Meet Blair Emerson from Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Meet Blair Emerson from Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

by | Oct 14, 2025 | Character Interview

I’m delighted to have Blair Emerson from Amanda Wen’s Echoes of a Silent Song with us today for a fun and intriguing interview. There’s nothing more fun than meeting a character and then getting sucked right into the drama of their story as you get to know them. Be prepared, because that is what’s about to happen. And just so you know, Amanda Wen is generously giving away one print copy of Echoes of a Silent Song to one U.S. Resident. Be sure to find all those details at the end of this post.

Before we dive into our interview, let me introduce you to the story that Blair Emerson takes part in.

Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Genre: Split Time

When a choral composer and conductor falls victim to creative block, he resorts to his fallback plan of teaching high school choir. Callum Knight’s goal at Peterson High is simple: rediscover his muse, extract himself from teaching, and get back to Boston as quickly as possible.

As the long-suffering accompanist at the high school, Peterson-native Blair Emerson has watched the revolving door of choir directors and their negative impact on her choirs over the last few years. She is less than impressed when a disheveled Callum stumbles in on his first day.

But then they discover an unsigned, unfinished, and handwritten choral composition by a clear musical genius. Blair recalls rumors of Iris, a Peterson student from the 1970s who composed music but was found dead during her senior year. Blair and Callum work to determine if the piece is hers, and the truth they uncover shakes both of them to the core.

With rhythm and flair, Amanda Wen takes readers on an unexpected journey into the depths of a small town’s history in this riveting first book in the Melodies and Memories duology.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Christianbook  |  Parable

 

Now it’s time to jump into our interview with Blair!

CC: Blair, would you please introduce yourself to my readers? How would you describe yourself?

BLAIR: Yikes…usually my fingers are dancing across a piano keyboard instead of a computer keyboard. Whose idea was this, anyway?

Okay, moving along…my name is Blair Emerson, and I’m the collaborative pianist for Peterson High School. (For the non-musicians out there, this means I play piano for the choirs. While they’re learning their parts, I usually play those parts right along with them, then gradually transition to playing the accompaniment part, if there is one, or letting them sing on their own if it’s unaccompanied.)

I’ve been here for several years, first as a student and then as a staff member, and I love every minute of my job. Okay, most minutes. Working with students is sometimes a challenge for a type-A uber-planner like myself, but they’re absolutely worth it. Working with a different choir director every year, though? I’m about to pull my red hair all the way out. Since Vic Nelson retired, we’ve cycled through five? Six? I’ve lost count. And the new guy who just took the job looks like he’ll be a real peach to work with. He’s obviously falling back on his fall-back plan, so doubtless he won’t stick around, either. Sigh. At least I’ve got my best friend, Joy, in my corner.

CC: Yikes! I hate when there is a revolving door of changing employees. That must be so hard to deal with. I’m so glad you have Joy in your corner. Oh, and bless you for working with students. They are a joy . . . and a challenge.

So what is it that you want?

BLAIR: What I want more than anything is for the Peterson High School choral program to be restored to its former glory. Vic Nelson was the director for thirty years, give or take, and during that time the choir consistently achieved anything a high school choir could. But since he retired, it’s been a revolving door of choir directors. Nobody sticks around longer than a year, for a variety of reasons. As a result, interest in the program is dropping. Kids find other classes they want to take instead of choir. And the ones who do stay, about half of them are obviously disinterested; they just want a class they think is an easy A where they won’t have any homework.

My heart breaks for the kids who really do want to sing, and for the program in general. Its reputation is slipping, the quality of music is dropping, and if I could change that myself, I would. But I can’t do that by myself. I need a director. One who’s competent, experienced, qualified, and as passionate about those kids as I am. One who’ll put down roots and stick around and get this program headed in the right direction. But with each passing year, the flame of hope that this will actually happen starts to flicker and dim…

CC: My heart breaks for those students too. It makes all the difference in the world when they have a teacher who wants to be there and invest in them.

If you had time to read a book, what would you pick up and why?

