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10 Feb 2022
Episode 66 - Author Chat with Sarah Sundin
00:29:00
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As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.
Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.
Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.
Although I came from a home wallpapered in books, I only briefly envisioned myself as a writer. Instead, I studied chemistry in college and earned my doctorate in pharmacy. Not until I was a young mother did I start writing seriously.
Family tales drew me to the World War II era. My grandfather, Frederick Stewart, served as a pharmacist’s mate (medic) in the US Navy, and my great-uncle, Roderick Stewart, flew a B-17 Flying Fortress in Australia and England—and flew into Pearl Harbor during the attack.
My grandfather, Frederick Stewart, at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, April 1944.
My novels explore the drama, daring, and romance of the World War II era. My latest novel, Until Leaves Fall in Paris, has received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. The best-selling When Twilight Breaks was a 2021 Christy Award finalist, The Land Beneath Us was a Christy Award finalist, The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award, and both When Tides Turn and Through Waters Deep were named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romances of the Last 10 Years.”
When I’m not writing… my husband and I enjoy traveling and taking our two rescue dogs for lengthy walks. I teach Sunday school and women’s Bible studies, and I speak to community, church, and writers’ groups. I also serve as co-director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference. Visit my speaking page for more information.
17 Feb 2022
Episode 67 - How Christian Is Christian Fiction
00:38:25
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Author and editor Jennifer Crosswhite joins us as we discuss the question of how Christian Christian fiction is. Is the tide turning toward more "sweet and clean" novels and away from those with stronger Christian themes?
We start with a discussion of how the Christian fiction industry began and what its purpose was. We move into how it has changed and the role that indie publishing has played in this evolution of Christian fiction. We finish up with a discussion of whether or not there is are places in Christian fiction for both "clean and sweet" and traditional Christian fiction.
Jennifer Crosswhite "At heart, I’m a history buff. I have a degree in history and seriously considered getting my PhD in it. But I think writing fiction drawn on the past is more fun.
I enjoy exploring the beauty of America. There is so much variety. And I always wonder, “Why did the first people settle here? And what makes people stay today?”
When I’m not writing, I’m mom to two young adults. My daughter has juvenile arthritis, my son has autism, and we all are gluten free. It keeps life interesting! While I’m a California native, I spent a significant amount of time in the Midwest. Both places feel like home, even though I’m now back in the Golden State. Follow me on social media to learn about my latest adventures and how they inspire my books!
"I own a publishing services company helping writers learn the craft of fiction and navigate the world of publishing, indie or traditional. Find me at www.TandemServicesInk.com."
The Route Home Series Welcome to Reedsville! The end of the Oregon Trail and the beginning of a new life for the characters inside.
Coming Home He was her first love… … And the reason she left. Now she’s falling for him.
In 1881 Oregon, Becca Wilson is a successful university student, determined to be a modern woman and not a resident of the frontier boomtown she grew up in. With her brother’s death, she needs the help of his best friend to find justice. But can she avoid rekindling her feelings for him?
Seth Blake wants answers about his best friend’s suspicious death. But will it come at the expense of his secret? Can he make the choice between justice and love?
As the stakes get higher, Seth must keep both himself and Becca alive long enough to offer a future to this woman he’s fallen in love with. And win her forgiveness.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week Jody Hedlund stops by to discuss her book, Never Leave Me. We also talk about how she learned a lot about history when she homeschooled her kids and how to get your husband to do the grocery shopping.
Never Leave Me by Jody Hedlund In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, he's never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he's desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease.
When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug--including sending her back into the past to find it for them.
Bestselling and award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.
More about Jody Hedlund: I’ve been married for over twenty-five years to my college sweetheart. My husband has been one of my biggest cheerleaders over the years, doing his best to understand and support my writing even in the days when publication was only the whisper of a dream.
As we’ve raised our busy family of five children, he’s happily helped me carve out writing time. He’s very helpful around the house and pitches in wherever possible. (I have to admit that he does ALL of the grocery shopping!). We really work together as a team to support each other in our pursuits and work.
We’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to homeschool our children and are thankful for the close relationships we’ve developed in our family as a result. Now as we traverse the season of having teens and adult children, we’re excited to see God at work leading our children into new adventures.
My mom was the most influential person in my writing career. When I was young, she helped facilitate my love of writing by reading aloud to me, giving me good books to read, and providing the kind of environment that fostered my creativity (in fact we didn’t have a TV for a number of years). She always believed in me, encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and rode alongside me cheering me on.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, Jennifer Deibel stops by to chat with us about her newest release. There is a fabulous story behind the story you don't want to miss out on, and Jennifer shares with us a little bit about the Gaelic language. The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel
In 1920, Annabeth De Lacy's father is appointed landlord of Galway Parish in Ireland. Bored without all the trappings of the British Court, Annabeth convinces her father to arrange an apprenticeship for her with the Jennings family--descendants of the creator of the famed Claddagh Ring.
Stephen Jennings longs to do anything other than run his family's jewelry shop. Having had his heart broken, he no longer believes in love and is weary of peddling the "lies" the Claddagh Ring promises.
Meanwhile, as the war for Irish independence gains strength, many locals resent the De Lacys and decide to take things into their own hands to display their displeasure. As events take a dangerous turn for Annabeth and her family, she and Stephen begin to see that perhaps the "other side" isn't quite as barbaric and uncultured as they'd been led to believe--and that the bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty are only made stronger when put through the refiner's fire.
Travel to the Emerald Isle for another poignant and romantic story from the enchanted pen of Jennifer Deibel.
Jennifer Deibel is a wife and mom just walking this road of life like everyone else. She's your typical American mom, working, raising kids, and loving her hubby…she's just been blessed to do some of it in Vienna, Austria, and the west of Ireland. However, after a decade of life overseas, they have settled back in America–in sunny Arizona!
She currently teaches middle school English, and when she's not working on school things, she's spending time with her incredible family–her husband Seth and their 3 awesome kids–and writing.
She loves chatting with you, so please connect with her on Instagram, Facebook,and Goodreads. And be sure to follow her on BookBubto see what she's reading & recommending!
09 Mar 2022
Episode 70 - Author Chat with Tracie Peterson
00:29:09
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I was thrilled to welcome prolific author Tracie Peterson to the episode this week. We chatted about her book, Along the Rio Grande, about how Christian fiction has changed but still influences people around the world, and about what it's like to coauthor a book.
Recently widowed Susanna Jenkins has decided to follow her family to the booming town of San Marcial, New Mexico, for a fresh start and to aid in her family's sudden change in fortune. They are tasked with managing her uncle's new Grand Hotel, and it takes all her patience to try to help her parents see the good of their circumstances and relinquish their sense of entitlement.
She's hopeful when her brother becomes determined to get a job and make his own way, and she feels drawn to his kind boss, Owen Turner, who works as a boilermaker for the Santa Fe's train shops in town. But the hard work only seems to fuel her brother's anger, and his rough new friends give her pause.
When misguided choices put Susanna's family in an even more precarious situation, she worries her help has only made things worse. Leaving her family to fend for themselves seems like the best option, but how can she walk away from the true friendships--and love--that she's found?
Tracie Peterson gave her life to Jesus at the age of six. Tracie knew at an early age that God was calling her to ministry, and writing for Him has allowed her to offer the Gospel message and encourage people to hope in the Lord. Her motto in writing, as well as all other aspects of life is Soli Deo Gloria—For God Alone the Glory.
Often called the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction,” Tracie Peterson is an ECPA, CBA and USA Today best-selling author of more than 110 books, most of those historical. Her work in historical fiction earned her the Best Western Romance Author of 2013 award from True West magazine and the USA Best Books 2011 Award for best Religious Fiction for Embers of Love. She was given the Life Time Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers in 2011 and the Career Achievement Award in 2007 from Romantic Times, as well as multiple best book awards.Tracie received her first book contract in November 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership’s vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row. Eventually, Tracie also managed Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents book line—overseeing the production of 52 books a year.
In December 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers. Tracie Peterson now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers/Baker Publishing Group. She has co-written with a variety of authors including Judith Pella, Judith Miller, James Scott Bell, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Tracie’s daughter Jennifer.
Tracie Peterson, a Kansas native, now makes her home with her husband, Jim, in the mountains of Montana.
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Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves--or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he's been sent to track down?
After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name--and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors' threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn't all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home--and the truth.
After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career--but that's better than failing her twice in one lifetime.
They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there's no question they're both still keeping secrets--and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.
Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill's debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!
Crystal Caudill is a tea-drinking, book-hoarding, history nerd. Her award-winning stories are ripe with history, danger, love, and hope. When not writing, Crystal can be found playing board games with her husband and boys, caregiving for loved ones, hiding in a book, drinking copious amounts of hot tea, or connecting with readers.
You can now support Christian Historical Fiction Talk on Patreon. For just $5 a month, you get early access to an extended version of the podcast (starting soon), a chance to ask your own questions of guests, and a shout out on an episode. The $10 includes all that plus a monthly book giveaway. The $20 includes everything plus a bi-monthly Zoom chat with Liz and other patrons in this tier. We'll discuss some of the books and topics we've talked about on the podcast. Please consider becoming a Patreon.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The Spark of Love by Amanda Cabot When a spurned suitor threatens her, heiress Alexandra Tarkington flees New York for Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country, where her father is building a hotel. But the happy reunion she envisions is not to be as her father insists she return to New York. Instead, Alexandra carves out a niche for herself in town, teaching schoolchildren to paint and enjoying the company of Gabe Seymour, a delightful man she met on the stagecoach.
But all is not as it seems. Two men, each with his own agenda, have followed her to Mesquite Springs. And Gabe is an investigator, searching for proof that her father is a swindler. When a series of apparent accidents threaten her life, Alexandra and Gabe will have to work together to discover the truth. And perhaps along the way they will discover that the sparks of attraction they've felt from the beginning are more than sparks--they're love.
Bestselling author Amanda Cabot invites you back to 1850s Texas for this exciting and heartwarming tale of treachery, love, and learning to trust.
Amanda Cabot introduces herself: I agree with Thomas Jefferson when he said, "I cannot live without books." Some of my earliest memories are of my parents reading books to me or -- in the case of my father -- telling stories he made up. And even when they weren't reading to me, my parents could often be found, book in hand. Is it any wonder I decided to teach myself to read? Once I did learn, it was hard to find me without a book. My husband will tell you that that's still the case.
There was a brief time when I aspired to be a newspaper reporter, but that was soon eclipsed by my determination to be a novelist. All the while, though, I knew that writing was not the easiest way to earn a living, and so it was always going to be a second career. That's why I went to college and majored in French, fully intending to teach at the university level. When I graduated, I married my high school sweetheart and took a "temporary" job as a computer programmer. Although it hadn't been part of my plan, that turned into a permanent career in Information Technology.
Along the way, I've had a chance to do a lot of writing, including four technical books and what I describe as "enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city." (My budgets were also considered to be works of fiction.) Now, though, I'm able to write full time, and for the first time, all I'm writing is fiction.
No doubt about it, I've been blessed. I had parents who nurtured my love of reading and have a husband who's not just my best friend but who's driven tens of thousands of miles to help me research books and who, after all these years, still hasn't lost his sense of humor, even when dinner is late because I have "just one more scene" to write.
When people ask why I write, the answer is simple: it's part of who I am and who I was meant to be. I truly believe this is God's plan for me, and that's why it is my fervent prayer that my books will touch my readers' hearts and strengthen their faith in Him.
Become a Patreon and support this podcast. Levels start at $5 per month. You'll get bonus material and a chance to ask the authors your questions.<
30 Mar 2022
Episode 73 - Author Chat with Angela Couch
00:24:29
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A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K Couch
A French Woman and German Soldier Create a Truce
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
With her father in a German POW camp and her home in Ste Mere Eglise, France, under Nazi occupation, Rosalie Barrieau will do anything to keep her younger brother safe. . .even from his desire to join the French resistance. Until she falls into the debt of a German solder—one who delivers a wounded British pilot to her door. Though not sure what to make of her German ally, Rosalie is thrust deep into the heart of the local underground. As tensions build toward the allied invasion of Normandy, she must decide how much she is willing to risk for freedom.
To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after five munchkins.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Editor and debut novelist Janyre Tromp joins us this week to chat about her new release, Shadows in the Mind's Eye. We talk about PTSD, how being an editor affects her writing, and how her grandparents not only inspired her love for history but provided the spark for this book.
Shadows in the Mind's Eye by Janyre Tromp Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on--responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who's come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam's experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand--but that everyone is learning to fear.
Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn't the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?
Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she's terrified he's going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam's mental wounds--or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?
Debut novelist Janyre Tromp delivers a deliciously eerie, Hitchcockian story filled with love and suspense. Readers of psychological thrillers and historical fiction by Jaime Jo Wright and Sarah Sundin will add Tromp to their favorite authors list.
Janyre Tromp is a historical novelist whose loves spinning tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty, even when it isn’t pretty. She’s also a book editor, published children’s book author, and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her family, two crazy cats, and a slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog. You can grab a free copy of her novella Wide Open on her website: janyretromp.com
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, author Ashley Clark joins us to talk about her new book, Where the Last Rose Blooms. This fabulous read is a dual time novel set in present-day New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina at the time of the Civil War. We delve into Victorian floriography (the language of flowers), what kind of tea is good to drink, and Ashley shares an encouraging word for anyone with a dream.
Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark Alice runs a New Orleans flower shop alongside her aunt, but thoughts of her mother, who went missing during Hurricane Katrina, are never far from her mind. After getting off on the wrong foot with a handsome yet irritating man who comes to her shop, Alice soon realizes their worlds overlap--and the answers they both seek can be found in the same place.
In 1861 Charleston, Clara is known to be a rule follower--but the war has changed her. Unbeknownst to her father, who is heavily involved with the Confederacy, she is an abolitionist and is prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause. With assistance from a dashing Union spy, she attempts to help an enslaved woman reunite with her daughter. But things go very wrong when Clara agrees to aid the Northern cause by ferrying secret information about her father's associates.
Faced with the unknown, both women will have to dig deep to let their courage bloom.
Ashley Clark is the acclaimed novelist of The Heirloom Secrets Series. She writes women's fiction set in the South, and her stories are filled with faith, sweet romance, and lots of family secrets. She loves all things vintage and the almost-forgotten stories of the past.
Ashley finds her writing interests influenced by the spaces shared between femininity + strength, loss + legacy, and beauty + memory.
She is an English adjunct instructor, a wife and homeschool mama, and she adores her adopted senior Cocker Spaniel.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, prolific author Gabrielle Meyer joins us on the podcast as her newest release, the first one she's written for her dream publishing house, hits the shelves. She discusses the unique plot for the novel, the theme of God's sovereignty and how that played out in her own life as she wrote the book. and how she researched the story in the middle of Covid restrictions.
Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she's the same person at her core in both times, she's leading two vastly different lives.
In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives--and any hope of love--are put in jeopardy.
Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about--women's suffrage--is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.
But Libby knows she's not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other--but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?
Gabrielle lives on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical and contemporary novels inspired by real people, places, and events. The river is a constant source of inspiration for Gabrielle, and if you look closely, you will find a river in each of her stories.
When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.
Episode 78 - The Rise of Split Time Fiction with Morgan Tarpley Smith
00:53:32
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week we have the fabulous and very knowledgeable Morgan Tarpley Smith with us to talk about split time, time slip, and dual time fiction. She'll define each of those terms for us, tell us how and when and what authors started this category of fiction, and tell us where she sees the industry going from here.
Morgan is a reader just like you who has an affinity for split time fiction. She has put together a number of amazing resources so you can find just the right split time novel for yourself. Here are some that we talked about on the podcast:
Also, if you're interested in supporting Christian Historical Fiction Talk by becoming a patron, then check this out.
19 May 2022
Episode 79 - Misty Beller Author Chat
00:29:59
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
I am so pleased to welcome Misty Beller to the podcast this week. Misty is a fabulous author who specializes in Western and Rocky Mountain historical fiction. We talk about how a South Carolina author ended up writing about the west, how she manages to find time to write when she has five children, and how she came up with the very unusual setting for her new book, A Healer's Promise.
A Healer's Promise by Misty Beller She was called to be a healer, but her skills--and heart--have never been so challenged. Levi Masters's time as a British spy hasn't ended, though his country's war with America has. After overhearing a scout reveal a discovery that could give America the upper hand in future conflicts, Levi is sent on one last mission. While trekking through the Canadian Rockies in pursuit of his former enemy, he is taken captive by warriors from a hidden mountain village.
Village healer Audrey Moreau is more curious than afraid of the outsider, and she's drawn to his commitment to honesty even at his own expense. Despite her arguments for his release, the council remains at an impasse. Compelled to help him escape, she sneaks him out of the village. But when Levi faces a life-threatening injury and the fierce mountain winter closes in, Levi and Audrey are forced to discover just how far they'll go to ensure the safety of the other and the love growing between them.
Misty Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get one of her bestselling novels FREE here: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook
Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.
Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, Biblical novel author Mesu Andrews joins us to discuss her fascinating new book, Potiphar's Wife. This is the story of Joseph seen through the eyes of the woman who had him falsely accused and thrown in jail. Mess imagines what must have happened in her life to bring her to that point. A not-to-be-missed book.
Potiphar's Wife by Mesu Andrews Before she is Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika is the daughter of a king and the wife of a prince. She rules the isle of Crete alongside her mother in the absence of their seafaring husbands. But when tragedy nearly destroys Crete, Zuleika must sacrifice her future to save the Minoan people she loves.
Zuleika’s father believes his robust trade with Egypt will ensure Pharaoh’s obligation to marry his daughter, including a bride price hefty enough to save Crete. But Pharaoh refuses and gives her instead to Potiphar, the captain of his bodyguards: a crusty bachelor twice her age, who would rather have a new horse than a Minoan wife.
Abandoned by her father, rejected by Pharaoh, and humiliated by Potiphar’s indifference, Zuleika yearns for the homeland she adores. In the political hotbed of Egypt’s foreign dynasty, her obsession to return to Crete spirals into deception. When she betrays Joseph—her Hebrew servant with the face and body of the gods—she discovers only one love is worth risking everything.
When Mesu Andrews was growing up, God was a central figure in most discussions. But she saw theology as a battlefield and Scripture as a weapon. In her confusion, she rejected God and His Word but was rescued by an old high school friend, who discovered and shared Jesus with her.
Life changed rapidly indeed. A month later, that friend asked her to be his wife. She and Roy were married six months later. Nine months and two weeks later, their first daughter was born. Soon after, their second daughter came along, and they began attending a small church. Suddenly, her desire for God’s Word exploded. So she began scouring the only theology books a young mother has time to read—children’s Bible stories and my Bible.
She devoured God’s Word during my days as a full-time mom, but when her family moved to seminary, her husband became Mr. Mom, and she went to work. When her husband graduated from seminary and received his first call to ministry, she promised the Lord she would forever cherish His Word and never again take for granted the blessings of motherhood and marriage.
Their daughters are now grown and telling their own stories of journeys with Jesus. No doubt, they had joys and sorrows in a pastor’s family, their mom’s speaking ministry slowed by chronic illness and their personal questions for the Creator. It is her prayer, however, that those children’s Bible stories they used to read together have matured into the biblical novels and devotional studies she now writes. In a way, she still tells Bible stories to her girls. They just include a host of other folks who enjoy relating to the real people in God’s Word.
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This week, we are so pleased to welcome Ann H. Gabhart back to the podcast. She was here last year to talk about her book Along a Storied Trail. Now she's out with a new book, and always the gracious guest, she is joining us again to talk about her latest release, a truly beautiful story, Christian historical romance at its best.
