touching my heart. The secondary characters were fantastic: from mean and drunk, to kind and generous, they added extra life—and spice—to the story. The first one of Marsha Ward's books I've read, I am highly impressed. A western in the true sense of the word, yet with plenty of romance, this one is definitely worth your time if you are a lover of westerns or romances, or both. - Teresa Henson

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Read an excerpt
See the book video
Buy an autographed copy
Buy it at Amazon as a print book, or as a Kindle eBook
Buy it at Barnes and Noble.com as a print book, or as a nook eBook
Buy an eBook at Smashwords.com in 7 formats: Kindle (.mobi), Epub, PDF, RTF, LRF, Palm doc (PDB), Plain Text. Includes a Spanish Glossary.


Book 3: Trail of Storms

Trail of Storms

Jessie Bingham put heartbreak away to tend to her sister's needs, but when she settled for second best in love, she didn't foresee that James Owen would come back into her life.

AMAZON REVIEW by K. Darrach
OMG
I really really liked this book. I liked the first two books in the series too, but this book seemed to flow beautifully and connect with me.
I must admit I usually have difficulty getting "into" a book. I think it's just me, sometimes it's hard to keep track of all the people right off the bat. Not this book, I was right there, submerged in 1867 and could even smell the hay in the barn!!!
This book starts with a BANG...(I was shocked and extremely impressed!) not to mention throughly entertained ALL the way through. It was intense, touching and heartwarming.
So, great Job Marsha Ward! And to everyone who hasn't read this book- GO GET IT!

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Read an excerpt
See the book video
Buy an autographed copy
Buy it at Amazon as a print book, or as a Kindle eBook
Buy it at Barnes and Noble.com as a print book, or as a nook eBook
Buy an eBook at Smashwords.com in 7 formats: Kindle (.mobi), Epub, PDF, RTF, LRF, Palm doc (PDB), Plain Text



Non Fiction

VERY-HARD-TO-FIND—BUT AVAILABLE ON THIS WEBSITE

LDS Storymakers: Writing Secrets

LDS Storymakers: Writing Secrets

A comprehensive guide to writing fiction & nonfiction in the LDS market

Written in the same easy-going manner as its companion volume, LDS Storymakers: Publishing Secrets, LDS Storymakers: Writing Secrets offers just the right encouragement and advice needed when faced with two hundred empty pages. Learn from the extensive experiences—both good and bad—of fourteen successful LDS authors as they explain how, and how not, to write your story.

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Click here to purchase a copy of this rare book.


LDS Storymakers: Publishing Secrets

LDS Storymakers: Publishing Secrets

A comprehensive guide to getting your book published in the LDS market

Within these pages you'll find encouragement from people who have "been there, done that." They're rooting for you, cheering you on, and challenging you to stay the course and follow your passion.

Written in a friendly, conversational manner, and packed with intriguing, insightful—and sometimes humorous—experiences, LDS Storymakers: Publishing Secrets is sure to become a well-thumbed addition to your writing reference library.

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Click here to purchase a copy of this rare book.

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Excerpts
Quotes

"Marsha Ward must have a door to the past. She steps through it to the Old West, watches, listens, then comes back and writes about it vividly."
~Robert J. Randisi

"Ward has written another of her gritty, fact-filled family sagas. Peopled with folks harboring complex emotions and striving always to do right within the confines of their values, her characters' lives tend to get real messy. How they solve their many problems is always an education in story-telling, and Ward excels in doing that."
~C.K. Crigger

"Marsha Ward has the ability to grab readers by the lapels, yank them into her stories, and make them care deeply about her characters."
~Phyllis Dugan

"Prepare to be transported to another time . . . another place. Ward's grasp of western dialect and culture is like a set of old leather reins in her skilled hands, driving her story's authenticity."
~L.C. Lewis

"Marsha Ward knows how to write smoothly and well in a style that enhances, rather than detracts from the story she is trying to tell. The reader is completely caught up in the story and never jerked out of the world she's created by awkward or repetitive phrases. She spins an authentic yarn of a good ol' Western tale. ...I highly recommend ALL of Marsha Ward's books!"
~Joyce DiPastena

"Marsha Ward has one foot in the 21st century and one in the 19th. Her characters hew closely to those wild days, portraying their lives and times. Readers love her for that. Other writers marvel at her use of the most modern of means to present her stories."
~Gary Svee

"Marsha's use of imagery is a treat. For instance: " . . . she had slipped from his grasp like quick-silver chased across a tabletop." Those of us who grew up before knowledge of mercury poisoning know how hard it is to pick up a dollop of quicksilver. It's a very elusive metal. Here's another: "Only much later did sleep lay a quilt of blackness over his exhausted body." And one last one: " . . . with the November sun pouting on the breast of a hazy sky." Don't you love it?"
~Liz Adair

"[The Man from Shenandoah] was a very enjoyable read, and felt quite authentic to the time period. The characters were well done with both vulnerable men and strong women, both of whom grow throughout the story. I don't normally read western novels, but I would recommend this book for all readers. I look forward to reading the sequel!"
~Daron Fraley

"Marsha Ward's western novel of love, honor and survival is an exciting ride from beginning to end. From watching his brother marry his fiance to rescuing a Mexican bride when her intended is killed, the story kept me reading with good conflict and plenty of action. Just when I thought things were going a little too smoothly, Marsha throws in an unexpected twist. I recommend Ride to Raton."
~Heidi Thomas

"The Man from Shenandoah is a book for the whole family to share. It offers action, romance and a realistic premise. . . .Ms. Ward is a true storyteller who has created characters that demand and hold the reader's interest. . . . [Her] clear and vivid writing sweeps us along with her characters on their adventures."
~Ann Haw Holt

Copyright © 2011 Marsha Ward