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Episode 202 - Karen Witemeyer Author Chat
18 Nov 2024
00:30:38
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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.
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.
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.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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!
Episode 99 - Author Chat with Amy Sorrells
14 Oct 2022
00:27:52
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Episode 94 - Favorite Reads of Summer 2022
10 Sep 2022
00:33:53
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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.
Episode 93 - Author Chat with Naomi Craig
02 Sep 2022
00:27:42
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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.
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.
What our some of our past guest's favorite Christian historical novels? That's what we're discussing this week. Several authors phoned in and shared with us what they love to read and some of the books that influenced their reading or writing. There is a wide variety of answers, and I found a few that I'm adding to my TBR.
Terri Wangard told us about her favorite series, Daughters of Fortune, by Judith Pella, her bestselling historical series set at the onset of World War II. The three Hayes daughters couldn't be more different. But when war separates them across the globe, they learn true significance of family.
I put Leslie Gould on the spot during her upcoming interview to ask about her favorite book. She shared that it is A Sweetness to the Soul by Jane Kirkpatrick.
Get A Sweetness to the Soul. Tracie Peterson joined us to share with us her favorite Christian historical novel. Actually, she has two favorite series, The Zion Covenant and The Zion Chronicles, both by Brock and Bodie Thoene. With their themes of war and the establishment of the modern state of Israel, they are inspiring to Tracie, especially in light of what is happening in the world today.
The Zion Chronicles series is also available on Amazon and other book retailers.
I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by to share the book that started my love of Christian fiction, that being Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke. Many of you probably agree with me that it is what ushered you into the world of Christian historical fiction. In many way, it's the book and the series that started it all.
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.
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.
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.
Episode 88 - Author Chat with Mary Connealy
27 Jul 2022
00:31:02
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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.
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.
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 blogger laughing 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.
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.
Episode 84 - Author Chat with Jaime Jo Wright
22 Jun 2022
00:31:26
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, 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).
Episode 82 - What Time Period Is Historical Fiction?
09 Jun 2022
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."
Ann Gabhart is this week's guest, as gracious as always. She chats about her new book, The Song of Sourwood Mountain. We talked about how she gets to know her characters, why there is so much Appalachian fiction, and what her church means to her. Patrons hear about her writing space and her blackberry picking.
The Song of Sourwood Mountain by Ann Gabhart While the century began with such promise, it is 1910 when Mira Dean's hopes of being a wife and mother are dashed to pieces. Her fiancé dead from tuberculosis, Mira resigns herself to being a spinster schoolteacher--until Gordon Covington shows up.
No longer the boy she knew from school, Gordon is now a preacher who is full of surprises. First, he asks Mira to come to Sourwood in eastern Kentucky to teach at his mission school. Second, he asks her to marry him. Just like that. And all at once the doors that had seemed firmly shut begin to open, just a crack.
With much trepidation, Mira steps out in faith into a life she never imagined, in a place filled with its own special challenges, to serve a people who will end up becoming the family she always dreamed of.
From the pen of bestselling author Ann Gabhart comes a heartwarming story of the unexpected blessings that can come when we dare to follow the Lord's leading.
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 like Home Life. 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.
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!
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
Episode 78 - The Rise of Split Time Fiction with Morgan Tarpley Smith
11 May 2022
00:53:32
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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.
Episode 77 - Gabrielle Meyer Author Chat
03 May 2022
00:31:37
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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.
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.
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
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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.
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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.
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Episode 71 - Author Chat with Crystal Caudill
16 Mar 2022
00:27:17
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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.
Sara Turnquist joins us for the first time on the podcast this week, though she isn't a new author at all. She tells us about her book, Laura, The Tycoon's Daughter, about the legend of Casey Jones, and how she came to be a writer (it's an interesting journey). Patrons will get to hear what some of her favorite hobbies are.
She is in a hopeless situation. He has sworn off love. Can they find hope in each other and, possibly, a way out of their personal prisons?
Laura Millington is the daughter of a prominent railroad tycoon, but that luxury comes at a price. Her father’s intentions are to use her as a pawn, steal her choices, and press her into a mold she can’t seem to fit. When her curious nature and desire for justice finds her caught up in the middle of a train run gone wrong, can she stand for the truth even if it places her in opposition to her powerful father?
Jack Patterson has been betrayed by love. And he is determined to never risk his heart again. The vulnerable, strong-willed Laura intrigues him more than he’s allowed since his heartbreak. Can he overcome his reluctance? Moreover, will he be able to protect her from the man who would see her future dashed?