When the Meadow Blooms by Ann Gabhart If any place on God's earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law's Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past--the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls' experience in an orphanage during her illness. At Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their faith can grow.
Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother's widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.
Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart explores the tender places within the human heart in this character-driven story of trusting God to turn our burdens into something beautiful.
Get to know Ann Gabhart. "Hi, glad you could stop by to get to know me better. I’m a country girl, born and raised on a farm in the Outer Bluegrass region of Kentucky. I know you’re thinking horse farm, but no, not out my way. Mostly cows on the farms around here. My grandfather did have a big old workhorse when I was a little girl. My family grew tobacco and corn. We had a few milk cows, some hogs and sheep, but mostly beef cattle. I grew up working on the farm and enjoying the woods and animals. My roots go deep in the land, and I now live on a farm just a mile away from the farmhouse where I was born and raised.
I started writing when I was ten and have been writing ever since. My first published writings (personal experience pieces, youth stories, and poems) were in church periodicals. My first novel, A Forbidden Yearning, a historical romance about the settling of Kentucky, was published by Warner Books in 1978. Since then I’ve published over thirty other novels for adults and young adults.
My husband and I were both very young when we married, but we defied the odds and are still married all these years later. That could be because we went to church together and were committed to the Christian life. We are blessed with three wonderful children who picked some great people to marry and now we have nine amazing grandchildren I spoil every chance I get.
I’ve been going to the same small country church since I was seventeen and I used my memories of how the church used to be in my Heart of Hollyhill books. My church was established in 1812 and it’s inspiring to think about all the people who have served the Lord there.
And I do love to write in my office with big windows all around. Writing is what I’ve always wanted to do. The desire of my heart is to tell stories to readers like you. Thank you for reading!"
Episode 82 - What Time Period Is Historical Fiction?
00:26:06
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What Time Period Is Historical Fiction? That's a very good question, especially these days, and one Jennifer Lynn Cary and I try to answer to this week's podcast.
When I first got involved in the publishing industry twenty years ago, anything after WWII was considered contemporary. The line was strict, and if you wanted to be published, you didn't cross it.
Many things have led to the blurring of that line. We discuss with author Jennifer Lynn Cary what some of those things are and where that line is now. Jennifer writes what she terms "retro fiction", novels set in the 1960s and 1970s, books that wouldn't have been possible even five or ten years ago.
Please join us for a fascinating conversation on this topic and where we see the trend headed in the future. Chime in and let us know what you think about where the line should be drawn.
Jennifer Cary introduces herself: "My name is Jennifer Lynn Cary. I am a retired teacher, an ardent fan of crocheting and a DIY kind of girl. Oh, and I write. A lot.
The guy with the sweetest kiss in the world is my hubs of more than 40 years, affectionately known as Mr. Grumpy Pants. Together we’ve raised three of the most beautiful and intelligent daughters ever, who were smart enough to marry three of the most handsome and wonderful young men around. I have often said my sons-in-law are the best on the planet.
You’re going to have to trust me on this.
And then there are the grands. I am a grandmother of an ingenious seventh grader and a precocious toddler and his little sister-baby Stinkerella. They make me laugh, cry, and brag more than I ever expected.
I saved the most important of all for last. I am a child of the King of kings. He has blessed me beyond reason and has never left me alone. I write for His glory.
That’s me. There’s more I could add, but for now, that’s enough of an introduction."
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, we chat with author Rachel Fordham about her latest release, Where the Road Bends. We talk about the story, boxing, baseball, and how writing is a family affair.
Where the Road Bends by Rachel Fordham As Norah King surveys her family land in Iowa in 1880, she is acutely aware that it is all she has left, and she will do everything in her power to save it--even if that means marrying a man she hardly knows. Days before her wedding, Norah discovers an injured man on her property. Her sense of duty compels her to take him in and nurse him back to health. Little does she realize just how much this act of kindness will complicate her life and threaten the future she's planned.
Norah's care does more than aid Quincy Barnes's recovery--it awakens his heart to possibilities. Penniless and homeless, he knows the most honorable thing he can do is head on down the road and leave Norah to marry her intended. But walking away from the first person to believe in him proves much harder than he imagined.
Rachel Fordham invites you to experience the strength and beauty of love forged in the crucible of hardship in this heartwarming story.
Meet Rachel Fordham "I'm so incredibly pleased that you stopped by. Writing is often a solitary pursuit and just knowing you clicked your way here makes it seem a little more social. Don’t get me wrong. My life is not quiet. I have a houseful of children that are always competing to see who can make the most noise. Normally it’s impossible to decide on a winner because the ruckus just collides together and fills the house with an indiscernible din. (Thankfully, they are the cutest kids around).
Enough about them.
I grew up in a big family in Washington State and was a tom boy, an athlete, and a voracious reader. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t nose deep in a book or making up stories in my mind. I never thought I’d be a writer though- that was something other people did (people that understood grammar better than me). I went off to college and earned a bachelors in sociology with plans to be a social worker (this never happened but we did become foster parents). I met my husband, Tyler, while in college and being a wife and a year and a half later a mother. I’m a family first kind of girl so spending my days with my husband and kids keeps my heart happy.
Years later after cross country moves and more children we settled once again in Washington State. This time I am on a beautiful island with my favorite people all around me. I couldn’t ask for a finer setting to ignite my imagination, add to that the fact that my husband has unwavering faith in my abilities. When he made the off-hand comment, “you read so much you should write a book,” I took it as a challenge. And I haven’t stopped since.
And so here I am writing in between diaper changes and packing lunches. It’s not uncommon for my kids or Tyler to ask me why I’m laughing or crying as I type away. It’s become a bit of a family affair this whole writing thing! I love books with satisfying romances, I love all things historical and I consider it a huge success if I can make a reader laugh and cry in the same story.
And connecting with readers is another one of my joys! Thank you for visiting me. Be sure to connect with me on social media I’ll do my best to keep you up to date on all things writing (and probably a few other random “life” things).
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
I am so thrilled to welcome my friend and fellow Wisconsinite Jaime Jo Wright to the podcast this week. She's here to talk about her new book, The Souls of Lost Lake, how she goes about writing all the twists and turns, and what made this book so personal for her.
"Wright has proven time and again with her masterful storytelling in exceptionally crafted novels that she is a trailblazer extraordinaire in the niche genre combining horror, intrigue and spirituality."--Booklist starred review
To save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.
Wren Blythe has long enjoyed living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, helping her father with ministry at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess who is believed to still roam the forest. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coonses' cabin ruins and a sinister mystery she is determined to unearth.
In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last several years carrying the mantle of mystery since the day she emerged from the woods as a thirteen-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's ax. She has accepted she will never remember what happened to her family, whose bodies were never found, and that the people of Tempter's Creek will always blame her for their violent deaths. And after a member of the town is murdered, and another goes missing, rumors spread that Ava's secret is perhaps more malicious than previously imagined.
Two women, separated by time, must confront a wickedness that not only challenges who they are but also threatens their lives, and the lives of those they love.
Jaime Jo Wright captivates with . . .
"Fast pacing, great writing, deep spiritual truths, and just the right amount of spookiness."--BookPage
"Compassion, eerie eloquence, and astounding intensity."--Booklist
"Suspense and spine-tingling moments."--Library Journal
"Rich characterization and intricate plotting."--Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author
If I were to summarize my life in three words, my instinct is to say: "I love coffee", and leave it at that. But, I realize that is rather shallow and a tad obsessive. So, summarizing who Jaime Jo Wright is can be a challenge.
I love life. I always have. God has blessed me, even in severe trials, such as the loss of three of my babies. He has never failed, never given up, never gone easy on me, and always disciplined me with a loving hand. (And trust me, when you have my personality which pushes boundaries and considers rules to be negotiable, you need discipline).
I married my husband in 2000. He wasn't exactly Prince Charming when I met him, so I aptly nicknamed him Cap'n Hook after he pirated off with my heart and has yet to give it back.
Our ship was joined by a little Tinkerbell in 2009. Our CoCo has tamed the pirate exponentially better than I ever could. Peter Pan came along in 2012 and whisked me away to Neverland where we refuse to grow up and make mischief on a daily basis."
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, I'm pleased to welcome Angela Hunt to the show. We're chatting about her latest release, The Apostle's Sister, a fascinating story about Paul's sister. We had so much fun talking, you'll want to be sure to check it out.
The Apostle's Sister by Angela Hunt She's always longed for more, but what if the path she's chosen requires more than she's willing to give?
Aya, daughter of Zebulun of Tarsus, does not want a traditional life. After years of being overshadowed by her brilliant brother Sha'ul, she wants a chance to use her own gifts beyond being a wife and mother. When her father insists that she marry a Torah student, she reluctantly agrees.
A dedicated scholar, Sha'ul, or Paul, returns to Tarsus to follow the instructions of the Law and wed the woman his father has chosen to raise his profile and help him earn a seat on the Great Sanhedrin--the highest religious court in the land. But when the Nazarene, Yeshua, and his followers bring trouble to the Holy City, Sha'ul will stop at nothing to silence them.
After moving to Jerusalem with her husband, Aya expects to be bored in her role as wife to a Torah student. Instead, she finds herself fascinated by his studies. Then her brother makes a life-altering decision, and she must face a troubling question: Can she remain true to her beliefs and still love her blasphemous brother?
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who expect the unexpected in novels. With over five million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 150 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to non-fiction books, to novels.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards–one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers in 2019.
Also in 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree. She completed her doctorate in biblical studies in 2008 and her Th.D. in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her pets, of course. She is also an avid photographer, using her photos to help find homes for animals at local rescues. Visit Angela's website.
12 Jul 2022
Episode 86 - Author Chat with Kelli Stuart
00:31:39
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in the House of Fabergé, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history--an unknown Fabergé Egg that Peter Karl Fabergé secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to both the people of Russia and the Imperial tsar's family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family.
Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance--and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.
This modern-day treasure hunt from award-winning author Kelli Stuart transports you into the opulent and treacherous world of the Russian Revolution to unearth mysteries long buried.
Kelli Stuart introduces herself. I’m a dreamer, a wordsmith, and a lover of good fiction. I love to laugh, and spent my first six years as a bloggerlaughing with the internet at this crazy thing called parenthood.
I love people and languages, and I’m a passionate advocate for orphan care and orphan prevention.
I’ve been married to Lee for nineteen years and the path has been twisty and full of life, laughter, a little heartache and more blessings than I understand how to articulate. We have five children, and have also been blessed with a heart-daughter who lives in Ukraine. We added our fifth child to the family via adoption through China in November of 2018. He is a gift to our family, and has taught us more about unconditional love and the mercies of the Lord than anyone else.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What a fun chat I had with author Karen Witemeyer this week. She tells us about her Hanger's Horsemen series and the last book in the series, In Honor's Defense. It's a great read with a wonderful message. We talk about how she keeps Westerns fresh, how she manages to juggle a job and writing, and lots of other stuff.
Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life--for respect, for country, and for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he's left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, tracking down a group of rustlers, he jumps at the chance.
Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nathaniel, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she'd have and to give him the family he desperately needs.
When Nate finds himself knee-deep in trouble, Luke's attempt to protect him leaves Damaris feeling indebted to the Horseman. But suspicions grow regarding the mysterious death of Damaris's brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.
About Karen Witemeyer After growing up in California, Karen Witemeyer moved to Texas to attend Abilene Christian University where she earned bachelor and master's degrees in Psychology. It was also there that she met and married her own Texas hero. He roped her in good, for she has lived in Texas ever since. In fact, she fell so in love with this rugged land of sweeping sunsets and enduring pioneer spirit, that she incorporates it into the pages of her novels, setting her stories in the small towns of a state that burgeoned into greatness in the mid- to late1800s.
A life-long bookworm, Karen is living her dream by writing novels. Her books have consistently hit bestseller lists and have garnered numerous awards. When not writing, she loves to pester her adult children, play board games, and cross-stitch intricate patterns reminiscent of the historical eras present in her stories.
Karen's favorite aspect of her writing life is hearing from readers. Nothing encourages her heart more. She'd love to hear from you. You can contact Karen Witemeyer here.
This week, Western romance author Mary Connealy joins us on the podcast to discuss her new book, Inventions of the Heart. She calls her books rom-coms with cowboys, and we discuss her love for wit and humor, how she manages to write some many books, and what three elements are essential for a good book in her estimation. Enjoy our chat!
Her heart seeks safety. But will trouble find her even here?
After her sister's marriage, Michelle Stiles is left hiding at Two Harts Ranch with the handsome but stubborn Zane Hart. She's managed to stay one step ahead of her stepfather and his devious plans, but if he finds her, she will no longer be safe.
Zane has problems of his own. Having discovered a gold mine on his property, he must figure out how to harvest it without kicking off a gold rush. Michelle, educated and trained to run her father's business, wants to manage all aspects of the mine, but Zane thinks for a person so smart she can have some misguided ideas. Running the mining operation will be a dangerous job, and he can't risk putting her in harm's way.
But danger finds Michelle anyway when she's suddenly attacked. If they go to the sheriff, they'll reveal her location, but if they do nothing . . . their troubles have only just begun.
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie's daughters, and has man other books.
She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.
On this episode, we discuss what are nonstarters in a Christian historical novel. What would make you not pick up a book or not finish reading it. Thank you, for sharing your thoughts on social media. If you aren't following Christian Historical Fiction yet, please do! Whare are some nonstarters for you? 1. Complicated plots, where there are too many storylines or too many characters to keep track of. Readers just want to relax and escape for a while. Not too simple or complex, try Melanie Dobson's The Winter Rose.
2. Series with a cliffhanger, where the storylines aren't all tied up at the end. If you like series but don't want the cliffhangers, try out Barbour Publishing's series, including True Color Crimes, Heroines of WWII, and Doors to the Past.
3. Foul language. This is just a nonstarter from the beginning. We read Christian fiction to get away from things like this. There are work arounds.
4. Gratuitous violence. Readers don't like violence played out on the scene in a graphic way. It's a delicate balance, but it can be done. Check out my novel, The Melody of the Soul, for a look at how I handle it..
5. Poor editing. There is nothing worse that a book riddled by grammar and spelling mistakes, not to mention plot holes and the like.
6. Tropes you don't like including a secret baby, friends to lovers, and the death of a child. I mention History Tea Time with Lindsay Holiday and her series on American First Ladies. You can check that out here.
7. Insanely rich, totally good looking hero and heroines. Readers can't relate to them. If you haven't checked out Kelli Stuart's book The Master Craftsman, her contemporary hero (it's dual time) is a nerd. I loved him!
9. Hero or Heroine are not on scene right away. That makes it hard to know who they are, and the reader feels like they're missing perspective or part of the story. A nonstarter for many.
10. A lot of chatting. Readers like books that get on with the action!
12. Bad theology. If you want some theologically sound novels, I try to be sound. Also look at Barbara Britton, Angela Hunt, Lynn Austin, among others.
13. Cheating. Like with language, we read Christian novels for a reason.
14. Big words. That kind of goes along with stories that are too complicated.
15. Silly storylines. Readers just don'e like their intelligence to be insulted. While they don't mind fun, silly is just too much.
09 Aug 2022
Episode 90 - Author Chat with Judy Du Charme
00:27:18
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Lainey of the Door Islands Take a step back in time to Door County in the 1800s, a time when lighthouse keepers couldn't give up, or lives would be lost. A time when storms on the lakes were as dangerous as the storms in their souls. A time when the people of the islands had to be strong and courageous. A time for Lainey of the Door Islands to become the woman God wants her to be.
For Lainey, life on tiny Pilot Island is more trouble than it's worth. Auntie Edith is always fussing at her and making her do chores, and Uncle Otis spends a lot of time manning the lighthouse. Each day, Lainey stares out at the Great Lakes, praying this will be the day that brings her parents home to her from their travels. Will she ever come to love the islands and their treacherous waters, which seem to only bring a lot of shipwrecks and heartache to the people who live on the islands? Will she ever be able to go home?
With humor, faith, friendship, and love to guide her, will Lainey find the strength to weather her own storms? Lainey of the Door Islands will touch your heart and show you that even in what feels like the worst circumstances, God has a plan to prosper and not to harm.
Addy of the Door Islands by Judy Du Charm When Addy and her sister Molly step off the Orphan Train Steamer in Ephraim, Wisconsin, no one waits for them. Hopes for a family that would treat them kindly while they worked for them are gone. Addy determines to find a job and care for her sister, but that presents problems she can’t quite handle. Even though Mr. Captain offers to help the girls find a home, Addy is convinced no one will ever want them. She’s just too much trouble and too impetuous. Besides, those pesky feelings of abandonment stalk her heart. As Addy and Molly get to know the kind and strong people of Door County and its isolated islands, perhaps they will actually find a place to call home. But will they ever learn about the family they lost?
I was a teacher for 22 years, retiring in June of 2012.. I grew up in the small lakeside town of Harrisville in the northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, the youngest of four children. Following college, Michigan State University, I worked as an announcer at a Christian Radio Station near Lansing. I married Lee in 1975 and we lived in the Detroit suburbs of Berkley and Royal Oak until moving to Wisconsin’s beautiful Door Peninsula in early 1984 with Bethany, age 5, and Christopher, age 3. It was a year or two later that I went back to school to obtain my teaching degree. I taught 5th grade my whole teaching career and loved it. Science was my area of specialty, teaching two or three 5th grade classes of science each year. Of course, reading, language, spelling, social studies, and math were part of my teaching as well. Each subject is unique in its own way.
All the while I was growing up I enjoyed writing short stories and poems. As an adult I put together my own Bible Studies and taught other adults in small groups or Sunday School classes. The desire to write was always in me, but the time commitment never quite seemed feasible. A few years ago the desire grew stronger, and I felt it was becoming a calling from the Lord.
Isabelle Wardrop's well-to-do life has completely unraveled. Within months, she's lost both her parents, her fortune, and her home. With nowhere else to turn, she and her younger sister move in with a trusted former servant in an impoverished area of the city. Desperate for work but having no qualifications, Isabelle is forced to accept help from Dr. Mark Henshaw, the very man she blames for her mother's death.
Mark Henshaw has admired Isabelle for several months, but after the tragic death of her mother, he vows to make amends for the past and help her find her way. But when Mark learns his younger brother has formed an undesirable friendship with Isabelle's sister--one that brings a whole new set of problems into their lives--he doesn't know if Isabelle will ever forgive him.
When startling developments begin to take place, both within Isabelle's heart and their siblings' relationship, her future looks very different than anything she could have imagined.
Get to know Susan Anne Mason I have always loved to write. As a teen, I wrote my first novel, only to be politely rejected by my publisher of choice.
Life got in the way – university, marriage and children became the priority. Then once I had time to start reading again, the writing bug bit once more.
I enjoy writing both contemporary and historical Inspirational romances. “Romance sprinkled with faith” describes my writing style. I love themes of forgiveness and redemption!
I am a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and a former member of the Romance Writers of America. My association with such amazing groups of people has been the biggest asset toward learning my craft.
Home for me is Brampton, Ontario, Canada (near Toronto), where I live with my husband and our two children. My day job is a part-time secretary at a local church. In my spare time, I like to read and research our family history online.
This week, my heart is so happy because I get to welcome Elizabeth Musser to the show. Elizabeth has been serving as a missionary in France for many years but writes dual time Southern historical fiction. The historical part of this one is set during WWII and involves an interesting part of American history I didn't know. We also talk about how our writing often speaks to us as well and about what we do to calm our pre-release nerves. You're going to love this delightful lady.
Two courageous young women, tied together by blood and shared passion, will risk everything to save what they love most.