BLAIR: Reading is one of my favorite after-school activities! I usually read biographies of famous choral composers or pianists. I have neither the desire nor the realistic expectation of fame, but I always love learning about other musicians and getting the stories behind their music. To me it gives me a fuller and richer understanding of the music we perform and the creative process itself! I’m not a composer at all, but I’ve always thought it would be fascinating to meet one.

CC: Biographies can be so intriguing, and I’m right there with you about them adding depth to the music you listen to when you know the story behind them.

Who do you interact with in the story that confounds you?

BLAIR: Early in the story, Callum and I find a handwritten, unsigned, unfinished piece of music in the choir library, stuffed in with another title, almost like someone was trying to hide it. My hunch is that the piece may have been written by Iris Wallingford, a student at Peterson High who died in 1970 during her senior year. Iris was said to have died by suicide, but Callum thinks the music contains too much hope, too much optimism, to have been written by a suicidal person. As much as I’m disinclined to agree with Callum on anything, it does seem to be written by someone who loves the life they’re living. So what changed in Iris’s life? Why didn’t she finish this brilliant piece? Has she written anything else? What could she have become had she lived? And–perhaps most confounding of all–why would Vic Nelson, who was in her graduating class, claim to not know her at all?

CC: Now that is REALLY fascinating. Now I am confounded by Iris and Vic as well. I must know more.

Who is the most difficult character for you to interact with in the story?

BLAIR: That would be one Callum Gamaliel Knight. (His middle name really is Gamaliel; his diplomas are hanging on the wall of the choir office, and of course, I took a peek.) He’s our choral director of the year, and based on our first impressions, I don’t need to bother bonding with him, because he’s already told me he’ll be out of here as soon as the bell rings on the last day in May. He’s using Peterson High as a stepping stone to get his composing/conducting career back on track, and that really gets my hackles up. These kids deserve more than to be stepped on. They deserve someone who’ll care about them, who’ll see the potential they have and do whatever it takes to bring that out of them. And it couldn’t be more obvious that Callum Knight is not that person. He’s sloppy, disheveled, and oozes arrogance, like this job is way beneath him. I’m sure there’s a story behind this, some tragedy he refuses to talk about, but that doesn’t give him an excuse to be a jerk. I can’t believe this, but I’m already looking forward to whoever takes the job next year, because whoever they are, they’ll be far easier to work with than this entitled, elitist, mess of a human.

CC: Ouch. That’s quite the poor impression of the man. I can see what he is the most difficult person for you to interact with.

What do you think about love and marriage? Do you have a particular love interest in mind?

BLAIR: Most of the time, I’m content to be single. I’m pretty introverted, and being around hundreds of high school kids all day every day leaves me craving a quiet corner with my cat, Walter, and absolute silence. I like being able to come home after school and recharge for the next day. I can take my time cooking a healthy meal, I can read a book or watch a movie, I can practice, and I can go to sleep whenever I want without anyone interfering or interrupting.

But my best friend Joy has such a full life. Chaotic, for sure! But full. She has a husband and kids and multiple pets, and her house is always full of noise and laughter and mess and fast-food wrappers and things I never thought I wanted…but she’s so happy. So fulfilled. And I can’t help but think I’ve missed out on something by devoting my whole life to the piano. Joy clearly found the right guy, though, and I…haven’t. I thought I had, but I proved sadly mistaken. After that heartbreak, I suppose it’s no wonder I’ve walled myself off and prefer curling up in a corner to actually getting out there and trying to meet someone.

CC: Bad breakups can really mess with a person. You’re still young yet, though. So it’s not too late. Not that there is anything wrong with being single, mind you.

If there is one thing you could tell the reader, what would it be?

BLAIR: I’ve always known, as someone who works with kids, that sometimes people turn out to be different than you think they will. Sometimes the laziest, most underachieving student goes on to do great things, while the straight-A overachiever sometimes flames out in college and goes adrift trying to find themselves. Turns out the same is true for adults. Two adults in particular. One of whom I thought the best of, and one of whom I thought the worst of. God has a particular way of turning our expectations upside-down.

CC: That is a hard lessong to learn, but God is all about teaching us the things we need to know for our own good.

Unfortunately, it’s time to rap up, so here’s our last question, and it’s always a fun one. Which part of the roller coaster would you ride in: the front, middle, or back? Why?

