Christian Historical Fiction Talk – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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Karen Witemeyer returns to the show this week after a long absence, and we're thrilled to have her join us to talk about her new book, Cloaked in Beauty. Based on "Sleeping Beauty" and "Red Riding Hood," this is book three in a series. She tells us all about the series, why she chose the fairy tales she did, the old-time photo she and her husband took, and her son's wedding. Patrons will hear why she loves Texas so much.

 Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer

Trust no one in the shadows of the piney woods . . .

Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother in the backwoods of east Texas to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit.

Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to her survival grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping Letty out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his heart.

Get your copy of Cloaked in Beauty.

More about Karen Witemeyer:

After growing up in California, Karen 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 her here.

Visit Karen's website.

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Michelle Shocklee makes a return appearance on the show this week, talking about her new release, All We Thought We Knew. We chat about the interesting intertwining of the WWII and Vietnam War eras, how it feels to be a Christy Award finalist, and why she'll never read a book in ebook format. Patrons will hear about all the special items she has sitting on her desk.

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

Get your copy of All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee.

More about Michelle:

I have always loved the written word. As far back as I can remember I've enjoyed books.
My mother, an elementary school teacher, read to my four older siblings and me a lot while we grew up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After I learned to read on my own, books were part of my daily life. When I walk into a bookstore, I take a deep breath, inhaling that wonderful, unique aroma. Ahhh.
(Sorry techies, but ya just can't do that with a Kindle!)

So it wasn't a big surprise when I discovered how much I enjoyed writing my own stories. I filled pages of notebooks and eventually computer screens with tales of love, heartbreak, drama and humor. Although I write various genres,
historical settings are my favorite.  

When I'm not writing, editing, or dreaming up new stories, my husband and I work as Estate Caretakers! We also enjoy spending time at the beach with our two grown sons and their beautiful wives.

Visit Michelle's website.

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Gabrielle Meyer is back on the podcast to talk about her new book, For a Lifetime. We chat about all the twists in the book (without any spoilers), how she has brought time-crossing novels into the mainstream, and a surprise she has for fans of her books. Patrons get to hear about all the wonderful hosting she does at her home.

For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

Grace and Hope are identical twin sisters born with the ability to time-cross together between 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, and 1912 New York City. As their twenty-fifth birthday approaches, they will have to choose one life to keep and one to leave behind forever--no matter the cost. 

In 1692, they live and work in their father's tavern, where they must watch helplessly as the witch trials unfold in their village, threatening everyone. With the help of a handsome childhood friend, they search for the truth behind their mother's mysterious death, risking everything to expose a secret that could save their lives--or be their undoing.

In 1912, Hope dreams of becoming one of the first female pilots in America, and Grace works as an investigative journalist, uncovering corruption and injustice. After their parents' orphanage is threatened by an adversary, they enter a contest to complete a perilous cross-country flight under the guidance of a daring French aviator.

The sisters have already decided which timeline they will choose, but an unthinkable tragedy complicates the future they planned for themselves. As their birthday looms, how will they determine the lives--and loves--that are best for both of them?

Get book one in the series, When The Day Comes.

Get book two in the series, In This Moment.

Preorder book four in the series, Across the Ages.

Meet Gabrielle Meyer:

WIFE, MOM, WRITER, FRIEND...

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.

Visit Gabrielle Meyer's website.

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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.

Season of My Enemy by Naomi Musch
“Get Your Farm in the Fight” - The Realities of WWII Come to a Wisconsin Farm

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?

Get your copy of Season of My Enemy  by Naomi Musch.   

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.

Visit Naomi Musch's website.

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Episode 100 - It's almost impossible to believe that we've hit this milestone. But we have, so it'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!

Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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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.

Miracle at the Sideshow by Amy Sorrells

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.

Get your copy of Miracle at the Sideshow.

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.

Visit Amy Sorrells's website.

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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.

After serving as a literary agent at Hartline Literary Agency for ten years, Tamela is now thrilled to be with The Steve Laube Agency! Her professional affiliations include American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian Authors Network.

Tamela enjoys spending wonderful times with her husband and their two daughters, as well as extended family and friends.

Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Become a patron and enjoy special perks and bonus content.

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?

Get your copy of Still My Forever. 

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.

Visit Kim Vogel Sawyer's website.

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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.

The Songs That Could Have Been  by Amanda Wen
Two couples in love. Two sets of impossible circumstances. One powerful God of grace.

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.

Get your copy of The Songs That Could Have Been.

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.

Visit Amanda Wen's website.

Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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. 

Escape from Amsterdam by Lauralee Bliss
A University Student Smuggles Children Out of Amsterdam

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.

Get your copy of Escape from Amsterdam.

​Don’t miss these other stories:
The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander
Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma
Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson
Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis
A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K. Couch
The Season of My Enemy by Naomi Musch

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.