For as long as she can remember, Allie Massey, a gifted physical therapist, has dreamed of making her grandparents' ten-acre estate into a trauma recovery center using equine therapy--a dream her grandmother, Nana Dale, embraced wholeheartedly. But when her grandmother's will is read, Allie is shocked to learn the property has been sold to a developer.
Decades earlier, headstrong Dale Butler's driving passion is to bring home the prized filly her family lost to the Great Depression, but with World War II looming, she's called upon in ways she never could have imagined. And while her world expands to include new friends and new love, tragedy strikes close to home one fateful night during the Battle of the Atlantic, changing her life forever.
As Nana Dale's past comes to light in Allie's search for answers, Dale's courage and persistence may be just what Allie needs to carry on her grandmother's legacy and keep her own dreams alive.
ELIZABETH MUSSER writes ‘entertainment with a soul’ from her writing chalet—tool shed—outside Lyon, France. Elizabeth’s award winning, best-selling novel, The Swan House, was named one of Amazon’s Top Christian Books of the Year, one of Georgia’s Top Ten Novels of the Past 100 Years and was awarded the Gold Illumination Book Award 2021 for Enduring Light Fiction. All of Elizabeth’s novels have been translated into multiple languages and have been international bestsellers. Two Destinies, the final novel in The Secrets of the Cross trilogy, was a finalist for the 2013 Christy Award. The Long Highway Home was a finalist for the 2018 Carol Award. The Promised Land, won second place in Literary Fiction at the 2021 Georgia Author of the Year Awards and won the 2021 Carol Award for Contemporary Fiction. Elizabeth’s most recent novel, By Way of the Moonlight, is a Publisher’s Weekly Top Ten Pick in Religion and Spirituality for Fall Releases in 2022 and a Parable Weekly Bestseller.
For over thirty-five years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions’ work in Europe with One Collective, formerly International Teams. The Mussers have two sons, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.
She’d love for you to join her and stay up to date on her travels and projects! Click here to subscribe.
A prophet's heart broken, a woman's joy gone. What does Yahweh have planned for His people?
On the brink of Jerusalem's demise, devoted priest, Ezekiel, sees the insincerity of Judah's worship. Despite his efforts to call the people back to true worship of Yahweh, priests, artisans, valiant warriors, and royals are exiled to Babylon. When God gives him messages of continued judgment for the people in his homeland, his heart breaks. How can he minister to the people from so far away?
The presence of the Lord is tangible when Shiriel sings in the temple, and her voice prepares the hearts of many to worship. When she is exiled to Babylon, her faith is shaken. Does the Lord's presence extend beyond Jerusalem and His holy temple?
Ezekiel is struck mute and paralyzed as he begins his prophetic ministry, and Shiriel devises a plan to get the Lord's message back to the unfaithful people of Judah. Shiriel struggles with discontentment as serving the Lord looks nothing like she'd imagined. Can she provide for her family and carry out her husband's ministry when her joy is gone, and her own dreams are placed on hold? How will Yahweh save His people from themselves? Find out in Ezekiel's Song!
Author of Biblical fiction, avid reader, Pastor's wife, and mom to an amazing young lady. I love reading the Bible and imagining how things were at the time.
When I'm not serving in various areas at church, or trying to stay on top of mountains of dishes, you'll most likely find me enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee.
Throughout my years in ministry, I've learned this:
Life is hard. God is still good.
My goal is to walk alongside you and offer support. Because you are not alone.
You have value, even when you are feeling overwhelmed. You are an amazing work of art! You are loved and you belong.
Hi, I'm Naomi.
Author of Biblical fiction, avid reader, Pastor's wife, and mom to an amazing young lady. I love reading the Bible and imagining how things were at the time.
When I'm not serving in various areas at church, or trying to stay on top of mountains of dishes, you'll most likely find me enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee.
Throughout my years in ministry, I've learned this:
Life is hard. God is still good.
My goal is to walk alongside you and offer support. Because you are not alone.
You have value, even when you are feeling overwhelmed. You are an amazing work of art! You are loved and you belong.
Kieran Lucas's grandmother is slipping into dementia, and, when her memory is gone, Kieran's last tie to the family she barely knows will be lost forever. Worse, Granny Mac is being tormented by flashbacks of her mother’s death and the loss of their home.
In 1931, Rosie McCauley's Smoky Mountains home is threatened by the Tennessee Great Smokies Park Commission as they create a new national park. But Rosie vows the only way they'll get her land is if they haul her out in a pine box. When a compromise offers her and her disabled sister the opportunity to stay for her lifetime, it seems too good to be true.
The Bride of Blackfriar's Lane by Michelle Griep Detective Jackson Forge can hardly wait to marry the street-sly swindler who’s turned his life upside down. Kit Turner is equally excited to wed the handsome detective. She determines to bring to justice the men who years ago maimed his brother. As she digs into the mystery of what happened, she unwittingly tumbles into her own history and endangers her future happiness with Jackson.
The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of her brother, a teacher in a mission school. Nothing prepares her for the wild mixture of isolation, community, brokenness, and hope within these mountains…or in the person of Jeb McAdams.
Shadows in the Mind's Eye by Janyre Tromp Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on. But the person who's come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam's experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand--but that everyone is learning to fear.
The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in the House of Fabergé, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history--an unknown Fabergé Egg that Peter Karl Fabergé secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to the people of Russia and the tsar's family. Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers ahead.
The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron Rome, 1943. With the fall of Italy’s Fascist government and the Nazi regime occupying the streets of Rome, British ballerina Julia Bradbury is stranded and forced to take refuge at a hospital on Tiber Island. But when she learns of a deadly sickness sweeping through the quarantine wards—a fake disease known only as Syndrome K—she is drawn into one of the greatest cons in history.
Present Day. When a mysterious Italian woman reaches out claiming to own one of the family’s precious heirlooms, Delaney is compelled to travel to Italy and uncover the truth of her grandfather’s hidden past.
16 Sep 2022
Episode 95 - Author Chat with Lauralee Bliss
00:25:06
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Lauralee Bliss is a fascinating person and a fabulous author, and she joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her new book, Escape from Amsterdam. This book is part of Barbour Publishing's series Heroines of WWII.
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
Helen Smit believed she was called by God to become a teacher. Little does she know that her care for kids will take a drastic turn for survival when the Germans occupy Amsterdam and Jewish children and parents begin to be deported. Now all she can think of is helping all the kids escape before it’s too late.
Erik Misman’s newfound love for Helen is tested when he joins a plot to help move Jewish children to a safe place in the countryside. If danger can foster a closer bond with Helen and save the lives of the little ones, he will do it all. But a German patrol that stumbles upon the farm where they are hiding with three children and a soldier who takes an unexpected interest in Helen, could well destroy their plans for safety and love.
More about Lauralee Bliss: Lauralee Bliss is a published author of over thirty romance novels and novellas, both historical and contemporary. Lauralee’s prayer is that readers will come away with both an entertaining story and a lesson that speaks to the heart and soul. When she is not writing, Lauralee is an avid adventurer in the great outdoors where she has logged over 10,000 miles of hiking and enjoys speaking and writing about her hiking adventures at Blissful Hiking Adventures. Visit Lauralee Bliss's website.
21 Sep 2022
Episode 96 - Author Chat with Amanda Wen
00:36:26
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Amanda Wen and I chatted about her new book, The Songs That Could Have Been. We had so much fun speaking about writing, genealogy, music, and how Amanda never does anything the easy way.
After a tailspin in her late teens, Lauren Anderson's life is finally back on track. Her battle with bulimia is under control, her career is taking off, and she's surrounded by a loving family. Then a chance meeting with Carter Douglas, her first love and the man who broke her heart, leads to old feelings returning with new strength. And suddenly her well-balanced world is thrown off kilter.
Now a TV meteorologist, Carter is determined to make amends with Lauren. After all, she still owns his heart. But the reasons they broke up aren't lost--and those old demons are forcing him toward the same decision he faced in the past. He isn’t sure he's courageous enough to make a different choice this time around.
When Lauren's elderly grandmother, Rosie, begins having nightmares about a man named Ephraim--a name her family has never heard before--a fascinating and forbidden past love comes to light. As Lauren and Carter work to uncover the untold stories of Rosie's past in 1950s Wichita, they embark on a journey of forgiveness and second chances that will change their lives--and Rosie’s--forever. Along the way they'll learn that God wastes nothing, his timing is perfect, and nothing is beyond his grace and redemption.
The Songs That Could Have Been is full of the same deftly handled, resonant writing that readers and critics alike enjoyed in Amanda Wen's first book in the series. Fans of Lisa Wingate and Rachel Hauck will add Amanda Wen to their must-read shelves.
Amanda Wen’s debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone, released to both reader and critical acclaim. The book was named a 2021 Foreword INDIES Award winner and was a finalist in both the Christy and Carol Awards. In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team, as well as serving as a choral accompanist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda currently lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
Today it's my pleasure to welcome to a show one of Christian historical fiction's best known and best loved authors. Kim Vogel Sawyer has been a mainstay of the industry for many years and has sixty books under her belt. She writes lovely, heart-warming fiction that is sure to soothe and nourish your soul. Her new book, Still My Forever, is sure to please her long-time fans and new readers as well.
Still My Forever by Kim Vogel Sawyer Can a frustrated composer find new inspiration with the woman who once made his heart sing? From the bestselling author of Freedom’s Song comes a charming romance inspired by a real historical figure.
Four years after leaving town to make a name for himself as a composer, Gilbert Baty has returned temporarily to Falke, Kansas. Now, he’s trying to keep everyone from learning the truth about his disastrous years in New York City. He hopes to start writing music again in Falke, but he can’t help being distracted by Ava Flaming, the brown-eyed baker to whom he was briefly engaged before he ended things—and who still stirs feelings in him he knows he has no right to pursue.
Ava had thought she was past the loss of Gil Baty. But to her dismay, she’s as drawn to him as ever. The situation only gets worse when Gil establishes a youth band in Falke, showing once more what a good man he is.
But when the band has a chance to compete in a statewide competition, Ava faces the prospect of heartbreak again. Could music take Gil away forever this time? Or might God be stirring in Ava’s and Gil’s hearts a new song that will draw them together for good?
Best-selling, award-winning author Kim Vogel Sawyer is highly acclaimed for her “gentle stories of hope.” Readers and reviewers alike are drawn to her books and the life lessons contained within the pages. Kim dreamed of being a writer from her earliest memories, and her little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer’s Return. Now with over 1.5 million books in print in six different languages, she praises God for blessing her far beyond her imaginings. When Kim isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling with her retired military hubby, quilting, performing in community theater, and spoiling her quiverful of granddarlings.
Best-selling, award-winning author Kim Vogel Sawyer is highly acclaimed for her “gentle stories of hope.” Readers and reviewers alike are drawn to her books and the life lessons contained within the pages. Kim dreamed of being a writer from her earliest memories, and her little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer’s Return. Now with over 1.5 million books in print in six different languages, she praises God for blessing her far beyond her imaginings. When Kim isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling with her retired military hubby, quilting, performing in community theater, and spoiling her quiverful of granddarlings.
Tamela Hancock Murray joins us this week to talk about trends in Christian historical fiction. What's hot and what's not. What's on its way in, and what's on its way out. How do you, the readers, influence the trends that drive the market? We have an interesting discussion with top-notch literary agent Tamela Hancock Murray. She is well acquainted with what is selling in today's market and what isn't and maybe even why it isn't. This is a special peek behind the scenes for readers to see how publishers might decide on what to publish and what to pass on.
Tamela Hancock Marry has been interested in writing in one form or another all her life. She contributed to all of her school newspapers by writing articles and editing. During her time as a Capitol Hill intern, her duties included answering constituent correspondence. Working as a college intern for the Bureau of Public Affairs, Editorial Division of the U.S. Department of State, gave her the opportunity to write in a more journalistic style, including news briefs for the Secretary of State. She graduated with honors in Journalism from Lynchburg College in Virginia. An award-winning, bestselling author, Tamela has more than 20 fiction and nonfiction books to her credit, and has written for magazines and newspapers. She has discussed her work on radio and television.
Amy Sorrells is my guest this week, and she chats with us about her fascinating new book, Miracle at the Sideshow. This novel includes the history of baby incubators and how the world came to know about them and accept them because, in part, of their display at the sideshow at Coney Island. Truly a wonderful read.
A deadly fire. A sensational sideshow. And a baby fighting for its life.
Eighteen-year-old Sophie Rosenfeld dreams of a resplendent life in America after escaping the pogroms in Eastern Europe, only to lose her family in the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Besides Sophie, the lone survivor is her niece, Mercy, a premature baby the city hospital calls a “weakling” and refuses to save. When it is rumored Mercy’s only hope lies in the dark and dangerous Coney Island freak shows, free-spirited but despairing Sophie takes the chance. Will life in the spotlights lead her to the life and love she’s always imagined, or will another devastating fire force her to return to the ashes of tenement life forever?
Overview
New York City at the turn of the twentieth century is as captivating as it is macabre and as magnificent as it is barbaric, as young Sophie Rosenfeld is about to learn. She yearns for life beyond the dreary tenements, but losing all her family except for her fragile niece, Mercy, in the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire has left her with little opportunity. Sophie has to save Mercy’s life, but to do so she must follow a mysterious man to the only place in the world that saves premature babies: Dr. Martin Couney and his Coney Island side show.
Even as society threatens to shut down Dr. Couney’s life-saving work for premature babies, Sophie joins him in fighting for their lives. Amidst the glittering menagerie of lights, astonishing sights, and her new friends, including the handsome acrobat Nicholas, Sophie begins to find hope.
From the lavish, dangerous shores of Coney Island, to the harsh but at times tender tenement life, Sophie’s heart is split wide open by a roller coaster of unrelenting tragedies, and she finds herself doubting the faith that has always buoyed her. Will Nicholas and her new friends be just the salve Sophie needs to help assuage her grief? Or will she be forced to return to a life that stifled her?
Against a backdrop of romance and unexpected escapades, Miracle at the Sideshow brings to life two back-to-back true stories of fire and injustice that shocked the nation into improving worker safety, and which led to techniques still used in neonatal intensive care units today to save the lives of premature babies.
Amy is an award-winning author of stories highly acclaimed by the likes of USA Today, Library Journal, and a five star review by Publisher’s Weekly. Her stories are full of hope and set in America’s heartland. She lives in central Indiana with her husband.
Episode 100 - It's almost impossible to believe that we've hit this milestone. But we have, soit's time to party and look back at the first one hundred episodes of Christian Historical Fiction Talk.
Thank you to everyone who has supported the podcast over the past two plus years. I couldn't have done it without you. I talk about why I started the show, who some of my favorite guests have been, and what some of my favorite topics were. I enjoyed the reminiscing! It's always fun to take a look back.
There's also a giveaway to celebrate episode 100. One winner will have their pick of any of my published books, either in paperback or in ebook version. The grand prize will be a fun bookshelf ornament and your choice of two of my books. US addresses only, please. Postage has gotten to be so expensive that it would almost be cheaper for me to fly out and deliver the prizes in person. Not that I would mind doing that!
To enter the giveaway for episode 100, please go to my website and follow the Rafflecopter instructions you'll find there. I forgot to mention on the show that if you're already a newsletter subscriber, please shoot me an email through the contact me section of website, and I'll see that you earn an entry for being a loyal subscriber.
The giveaway will be open until Saturday, October 30th at 11:59 pm Central time.
Thank you so much for your support for this podcast. I'll see you next week for episode 101!
27 Oct 2022
Episode 101 - Author Chat with Naomi Musch
00:32:25
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Fellow Wisconsin author Naomi Musch joins me this week for a chat about her recently published WWII novel, Season of My Enemy. This wonderful book is set in Wisconsin and explores the complicated relationships between the German POWs and the everyday Wisconsin citizens they encountered.
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
Only last year, Fannie O’Brien was considered a beauty with a brain, and her future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. With her father’s sudden death and her brothers overseas, Fannie must now do the work of three men on their 200-acre farm—until eight German prisoners arrive and, just as Fannie feared, trouble comes too. Someone seems intent on causing “accidents,” and Fannie is certain the culprit is one of the two handsome older Germans—or possibly both. Can she manage the farm, keep the prisoners in line, and hold her family together through these turbulent times?
I’m author Naomi Musch. I was born and raised in central Wisconsin but have made my home for many years in the pristine north woods, where my husband Jeff and I live as epically as God allows, enjoying the families of our five adult children. Amidst it, I write about imperfect people who are finding hope and faith to overcome their struggles, whether the story venue is rich in American history or along more contemporary lines.
Besides writing, my biggest joys are loving on my passel of grandchildren, encouraging homeschoolers and new writers, gardening, camping, kayaking, and fellowshipping with friends.
My guest this week is Joanna Politano, who talks about her new book, The Lost Song, what asylums were like in Victorian England, and why we gravitate toward stories. (Any my apologies to Joanna. I think I called it The Lost Song in parts of our interview.)
When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant's father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman's portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.
The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?
Fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the nature of women's independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era--and now.
Get your copy of The Lost Melody by Joanna Politano. Meet Joanna Politano: I’m a work-from-home mom of two fun and adventurous littles and we’ll soon be homeschooling. I married my hero Vince, who is my love and my polar opposite. I write, he tears it up with the red pen. I break cars and other mechanical things, he puts them back together. He’s nailed the “speak the truth” thing, and I bring the “in love” part. But the real spark to our marriage is that he does not like chocolate and I… like it a normal amount. We love and live from our little house in the woods near Lake Michigan.
Allison Pittman is my guest this week, here to chat about everything Laura Ingall's Wilder, her childhood crush on Cap Garland and why she painted him the way she did in Laura's Shadow, and how she used to - and sometimes still does - use stories to help her fall asleep.
Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.
De Smet, South Dakota—1890 Young women growing up in DeSmet live by two rules: don’t go out in a snowstorm and don’t give your heart to Cap Garland. Young Mariah Patterson only managed to obey one. Orphaned and having devoted her youth to scrapping out a life with her brother Charles, Mariah finds herself with no interesting suitors or means of support. Throwing caution to the wind, she seizes an opportunity to lay her feelings at Cap’s feet, even though she knows Cap sees the world through the torch he carries for Laura Ingalls. Mariah is certain her love for Cap will be strong enough to break both bonds, and she’s willing to risk everything to prove it.
De Smet, South Dakota—1974 Trixie Gowan is the fourth generation of living Gowan women residing in the sprawling farmhouse on the outskirts of De Smet. Well, former resident. She’s recently moved to Minneapolis, where she writes ads for a neighborhood paper edited by Ron Tumble. She might live and work in the city, but her co-workers still call her Prairie Girl. Thus the inspiration for her comic strip—“Lost Laura”—in which a bespectacled girl in a calico dress tries to make her way in the city. The name is a quiet rebellion having grown up in a household where she’d been forbidden to mention the name, Laura Ingalls. But when her great-grandmother Mariah’s declining health brings Trixie home for a visit, two things might just keep her there: the bedside manner of Dr. Campbell Carter and the family secret that seems to be spilling from GG’s lips one conversation at a time.
Meet Allison Pittman As far as I know, I have always been a writer. Before I could put words to page, I would dictate stories to my mother. I have always lulled myself to sleep by crafting stories--a new chapter each night. When God called me to write, I was thrilled to answer His prompting. And so it was, after a long conversation with my husband, I left a 20-year teaching career to pursue a new direction. It called for a HUGE step of faith, but God has kept me and our family safe.
I count every single one of my readers as one of God's blessings in my life, and I like to think of my stories as being the first step in a conversation. Please visit my website, www.allisonpittman.com and send me an email. It is one of my greatest joys to hear from you
17 Nov 2022
Episode 104 - How Do You Rate?