BLAIR: If I, for whatever reason, was absolutely required to ride a roller coaster, and all my attempts at pleading, begging, or bribery had failed, I would take a seat in the middle, then close my eyes, grip the bar tight, and pray for it to be over as soon as possible. 

CC: I can definitely tell you are NOT a roller coaster kind of gal. LOL I’m not anymore, stupid motion sickness, but there was a day that I’d be right there in the front or the back. 

That’s it for now. If you liked getting to know Blair Emerson, I highly recommend you go check out Amanda Wen’s Echoes of a Silent Song. 

Amanda Wen is a multi-award-winning author of inspirational split-time women’s fiction. Awards and honors include the ACFW Carol, the Selah, and the Foreword Indies Gold Award, and she is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who performs frequently with orchestras, opera and musical theater companies, and her church worship team, as well as serving as a choral accompanist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three hilarious teenage Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.

You can connect with them at:  Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  BookBub

Giveaway Details

Here’s your chance to win a copy of Echoes of a Silent Song. Comment on the blog and enter using the Gleam Widget for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/21. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.

 
Print Copy Echoes of a Silent Song

RCR: Their Burden to Bear by Heather Tabers

RCR: Their Burden to Bear by Heather Tabers

by | Sep 30, 2025 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge

It’s another month of our challenge: Tackle Your TBR Pile. So go dig through that stack taller than you of books you’ve been meaning to read and start reading away. Since this year is based on your TBR pile, I will not have a recommendations page, but I’m leaving the link here so it’s easier for me to set up NEXT year’s blog posts.

Find recommendations at Reading Challenge Recommendations, Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends Facebook group, Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, or Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.

Don’t forget to comment at the bottom of the post for your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. *The list of prizes from my shelf can be found here.*

Reading Challenge 2025: Tackle the TBR Pile

If you’re anything like me, you have a TBR pile that is bigger than you can hope to read in a lifetime. This is the year we’re going to try an tackle at least twelve of those books. Head to your shelves and find books that fit each month’s challenge.

This Month: September – New to you author

Next Month: October – Title from a favorite author

Their Burden to Bear

by Heather Tabors

Review by: 

So I’m totally cheating on this one. I read this one for endorsement, and since I’ve been hitting my book hard, I haven’t read anything else. So here is your chance to jump in on a debut author’s book and preorder it so you get it before everyone else realizes how wonderful it is.
It’s hard to put into so few words why you should read Their Burden to Bear, but here I go. Books set after 1900 aren’t usually my thing, especially those connected to World War I or World War II, however Their Burden to Bear captivated my imagination from the first page. How had I never heard the history of the men who carried the Unknown Soldier to his final resting place? I’d always humbly respected and was thankful for the Unknown Soldier and all he represented, but after reading this book, I have a new appreciation and reverence for the men he represents. Then to read the perspective of one soldier as he not only is one of the chosen to bear the burden of carrying this unknown soldier to his resting place, but also his struggle to return to a normal life for himself was truly an experience I would recommend everyone read. I’ve always known that the men who served in either World War were known to be very quiet about their experiences, and Phillip’s realization that he can let Elsie in without sharing all the details was not only huge for him but for me in understanding the struggle they faced in letting those they loved in to the scars the war left behind.
I’m a huge history person, so you know that’s where my first love for a story goes, but this story had more than just an eye-opening and deeply researched history. The romance between Elsie and Phillip was realistic with the struggles both of them faced, was sweet, and had me rooting for them as they overcame every little and big obstacle that overtook them. It was a love born out of circumstances and need, but it was beautiful and satisfying. There were even surprise elements of danger that kept me turning the pages long after I should have gone to bed.
If you have any desire to understand an often overlooked portion of history as well as the struggles of the men who served not just our country but the world, you need to pick up Their Burden to Bear.
Endorsement:
“With rich historical details, a romance that is hard-won and beautiful, and unexpected twists, Taber has penned a debut novel that will leave you sitting not only in awe of her story-telling, but also in awe of the brave soldiers her story represents. Their Burden to Bear will leave you with a new and profound reverence for and understanding of the men who are represented by the Unknown Soldier and the men who served along those who never made it home and still remain unknown. This story will leave an indelible mark on you, and you don’t want to miss it.” – Crystal Caudill, Christy Award-Winning author and author of Written in Secret