Crossing paths with train engineer Casey Jones and his heroic act of self sacrifice, will Laura and Jack find a way to stand side by side against the overwhelming forces keeping them apart?
Meet Sara: I’m a coffee lovin’, word slinging, clean Historical Romance author whose super power is converting caffeine into novels. I love those odd tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That’s what inspires me. Well, that and a good love story.
But of all the love stories I’ve read, mine is my favorite. I live happily with my own Prince Charming and our gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.
I have authored some enticing historical fiction with meaningful romances, including: A Convenient Risk, The Lady Bornekova, The General’s Wife, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Off to War, A Convenient Risk, and more!
But of all the love stories I’ve read, mine is my favorite. I live happily with my own Prince Charming and our gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.
I have authored some enticing historical fiction with meaningful romances, including: A Convenient Risk, The Lady Bornekova, The General’s Wife, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Off to War, A Convenient Risk, and more!
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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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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!
Episode 68 - Jody Hedlund Author Chat
23 Feb 2022
00:37:41
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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.
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.
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.
Episode 65 - Author Chat with Laura Frantz
26 Jan 2022
00:31:25
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Chocolate and a handsome ship captain. What more could you want in a book? Laura Frantz joins us this week to talk about her latest release, A Heart Adrift.
A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz A Virginia chocolatier and a privateering sea captain collide once more after a failed love affair a decade before. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart? Or will a new shared vision reunite them?
It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esmée Shaw is fighting her own battle of the heart. Having reached her twenty-eighth birthday, she is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she's never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life.
Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esmée. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty.
Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? Bestselling and award-winning author Laura Frantz whisks you away to a time fraught with peril--on the sea and in the heart--in this redemptive, romantic story.
She was born and raised in Kentucky, living first in Ashland, Mammoth Cave, Bowling Green, and then Lexington. But her heart has always been in Berea, Madison County, the place her family has resided since the 18th-century. She came to know Christ there at the age of 12, was baptized, and spent her childhood roaming through the woods and swimming in the rivers of her books.
Her earliest memories are of the public library, standing in front of shelves filled with those little biographies of famous historical figures like Daniel Boone and George Washington and Sacajawea. She began scribbling stories at age 7 and thankfully never stopped. Her passion then and now is history and all the wonders of past centuries.
She attended college at Denison University in Ohio and also in England, living in a manor/castle and studying the American Revolution from the British perspective. Shakespeare and 18th-century literature form the backbone of her English degree. Strangely enough, she only took one creative writing class.
It was never a desire of her to be published. She simply loved to write for the sheer joy of writing – and that was enough. But as Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Episode 64 - Author Chat with Jill Eileen Smith about The Prince and the Prodigal
19 Jan 2022
00:32:43
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The Prince and the Prodigal by Jill Eileen Smith Joseph is the pampered favorite son of the patriarch Jacob. His older brothers, deeply resentful of his status in the family, take advantage of the chance to get rid of him, selling him to slave traders and deceiving their father about his fate. It seems like their troubles are over. But for Joseph and older brother Judah, they are just beginning.
While Joseph is accused of rape and imprisoned, Judah attempts to flee the memory of his complicity in the betrayal of his younger brother. After decades apart, the brothers will come face-to-face in a stunning role reversal that sees Joseph in a position of great power while Judah begs for mercy. Will forgiveness or vengeance win the day?
Bestselling and award-winning author Jill Eileen Smith brings her considerable research and imaginative skills to bear in this vivid retelling of one of the most popular stories found in Scripture--a story of jealousy, betrayal, and a reconciliation that only God could bring about.
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling, award-winning author of the Wives of King David series, Wives of the Patriarchs, Daughters of the Promised Land, The Heart of a King, Star of Persia, Miriam's Song, and the nonfiction 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.
Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series
Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn't spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They've been living double lives as government spies--and they're only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family's legacy.
Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors--not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.
Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?
Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.
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A Wagon Train Weekend It was just one night at a Victorian B&B. Until they woke up in 1857.
Collette Donaldson never should have taken her boyfriend to her cousin’s wedding. Or introduced him to her parents. After a disastrous weekend, all she wants is to get back home. A heartbreaking fight, a flat tire, and an inconvenient storm force her and Seth to stay the night at a quaint bed and breakfast. But when Collette finds an antique photograph of herself, circumstances quickly shift from weird to unimaginable.