00:28:39
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Today discuss your answers to my question on social media. The is what I asked: When you review a book, what standard do you use for 3, 4, and 5-star reviews? Have you ever written a 1-star review? What would make you only give it 1 star?
Listen to the episode, then tell me what you think? What criteria do you use when you rate a book? How do you determine what makes it only worth one or two stars or worth four or five stars? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Speaking of reviews, here are a few for my next book, What I Would Tell You. Four stars: What I Would Tell you is a story that dives deep into one of the darkest times in history—the persecution and annihilation of so many Jews during WW2. This story isn’t a bow-tied ribbon; it’s an honest look at what it would be like for a Jew defying Nazi’s through the power of words and what that act of bravery costs. With deep themes of sacrifice, mending family relationships, and bravery, this book is a compelling read.
Five stars: What I Would Tell You is an incredibly heart-gripping novel set in Occupied Greece during WWII. Set in two time periods, then and now, it tells the story of Mathilda Nissim, a Jewish-Greek women living in Greece during WWII and Tessa Payton, a young adult woman living in the United States in present time. Throughout the book, the author, Liz Tolsma, really showcases the depth of a mothers love in various aspects. You get to see motherhood from a variety of stances in this book and each stance is unique and powerful in its own way. Every decision that is made, every conversation that is had and every emotional moment experienced in this novel is written with such a profound skill. The author makes the reader really feel the emotion that each character is experiencing. A mother will move mountains and do whatever it takes to protect her babies and there are so many examples of this in this book.
Here's the one star I talked about in the episode: Dnf it @ 35%. Not what I was expecting.
Patty Smith Hall joins us on this episode to chat about her new book, On My Honor. Were you ever a Girl Scout? Have you ever been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina? Even if you answered no to these questions, you're going to love this week's chat. Find out how the title came to be and the significance behind it and how God used a devastating attack to bring Patty to the place she is now.
On My Honor by Patty Smith Hall A Girl Scout Troop Joins the Battle of the Atlantic Ginny Mathis was finished with nursing school and had no intention of staying rooted in the Outer Banks—then war broke out. With her father away, she feels duty-bound to stay and help her mother and younger sister. While working as a clerk for the Oregon Inlet ferry, naval officers ask Ginny and others to be watchful for German U-boats reportedly spotted in the area. So to help occupy her teenage sister, Ginny enlists the Girl Scout troop she leads to help watch for suspicious activity along the coast.
Timothy Elliott is no stranger to death. As a British reporter working with the M-6, he’s numb to the losses of war after two years of fighting the Germans. Maybe that’s why he volunteered for this mission—to connect with an ex-German naval officer who stole the Furor’s battle plan for the Atlantic war. When the boat giving him passage to New York is bombed near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Tim is thrown from the boat and wakes up in the care of a group of young girls.
Ginny follows her sneaky sister on a clandestine mission and discovers the shipwreck victim. Ginny knows she must take charge, but is this man the enemy, or does he hold secrets that could turn the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic in the allies’ favor?
About Patty Smith Hall Born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, Patty considers herself a country girl at heart. A seventh generation Georgian, she developed a love of history and books at an early age and read through the county library by the time she was eleven.
It wasn’t until a brutal attack left her broken and disabled that she picked up a pen and wrote. Since then, she’s written over 30 books and novellas as well as hundreds of articles and devotions.
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her own real-life hero, Danny, shopping with her girls, playing with her grandsons (who happen to be the two most brilliant and beautiful boys in the world!) or hanging out with her lifelong friends. She considers herself one blessed woman!
A lively competition draws her into her rival’s blueprints–and maybe even his heart.
Olive Kentworth has spent her life hiding her interest in architecture, even though she pores over architectural books and sketches buildings. When she accepts a job on a home expansion, it’s only because her cousin Amos agrees to pose as the builder. To further hide her involvement, Olive takes a position as a nanny–not knowing that she’ll be working for her idol, Joplin’s leading architect, widower Maxfield Scott.
Maxfield is intrigued by his new nanny–she makes his home and his life bearable again. His work, on the other hand, is a disaster. An untrained builder is remodeling a completed project of his. What’s worse, Maxfield’s current client wants changes to his plans because of that builder’s work.
As the architectural one-upmanship heats up, Olive’s involvement becomes harder to hide. Will the relationship between her and Maxfield survive, or will they both miss out on building something for their future?
Get your copy of Engaging Deception by Regina Jennings. Historical romance author Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history. She’s the winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, and a Christy Award and Oklahoma Book of the Year Award finalist. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at the Oklahoma National Stockyards. She lives outside of Oklahoma City in a neighborhood teeming with kinfolk. Online, she can be found at www.reginajennings.com.
10 Dec 2022
Episode 107 - Amy Lynn Green Author Chat
00:30:15
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Amy Lynn Green and I had such a fun chat on this week's episode. There were a few serious moments, when she speaks about the power of a happy ending and how that points us to God making all things new someday. There were more lighthearted moments, including a Midwest winter survival guide, and we both answered the question "Would you like to have lived in the 1940s." Join us as we talk about her book, The Blackout Book Club.
In 1942, an impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different--a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.
At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they have more in common than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.
Amy Lynn Green is a lifelong lover of books, history, and library cards. She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel, based on the WWII home front of Minnesota, the state where she lives, works, and survives long winters. She has taught classes on marketing at writer’s conferences and regularly encourages established and aspiring authors in their publication journeys. In her novels (and her daily life), she loves exploring the intersection of faith and fiction and searches for answers to present-day questions by looking to the past.
If she had lived in the 1940s, you would have found her writing long letters to friends and family, daydreaming about creating an original radio drama, and drinking copious amounts of non-rationed tea. (Actually, these things are fairly accurate for her modern life as well.)
Be sure to interact with her on Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for her newsletter to stay up-to-date on her latest releases.
This week, I'm so pleased to present Hannah Linder. She's new to traditional publishing and is making a splash. We have a great chat about what Gothic Regency romance is, which is her favorite Jane Austen book, and what it's like to live in a house chock-full of history.
A Gothic-Style Regency Romance from a Promising Young Author
Second daughter of a baron—and a little on the mischievous side—Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretense is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wyckhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.
Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies, but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son—and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.
Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him—just as her dead sister?
Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In way of career, Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, National, and International bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.
21 Dec 2022
Episode 109 - Laura Frantz Author Chat
00:32:54
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Laura Frantz and I had a fabulous chat on this week's episode. Her new book, The Rose and the Thistle, is set in 1715 in Scotland and pits a Jacobite against a Hanoverian. She does a great job of explaining what all that means, how Christian fiction has changed enough to allow her to write a book like this, and how fabulous her trip to her ancestral home in the lowlands of Scotland was. This is an episode you don't want to miss.
In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.
No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.
Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies--and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.
Award-winning, bestselling author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage.
She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying. Proud of her heritage, she is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California.
Tessa Afshar is our very special guest on the podcast this week. She is a brilliant and humble and lovely woman who happens to be a fabulous author of novels set in biblical times. Being of Persian descent, she is uniquely qualified to write this particular novel, The Hidden Prince, which starts out in the household of Daniel during the time of the exile and moves to Media during the course of the story.
She shares with us what a particular burden it is to write fiction that contains real-life biblical characters, what research is like for these books, and how she's gotten into cooking and baking ancient recipes - sometimes without a recipe or even the knowledge of what exactly were the ingredients!
Please take a listen to this wonderful interview. You'll leave feeling like Tessa's friend.
The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar From the bestselling author of Jewel of the Nile comes the thrilling tale of a woman who feels she has no future but soon discovers the fate of nations may rest in her hands.
The beloved daughter of Jewish captives in Babylon, Keren is sold into Daniel’s household to help her family survive. She becomes Daniel’s most trusted scribe, while taking lessons and swordsmanship training alongside Daniel’s sons and their best friend, Jared.
But after a tragic accident changes the course of her life, Keren finds herself in a foreign country, charged with a mysterious task: teaching a shepherd boy how to become a lord. When she overhears whispers that hint at his true identity, she realizes she must protect him from the schemes of a bloodthirsty king.
Jared cannot forgive Keren. Still, he finds himself traveling over mountains to fetch her back to the safety of home. When he discovers the secret identity of Keren’s pupil, Jared knows he must help protect him. Love battles bitterness as they flee from the king’s agents, trying to save the boy who could one day deliver their people from captivity.
Hospitality holds a special significance for the people of the Middle East.
Since that is where I was born, let me take a moment to welcome you properly. I am so glad you are visiting! Grab a cup of something refreshing and sit with me for a minute.
Whether writing novels or non-fiction, I try to help my readers internalize these truths.
God is invested in redeeming your life. He considers you His treasure and calls you His beloved. His Son, Jesus, is never far from you. He has set His affections on you and desires to heal your heart, forgive your failures, and renew your hope.
I write books that try to capture these truths . . . about you, and about God.
In my novels, you will find laughter and tears.
You may find love stories that capture your imagination. But my dearest hope is that by the last page, you are closer to God, and closer to your true self.
In my Bible study and DVD teaching, I try to make room for God to carve these truths deeper into your soul until you grow in your faith. Until you become more of the blessing God designed you to be.
If that sounds good, why don’t you linger with me a while? I want you to know, I just finished praying for you.
This week is very special because I'm my own guest! I welcome a guest host Becca Hope to the show, and she interviews me about my new release, What I Would Tell You. We had so much fun chatting about the book, what the message of the story is, and my trip to Greece to research the novel. It's a fabulous place to travel, and I learned so much while I was there.
What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma Determined to resist the invading Nazis, a Greek Jewish woman's greatest dream has become her worst nightmare, and now she faces an impossible choice whose consequences echo across the generations.
1941—The pounding of Nazi boots on the streets of Salonika, Greece, reverberates in Mathilda Nissim’s ears, shaking her large community of Sephardic Jews to its core and altering her life forever. If only her people would rise up and resist their captors. At great risk to herself and those around her, she uses the small newspaper she publishes to call them to action, all to no avail. Her husband encourages her to trust God to watch over them, but God has once again deserted His people. Amid the chaos, Mathilda discovers she’s expecting a longed-for child. Still, nothing stops the occupiers’ noose from tightening around their necks, and she may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.
2019—College student Tessa Payton and her cousin take a popular DNA heritage test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test reveals Tessa is a Greek Sephardic Jew. This revelation threatens her tenuous faith. Always the overlooked child in her family, she empties her savings account and jets off on a journey to Greece to discover where she belongs and which God demands her allegiance. The enchanting curator at the Jewish museum guides her as she navigates life in Thessaloniki, helps with her genealogical research, and loans her a fascinating journal written by a Jewish woman during WWII. Tessa’s search, however, may open old wounds and uncover long-hidden secrets that could fracture her family forever and leave her with more questions than when she started.
Based in part on true accounts of Jews in Salonika, Greece, What I Would Tell You traces two women’s journeys, delving into what faith looks like and where it leads us as they navigate difficult circumstances and impossible choices that have ripple effects across the years.
A little bit more about Liz Tolsma: I am so blessed that I get to work at my dream job every day. I love nothing better than settling into my comfy office chair at the big desk my husband built for me and letting my imagination go crazy.
I also love editing, especially helping new authors start on their own publication journeys. I have a passion for seeing others succeed in this business.
I’m married to my high school sweetheart, and we have three children through international adoption. Brian, joined our family from Vietnam when he was five months old. Alyssa came home from South Korea when she was three months old.
Jonalyn came home from the Philippines when she was five years old. Brian and Alyssa are now grown, but Jonalyn, who has significant special needs, will be our “lifer”. We live in a semi-rural area of Wisconsin, and we love it here!
Kimberley Woodhouse is our guest on the show this week. She is a delightful woman, and we had a wonderful chat about her new book, A Mark of Grace. This is book three in her "Secrets of the Canyon" series. It's a mix of romance and adventure and suspense and a wonderful read. We talk about how she manages to write so many books each year, what it's like to collaborate with Tracie Peterson, and what is was like to be featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition years ago. A Mark of Grace by Kimberley Woodhouse
When everything crumbles, her chance for a new beginning hangs in the balance.
Ruth Anniston survived an injury that left her physically scarred, broken, and angry at God. Now, she finds herself working behind the scenes as a kitchen and dining room supervisor at the El Tovar Hotel, hidden away from curious eyes and with little hope of finding love. When money begins to disappear from the hotel, Ruth's entire livelihood is put at risk when she lands on the list of suspects.
Frank Henderson has at last succeeded in obtaining his dream job as head chef at the El Tovar. But competition in the kitchen is fierce, and one mistake could cost him his future. As the thefts at the hotel continue, and his affection for Ruth grows, Frank's career--and his heart--are in jeopardy.
As tensions run high, Ruth and Frank must work together to save the El Tovar. They find themselves growing closer . . . but can their combined ingenuity overcome the odds against them?
More about Kimberley Woodhouse: Kim is a devoted wife and mother, and a third generation Liszt student. She has passed down her love of music and the arts to hundreds of students over the years, recorded three albums, and appeared at over 2,000 venues to more than a million people. Her quick wit, enthusiasm, and positive outlook through difficult circumstances have gained her audiences at conferences, retreats, churches, military functions, and seminars all over the country.
Kim has been writing seriously for more than twenty years. Songs, plays, short stories, novels, picture books, articles, newsletters – you name it – she’s written it. It wasn’t until a dear friend challenged her to “do something with it” that she pursued publication. Now, she is a best-selling author of more than two dozen books, with more on the way. She has won The Carol Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and has finaled in the Selah Awards and the Spur Awards.
She is passionate about Bible study, reading, music, cooking, and pretty-much-all-things-crafty. Kimberley has been married to her incredible husband for twenty-nine years and counting and they have two married adult children.
Terri J. Haynes joins me on the podcast this week, and boy, did we have a fun chat! We talked about her dual timeline novel, Passages of Hope, which is part of Barbour Publishing's "Doors to the Past" series. It's a wonderful book about the Underground Railroad and its legacy. We also chat about her dream when she was in elementary school to get locked inside a library for the night. Doesn't that sound like fun? She almost pulled it off! There was so much more we chatted about. Be sure to take a listen.
Gracie Kingston begins renovations on the Philadelphia house inherited from her grandmother and finds a secret room. It is connected to a house nearby, the home of William Still, the man known as the father of the Underground Railroad. As she researches, she discovers a mystery in her house’s ownership. In 1855, Olivia Kingston helps a mother and her young child by hiding them in a secret room in her home. As she helps, she learns that there may be an impostor conductor in their community. As Gracie’s and Olivia’s stories intertwine, they learn the meaning of sacrifice and love.
Terri J. Haynes, a native Baltimorean, is a prolific knitter and owner of a hand-dyed yarn company, freelance graphic artist, and former Army wife (left the Army, not the husband). She loves to read, so much that when she was in elementary school, she masterminded a plan to be locked in a public library armed with only a flashlight to read all the books and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She is a storyteller at heart. Her passion is to draw readers into the story world she has created and to bring laughter and joy to their lives.
Terri’s non-fiction publishing credits include Cup of Comfort for Military Families, Urbanfaith.com, Publisher’s Weekly. Her traditionally published credits include four novellas and one full-length novel. Terri has also self-published one full-length novel and six novellas.
Terri holds a Master's degree in Theological Studies and a certificate in creative writing and graphic design. She and her husband pastor a church where she serves as executive pastor and worship leader. Terri lives in Maryland with her three wonderful children and her husband, who often beg her not to kill off their favorite characters.
His steel empire has catapulted him to the top of the world, but loving her could cost him everything.
Maggie Molinaro survived a hardscrabble childhood in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan to become a successful businesswoman. After a decade of sacrifice, she now owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life's work.
Liam Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate committed to overhauling factory conditions for the steelworkers of America. Standing in his way is the same villain determined to ruin Maggie. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds.
A spiraling circle of treachery grows increasingly dangerous as Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. It will require all their wit and ingenuity to protect everything--and everyone--they hold dear.
I am fortunate to have two careers I deeply love. I am a college librarian by day, and write novels on the weekends.
I became a librarian because I can think of no other career in which you get such a wide exposure to all aspects of recorded knowledge. I have been an academic librarian since 1995, where on any given day I get to research the sonnets of Shakespeare, learn what makes pelican feathers pink, or compile demographic statistics for starting a new company.
But fiction has always been a wonderful escape for me, and I’ve wanted to be a novelist since the third grade when I was devastated by the bittersweet ending of Charlotte’s Web. I remember vowing to re-write the book with a better ending someday. Although I failed to appreciate how copyright law would thwart my ambition to write better endings for other people’s books, perhaps my early experience with sad novels is why I became a romance novelist.
I love writing books about fiercely intelligent people who are confronted with profound challenges. As a rather introverted person, I have found that writing fiction is the best way for me to share my faith and a sense of resilience with others. For those aspiring writers who are interested in my road to publication, you can find it here.
I married relatively late in life, which turned out to be an odd kind of blessing. I had gotten very good at leading a solo life, and although I was not particularly content being alone, I had become reconciled to it. Then when I was in my mid-thirties and just a few weeks after buying my first house, I met the man I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. My years as a single woman taught me many things. I learned to be independent and resilient. I learned how to manage my investments, earn and save enough money to have investments, mow my own lawn, fix the rickety appliances in my sixty-year old house, and spend the holidays on my own when travel to family was not possible. Most importantly, it taught me never to take my husband for granted. I give daily thanks for the blessing of being able to share a life with my favorite person on the planet.
The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.
When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.
Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.
I’m Jennifer. My friends call me Jen. Just please don’t call my Jenny. I’m a wife and mom just walking this road of life like everyone else. I’m your typical American mom, working, raising kids, and loving my hubby…I’ve just been blessed to do some of it in Vienna, Austria and the west of Ireland. However, after a decade of life overseas, we have settled back in America–in sunny Arizona!
I currently teach middle school English, and when I’m not working on school things, I’m spending time with my incredible family–my husband Seth and our 3 awesome kids–and writing.
I write stories that explore home through the lens of faith, family, and culture–with the beauty and depth of Ireland coloring much of it.
I love chatting with you, so please connect with me on Instagram, Facebook,and Goodreads. And be sure to follow me on BookBub to see what I’m reading & recommending!
What a thrill to welcome Kimberly Duffy to the show this week. She's not a first-time author, but it's her premier visit to the podcast and the first time I've read anything by her. Neither her book nor her interview disappointed. We had so much fun talking about researching circus life, how she made a tall, strong woman who was also feminine, and what are some of her favorite travels. Patrons also get to hear the meaning behind the book's title.
The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy Two women--bound by blood, torn apart by circumstance--find together that true strength comes in many forms.
In 1911, Mabel MacGinnis is Europe's strongest woman and has performed beside her father in the Manzo Brothers Circus her entire life. When he dies unexpectedly, she loses everything she's ever known and sets off in the company of acrobat Jake Cunningham in hope of finding the mother she thought was dead.
Isabella Moreau, America's most feted aerialist, has given everything to the circus. But age and injury now threaten her security, and Isabella, stalked by old fears, makes a choice that risks everything. Then her daughter Mabel appears alongside the man who never wanted to see Isabella again, and she is forced to face the truth of where, and in what, she derives her worth.
As Mabel and Isabella's lives become entangled beneath the glittering lights and flying trapeze of Madison Square Garden, their resiliency and resolve are tested as they learn the truth of what it means to be strong.