Genre: Historical Romance

Plot:

Washington, D.C., 1921—In the shadow of Arlington National Cemetery, Elsie St. Clair yearns for her father’s approval and a love to call her own. When she’s selected as a companion to Phillip Pierce, a decorated Marine chosen to bear the Unknown Soldier to rest, she sees her chance to finally make her widowed father proud. But beneath Phillip’s decorated uniform lies a man haunted by the horrors of Belleau Wood—a hero whose most grievous wounds are invisible to the eye. As Elsie’s own scars from her father’s emotional abuse surface, she recognizes in Phillip a kindred spirit burdened by life’s cruelties. Meanwhile, the ambitious Lavinia, determined to claim Phillip for herself, strives to destroy their relationship in any way she can.

When her father’s abuse escalates, Phillip offers marriage as protection—a convenient arrangement with clear boundaries to shield her from harm and him from attachment. As they care for Elsie’s orphaned nephew together, what begins as a practical union slowly transforms into something deeper. But their fragile connection is threatened when Elsie stumbles upon mysterious ledgers and hidden documents that suggest her father is involved in something sinister. As Elsie fights for the love Phillip is hesitant to give, an anonymous blackmailer uncovers a secret from his past that could destroy everything he’s built—including his budding relationship with Elsie.

In a time when battle trauma was misunderstood and hearts were expected to silently endure, Elsie and Phillip must decide if they’re brave enough to lay down their defenses and share not just their burdens, but their love. With dangerous men closing in, mysterious connections to the Spanish embassy emerging, and secrets threatening to destroy them, they discover that our heaviest burdens were never meant to be carried alone. Set against the solemn backdrop of America honoring its fallen warriors, their journey proves that the most profound acts of courage often happen far from the battlefield, in the quiet surrender of a wounded heart.

Author Website: https://heathertabers.com/

Purchase Link: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble

Giveaway

For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Gleam Widget below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Gleam widget.  *Giveaway Policies can be found here.


September 2025 Reading Challenge

 

What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?

Interview with Mara from A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans

Interview with Mara from A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans

by | Sep 24, 2025 | Character Interview

I have been blessed to get to know Linda as a prayer warrior and a fellow author over the last year or so. It’s my honor to introduce you to her and to her heroine of A Certain Man, Mara. Linda is being EXTREMELY generous and is giving away a print copy AND TWO e-book copies of her debut Biblical Fiction novel. Here’s a bit about the book, then check out the interview before entering for your chance to win a copy of A Certain Man.

Version 1.0.0

A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans

Two lovers torn apart. A world on the brink of divine revolution.

In first-century Samaria, where traditions run deep and tensions run deeper, Mara’s heart belongs to Samuel—but her father has other plans. When he promises her hand to the cruel son of a High Priest, Mara dreams of love crumble. But fate has a darker twist in store: her betrothed’s mysterious death forces Samuel to flee for his life, leaving Mara behind in a world growing more dangerous by the day.

Their love story unfolds against the explosive backdrop of history’s most pivotal moment. Through the opulent courts of King Herod to the scheming chambers of Pontius Pilate, Mara and Samuel navigate a landscape where politics, religion, and power collide with devastating consequences.

But there’s another figure rising in Judea—a mysterious teacher from Nazareth whose radical message is setting hearts ablaze and threatening the very foundations of society. As Mara and Samuel’s paths intersect with destiny, they find themselves pulled into events that will not only transform their lives but will be remembered for millennia to come.

Perfect for fans of “The Red Tent,” “The Chosen,” and Francine Rivers’ “Mark of the Lion” series, this masterfully crafted tale weaves together forbidden love, political intrigue, and spiritual awakening.

Walk the ancient streets. Feel the passion and peril of a love that defied all odds. And witness the moment when divine intervention changed everything.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Now for our interview with Mara.

CC: I am excited to introduce you to my readers –but I was expecting Mara, the heroine of the story. You are a young woman barely past girlhood. Who are you?

Yonah: I am called Yonah which means Dove.

