At She Reads, we believe that story is the shortest distance to the human heart. So we strive to find those stories that will speak directly to your heart. We look for books that are well written, with a unique premise, that will make you think differently than before you read the book. Each month we select one book (and its author) to profile all month long. Here at CFOM, we will be introducing you to that author each month. We hope you will check out She Reads at www.shereads.org to learn more.

Tell us a little bit about your writing journey.

I wrote during the ’90s while my kids were little. Quite by accident, I proved Malcolm Gladwell right in his theory about 10,000 hours of practice equaling mastery. When my youngest went to preschool and I had a little more time to write and think, I got serious about my publishing career. I met an amazing mentor, attended critique groups, became a columnist, wrote my first novel, then attended my first major writing conference. At Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference in 2003, I met my first agent, who ended up selling several parenting books to publishers. My second agent sold my first novels. I’m pretty well split between fiction and nonfiction now (six novels, six nonfiction).

How did The Muir House take root in your heart?

I’ve been fascinated by memory and truth for many years. I guess I’m still wrestling with those issues in my own heart. I wanted to explore what effect truth has on our behavior. What if we knew the absolute truth about our pasts? Would that set us free? Or does it fully matter that we know everything? My main character, Willa, struggles with that when she can’t go forward and say yes to a marriage proposal until she feels she’s settled her past. But, like we do in life, she finds that we all have a choice to engage in life right now, despite what we know.

What would you like readers to tell their friends after they read this story?

That they read a book that inspired them to think differently about living today in the moment. That they were entertained by an unconventional love story. That they couldn’t put down the book. (Preliminary reports from early readers confirm the “can’t put down” aspect of the book, something that truly ignites joy in me!)

Why do you think stories are important for communicating truth?

Maybe I’m built weird, but I learn and retain much more when a story is wrapped around a truth.

Where can we find your book?

Anywhere books can be found: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local bookstore. Side note: I set this book where I live, in Rockwall, Texas. My publicist and I are working on getting the book into all sorts of different venues in the local area.

Mary DeMuth is the author of twelve books, including her memoir Thin Places, her latest novel, The Muir House, and an ebook about how to get published. Because of God’s outrageous redemption, Mary helps people to live uncaged, fully free and fully alive. She lives with her husband and three teenagers in Texas. Find out more at http://www.marydemuth.com, http://www.twitter.com/MaryDeMuth, and http://www.facebook.com/authorMaryDeMuth.