"Kimberly Duffy not only delivers a beautiful escape, but she also adds layers of emotional depth to build a captivating story readers will love."--JULIE CANTRELL, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials
When I was fifteen, I asked God to please make me a novelist. He went a step further, marrying my love of books and history, and making me a historical novelist. These last few years of researching and writing and learning, I’ve discovered that the human experience doesn’t change no matter the era or setting. Our past is littered with stories of love and brokenness and faith and self-discovery and courage. I love exploring timeless struggles and hopes through characters who lived long ago. I welcome you to join this journey with me. Feel free to connect with me on social media or email me at kim@kimberlyduffy.com. I look forward to meeting you.
I'm so pleased to have returning guest Jill Eileen Smith on the podcast this week. She is a gracious and thoughtful lady, and it shines through in her writing. Her new book is Daughter of Eden, and it looks at the life of Eve. What an interesting subject matter! We talked about why she chose Eve, some of the challenges with writing about her, and even how reading fiction is said to help you keep sharp as you age! Bonus! And my patrons got to hear her talk about the restaurants she and her husband love to check out and what difficulty there is for her now that she's gluten free.
Daughter of Eden by Jill Eileen Smith The first time she opens her eyes, Eve gazes on One whose beauty nearly blinds her, whose breath is in her lungs. Her Creator takes her hand and gives her to one like her and yet different. Together, she and Adam experience pure joy as they explore Eden. But her favorite moments are when the Creator comes to walk with them, day after day.
Until everything changes. With one act of disobedience, Eve finds that her world is no longer a friendly place. With remorse in her heart, she must face the unknown future--the births, the deaths, the sacrifices, the loss of the one home she has ever known. Perhaps worst of all is the loss of trust, not only with her Creator but with the man who shares her life. How will they ever survive out of Eden?
Bestselling biblical fiction author Jill Eileen Smith imagines the life of the first woman to ever live, unspooling a story of love, loss, and the promise of redemption. Get your copy of Daughter of Eden by Jill Eileen Smith.
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling, award-winning author of the Wives of King David series, the Wives of the Patriarchs, Daughters of the Promised Land, the Heart of the King, and Star of Persia, Esther’s Story, along with the nonfiction books When Life Doesn’t Match Your Dreams, and She Walked Before Us. Her research has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.
When she isn’t writing, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, read stories that take her away, ride her bike to the park, snag date nights with her hubby, try out new restaurants, or play with her lovable, “helpful” cat Tiger. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan.
Sarah Sundin is my fabulous guest this week, and we had an absolute blast talking with each other. She shared all about her new release, The Sound of Light, what WWII was like in Denmark, the significance of the title, and what it's like to be a brand-new grandma. Spoiler: She thinks it's great! For my patrons, she also shared what country she hasn't traveled to that she'd like to get to one of these days. Enjoy this informative and very fun chat.
The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.
American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research--her life's dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement's legendary Havmand--the merman--and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.
When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.
Get your copy of The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin. Meet Sarah Sundin: Although I came from a home wallpapered in books, I only briefly envisioned myself as a writer. Instead, I studied chemistry in college and earned my doctorate in pharmacy. Not until I was a young mother did I start writing seriously.
Family tales drew me to the World War II era. My grandfather, Frederick Stewart, served as a pharmacist’s mate (medic) in the US Navy, and my great-uncle, Roderick Stewart, flew a B-17 Flying Fortress in Australia and England—and flew into Pearl Harbor during the attack.
My grandfather, Frederick Stewart, at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, April 1944.
My novels explore the drama, daring, and romance of the World War II era. My latest novel, The Sound of Light, received a starred review from Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award, was a bestseller, and received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. When Twilight Breaks was a 2021 Christy Award finalist, The Land Beneath Us was a Christy Award finalist, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.
When I’m not writing… my husband and I enjoy traveling and taking our two rescue dogs for lengthy walks. I teach Sunday school and women’s Bible studies, and I speak to community, church, and writers’ groups. I also serve as co-director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference. Visit my speaking page for more information.
Roseanna White stopped by the podcast this week to chat about her new book, Yesterday's Tides. This wonderful dual-time novel is set on North Carolina's Outer Banks and features storylines in both WWI and WWII. It's such a great read and a fascinating look at the impact our lives have on the generations to come. We talk about the special place that the Outer Banks hold in Roseanna's life, the beautiful jewelry she has for sale that's inspired by the book, and my patrons get to hear what she would do if she found herself stranded on a deserted island with no books (oh, the horror LOL!)
Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna White In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.
Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.
As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World War II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.
"Yesterday's Tides has delicious romance, fascinating history, heart-pounding mystery, and wrenching family drama. . . . Please don't miss this novel."--SARAH SUNDIN, bestselling and award-winning author of The Sound of Light and Until Leaves Fall in Paris "Yesterday's Tides triumphs with raw and real emotion, pulse-pounding action, and romance that pays tribute to the legacy of yesterday to anchor the path of our tomorrows."--KRISTY CAMBRON, Christy Award-winning author of The Paris Dressmaker
More about Roseanna White: Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. Visit Roseanna's website.
08 Mar 2023
Episode 120 - Tracie Peterson Author Chat
00:29:20
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If you're a fan of Christian Historical fiction, no introduction is really needed to this week's guest, Tracie Peterson. She has written well over 130 books and has more to come. Join us as we chat about her writing day and how she puts a book together, what her research for Remember Me was like, and my patrons get to hear her thoughts on one day hanging up her laptop.
From the Yukon to Seattle, the hope of a new beginning waits just around the corner. Addie Bryant is haunted by her past of heartbreak and betrayal. After her beau, Isaac Hanson, left the Yukon, she made a vow to wait for him. When she's sold to a brothel owner after the death of her father, Addie manages to escape with the hope that she can forever hide her past and the belief that she will never have the future she's always dreamed of.
Years later, Addie has found peace in her new life as a photographer, training Camera Girls to operate and sell the Brownie camera. During the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle, Addie is reunited with Isaac, but after the path her life has taken, she's afraid to expose the ugliness of her former life and to move toward the future they had pledged to each other.
When her past catches up with her, Addie must decide whether to run or to stay and face her wounds in order to embrace her life, her future, and her hope in God.
More about Tracie. Tracie Peterson gave her life to Jesus at the age of six. Tracie knew at an early age that God was calling her to ministry, and writing for Him has allowed her to offer the Gospel message and encourage people to hope in the Lord. Her motto in writing, as well as all other aspects of life is Soli Deo Gloria—For God Alone the Glory.
Often called the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction,” Tracie Peterson is an ECPA, CBA and USA Today best-selling author of more than 110 books, most of those historical. Her work in historical fiction earned her the Best Western Romance Author of 2013 award from True West magazine and the USA Best Books 2011 Award for best Religious Fiction for Embers of Love. She was given the Life Time Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers in 2011 and the Career Achievement Award in 2007 from Romantic Times, as well as multiple best book awards.Tracie received her first book contract in November 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership’s vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row. Eventually, Tracie also managed Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents book line—overseeing the production of 52 books a year.
In December 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers/Baker Publishing Group. She has co-written with a variety of authors including Judith Pella, Judith Miller, James Scott Bell, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Tracie’s daughter Jennifer.
Tracie, a Kansas native, now makes her home with her husband, Jim, in the mountains of Montana.
Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she's riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father's blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering--does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?
Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.
Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?
Get to know Mary Connealy: I wrote for ten years before I got my first book published. When I did get my first contract I had twenty finished books on my computer at home. I had just enough encouragement through those ten long years to keep me going.
I discovered ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and entered my manuscript Petticoat Ranch in their unpublished contest. I was a double finalist in 2004, another book of mine, Montana Rose, was in the running, too. (Montana Rose released in July).
Every year at the conference the acquiring editor for Heartsong Presents gives a contract to an unpublished author. I was so hopeful! I knew there was a chance it could be me. The Heartsong editor, Tracie Peterson, said someone else’s name, so okay, I’ve been rejected before. I kind of expect it.
And then she said, “And this year we’re giving two contracts to first-time authors. We’re offering a contract to Mary Connealy.” I get chills saying that! It was a wonderful, thrilling shocking moment. I had to go up and get the contract, in front of 350 other writers, all clapping. A great, great moment in my life.
It is my true pleasure to welcome Amanda Cabot to the podcast this week. She's a returning guest, but she has a new book out, After the Shadows, and it's the first book in a new series, "Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing." She once again has created this lovely fictional town, and she shares with us the story behind the house on the book's cover, we talk about all the ways you can pronounce Cabot, and what her most memorable trip was. For my patrons, you get to hear about her brief stint (and mine) as a playwright.
Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the new schoolteacher and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.
Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig Ferguson, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. Together they must work to unmask a killer and escape the shadows of their own pasts in order to forge a brighter future.
Bestselling author Amanda Cabot transports you to 1880s Texas Hill Country for a brand-new series that will have you flipping pages to solve the mystery and get to the happily-ever-after you long for.
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than forty novellas, eight novellas, four nonfiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city. Her stories have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists, have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly, were a Woman's World Book Club selection, and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers Best awards.
A former director of information technology for a major international corporation, Amanda is now a fulltime writer living happily ever after with her husband in Cheyenne.
Marilyn Turk joins us on the podcast this week, here to talk about her new book, The Escape Game. She chats about the very interesting history behind the story of how a board game maker used Monopoly games sent in Red Cross boxes to sneak the tools Allied POWs would need to escape. It's so very fascinating. She also shares her in-law's love story and how it inspired the love story in The Escape Game. She's a gracious lady, and this is an interview you don't want to miss.
After the Nazis started the bombing blitz of England, Beryl Clarke puts her college on hold to return to Leeds, care for her mother, and work as a secretary at the Waddington game company. While she endures the war at home, her brother James fights the enemy in the air. When he is shot down, injured, and captured, James reunites with a former college friend American POW Kenneth Bordelon, and they plan to escape the Nazi prison camp. Beryl knows there is a board game with escape plans being delivered to POWs by the Red Cross. But how can she let them know about the game's secret without revealing the information to the enemy?
Marilyn Turk loves to study history, especially that of lighthouses and the coast of the United States. To date, she had written the Coastal Lights Legacy series – four Civil War era historical fiction books set around Florida lighthouses, and two historical suspense stories set in WWII America, The Gilded Curseand Shadowed by a Spy. Her historical romantic novella, The Wrong Survivor, is part of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Romance Collection. In addition she has written Lighthouse Devotions – 52 Inspiring Lighthouse Stories, based on her popular lighthouse blog. (@ https://pathwayheart.com)
The Florida resident and Louisiana native is a graduate of LSU’s School of Journalism. After moving from the Atlanta area to Florida, Marilyn retired from a career in food service sales and began her next career as a writer. Her work has appeared in a number of inspirational publications including Guideposts magazine, A Joyful Heart, A Cup of Christmas Cheer, Daily Guideposts, The Upper Room, Clubhouse Jr. Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Lighthouse Digest magazine.
Marilyn is also director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat.
Marilyn has always liked lighthouses, but when she saw her first lighthouse in person, the Pensacola lighthouse, she was hooked. Now her husband Chuck is also a lighthouse enthusiast and the couple has visited many lighthouses in the country. In 2015, they traveled to Michigan where they saw over forty lighthouses and stayed in one that had been converted to a Bed and Breakfast. And in the summer of 2016, they traveled the east coast where they visited lighthouses from Maine to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
To find out more about Marilyn’s new releases, sign up for her newsletter at marilynturk@pathwayheart.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Marilyn is a popular speaker and is available to speak on motivation, writing, and lighthouses.
Jen Turano returns to the podcast this week, and boy, did we ever have fun! Not only did we talk about her very charming and witty new book, A Match in the Making, but we also chatted about the 1980s big hair (you have to listen to the episode!), where she gets the ideas for the crazy for her characters, and an embarrassing incident that happened to her that inspired a book. My patrons get to hear her hilarious take on her recent trip to Utah. My sides were aching by the time we were done with the interview!
A Match in the Making by Jen Turano Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America's most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the employ of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond irritating.
Walter Townsend is reluctantly in search of a wife for the sake of his unruly motherless children who cannot keep a governess for long. What he wasn't expecting was Miss Brinley, an amateur matchmaker who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle. Constantly besieged by society ladies on a mission to win his affection, Walter must find a way to overcome their inundating attention--and his unexpected attraction toward Gwendolyn.
The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.
Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at www.jenturano.com or https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/or on Twitter at JenTurano @JenTurano.
17 Apr 2023
Episode 125 - All About Reading Challenges
00:22:28
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This week, we have a topic. I asked if you do or do not take part in reading challenges every years, why or why not, and if you do, how many books do you set as your goal. I got lots of great answers that I share with you on this week's show. Perhaps it will motivate you to join a challenge. It got me going on a Goodreads challenge, so follow along with me and see if I meet the very low bar I set for myself!
Crystal Caudill returns to the podcast this week to chat with us about her new book, Counterfeit Faith. We talk about whether she likes to write heroes or villains more, how she researched Philadelphia in Victorian times, and what board games she likes to play with her family. Patrons get to hear the bonus question about how she names her characters.
She's losing her faith in mankind. He's lost his faith in God. Can working together restore them both?
As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children deemed delinquents by society. She'll protect them with everything she has. So when she suspects someone is using Final Chance for criminal deeds, she's determined to investigate and put a stop to it. But villains don't like to be crossed--and they're willing to kill to get their way.
Gwendolyn knows she can't quit fighting. More than her own life is on the line if counterfeiters go free. She must find someone she can trust to help her expose the criminals and protect the children under her care.
Charming and chivalrous Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs has never been able to turn his back on a woman in trouble--and capturing counterfeiters is his job, after all. The danger he's truly worried about is his growing attraction to Gwendolyn when his heart wants to remain faithful to his deceased wife.
As both peril and interest grow, he begins to consider whether a second love may be possible--if they can live through this case. At the same time, he's put off by her faith in a God he no longer trusts. How can a future together even be possible when their beliefs are at odds?
Reading and writing are a part of my soul. One look at the yellowed pages of my memory box will reveal words and creativity have sought expression from the moment I held a crayon.
Initially, I read and wrote to escape our family challenges and struggles. If those characters could endure dangerous adventures and hair-raising rescues, I could survive another day. My source of escape grew into a secret passion as I delved into history and crafted my owns stories of hope through danger.
Even after I married and had two wonderful boys, stories flowed from my fingertips. Writing remained my sanity, but more than that, it became the tool through which God taught and spoke to me. The stories came through my fingertips, but they were marked with His fingerprints.
I never dreamed it would lead to something more.
In June 2015, my husband treated me to a writer’s conference. I was excited to improve my writing, but I never had any intention beyond personal gratification. God’s plan ended up being slightly bigger.
Yes, and He continues to prove faithful in my writing. Although not easy, I obediently write. My stories are still filled with danger, struggle, and history, but they are also permeated with the hope and love of Christ. I hope they are dangerously good. Good for the heart and for the soul.
Jocelyn Green stopped by the podcast this week to chat about her new book, The Metropolitan Affair. It's a fabulous book with a female Egyptologist set in New York City in the roaring 20s. We had such a fun talk discussing everything she learned about Egyptology, the real places in New York City that make an appearance, and our mutual love for the Great British Bake Off, including why she'd never attempt a recipe from the show. Patrons also get to hear which is her favorite Broadway show and why. We threw in lots of laughs along the way!
Bestselling author Jocelyn Green sweeps you away in a dazzling novel of secrets, betrayal, and romance within one of New York City's most esteemed museums.
For years her explorer father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she'd accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations.
The first is her repentant father's offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the world of New York's wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.
With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut's tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York's high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him track the criminal. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger's identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.
Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King;Wedded to War; and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a B.A. in English, concentration in writing. She loves Mexican food, Broadway musicals, pie, the color red, and reading with a cup of tea. Jocelyn lives with her husband Rob and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.
27 Apr 2023
Episdoe 127 - Leslie Gould Author Chat
00:34:04
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Leslie Gould is this week's guest on the podcast, and what a wonderful and fascinating guest she was. We chatted about her new book, A Brighter Dawn, which is a dual time Amish novel. Among the subjects we touched on were what life was like for the Anabaptists in Germany just prior to WWII, Dr. Joseph Mengle, if she likes to write the historical or contemporary threads more, and what it was like to be a museum curator. My patrons also got to hear what she likes to read and what she's currently reading.
"Incredibly well-researched, thoroughly enjoyable, and singularly original."--SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
"A beautiful story of love, loss, and the bonds that connect a family to its faith."--SUZANNE WOODS FISHER, bestselling author of A Season on the Wind Ivy Zimmerman is successfully navigating her life as a young Mennonite woman, one generation removed from her parents' Old Order Amish upbringing. But when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, Ivy's way of life is upended. As she deals with her grief, her younger sisters' needs, the relationship with her boyfriend, and her Dawdi and Mammi's strict rules, Ivy finds solace in both an upcoming trip to Germany for an international Mennonite youth gathering and in her great-great-aunt's story about Clare Simons, another young woman who visited Germany in the late 1930s.
As Ivy grows suspicious that her parents' deaths weren't, in fact, an accident, she gains courage from what she learns of Clare's time in pre-World War II Germany. With the encouragement and inspiration of the women who have gone before her, Ivy seeks justice for her parents, her sisters, and herself.
My strongest memories from childhood include stories of hope and grace—and how those stories connected me to family and friends. I also soaked up stories of redemption in the small-town churches we attended.
Even though I knew I wanted to write fiction by the time I was in the sixth grade, as I grew older I pursued other things, such as majoring in history and communications, working as a museum curator, then as a public relations specialist, and finally as a magazine editor. Once I finally started writing fiction, it was another ten years until I sold my first novel. Soon after, I received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, which allowed me to teach writing at a local university besides writing novels full-time.
I’ve written a large collection of dual-time, Amish, and contemporary novels, set in a variety of places—from the Pacific Northwest to Amish Country to France to Vietnam.
My husband, Peter, and I have been married forty years and have four adult children and one grandchild. We live in Portland, Oregon and enjoy traveling, urban hikes, and hanging out with family and friends!
Sherri Wilson Johnson, aka my very talented and very fabulous VA, stops by the show this week to chat about her new book, A Season at the Grand. We talk about her writing process, why she always has to slip a little bit of suspense into all of her books, and what movies she and her husband like to watch. Or rather, what movies they compromise on! Take a listen. You're going to love her and her books as much as I do!
A Season at the Grand by Sherri Wilson Johnson
Can the perfect picture reveal the truth before it’s too late?
Photographer Amelia Harris has had enough of her aunts' meddling matchmaking. So when The Photographic Times commissions her to spend the summer on Mobile Bay taking portraits of the elite and capturing nature for penny postcards, Amelia happily accepts. But this job is not as simple as it appears, and Amelia must defend against naysayers if she’s to ever gain respect in a man's world. And that doesn't leave any room for romance.
Point Clear Resort General Manager Titus Overton never wanted the position he inherited when his cousin passed away. If it were up to him, he would be traveling with the Audubon Society to far-off places, enjoying the solitude of nature instead of providing relaxation for his guests. And now he has to deal with the big-city photographer stomping her way through sand dunes that house the migratory birds nesting there. But when she reveals an admiration for his feathered friends, it reawakens a longing in his heart he'd buried after the death of his fiancé.
When threats arise against Amelia and the other resort guests, Titus knows he must step in to help. But she insists they trust God for deliverance. How can he turn to a God who took away his first beloved?
As the danger closes in, he must find the courage to overcome his past before someone gets hurt—especially the woman he’s come to love.
Meet Sherri Wilson Johnson: I love everything about writing and reading. Books are my favorite!
I love reading books by other Christian Romantic Suspense authors like C.D. Gill, Christy Barritt, Patricia Bradley and Nancy Mehl. I also love Historical Romance by authors like Misty M. Beller.
I live in Georgia with my husband and our two dogs. I love spending time with my adult children and my friends or curling up with a good book or my current work-in-progress. I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles in the winter and count the days every year until I can take another trip to the beach.