CC: So Yonah is not the name you were given at birth?

Yonah: Yonah is a fitting name since I was sent in secret to Shechem to be the Dovekeeper for the High Priest of Samaria.

CC: You do not carry yourself like a lowly Samaritan woman, even though you are dressed as a commoner. I will speak with you, but I must confess I am disappointed that the heroine has not come.

Yonah: Mara says that the ways of HaShem, our One God, are mysterious and my role was pivotal in her reunion with Samuel after seven years of many trials and separation.

CC: You are Mara’s friend?

Yonah: Yes, though when she first caught sight of me following Samuel with his daughter Lyra in my arms, she thought I was his wife. She had resigned herself to become a humble second wife.

CC: Tell me how you helped Mara and Samuel find one another again. Why were you sent to Shechem?

Yonah: My mad ramblings at court were treasonous and if overheard would have me, my mother, and anyone who harbored us, executed. I can see you look confused. Let me go back to the beginning. My mother lost favor with King Herod who has been known to plot the deaths of relatives, even previous wives. All my mother’s attempts to regain Herod’s attention, failed. Desperate to secure our survival, I danced for her life and mine at King Herod’s birthday celebration. That dance returned my mother to favor but it was both a curse and a blessing.

CC: How was it a curse?

Yonah: Because of that dance, The Baptiser was beheaded. At the horrific sight, Zosi, a beloved slave went into early childbirth of Samuel’s daughter, Lyra. Zosi died there on the throne room floor. Because of that dance, Herod called me to his chambers for one night. From that night forward, my reason left me rambling treasonous foretellings. The only thing that would calm my ranting was caring for Lyra––the baby I now saw as my own.

CC: How could the dance that caused the death of the Baptiser, a prophet from our One God, and the death of a beloved slave ever bring blessings?

Yonah: Because of that dance, my rantings put my mother and I at risk again. The calming effect of Lyra on me sparked my mother’s cunning. She sent Samuel home to Shechem to hide me. Who would ever expect a Jewess from Herod’s court to live as a humble Samaritan? Because of that dance, Samuel and Mara were reunited and married.

CC: You do not rant now, your reason seems to have been restored.

Yonah: Yes. Both Mara and Samuel, each in their own time came face to face with Yeshua of Nazareth and came to believe He was the Promised One. Their testimonies brought many in Shechem to faith. I was one. And my reason returned.

CC: When was this?

Yonah: Before Yeshua set the political, religious, and spiritual landscape on fire. And before all three of us were immortalized in the Gospels.

CC: You are a beautiful young woman. Did you ever marry?

Yonah: I am in love with Ozri an apprentice at Samuel’s woodworking shop. Perhaps he will find the courage to ask my mother for my hand in the next book A Certain Mercy.

CC: Will you share your birth name with us now?

Yonah: It is not safe to reveal. My name is gleaned from historical documents outside the Bible. It is thought that I married Philip the Tetrarch, but I did not. Another one of my mother’s cunning ploys you will discover in A Certain Man. In book 2, A Certain Mercy, my story continues, and the uncovering of my true identity is threatened by another famous Jew hiding as a Samaritan.

CC: Our readers pose no threat. Will you share any other clues?

Yonah: Throughout history down to your time, operas, paintings, literature, and films have been inspired by my story. Perhaps your readers would care to guess my name? They can leave it in the comments below.

Yonah: READERS I HOPE YOU WILL COME TO KNOW MARA AND SAMUEL, THE HEROINE AND HERO OF MY STORY WHEN YOU READ A CERTAIN MAN AND CONTINUE WITH ME, AS I CONTINUE MY ROLE IN THE STORY OF ZERA, A NEW HEROINE IN A CERTAIN MERCY TO BE RELEASED DECEMBER 2025

 

About Linda Dindzans:

Linda Dindzans, M.D. is a writer with the heart of a healer who offers readers stories of redemption and restoration. Though her compelling characters inhabit the treacherous times of the Bible, Linda believes there is nothing new under the sun. The struggles of her characters still speak to hearts today. Only a profound encounter with the Son transforms her characters from victims to victors.

