Books by Marsha Ward:

Fiction

The Man from Shenandoah

Book 1: The Owen Family Saga

The Man from Shenandoah
Fiction—Western Adventure Romance
January 2003
iUniverse (Writers Club Press)
Bloomington, IN
233 pages (6x9 Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0595263089
ISBN-13: 9780595263080

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

The young cavalryman returns from the Civil War to find the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father determined to leave the Shenandoah Valley to build a cattle empire in Colorado Territory. Crossing the continent, Carl falls in love with his brother's fiancée while set to wed another girl, but he might lose everything if the murderous thug Berto Acosta has his way. Carl battles a band of outlaws, a prairie fire, blizzards, a trackless waterless desert, and his own brother—all for the hand of feisty Ellen Bates.

Review from MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW REVIEWER'S BOOKWATCH
Whatever happened to good, old fashioned westerns? If you've ever gazed over the shelves wondering this, then Ms. Ward has a book for you. The setting is very well done, capturing the flavor of pioneering. The many setbacks the group have, including one where the very cattle meant to sustain them are killed by an unexpectedly bad winter, make the triumphs they share all the more uplifting. This book is a pleasant journey indeed. - Cindy Lynn

The Man from Shenandoah is the first book in a series set in post-Civil War times about the Owen family of Virginia and their neighbors. If you prefer to read in sequence, buy this one first.

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Ride to Raton

Book 2: The Owen Family Saga

Ride to Raton
Fiction—Western Adventure Romance
November 2003
iUniverse
Bloomington, IN
222 pages (6x9 Trade Paperback)
Cover Art by JK Dooley
ISBN-10: 059530169X
ISBN-13: 9780595301690

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

The turbulent world of post-Civil War Colorado Territory is fraught with danger and prejudice that increase his bitter loneliness as personal setbacks threaten to break him. Then James's journey brings him into contact with another wayfarer, beautiful young Amparo Garcés, who has come from Santa Fe to Colorado to marry a stranger. Through a twist of fate, their futures are changed forever when their lives are merged in a marriage of convenience. James and Amparo undertake a hazardous horseback trek over Raton Pass to Santa Fe, battling their personal demons, a challenging language barrier, and winter's raging storms.

Review from ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS
RIDE TO RATON is a pure western, complete with bad guys and broken hearts and even a dog. The sequel to THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH features James Owen, the younger brother. Marsha Ward writes a fantastic romance against a vivid southwestern backdrop. James begins this book as a hurt, young man, but by the end of the book, I really could see him grow up and become a man. Made tougher by circumstances he has no control over, James realizes that the love he thought he had lost was nothing compared to what Amparo shows him. Amparo is a young Mexican lady, forced to leave her home in Santa Fe to marry a stranger in Colorado. She bravely faces her uncertain future, relying on her faith to get her through. She is sweet, loving and she provides a great contrast to James's rough exterior. With an ending that surprised even me, RIDE TO RATON is not your usual romance. However, I do recommend it for western lovers—even the cover is wonderful! Marsha Ward once again shows us her gift for old fashioned storytelling! - Jen Hill

Ride to Raton is the second book in The Owen Family Saga.

Trail of Storms

Book 3: The Owen Family Saga

Trail of Storms
Fiction—Western Adventure Romance
March 2009
iUniverse
Bloomington, IN
264 pages (6x9 Trade Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9781440126048

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.

The aftermath of the Civil War creates cruel circumstances for the Bingham family. A brutal attack on Jessie's sister, Hannah Fletcher, drives the extended family to flee to the West. They are soon joined by Heppie Bingham's beau George and his brother, Ned, who bring news that the Binghams are being pursued by cronies of Hannah's attacker. Even after they fight off that onslaught, poverty, bad weather, and Hannah's frightful secret plague their journey. Nursing her battered heart when she hears James Owen took a wife, Jessie accepts Ned's offer of marriage. But a stop on the trail holds surprises that launch Jessie into a bewildering tangle of values, emotions, and high adventure.

REVIEW by Shirley Bahlmann, author of the "Odds" pioneer series
Marsha Ward has the uncanny ability to transport readers back in time. You feel the characters' sorrows, hate the villains, cheer the heroes, and sit on the edge of your seat as one adventure after another unfolds. What a satisfying story this is, with real, believable trials and heart-warming conclusions. I recommend it to everyone, from history buffs to adventure lovers to romance readers.

COMMENTS by Dan Olsen, owner of The Write Impression
I finished [reading] the manuscript to TRAIL OF STORMS last night. It's a very compelling story: as I read it, I didn't want to put it down. The characters come alive on the pages and I have a good sense of who they are, internally and externally. Great story, told very well.

Trail of Storms is the third book in a series about the Owen family of Virginia and their neighbors. If you prefer to read in sequence, read The Man from Shenandoah first.

Non Fiction

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

LDS Storymakers: Writing Secrets

LDS Storymakers: Writing Secrets
Non Fiction—Writing Guidance
2005
LDStorymakers, Inc.
Orem, UT
279 pages (6x9 Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0974924121

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

WONDERING HOW TO WRITE AN LDS BESTSELLER?

Drawing on a wealth of knowledge, fourteen authors give you the answers to the pitfalls and problems faced by writers everywhere in this comprehensive volume. Whether you've written all your life, or have just begun to experience the joys of putting pen to paper, this book has what you need, to keep you going, achieve more, and—most importantly—do it right.

Refine ideas into workable, exciting plots
Pen a "can't-put-it-down" opening
Find the time and inspiration to write
Create seamless plots and subplots
Research fiction and non-fiction topics
Utilize positive (and negative) feedback
Overcome annoying Writer's Block
AND MUCH MORE!

Written and compiled by: Linda Paulson Adams, Shirley Bahlmann, Anne Bradshaw, James Dashner, Janet Kay Jensen, Josi S. Kilpack, Tamra Norton, Rachel Ann Nunes, Lisa J. Peck, Tristi Pinkston, BJ Rowley, Marsha Ward, Linda Shelley Whiting, and Julie Wright.

Click here to purchase a copy of this rare book.

LDS Storymakers: Publishing Secrets

LDS Storymakers: Publishing Secrets
Non Fiction—Publishing Guidance
2004
LDStorymakers, Inc.
Orem, UT
194 pages (6x9 Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0974924105

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

WONDERING HOW TO BREAK INTO THE LDS PUBLISHING WORLD?

Tap into the minds and combined experience of thirteen successfully published LDS authors as they smooth your path to publication. Your questions can all be answered in this comprehensive volume.

Pitfalls to Avoid
Contract Concerns
Choosing a Subject
Royalties - Facts & Figures
Complete Submission Guidelines
LDS Market - Unique Characteristics
AND MUCH MORE!

"Enlightening and highly informative, in an easy-to-follow format, this book is a must for every aspiring LDS writer."
—Anita Stansfield, author of the Gables of Legacy series

Written and compiled by: Linda Paulson Adams, Shirley Bahlmann, Anne Bradshaw, Thom Duncan, Josi S. Kilpack, Rachel Ann Nunes, Lisa J. Peck, Tristi Pinkston, BJ Rowley, Gordon Ryan, Marsha Ward, Linda Shelley Whiting, and Julie Wright.