The always lovely Mesu Andrews stops by the podcast this week to chat about her new book, In Feast and Famine. It's a fascinating look at Joseph and his wife, as well as the return of Joseph's brothers. We talk about the very, very historical story that helped her springboard the novel and why we as humans are naturally creative.
I do apologize that again there is no bonus question. This was also recorded when my dad was very ill, and my mind was really at the hospital. Don't worry - I'm remembering them again! I'll also soon have a list of our June recordings so you can get some questions ready for the authors.
Thrust into an arranged marriage, the daughter of ancient Egypt’s high priest plays a pivotal role in Joseph’s biblical narrative in this powerful novel from the award-winning author of Potiphar’s Wife.
After four-year-old Asenath’s mother is murdered by Egypt’s foreign rulers, the child is raised to be a priestess by her overprotective father—high priest of Egypt’s sun god. For fifteen years, Asenath is sequestered in the upper levels of Ra’s temple, convinced it is her destiny to heal the land by becoming queen to the next Egyptianpharaoh. But when Egypt’s foreign king instead gives her as a bride to the newly appointed vizier—a Hebrew named Joseph—her entire world is shaken.
Beyond the walls of her tower, Asenath discovers treachery, deceit, and conspiracy that force her to redefine her destiny and weigh where her true loyalties lie. Can she still trust the gods of Egypt? Or is Elohim, the foreign God of her husband, the one who will heal her nation during the feast and famine to come?
I’ve been married to Roy Andrews since 1984—who I’ve known since we were both third-graders. You can read more about our story in my Personal Testimony. We have two grown daughters. They’re married now and presenting us with adorable grand babies—our reward for not killing them when they were children. Family adds the spice to my life and keeps my nose buried in my Bible!
During my younger years, I was an over-the-top extrovert; however, in 1997 My Chronic Illness Battle began a transformation that changed the core of my being. I once thrived on people, teaching, speaking. DO-ing ministry of every kind, but when I could no longer DO ministry the way I’d once done it, I had to learn a new way to BE content. You can download a free copy of the Daily Scripture Prayer that helped me through that transition.
God never wastes our suffering, and it was during those long hours, days, and weeks in bed that my passion for biblical novels awakened. Now I love to read it AND write it. I’ll share frequent book reviews of those books I love to read, and the biblical novels I write are listed in Mesu’s Books. Just click to each book’s individual page, and you’ll find various goodies: downloadable Bible studies, group discussion questions, and more!
31 May 2023
Episode 131 - Tosca Lee Author Chat
00:31:44
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Tosca Lee is my guest this week, and we chatted about the book she co-authored with Marcus Brotherton, The Long March Home. This amazing WWII novel set in the Philippines is a story of friendship and endurance. We talk about the extensive research they both did, what it was like to work with a co-author, and some of the other jobs Tosca has had along the way. Patrons get to hear more about her time as Mrs. Nebraska and how that helped her in her writing.
Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.
Life in the Philippines seems like paradise--until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific Theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.
What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive. Inspired by true stories, The Long March Home is a gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope.
Tosca Lee is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author.
She is the recipient of two International Book Awards, Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion, ECPA Book of the Year in Fiction, and the Nebraska Book Award. Her work has finaled for the High Plains Book Award, the Library of Virginia Reader’s Choice Award, two Christy Awards, and a second ECPA Book of the Year. The Line Between was a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery/Thriller of 2019. In addition to the New York Times, her books have appeared on the IndieBound bestseller list, and Library Journal’s “Best Of” lists..
Tosca received her B.A. from Smith College and lives in Nebraska with her husband, three of four children still at home, and her 160-lb. German Shepherd, Timber.
Marcus Brotherton is a New York Times bestselling author and coauthor dedicated to writing books that inspire heroics, promote empathy, and encourage noble living. His commendations include the Christopher Award for literature “that affirms the highest values of the human spirit.” Born inBritish Columbia, Marcus earned a bachelor’s degree from Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, and a master’s degree from Biola University in Los Angeles, where he graduated with high honors. He lives with his wife and their three children in the Pacific Northwest.
The irrepressible Chautona Havig joins us on the show this week. She's out with a new book (isn't she always LOL!), this one another in the Ever After Mystery series by Celebrate Lit. A Ransomed Grete is the bridge between the 1920s fairy-tale inspired stories and the ones set in the 1940s and is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. It's a fabulous story. Listen as we talk about what was happening in Austria at that time, what inspired this entire series and the book in specific, and her new shed-iffice. Patrons will get to hear about her fabulous trip to England and Scotland—even why she had to enjoy the Scottish countryside from the couch.
October 1939—What happens when you run from danger… and into a trap?
After the Anschluss, Austria becomes a place its citizens don’t recognize—especially its Jewish citizens. Whispers ripple through Jewish communities—whispers about a chalet where a woman protects Jewish children from discovery. She’ll keep them safe, fed, and far away from Nazis.
Parents are forced to make horrific decisions. Send their children away to safety, possibly never seeing them again, or keep their families together and risk their children’s lives?
Hans Hartmann arrives at the chalet with a chip on his shoulder and a little girl in tow. He found Grete waiting at the train station. Alone. But life at Chalet Versteck feels more ominous than the streets of Vienna. Children sometimes vanish, and before Hans can figure out what’s happening, a high-ranking officer appears—and is killed.
It’s a race to find out who killed the man and get himself (and probably that pesky Grete) out!
A Ransomed Grete is the bridge book between the 1920s and 1940s Ever After Mysteries, combining fairy tales with mysteries.
Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.
More from Chautona Hi! I’m Chautona Havig. (for those who care, that’s Shuh-TONE-uh HAVE-ig). Yeah. Just work with me here. I should have used a pseudonym, but when you grow up with a name like Chautona, it kind of sticks.
I sit in my little house in California’s Mojave Desert and I write to show you why one sister believes one thing, why a brother believes another. I write to show you how some Christians handle trials or triumphs–for you. So when you’re faced with something–good or bad, it doesn’t matter–maybe it’ll spark a memory. Maybe that memory will smolder until you pull out your Bible and see what the Lord said about it–about His great love for you. For YOU!
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll share that love with another hurting, confused, or blessed-with-more-than-she-knows-what-to-do-with soul.
I just happen to think that’s the most blessed giving anyone could hope to receive.
What new-to-you authors have you recently discovered? I asked that question on social media the other day, and now I'm sharing those answers with you. I chose to focus on authors I haven't (yet) had on the podcast, hoping to highlight them and give them some much deserved recognition. Perhaps you recognize some of the names; perhaps others are ones you've never heard of before. Whatever the case, I hope you find another great author or two to read and follow. There are also quite a number of genres that are represented on today's show.
Dawn Crandall: She has a wonderful series called "The Overtone Chronicles", beginning with the book, The Reluctant Heiress. ""Romantic! Engaging and absorbing! Crandall brings America's Gilded Age to life on the page with vintage amour and emotional depth. Poetically written, Crandall's stories of faith and love will charm fans of classic literature and Christian fiction alike."
Jennifer Q. Hunt: She's out with a brand new book, Through Thorny Ways. With secrets dating back two generations, will Wisteria House unite or destroy an already-fractured family?
Renee Ryan: A listener says, "Renee is one I have recently read and hardly ever see mentioned here. Her book, The Widows of Champagne, was excellent, one I thoroughly enjoyed. In addition, the audiobook was really well done." WWII fiction!
Kathleen L. Maher: A listener says this about her novella, Bachelor Buttons, "It was a wonderful read about redemption, cultural differences and a thread of romance based on one of her family members." Civil War fiction!
Cindy K. Sproles: "Blood might be thicker than water, but love trumps both in Cindy K. Sproles's touching novel." This Is Where It Ends is a unique Southern tale. Women's fiction.
Nerys Leigh: She writes books that are heart-warming, funny, exciting, and above all, wildly romantic. And she adores a blissfully happy ending. She’s British, but she suspects she might be slowly turning into an American while she writes her stories set in the Wild West filled with mail order brides and railroads and cowboys.
Kathleen Denly is out with a new book, Murmur in the Mud Caves. When I saw this, I had to have her return for another chat with us. We had a great time and covered a wide range of topics, including what mudcaves are, adoption and foster care, and what we might find in her chocolate stash (I'd never ask her to reveal where it's hidden!). My patrons get to hear about which craft she is currently enjoying the most, and it might surprise you!
Gideon Swift, a visually impaired Civil War Veteran, responds to an ad for a ranch cook in the Southern California desert mountains. He wants nothing more than to forget his past and stay in the kitchen where he can do no harm. But when he arrives to find his employer murdered, the ranch turned to ashes, and three young women struggling to survive in the unforgiving Borrego Desert, he must decide whether his presence protects them or places them in greater danger.
Bridget “Biddie” Davidson finally receives word from her older sister who disappeared with their brother and pa eighteen years prior, but the news is not good. Determined to help her family, Biddie sets out for a remote desert ranch with her adopted father and best friend. Nothing she finds there is as she expected, including the man who came to cook for the shambles of a ranch.
When tragedy strikes, the danger threatens not only her plans to help her sister, but her own dreams for the future—with the man who’s stolen her heart.
Oh, hello. You want to know more about me? I’m so flattered, but where do I begin? Let’s see . . .
I suppose if we are going to be friends, the first thing you should know is that I am a daughter of the One True King and without Him, none of this would be possible. You should also know that I am crazy-in-love with my wonderful husband of over nineteen years and we have four young children (okay so a couple have hit the double-digits but they’ll always be my babies), three of whom grew under my heart and one who grew in it.
We live in a modest house on twenty acres in the mountains of sunny California with nine adorable cats (who sometimes think they’re dogs), and one dog who has aspirations of becoming a race horse.
Wipe your feet and come on in. You could sit at the table, but my kids haven’t cleaned up their schooling for the day (we homeschool). So let’s settle on the couch for our chat. (Sorry about that stack of books, my To Be Read pile has gotten a little out of control. Just nudge it to the side.)
Are you on Goodreads? I try to keep my reading status up-to-date there, but I admit some books do get missed. I’m also on Twitter,Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, andPinterest. Are you? Let’s follow each other!
Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away--in jail--Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.
When she goes to take possession of her father's house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye--and has put a target on her back.
To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she's always dreamed of, she'll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers--especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.
Meet Stephenia Stephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.
05 Jul 2023
Episode 136 - Candice Sue Patterson Author Chat
00:22:06
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Candice Sue Patterson is our guest on the show this week, here to talk about her new book, The Keys to Gramercy Park. It's a fabulous dual timeline novel set in New York City involving counterfeiting. We chat about what it was like to write dual timeline, the end of the Doors to the Past series, and I ask the tough questions, like if she's ever split wood! Patrons get to hear about her foray into the cake decorating world.
Secrets Sealed Within a Wall Come to Light in Lower Manhattan
Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.
Investigative historical journalist Andrea Andrews is tired of waiting tables to make ends meet. If she could find and write the next breakout story, she could secure a promotion with Smithsonian Magazine as their writer-at-large. But not much happens in lower Manhattan out of the ordinary until she discovers post-Civil War counterfeit bills hidden in the wall of her historic district apartment.
Politics have always been Beau Davidson-Quincy’s passion, despite his family’s real estate empire. His clean image and single status make him a target in the media as he prepares to build his campaign for New York governor. He has nothing to hide until a cute waitress unravels a mystery that could destroy his family’s reputation.
Two centuries earlier, wounded Civil War veteran Franklin Davidson lost everything—his house, his wife, his standing in society. In his darkest moment, he’s awarded a position with the newly formed Secret Service to combat the spread of counterfeit U.S. currency. His life and new home in Gramercy Park are the envy of his peers, but nothing is as it seems. Secrets are meant to be kept, and Franklin will take his to his grave. Get your copy of The Keys to Gramercy Park.
Candice Sue Patterson studied at the Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s not tending to her chickens, watching her kids play sports, or helping children discover a love for reading as an elementary librarian, she’s working on a new story. Candice writes Modern Vintage Romance. She is represented by Linda S. Glaz of Hartline Literary Agency.
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She says, "Not only do I love spending time with the fictional people in my head, I also love to get lost in a good book. I’m a Sunday school teacher, a hobby farmer, a sucker for Hallmark movies, and my kitchen is open 24-hours. I love to travel. Some of my most memorable vacations include hiking all the way to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, white water rafting, horseback riding in Wyoming, and traveling the entire coast of Maine.
When I’m not on a deadline, I can be found reading, binge-watching Chesapeake Shores, internet shopping, or enjoying the outdoors. Like Anne Shirley, 'I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.'"
We have a little fun on this week's episode, talking about some unusual writer quirks. Everyone who has been listening to this show for a while knows that some authors do some pretty different things. Many of us grew up as nerds, and that has carried into our writing lives. How about our penchant for colorful sticky notes? Did you know that many of us have acted out our scenes? If you're a patron, you'll get to hear a bonus quirk. Hope you have a little chuckle to lighten your day.
Kim Vogel Sawyer returns to the podcast this week to talk about her new book, The Tapestry of Grace. We've known each other for quite some time, and it's always a pleasure to catch up with each other. We did plenty of laughing on the episode but also spoke about how beautiful and touching her book is. Among our topics were how she tapped into her own family history to weave the story, how one instance of seemingly unanswered prayer in her own life turn out for the good and the beautiful, and how the title came to be and why it's so perfect for the book. Patrons will get to hear about the time she spoke in a church basement during a tornado warning, so if you haven't yet joined my Patreon, please do so!
When a group of Kansas women start a Frauenverein, a benevolent society devoted to aiding widows and orphans, life changes for more than just the hurting people they seek to help in this heartwarming romance inspired by historical events—from the bestselling author of Freedom’s Song.
With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol’s schoolteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. She even knows exactly who their town’s benevolence society should help first: quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons.
Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn’t want help. His boys are mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn’t want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons need. Or what he needs.
For her part, the charity’s founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a reason to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a son for her husband since they have no children of their own.
Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each imagines how they should be met: by reaching out or by being left alone. But God, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol’s residents prevent them from receiving God’s help? Or will the members of this small Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last place they expect—in one another?
Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer is a wife, mother, gramma, chocolate-lover, cat-petter, and--most importantly--a daughter of the King! With more than 1.5 million books in print in seven different languages, Kim enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Her "gentle stories of hope" are loved by readers and reviewers alike. Kim and her retired military husband, Don, reside on the plains of Kansas, the setting for many of her novels.
First-time guest Cindy K. Sproles joins us today to talk about her new book, This is Where It Ends. It's a fascinating story about an old mountain woman, her long-held secret, and the young man who befriends her. It was great to get to know Cindy better and to chat with her about what it was like to write from the point of view of a 96-year-old woman, how to properly say Appalachian and what she loves most about living there, and what sparked the idea for the novel. Patrons get to hear the bonus question about her advocacy for children and adults with special needs, especially as she's navigated and advocated for her grown son.
When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just 14 years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her was filled with gold. And when he died 50 years later, he made her promise to keep his secret. She is to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contains.
Now 94, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she's kept that secret. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story. His friend who joins him only wants to find the location of the gold. Neither of them knows quite who they're up against when it comes to the old woman on the mountain.
As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. After all, how long is one bound by a promise? But the truth of what's really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.
"Blood might be thicker than water, but love trumps both in Cindy K. Sproles's touching novel."--Valerie Fraser Luesse, author of Under the Bayou Moon
"This is the way Christian fiction should be written."--Cecil Murphey, author or coauthor of 140 books, including 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
Cindy K. Sproles is an author and a speaker, whose dream is to do nothing more than craft words that speak from the heart. God's plan seems to be for her to write and teach the craft. With God’s guidance, Cindy is expanding her horizons. We'll see how He uses her.
Cindy is a mountain gal. Proud of her heritage, she was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains where life is simple, words have a deep southern drawl, and colloquialisms like, "well slap my knee and call me corn pone" seem to take precedence over proper speech. Apple Butter, coal mining, the river, pink sunrises, and golden sunsets help you settle into a porch swing and relax. Family, the love of God, and strong morals are embedded into her life in the mountains. Teaching writers, spinning fiction tales about life in the mountains, history, and down-home ideas find their way into all she does. “I love to write devotions, to seek after the deeper side of Christ, and to share the lessons He teaches me from life in the hills of East Tennessee. I am a writer. A speaker. A lover of God's Word and friend to all.” This is Cindy Sproles. Welcome home to the mountains. Visit Cindy K. Sprole's website.
02 Aug 2023
Episode 140 - Michelle Griep Author Chat
00:30:34
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Michelle Griep joins us once again on the podcast, this time to talk about her latest release, Man of Shadow and Mist. This Victorian Gothic romance is absolutely fabulous from the first delicious line to the final, satisfying ending. Our topics on the episode ranged from superstitions to Dracula, who inspired the book, to her new puppy Winston. You'll get to find out why she named him that. There's a very special bonus for patrons who get to discover Michelle's talent for baking brownies. Only patrons will get the details on that recipe!
“The world seems full of good men—even if there are monsters in it.” –Bram Stoker, Dracula
England, 1890
Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed.
James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he’s desperately trying to find a cure—an illness that will eventually take his own life.
When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she discovers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can’t explain—especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the no-nonsense librarian.
Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?
Michelle Griep is an author, blogger, and occasional super-hero when her cape is clean.
"Dare I be so bold as to call myself an author? Being that I’m one of those freaks who attended poetry workshops instead of summer camp during my formative years, yes, I will. While other teens busied themselves throwing parties when their parents weren’t home, I was the nerd holed up in my room with pen and paper.
Relatives. Can’t shoot ’em. It’s against the law, although I bet my husband and four children have been tempted now and again to put me in their crosshairs. I’m a wife of thirty-something years and mother of two sons and two daughters. And yes, it’s true…boys are way easier than girls, unless drama is something you crave.
I am one of those library-card wielding, mini-van driving, let’s-take-a-jaunt-to-the-grocery-store and call it a field trip kind of homeschoolers. But allow me this disclaimer: I don’t wear denim jumpers, and I farm out anything related to science or math. Bonus disclaimer: The last of my nestlings has flown the homeschooling nest, but I continue to tutor writing and offer workshops.
What’s the deal with me and Great Britain? Beats me. I’m as passionate about anything English as I am about chocolate and java. Oddly enough, I prefer Bronte over Austen, and if you’d like to debate the qualities of Typhoo versus PG Tips, feel free to e-mail me."
Ann Gabhart returns to the podcast this week. She's always such a pleasure to have on the show, and we had a wonderful talk about her new book, In the Shadow of the River. We chatted about what life was like aboard a showboat, how you can combine faith, fun, and mystery, how much Ann loves her life on a Kentucky farm, and how publishing has changed since her first book released in 1978. Patrons get to hear about how this sweet Southern lady became a rabid fan of University of Kentucky basketball.
If all the world's a stage, Jacci will play her part.
She only hopes her story does not turn out to be a tragedy.
In 1881, Jacci Reed is only five years old when a man attempts to kidnap her from the steamboat her mother, Irena, works on. Badly wounded during the confrontation, Irena takes Jacci aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, a showboat tied up beside them. There, Jacci's actor grandfather tends to her mother and Jacci gets a first taste of the life she will come to lead.
Fifteen years later, Jacci is an actress aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, and largely contented with her adopted family of actors, singers, and dancers. Especially Gabe, who has always supported her, and the gruff grandfather she has come to know and love. Jacci's mother has been gone for years, but the memory of the altercation that ultimately took her life--and the cryptic things Jacci has overheard about her past--is always there, lurking in the back of her mind.