When they wake up stranded on a wagon train in 1857, Seth is determined to get home. But the only way to get out of the past is to face the problems stealing their future.
Falling for the Fifties Maddie Palmer is done with dating. Tired, frustrated, and finished with love, Maddie stays the night at a quirky Victorian bed and breakfast on the eve of her grandparents’ sixty-fifth wedding anniversary. When she suddenly wakes up in 1956, she gets the unexpected chance to witness her grandparents’ fairy tale love unfold and finally learn the secret to finding “the one.” But what is she going to do when she meets her own Mr. Right—only to discover he’s Mr. Wrong Time?
A Colonial Courtship Abigail Martin needs a miracle. After a crushing family secret stole her job, her apartment, and her future, she escapes her ruined life and risks a return to her hometown. Hints from a trusted friend that a mysterious bed and breakfast could grant her deepest desires lead her to rent a room. But when her former crush—a man she’s spent months avoiding—won’t leave her side, they both end up facing more than just the past she tried to escape.
A Castle for Christmas A life-changing diagnosis sends Avery Stuart on a last-chance Christmas road trip. The cheery bed-and-breakfast offers a festive way to spend the holidays alone. But when she finds her name listed on an ancient family tree next to an English baron, her trip suddenly takes a startling turn—no fairy godmother included. She might have gotten the Cinderella dress, but her prince is more beast than charming.
Best-selling author of Christian novels, Stephenia H. McGee writes stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. When she's not twirling around in hoop skirts, reading, or sipping sweet tea on the front porch, she's a homeschool mom of two boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler.
As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others’ dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn’t planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.
A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie’s determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall’s handsome skin.
The one man who could help her, must never know her name.
If Kate Chamberlin can't reveal her true identity to the world, she must settle for sharing only her talent. Hired as a musician for KDKA radio, Kate plays everything from sponsors’ jingles to complex sonatas. As long as the whispers around the broadcasting room refer to her as “Killjoy Kate” and not “Catarina the crime boss's daughter,” then her life is safe from danger.
Or so she thinks.
When anonymous, violent threats surface, Kate's wary of accepting protection from the handsome private investigator, Detective Jennings. His save-the-world attitude is as charming as his manners, but no one, especially him, can know the gruesome realities of her birth.
The 1924 Pittsburgh underworld is as complicated as it is elusive, and though the dealings of the Salvastanos have dwindled, Rhett Jennings is certain the man responsible for his father's death is still at large. But his personal hunt for justice must be set aside when his day job requires him to investigate threats directed at a young radio broadcaster with enamoring brown eyes and secretive behavior.
When danger surrounds them, will the truth of Kate's past become the key to their survival?
Rachel has a fanatical penchant for all things classic movies, and she's an award-winning Christian romance writer. She hopes to inspire the mind and refresh the soul with words infused with faith and heart. Because she could never resist a good mystery, suspense and intrigue routinely sneak into her stories. Her work is represented by Julie Gwinn from the Seymour Agency. She currently enjoys life with her husband and two children.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Roseanna White visits the podcast this week to talk about her new book, A Noble Scheme. We discuss if writing suspense is difficult, what inspired the series, and she shares her breast cancer journey. Patrons get to hear Roseanna's thoughts on why books set in Edwardian England retain their popularity.
A Noble Scheme by Roseanna White
In the opulent and perilous world of high society's most elite--and most dangerous--families, two investigators must set aside their broken hearts to uncover the truth.
Gemma Parks is known to the London elite as G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talents to aid the Imposters in their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis for the firm's members through her columns. Yet her clandestine work would be more exhilarating if it weren't for the constant presence of the gentleman who broke her heart.
Graham Wharton has never had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his heart in tatters when she walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is determined to use the time with Gemma to not only restore the missing boy, but to also win back the only woman he's ever loved. As they trace the clues laid out before them, Graham and Gemma must devise a noble scheme to save the boy's life and heal their hearts.
"A Noble Scheme is as clever as it is glamorous."--LAURA FRANTZ, Christy Award-winning author of The Seamstress of Acadie
Roseanna 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.
Being educated at St. John’s College (the Great Books School) taught Roseanna to ask questions, to value conversation, and to never accept the simple answer without exploring it for herself. She and her family make their home in the mountains of West Virginia where she and her husband both grew up. Roseanna is a member of ACFW, a frequent speaker at writers events and small groups of readers, and an unabashed email addict.
Episode 60 - Your Favorite Christian Historical Fiction of 2021
15 Dec 2021
00:24:46
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.