When someone on the showboat tries to kill Jacci, it's clear her questions demand answers. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows, and the answers she craves will not come easily. Gabe only hopes they come in time for him and Jacci to have a future together.
Meet Ann Gabhart I’m a country girl, born and raised on a farm in the Outer Bluegrass region of Kentucky. My family grew tobacco and corn. We had a few milk cows, some hogs and sheep, but mostly beef cattle. My roots go deep in the land, and I now live on a farm just a mile away from where I was born and raised.
I started writing when I was ten and have been writing ever since. My first novel, A Forbidden Yearning, a historical romance about the settling of Kentucky, was published by Warner Books in 1978. Since then I’ve published over thirty other novels for adults and young adults.
My husband and I were both very young when we married, but we defied the odds and are still married all these years later. That could be because we went to church together and were committed to the Christian life. We are blessed with three wonderful children who picked some great people to marry and now we have nine amazing grandchildren I spoil every chance I get.
I’ve been going to the same small country church since I was seventeen and I used my memories of how the church used to be in my Heart of Hollyhill books. My church was established in 1812 and it’s inspiring to think about all the people who have served the Lord there.
And I do love to write in my office with big windows all around. Writing is what I’ve always wanted to do. The desire of my heart is to tell stories to readers like you. Thank you for reading!
Gabrielle Meyer returns to the podcast this week, and I'm so excited to have her with us to talk about her latest book, In This Moment. It's one of my favorite reads of 2023. We chat about how she juggled three timelines in this novel, how the Mississippi River inspires her to write, and what it was like to research and include her own family history with the Salem Witch Trials in her next book. My patrons will get to hear the fascinating story behind why they just had some French people staying at their house.
Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever.
In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.
While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?
Gabrielle Meyer's writing captivates with . . .
"A page-turning journey through three riveting, interwoven historical timelines."--MIMI MATTHEWS,USA Today bestselling author
"Wonderful settings that brim with ethical dilemmas, fabulous twists, and an engaging heroine."--ELIZABETH CAMDEN, Christy and RITA Award-winning author
"A time-traveling adventure with timeless appeal."--JOCELYN GREEN,Christy Award-winning author
Gabrielle lives on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical and contemporary novels inspired by real people, places, and events. The river is a constant source of inspiration for Gabrielle, and if you look closely, you will find a river in each of her stories.
When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.
Rachel Scott McDaniel is back with us this week. We've had a little scheduling change, so these may be out of order, but thank you for bearing with me as life sometimes happens.
Rachel is chatting about her new book, The Starlet Spy, another installment in Barbour Publishing's Heroines of WWII series. We talk about the inspiration behind the book, what's real and what's not real, and how she created the fascinating heroine. Patrons get to hear what she loves most about fall and what's up for her in the coming months.
The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel In 1943, movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the “Casablanca of the North.” When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.
The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who’s subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the “all beauty, no brains” Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the misconception as her disguise. She’s tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Finn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?
With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive a world of deadly spies and counterspies.
Rachel Scott McDaniel As much as I'd love to occupy this space gushing about my fanatical penchant for all things classic movies, I probably should mention that I'm an award-winning writer. I hope to inspire the mind and refresh the soul with words infused with faith and heart.
Thank you, dear reader, for your love of story. Without you, I wouldn't be here. I appreciate each and every email, DM, and note of encouragement. Your sweet support has truly meant a lot.
I'm so thrilled to have Susie Finkbeiner returning to the show this week. She's so much fun to chat with. We talked about her new book, The All American, what the political climate was like in the early 1950s and how baseball played a role in Americana, and the wonderful woman she got to hear speak about her time in the women's baseball league, as well as what she loves about 1950s fashion. Patrons get to hear about her love for Shakespeare and the fun she has with that.
Two sisters discover how much good there is in the world--even in the hardest of circumstances
It is 1952, and nearly all the girls 16-year-old Bertha Harding knows dream of getting married, keeping house, and raising children in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Bertha dreams of baseball. She reads every story in the sports section, she plays ball with the neighborhood boys--she even writes letters to the pitcher for the Workington Sweet Peas, part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
When Bertha's father is accused of being part of the Communist Party by the House Un-American Activities Committee, life comes crashing down on them. Disgraced and shunned, the Hardings move to a small town to start over where the only one who knows them is shy Uncle Matthew. But dreams are hard to kill, and when Bertha gets a chance to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas, she packs her bags for an adventure she'll never forget.
Join award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner for a summer of chasing down your dreams and discovering the place you truly belong.
She serves on the Fiction Readers Summit planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the country. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.
Debby Lee is a new-to-me author making her first appearance on the podcast this week. Her fascinating new book, Beneath a Peaceful Moon, is part of Barbour Publishing's Heroines of WWII series, and looks at the role of Native Americans in winning WWII, both as spies and as code talkers. We chat about Debby's visit to Arizona to do research, how much Debby, a Native American herself, knows of the Navajo and Yakima languages, and how she went above and beyond (really above and beyond!) in her research. Patrons will get to hear about some of the sad things that happened to Native Americans even after the war, including to Debby's own family, and the repercussions that are still being felt today.
Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee
Mary Wishram, an orphaned Yakima tribal member, aches for her brother who suffers in a POW camp in the Philippine Islands and her Japanese friends who languish in a relocation center. Determined to end the war by any means necessary, she employs her language skills to become a spy. Leaving Camp Pendleton for the South Pacific, she faces escalating threats of peril to help bring her loved ones home.
John Painted Horse, a proud Navajo, struggles with the loss of his father who died in WWI for a country that didn’t consider him a United States citizen. Though his home state doesn’t offer him the right to vote, he joins the Code Talker program at Camp Pendleton. Thrust into mounting danger in the South Pacific, he hopes to bring long overdue recognition and honor to his people, no matter the cost.
Will these two wounded souls find healing from their past traumas and a deeper relationship with God, before it’s too late? Or will they lose their chance at love, and everything they hold dear?
Debby Lee, a member of the Yakama tribe, started writing as a child but never forgets home, the cozy town of Toledo, Washington, and her Native American roots.
A former president of the Olympia chapter of Romance Writers of America, Debby enjoys participating in both RWA and the American Christian Fiction Writers. Her full length title, Beneath a Peaceful Moon, releases June 1, 2023, with Barbour Publishing. She also has six novella collections with Barbour. The Courageous Brides and Mountain Christmas Brides both made the ECPA Bestsellers list.
A self-professed nature lover, Debby feels like a hippie child who wasn’t born early enough to attend Woodstock. She wishes she could run barefoot all year long and often does when weather permits. During football season, she cheers on the Seattle Seahawks with other devoted fans. She’s also filled with wanderlust and dreams of traveling the world.
Shannon McNear joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her latest release, Rebecca. This is a fascinating look into the life of Pocahontas. She tells us about the history behind this story, why call a book about Pocahontas Rebecca, and all the detailed research she did for the novel. She also shares some of the songs that are on the playlist she put together to listen to while writing this series. If you love history with a twist, then you're sure to love this. Patrons also learn the answer to whether she'd rather live in South Carolina or North Dakota.
The Lost Colony of Roanoke: discover an alternate view of their fate alongside the life of Pocahontas.
The colony at Roanoke disappeared into the shadows of history. But, what if at least one survived to leave a lasting legacy?
Born the daughter of a Powhatan chieftain and a woman of unknown origins, Mato’aka enjoys a carefree life. When strange men from across the eastern waters appear near her home, she regards them at first as a mere curiosity. Soon, though, she finds herself torn between fascination for one of their leaders and the opinions and ways of her people–then becomes a pawn in their delicate and dangerous game of politics. Drawn to a young Englishman, John Rolfe, who has lost a wife and baby daughter, she shares his griefs. . .and perhaps something more.
Could she have a future among the English of Jamestown, accepting their ways and even changing her name? Could her destiny be a part of the lasting legacy of the Lost Colony of Roanoke?
After more than two decades in the South, Shannon McNear now makes her home on the windy northern plains with her husband, two of their eight children, two German Shepherds, a bunny, two cats, several chickens, and a noisy flock of guinea fowl. She serves in worship and youth ministry, and has been writing novel-length fiction since age 15. Her first novella, Defending Truth, from A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® nominee, and her most recent novella, The Wise Guy and the Star in Love’s Pure Light is a 2021 SELAH winner.
When not cooking, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the Dakota prairie.
Johanna Rojas Vann is a first-time guest to the podcast, and it was my pleasure to welcome her to the show this week. We chatted about her very first novel, An American Immigrant. This story is based on her mother's story of coming to the United States and on her life growing up as the child of an immigrant. We talk about how her mother inspired the book, why she used to hesitate speaking English, and how this book has shifted her view of what she wants to write in the future. Patrons also get to hear about how her children's lives are so very different from her own.
A Colombian American journalist tries to save her career by taking an assignment somewhere she never thought she’d go—Colombia—in this heartwarming debut novel about rediscovering our family stories.
“A beautiful homage to a mother’s bravery and to the grace and grit that is our inheritance.”—Alicia Menendez, MSNBC anchor and creator and host of the Latina to Latina podcast
Twenty-five-year-old Melanie Carvajal, a hardworking but struggling journalist for a Miami newspaper, loves her Colombian mother but regularly ignores her phone calls, frustrated that she never quite takes the time to understand Melanie’s life. When the opportunity arises for a big assignment that might save her flagging career, Melanie follows the story to the land of her mother’s birth. She soon realizes Colombia has the potential to connect her, after all these years, to something she’s long ignored: her heritage, the love of her mother, her family, and the richest parts of herself.
Colombia offers more than a chance to make a name for herself as a writer. It is a place of untold stories.
Inspired by real-life events, An American Immigrant is a story of culture and community, of abiding commitment to family, and of embracing our culture and the generations that have come before.
Johanna Rojas Vann is a professional writer whose work can be found online and within numerous publications. She is a second-generation Colombian American, with dual citizenship, and lives with her husband and children in Nashville, Tennessee, where the coffee is good and the people are even better.
She is a big fan of words—speaking them, reading them, and (especially) writing them.
As a novelist, she's passionate about stories that highlight the complexity and beauty of diverse families. But nothing brings her more joy than my role at home as wife and stay-at-home mom.
Valerie Fraser Luesse returns to the podcast this week to chat about her new book, Letters from My Sister. We had such a good time, and she's such a gracious lady. We talked about how her grandmother helped inspire the book, the difficulties writing about an African American character, Southern culture and how where you live affects all aspects of your life, and her story shack. Patrons will get to hear from Valerie what was so special about growing up in the South.
Two Sisters. One Single Event. A Family Changed Forever.
At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life as the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer when their well-ordered household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly--and innocently--draws the wrong kind of attention. Meanwhile, Callie meets a man who offers her the freedom to abandon social constraints and discover her truest self.
After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see--or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily's missing baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light through their letters--including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie's life.
Bestselling author Valerie Fraser Luesse weaves a complex and suspenseful tale dripping with intrigue, romance, and Southern charm.
Valerie Fraser Luesse is the author of Almost Home and the bestselling, Christy Award–winning Missing Isaac. Her third novel, The Key to Everything, was inspired by a true story. An award-winning magazine writer, Luesse is best known for her features and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently the senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, she has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Acadian Louisiana, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. The author lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, Dave—and a mischievous orange cat named Cheeto.
Misty M. Beller returns to the podcast this week to share with us a little about one of her latest releases, Healing the Mountain Man's Heart. We had a lovely chat, as always, and talked about the fun way she decided what to write about in this book, how she walks the line between sweet romance and electricity, and the incredible little book she wrote at a fifth grader. She shares with patrons the mountain range she's secretly always wanted to visit.
In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.
Jericho Coulter, the eldest of six fiercely devoted brothers, is entrusted with safeguarding his family and the secret that binds them together: the Sapphire mine. To keep tragedy from striking again, he allows no outsiders on their land. When two women stumble upon their ranch, claiming Jericho himself sent for one of them as a mail-order bride, he aims to send them straight back where they came from.
Dinah Wyatt, a talented and determined doctor, wasn’t about to let her twin sister travel to Montana alone and marry a stranger. Dinah’s skills are immediately put to the test when one of the younger Coulter brothers is gravely injured, forcing the family to trust his life to her.
As Dinah and her sister become entwined in the Coulter family's life, sparks fly between the enigmatic Jericho and the captivating doctor. In a world where trust is hard to come by and secrets hold the power to change lives, Jericho and Dinah must learn that sometimes, the most precious secrets are those buried within our own hearts. Get your copy of Healing the Mountain Man's Heart by Misty M. Beller
Learn more about Misty.
I write romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.
My husband and children are the loves of my life, keeping me both grounded and crazy, sane and out of my mind.
I was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so my Southern roots run deep. Growing up, my family was close, and we continue to keep that priority today. My husband and 5 kiddos now add another dimension to my life, keeping me both grounded and crazy.
God has placed a desire in my heart to combine my love for Christian fiction and the simpler farm life, writing historical novels that display His abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of my characters.
Writing is my passion, and my family—both immediate and extended—is the foundation that holds me secure in my dream.
And you, Dear Reader, bring so much joy to my life! I pray for you regularly, especially those wonderful words in Colossians:
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for YOU, and to ask that YOU may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that YOU may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.
Jaime Jo Wright is our guest on the podcast this week, which is always a thrill. Though she tells us about her two most recent books, we also chat how she juggled three timelines, the class system that exists even in small todays today, and why she sets most of her books in Wisconsin. Patrons get an update on how her homeschooling adventure is going. The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright In 1870, orphaned Daisy François takes a position as housemaid at a Wisconsin castle to escape the horrors of her past life. There she finds a reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress who hides tales more harrowing than the ones in her novels. As women disappear from the area and the eerie circumstances seem to parallel a local legend, Daisy is thrust into a web that could ultimately steal her sanity, if not her life.
In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of an American aristocratic family to help his grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman's stash of collectibles, a century-old mystery and the dust of the old castle's curse threaten to rise again . . . this time to leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.
Award-winning author Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly weaves a dual-time tale of two women who must do all they can to seek the light amid the darkness shrouding Castle Moreau.
Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy's eldest brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta's younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her unveil the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must uncover the evil that haunts the theater and put its threat to rest.
Decades later, Kit Boyd's best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. Then television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher joins Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater's history. Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of finding her missing friend. As the theater's curse unravels Kit's life, she is determined to put an end to the evil that has marked the theater and their hometown for the last century.
Get your copy of The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater Jaime Jo Wright, the coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire, has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin's rural woodlands.
Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Two mischievous urchins adorn their family, who keep their mother on her toes - providing an exhilarating amount chaos.
Hannah Linder is such a delightful young lady, and she joins us on the podcast again this week. We had a great time chatting about her new book, Garden of the Midnights. We also talked about how both the book title and the book cover go along with the story, how Regency romance has changed in the past several years, and what historical self-portrait photography is. Patrons get to hear what a banjolele is and why Hannah decided to play it.
The accidents are not a matter of chance. They are deliberate. As English gentleman William Kensley becomes aware of the danger at Rosenleigh Manor, he pleads for the truth of his past from the only man he can trust—until that man is murdered.
As the secrets unfold into scandal, William’s world is tipped into destitution, leaving him penniless and alone. His only comfort is in the constant friendship and love of Isabella Gresham. If he does not have their nonsense at the seashore, their laughter, their reckless adventures, has he anything at all?
He should have known that would be ripped from him too. When a hidden foe arises from their acquaintances and imperils Isabella’s life, William may be the only one willing to risk his life to rescue her. But even if he frees Isabella from her captors, will he still have to forsake her heart?
Some sacrifice everything for love. Others sacrifice love for everything else. In this haunting tale of rigid social prejudices and heart-aching regrets, the greatest decision of their life will be determined in the garden of the midnights.
HANNAH LINDER resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. She writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Her latest novels, Beneath His Silence and When Tomorrow Came, released with Barbour Publishing.
In way of career, Hannah is an international and multi-award-winning graphic designer who specializes in professional book cover design. With a Graphic Design Associates Degree under her belt, she designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, national, and international bestsellers (hannahlinderdesigns.com). She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion.
When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing instruments—piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.Her greatest desire is to please her Savior and to write in a way that glorifies and uplifts Him.
Jennifer Lynn Cary visits the podcast this week and chats about her book, Runaround Sue. We talk about cover design (you have to see the covers for all the books in this series), what Kokomo, Indiana, was like in the 60s and 70s, and about Vietnam and Vietnam vets. Patrons get to hear about her passion for crochet and what her most challenging project has been.
Sue is hiding out until she is sure her former reputation won’t destroy what she’s trying to rebuild. Unfortunately, that means this brilliant wordsmith turned semi-hermit is working beneath her potential and dealing with stress every time her office door opens.
The last thing she needs to do is greet some biker guy who sets her nerves to jumping just by being in the same room. And if his hairy face isn’t enough to put her off, the mere fact that he’s male is.
So why does she keep ending up in his presence?
Mac is home from Viet Nam and if he never thinks about that place again, it will be too soon. Instead he’s returned to his music that got him through his teen years, his exotic senior trip overseas (thanks to his Uncle Sam), and the deep wound that he brought home with him. Using his GI bill to further his music understanding has pushed him outside his comfort zone, but the leggy secretary at his professor’s office is tempting him with other ideas he thought he’d shelved for good.
Even if she gets flustered every time he runs into her.
What will it take for her to give him a chance? Or is she more wounded than he is?
Return to 1972 Kokomo, Indiana for the third installment of The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series—Runaround Sue—and what happens when people discover who God has called them to be.
My name is Jennifer Lynn Cary.I am a retired teacher, an ardent fan of crocheting and a DIY kind of girl.Oh, and I write. A lot.The guy with the sweetest kiss in the world is my hubs of more than 40 years, affectionately known as Mr. Grumpy Pants.Together we’ve raised three of the most beautiful and intelligent daughters ever, who were smart enough to marry three of the most handsome and wonderful young men around. I have often said my sons-in-law are the best on the planet. You’re going to have to trust me on this.And then there are the grands. Yep, I know I don’t look it, but I am a grandmother of an ingenious seventh grader–Stinkerbelle–and a precocious toddler–Stinkerpoo, and his little sister-baby Stinkerella. They make me laugh, cry, and brag more than I ever expected.I saved the most important of all for last. I am a child of the King of kings. He has blessed me beyond reason and has never left me alone. I write for His glory.That’s me. There’s more I could add, but for now, that’s enough of an introduction.
Amanda Barratt is our guest on the podcast this week - finally! Such an oversight on my part to not have her join us before this. We chatted about her new book, The Warsaw Sisters, about what drew her to writing her last two books in Poland during WWII, What the Warsaw Uprising Was, and the role women played during the war. Patrons will get to hear when she first decided she wanted to be an author.
On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.
When Antonina's beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw's Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland's secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart--and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
Get your copy of The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt. I’m Amanda—novelist, history nerd, and daughter of the King of kings. From an early age, as I wandered through a small-town library, my life has been shaped by countless stories—offerings of art from an author’s heart to mine. I’m passionate about illuminating oft-forgotten facets of history—be it the story of a group of unsung heroes who fought for hope and humanity behind the walls of the Krakòw ghetto, the lives of the university students who stepped from the ranks of the silently complicit in Hitler’s Germany, the love story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer, or the heroism and tragedy of the Warsaw Uprising. It thrills me to search for the snapshot in the sweeping panorama of a historical event, to delve into the quiet valor of ordinary individuals faced with extraordinary times.
Though my novels and novellas span a variety of eras, I’m ceaselessly intrigued by the Second World War. In times of some of the greatest evil and inhumanity our world has ever known, there emerged glimmers of courage, resilience, and sacrifice. The juxtaposition of those fragments of light against the darkness is extraordinarily powerful and inspires me as I write.
Research is one of my favorite parts of the novel-crafting process and my idea of the perfect vacation is a trip to a museum or historical landmark. I love stories that linger in the heart long after the last page, shelves brimming with books, and cherished moments with family and friends. And I love my readers! Friends like you who take the time to gather around my virtual coffee table.
Denise Weimer is a first-time guest on the podcast, but she's a long-time author, and it was my pleasure to welcome her to the show this week. Her new book is A Courageous Bethrotal, and we talk about how early settlers kept the pathers away, the real-life woman she based her heroine on, and the challenges of writing a novella. Patrons will hear about her love of old houses and what inspired it.
A wounded lieutenant, a woman fierce enough to protect her family, and an American Revolution with everything at stake.
Red-haired, freckle-faced, and almost six feet tall, Jenny White has resigned herself to fame over love. Possessing the courage and wits to guard her younger siblings against nature, natives, and loyalists in Georgia’s “Hornet’s Nest” gives life meaning until she meets scout Caylan McIntosh.
From the time Jenny nurses the young lieutenant back to health after the Battle of Kettle Creek, she can’t deny her attraction to the vexing Highlander, who seems determined to dismantle her emotional armor. But when Georgia falls to the British and Caylan returns to guide Jenny’s family on a harrowing exodus into the North Carolina mountains, will his secrets prove stronger than his devotion? Or will their love be courageous enough to carry them through the battles ahead?
North Georgia native Denise Weimer has authored a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas—historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and time slip. Former managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas’ two historical imprints, she serves as Acquisitions & Editing Liaison for Wild Heart Books and as a freelance editor, helping other authors reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.
Angela Couch returns to the podcast this week to chat about her new release, Capturing Hope. We talk about if she planned out all the plot twists that are in this novel, what she learned about WWII in Poland while writing the book, and what martial art she practices. Patrons will get to hear which is her favorite time period to write.
One step ahead of the Nazi’s. . .leaves Nadia little room for hope.
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
After her father is murdered by Nazis and her mother flees to her native Germany, hope is something of which Nadia Roenne feels little—even if it is the meaning of her name. It isn’t until an American photographer sacrifices his escape from Poland to save a Jewish family, that she finds a purpose. David Reid is very familiar with failure, but when he is charged with getting Nadia safely out of Poland, he is determined to succeed—even if she works against him at every turn, putting other’s lives ahead of her own. While they race against the daily shower of bombs over Warsaw and the ever-nearing German army, Nadia grows used to risking her life. . .but dare she risk her heart?
To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after six munchkins.
Favorite 2023 Reads This week, I asked what your favorite 2023 reads were. I loved reading your answers, and we had a good variety across plenty of different time periods. So sit back with a cup of hot cocoa and see what other listeners and readers picked as their book of the year. Do you agree? Did you have some favorite 2023 reads that didn't make the list?
In no particular order: In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever. Get In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer
Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep How can two solitary individuals fight ugly, local superstitions and rumors that villanize a rich, transplanted family? As evil happenings increase and coincide with either the appearance of Sir James Morgan or ill weather, gossip runs rampant and feelings get out of hand. Get Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research--her life's dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement's legendary Havmand--the merman--and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide. Get The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin
Pepper Basham stops by the podcast this week to chat about her latest release, The Juliet Code. We talked about how she balances the romance and adventure in this book, how challenging it was to write a romance centered around an already-married couple, how she writes about Venice even though she's never been there, and why she picked speech pathology as her day job. Patreons will get to hear how her Granny's stories inspired her to write - and about a special book coming up!
Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving
Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine) rumored to hold a secret code to an underground vault of similarly treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery and their beloved Detective Jack disappears, can they use their wits and work as a team to find the thieves and Jack before it’s too late.
The Juliet Code is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse.
Meet Pepper Bashsam I wrote my first story when I was a nine year- old, freckled-faced tomboy in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains (my earlier writings wouldn’t have been considered “books”, more like short stories). Coming from a long line of oral storytellers, weaving a good yarn seemed a typical part of my life. It wasn’t until I finished college, had two children, and a full-time job before I began to study the ‘craft’ of writing (you know when I had plenty of time).
My music-director turned pastor husband took his first senior pastor position eight years ago, moved the 6 of us to Tennessee, where we added our fifth and final kid to the Basham crew. And now we’re in Asheville, NC. Yep, we love the Blue Ridge Mountains.
So…now I’m an older, freckled-faced mommy enjoying life, learning to write, and laughing often. My mom says that I must have a small bit of insanity because I don’t realize how stressed I ought to be.
I’m also a speech-language pathologist who spends her time hanging out with kids who have social communication and language difficulties! It’s a challenge and a blessing – and constantly teaches me about the importance of thinking outside the box!
Jody Hedlund makes a return appearance on Christian Historical Fiction Talk this week, and we chat about her new book, Calling on the Matchmaker. We talk about what makes a "swoony" romance, how she balances between the funnier aspects of her stories and characters and the heavier topics she deals with, and growing up without a TV. Patrons will also hear what her favorite dessert is that her girls make for her. It sounds delicious!
"Jody Hedlund's novels are a joy to read."--ELIZABETH CAMDEN, RITA and Christy Award-winning author "A historical romance reader's delight. Treat yourself! Jody Hedlund does not disappoint."--ROBIN LEE HATCHER, Christy Award-winning author
Haunted by the death of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she's not worthy of a family of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in the slums. When Finola sabotages yet another unwanted relationship her parents arranged for her, her father calls upon the local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker Riley Rafferty. Finola quickly realizes her usual tricks won't work on him, however, as she cannot outsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man.
A candidate in the St. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthy Shanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning--and even more assured he and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins to take St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger testing all they know about love and sacrifice.
More about Jody Hedlund: I’ve been married for over twenty-five years to my college sweetheart. My husband has been one of my biggest cheerleaders over the years, doing his best to understand and support my writing even in the days when publication was only the whisper of a dream.
As we’ve raised our busy family of five children, he’s happily helped me carve out writing time. He’s very helpful around the house and pitches in wherever possible. (I have to admit that he does ALL of the grocery shopping!). We really work together as a team to support each other in our pursuits and work.
We’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to homeschool our children and are thankful for the close relationships we’ve developed in our family as a result. Now as we traverse the season of having teens and adult children, we’re excited to see God at work leading our children into new adventures.
My mom was the most influential person in my writing career. When I was young, she helped facilitate my love of writing by reading aloud to me, giving me good books to read, and providing the kind of environment that fostered my creativity (in fact we didn’t have a TV for a number of years). She always believed in me, encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and rode alongside me cheering me on.
Kimberly Woodhouse joins us for the last episode of 2023. It's appropriate since she was the first guest of the year. This time, she's here to talk about her new release, The Secrets Beneath. We talk about this fascinating book centered around paleontology and women, about how difficult it is for someone of faith to work in science, and her "Million Miles with Kim" program. Patrons will hear if she likes working alone or collaborating better.
Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they're given the opportunity of a lifetime and are swiftly caught up in the competitive era of the Bone Wars. But after her father becomes sick and Joshua Ziegler, an old beau, returns for the summer, Anna's world is upended, and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.
Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the one woman he truly loved and deeply hurt. But when he returns, time hasn't erased the feelings they've always had for each other. After Joshua's nephew goes missing--just like his sister did years ago--and Anna's job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unearthed. "Kim has long been a favorite author of mine, and her book The Secrets Beneath is no exception. This book is full of intrigue and adventure, twists and turns."--TRACIE PETERSON, USA Today bestselling author
Kimberly Woodhouse is a devoted wife and mother, and a third generation Liszt student. She has passed down her love of music and the arts to hundreds of students over the years, recorded three albums, and appeared at over 2,000 venues to more than a million people. Her quick wit, enthusiasm, and positive outlook through difficult circumstances have gained her audiences at conferences, retreats, churches, military functions, and seminars all over the country.
The Woodhouse family’s story has been on the front page of newspapers, in magazines, articles, medical journals, and most famously featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They were also asked to share their story on The Montel Williams Show and Discovery Health Channel’s Mystery ER along with hundreds of other TV appearances and radio interviews.
Kim has been writing seriously for more than twenty years. Songs, plays, short stories, novels, picture books, articles, newsletters – you name it – she’s written it. It wasn’t until a dear friend challenged her to “do something with it” that she pursued publication. Now, she is a best-selling author of more than two dozen books, with more on the way. She has won The Carol Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and has finaled in the Selah Awards and the Spur Awards.
She is passionate about Bible study, reading, music, cooking, and pretty-much-all-things-crafty. Kimberley has been married to her incredible husband for twenty-nine years and counting and they have two married adult children.
How do you like to read? Do you prefer print books, audio books, or ebooks? Why is that your preferred method of reading? This week, I take answers from the question I posted on social media - how do you like to read? The input and feedback was fantastic. Take a listen and see if you agree with those who answered. You might even find your answer to the question how do you like to read in the episode.
If you didn't see the question about how do you like to read on social media, comment and let me know how you like to read - ebook, audio book, or print book. I'd love to hear your thoughts as well.
I appreciate all the support during the past year and look forward to a great 2024. We're in the process of putting together a great line up. Please take a minute and consider supporting the podcast by joining my Patreon. Each month, you'll get early access, bonus content, and depending on the level you join, an entry into a book giveaway. You can join here.
Don't forget about the bonus for preordering What I Promise You, which releases on January 15th. Preorders are important to authors because the more preorders there are of a book, the more likely Amazon and other online retailers are to recommend it. And it doesn't matter which format you order it on - ebook, audio book, or print book.
The preorder gift is a special Zoom party with me, where I'll give away a couple of prizes, including the grand prize of a fabulous purse. Just preorder at your favorite online retailer or local bookstore by 11:59 pm CST on January 14th, then come back and fill out this form. I'll send out the link to the party which is on Tuesday, January 23rd at 7:30 pm Central time. You don't need to be present to win (but it would be fun if you were!).
10 Jan 2024
Episode 161 - Laura Frantz Author Chat
00:35:35
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Laura Frantz is our guest on the podcast this week, here to talk about her new book, The Seamstress of Acadie. We chatted about how she used French in the book and what it was like to speak it in Paris, her answer to the question of evil in a world ruled by a good and loving God, and what the Tea and Quill Tour is. (Hint: If you love Laura or Pepper Basham and traveling, you don't want to miss this part!) Patrons will get to hear what her proudest mom moment has been.
As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands.
As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.
Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.
According to Publishers Weekly, "Frantz has done her historical homework." With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.
Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.net
*Subscribe to Laura's seasonal newsletter and receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more!
Eli: The Phenom's Story by Mark Zimmerman Mark Zimmerman, a broadcaster by day and an author by night, joins us on the podcast this week to talk about his book, Eli: The Phenom's Story. Combining Amish with baseball, he sits down to chat about how and why he has illustrations on the book, what he knew about the Amish when he started writing it and what he learned along the way, and so much more. Patrons will get to hear what other hobbies he has.
A native of the Cleveland area, Mark Zimmerman graduated from West Geauga High School in Chesterland. At Bowling Green State University, he majored in Broadcasting, and minored in American Literature.
He entered the working world at WUAB-TV in Cleveland, working behind the scenes for 6 years. His 12-year advertising career followed. Starting as a copywriter, he became a producer, and a creative director – winning local, regional, national and international recognition.
In 1993, concurrent with his advertising career, he re-entered the radio world, working mainly as the morning drive host at WCRF – 103.3fm in Cleveland. Currently, Mark is the morning drive host for Heartfelt Radio at 91.9fm, with studios in Barberton.
Mark Zimmerman and his wife Wendy have been married for over 35 years, have three grown daughters, two great sons-in-law, and two grandchildren.
A lifetime Cleveland baseball fan, Mark wants – with the rest of us – “just one before I die.”
Darlene Bocek is my guest this week on the show, and she comes to us all the way from Turkey to discuss her book, Trunk of Scrolls. This novel is set during the Byzantine period, so she tells us what time period that was and what was going on then, what life is like for her in Turkey, and the unique way you can contribute to getting this book distributed to the Turkish people because they have no Christian fiction market there. Patrons get to hear about her children who are flung all over the globe.
"Trunk of Scrolls fell open and I fell in..."Dr. Michael S. Horton.
A.D. 526 The earth shakes like a beast awakening. Now Antioch, once the glory of Rome, lies in ruins--a broken-backed man that cannot stand. Marcellus, a sixteen year old Byzantine nobleman, takes up sword and wits to protect his young neighbors against wild animals, wild men, and a wild God they do not understand. Bearing a cursed betrothal ring, a lucky tooth of an infant saint, and a neglected trunkful of Scripture scrolls, can they survive a seven hundred mile journey to Constantinople to find their missing father and restore their lost fortune? Or will Marcellus stop this fated journey before it is too late? Kyrie Eleison. God have mercy. Trunk of Scrolls is a "on the edge of your seat" survival story. If you like fast-paced adventures, spontaneous young heroes, suspense-filled plots, and a dash of romance, then you'll love Trunk of Scrolls! Good for the whole family! Great for a curl-up-on-the-bed read.BUY it today! Take and Read!
Darlene Böcek and her family live in Izmir, Turkey. She and her family are Marvel MCU, early Star Wars, and Twilight Zone fans.
Besides being a pastor’s wife, Darlene is mom to four wonderful young adults: one skilled dentist, two hard-working dental students, and one high school student/Turkish TikTok influencer.
The family lives on an olive farm overlooking the Aegean Sea. To date, they have twenty-four cats, three giant dogs, FOUR cute Havanese doggos and one African Grey parrot.
A native of San Diego, California, she received a Bachelors Degree in Social Science with an Ancient Middle Eastern emphasis from Westmont College, and elementary and secondary teaching credentials from Southern California College. She is connected to Westminster Theological Seminary of California through her husband, Fikret.
She spends “most” of her time in front of the washing machine and her spare time writing (or vice-versa).
Liz Tolsma (that's me!) is featured on the podcast this week with a special guest host. Along with my niece, we chat about my latest release, What I Promise You, about the challenge of writing three different timelines, how I managed to get a photo on the book's cover, and what research was like. Patrons get to hear what my writing space is like and will even get to see some pictures of it.
A Family’s History Is Lost to the Ravages of WWII in Southwest France
1942 Noémie Treves, a young, pregnant Jewish woman, had her entire world shattered when she is arrested and taken to the Camp de Rivesaltes transit camp in Southwest France. No sooner does she arrive, though, than she assists in helping two young girls scheduled for transport escape to a nearby maternity hospital. The matron there befriends her and changes her name to help hide her. But nothing goes according to plan, and Hannah finds herself doing the unimaginable to save one precious life.
2022 Caitlyn Laurant is haunted by recent events in her life and hopes becoming a nurse on the mission field will help her forget. While in training, she and her friends travel to France where her grandfather was born. What should have been an easy search for his birthplace turns into anything but and reveals secrets that no one alive has ever heard.
More about Liz Passionate might best describe me. I’m passionate about my writing, about my family, and about God. I started on this publication journey in 2011 and am so blessed that I get to work at my dream job every day. I love nothing better than settling into my comfy office chair at the big desk my husband built for me and letting my imagination go crazy.
I also love editing, especially helping new authors hone their skills and start on their own publication journeys. I have a passion for seeing others succeed in this business. There is always room for more well-written books.
At heart, I'm a story-teller and teacher, and so I enjoy speaking and presenting. If you're ever looking for a speaker at your event or a teacher at your writing conference or writers' group, I'd be happy to talk to you.
My other passions, besides writing, include camping, kayaking, working in my perennial garden, and walking. There is nothing more important to me than faith and family. My husband and I live in semi-rural Wisconsin, and we've been married more than 35 years now. The Lord blessed us with three children through adoption. Our son is a U.S. Marine, our daughter is a college graduate training to be an officer in the U.S. Marines, and our youngest daughter has both physical and intellectual disabilities, but she's a joy, and she loves going to daycare.
While there are many Bible verses that really speak to me, Romans 8:38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jennifer Deibel returns to the podcast to talk about her latest release, The Irish Matchmaker. We chat about the true-to-life matchmaking festival that is the center of the novel, how she keeps the romance from becoming too predictable, and more. If you can find the Lord of the Rings reference in this story, contact Jennifer, and she'll send you a signed bookplate! Patrons of the show hear about her singing and dancing aspirations.
The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel As daughter of a well-known matchmaker, Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love--and sees it as her ticket away from the sleepy village that only comes alive during the annual matchmaking festival. Enter Lord Osborne's son, Andrew, who has returned to the festival after being disappointed by a rival matchmaker's failed setup. Catríona seizes the opportunity to make a better match for the handsome man--and for herself!
Cattle farmer Donal Bunratty is in desperate need of a wife after loss left him to handle the farm and raise his daughter on his own. Shy and lacking the finer social graces, he agrees to attend the matchmaking festival to appease his daughter. But when he arrives, it's not any of the other merrymakers that catch his eye but rather his matchmaker--who clearly has eyes for someone else.
Catríona will have to put all her expertise to work to make a match that could change her life forever. Will her plan succeed? Or will love have its own way?
More about Jennifer. "I’m Jennifer, but most people call me Jen. Just please don’t call me Jenny. As a wife, mom, full-time public-school teacher, and author, I’m right in the trenches alongside you as I work, serve the Lord, and love my family. I’ve just been blessed to get to do some of it in the west of Ireland and Vienna, Austria. However, after a decade of life overseas, we have settled back in America–in sunny Arizona!
I currently teach middle school English, and when I’m not working on school things, I’m spending time with my incredible family–my husband Seth and our 3 awesome kids–and writing.
There’s just something so intimate and uplifting about a good story, isn’t there? I write stories that explore home through the lens of faith, family, and culture–with the beauty and depth of Ireland coloring much of it. And all of my books aim to bring you all the charm of an Irish village, the beauty of the Emerald Isle, and the hope and encouragement of faith.
Not only do I write books, but I’m also honored to have been a monthly contributor at The Better Mom and have posts shared at (in)courage, Djibouti Jones, Tricia Goyer, Unveiled Wife, Intentional by Grace, and more." Visit Jennifer Deibel's website.
Use my special link LIZ to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.
14 Feb 2024
Episode 166 - Jamie Ogle Author Chat
00:26:52
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Jamie Ogle is our guest on the podcast this week, and she's here for the first time. Her new book, Of Love and Treason, is her fictionalized version of St. Valentine, so perfectly appropriate for this time of year. We chat about her research, her struggle with the end of the book, and her hobby of beekeeping, among other things. What a great book, endorsed by Francine Rivers! Patrons get to hear about the very first story she ever wrote.
Valentine defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything.
Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety.
Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris's new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together beyond the treacherous empire.
But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.
I'm Jamie Ogle, award-winning author of historical fiction full of danger, (good) rebels, and deep faith.
I grew up in northern Minnesota listening to my grandparents tell stories from their youth. Stories of fighting in WWII, of panning for gold in Alaska, of crossing the Nebraska prairies in a covered wagon during the Great Depression, of gypsies stealing chickens, of a city girl falling in love with a farmer. Listening to them, I fell in love with stories, with history, with grit and perseverance.
I also grew up listening to my parents read missionary stories to me and my sisters before bed. Those stories of faith, sacrifice, and courage inspired me even more. I read everything I could get my hands on and started writing stories of my own. My first story was self-published and self-illustrated on a piece of cardboard, and I've never stopped writing since. I studied English and writing craft at Iowa State University and am a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
My husband and I love to travel, and currently live in central Iowa where we can usually be found gardening, beekeeping, homeschooling, and tromping though the woods with our three young children.
Okay, that's enough about me. I'd love to connect with YOU!
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