My Dear Miss Dupre by Grace Hitchcock Willow Dupré never thought she would have to marry, but with her father's unexpected retirement from running the prosperous Dupré sugar refinery, she is forced into a different future. The shareholders are unwilling to allow a female to take over the company without a man at her side, so her parents devise a plan--find Willow a spokesman king in order for her to become queen of the business empire.
Night Bird Calling From award-winning author Cathy Gohlke, whose novels have been called “haunting” and “page-turning”, comes a historical fiction story of courage and transformation set in rural Appalachia on the eve of WWII.
Come Back to Me Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.
The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham Will the magic of Christmas bring these two newlyweds closer together, or will the ghosts of the past lead them into a destructive discovery from which not even a Dickens’s Christmas can save them?
Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin For fans of bestselling WWII fiction comes a powerful novel from Lynn Austin about three women whose lives are instantly changed when the Nazis invade the neutral Netherlands, forcing each into a complicated dance of choice and consequence.
On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jamie Jo Wright Adria Fontaine has been sent to recover goods her father pirated on the Great Lakes during the war. But when she arrives at Foxglove Manor--a stone house on a cliff overlooking Lake Superior--Adria senses wickedness hovering over the property. The mistress of Foxglove is an eccentric and seemingly cruel old woman who has filled her house with dangerous secrets, ones that may cost Adria her life.
Shirley Davenport is as much a patriot as her four brothers. She, too, wants to aid her country in the war efforts, but opportunities for women are limited. When her best friend Joan informs her that the Coast Guard has opened a new branch for single women, they both enlist in the SPARs, ready to help protect the home front.
Training is rigorous, and Shirley is disappointed that she and Joan are sent to separate training camps. At the end of basic training, Captain Webber commends her efforts and commissions her home to Maine under the ruse of a dishonorable discharge to help uncover a plot against the First Lady.
Shirley soon discovers nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust? Why do the people she loves want to harm the First Lady? With the help of Captain Webber, it’s a race against time to save Mrs. Roosevelt and remain alive.
About Candice Sue Patterson: Candice studied at the Institute of Children’s Literature at age sixteen. 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, snuggling with her Great Pyrenees, or sharing her passion for reading with students as an elementary school librarian, she’s working on a new story. Candice writes both contemporary and historical romance—where the past and present collide with faith.
Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Every Knee Shall Bow by Bryan Litfin The year is AD 316. Imperial persecution has ended, but Christianity's future still hangs in the balance. Will churches rise in Rome where pagan temples once stood? Will the true Scriptures replace the myths of the gods? Will Jupiter finally bow the knee to the Lord Jesus?
For the first time in history, the Roman emperor supports the church. Bishop Sylvester sends Flavia from her convent to seek Emperor Constantine's permission to build great churches and determine the canon of Scripture. But the enemies of God are on the move. Joined by Rex, Flavia's beloved protector who has fought his way out of exile, the two friends cross the empire by land and sea on an epic quest to free the Roman people from the tyranny of the ancient gods.
Bristling with tension and undergirded by impeccable historical research, this tale of courage, defiance, and humble submission to God continues the captivating saga of two unlikely allies in the age of imperial Christianity.
Don't miss out on the first book in the series, The Conqueror. It is AD 312. Rome teeters on the brink of war. Constantine's army is on the move. On the Rhine frontier, Brandulf Rex, a pagan Germanic barbarian, joins the Roman army as a spy and special forces operative. Down in Rome, Junia Flavia, the lovely and pious daughter of a nominally Christian senator, finds herself embroiled in anti-Christian politics as she works on behalf of the church.
As armies converge and forces beyond Rex's and Flavia's controls threaten to destroy everything they have worked for, these two people from different worlds will have to work together to bring down the evil Emperor Maxentius. But his villainous plans and devious henchmen are not easily overcome. Will the barbarian warrior and the senator's daughter live to see the Empire bow the knee to Christ? Or will their part in the story of Constantine's rise meet an untimely and brutal end?
Travel back to one of the most pivotal eras in history--a time when devotion to the pagan gods was fading and the Roman Empire was being conquered by the sign of the cross.
Bryan now works as Head of Strategy and Advancement at Clapham School, after serving for 16 years as Professor of Theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and 3 years as an editor and writer at Moody Publishers. Bryan is married to Carolyn, and they have two adult children. He enjoys writing, traveling, teaching, reading, spending time with family, and being involved in his local church.