Connect with Shawna: Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  X  |  GoodReads

 

 

Giveaway

Here’s your chance to win a copy of A Certain Man. Comment on the blog and enter using the Gleam Widget for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/1. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.

 
A Certain Man

Meet Sir Bertrand Thorndike from A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch

Meet Sir Bertrand Thorndike from A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch

by | Sep 9, 2025 | Character Interview

I think by now we all know what an Erica Vetsch fan I am, and I am just SOOOOOO excited to get to steal away Sir Bertrand Thorndike from Erica for just a little while. I mean, who doesn’t want to spend time with a member of the House of Commons who moonlights as a spy? Before we dive into talking to Bertie. Here is the smashing blurb for book 2 of the Of Cloaks and Daggers series, A Scheming in Parliament. Oh, and by the way, Erica is generously giving away a print copy of the book to one lucky U.S. resident. Check out the details at the end of this post!

A Scheming at Parliament by Erica Vetsch

Evil is masquerading in the halls of Parliament, and Sir Bertrand Thorndike is tasked with investigating from the inside. With his new position as a member of the House of Commons, he has access to the power brokers of English government. His tactic is to listen and learn, careful not to reveal his true motives, and he’s quickly inducted into the mysterious Theban Club.

Miss Philippa Cashel’s mission, the Princess Charlotte Eleos School for Women in Need, is thriving with donations, and the students are learning skills to help them earn their livings in honorable ways. But when a dear friend’s past is revealed by blackmail, Philippa must wrestle with the question, Is it ever right to do the wrong thing?

 

Bertie’s and Philippa’s missions collide when Bertie uncovers a dangerous plot involving vulnerable women. He and Philippa join forces against the corruption threatening to topple England’s government, all while navigating their outward reputations and inward feelings for each other.Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Christos  |  Kregel Parable


Now for our interview with Sir Bertrand.

 

CC: I’m so excited to get to introduce you to my readers. Would you mind telling them a little bit about yourself?

SBT: I suppose you could say I am the hero of the story, though it seems odd to consider myself such. I’m the second son of an earl, knighted by His Majesty for contributions to the kingdom, a newly elected Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark. But my most important job is as an agent for the Crown.


CC: Oh you are most definitely a hero, and I’m so excited to spend some time with you. 

Since you are an agent for the Crown, what is it that you are searching for and what is standing in your way?


SBT: Currently, I want to discover and root out corruption in British politics. There is skullduggery afoot in the House of Commons, and I have been tasked by my supervisor to identify it and the culprits perpetrating it.

 

CC: I adore that word skullduggery, it’s such a perfect description of what troubles surround you. I don’t suspect you have much time to just relax and read a book, but IF you did, what would you pick up?

  

SBT: I mostly read the newspaper and the reports that come across my desk, though now that I am an MP, there seems to be nothing but reading! If I was to pick up a book there are a couple that are getting a lot of attention at the moment…written by “A Lady.” Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice seem intriguing. My supervisor’s wife has read them and highly approves.

 

CC: Ah yes. That “A Lady” is quite the writer, though I imagine the number of men who would say they enjoy her writing are far fewer than the women. LOL I assume that growing up to be an agent for the Crown wasn’t something you were aware of as a possibility. Was there anything else you ever wanted to be?

  

SBT: As the second son of an earl, my options were somewhat limited until I learned of the family business. I come from a long line of spies for the Crown. After I became aware of my heritage, there was no question but that I would join their ranks. Though before that time, when I was a boy, I dreamed of being a pirate, a soldier, and oddly enough, a pie man. When we would go to London, I loved buying a pie from a costermonger’s cart, and I thought if I became a pie man, I could have all the pies I wanted.

 

CC: LOL, oh if only we could eat all the pies we wanted, even as a constermonger. You sound like the typical boy, and I bet you were adored by your family.  Although things can change. How do you think others view you? 

SBT: Until recently, most would have viewed me as an idle dilletante who had a fondness for drink. This was a persona I cultivated in my work as a spy. People are less careful about what they say to someone they believe is sotted beyond what they will remember on the morrow. Very useful in my line of work. However, lately, I have been encouraged to clean up my reputation, stand for Parliament, and even to cast about for a wife. Neither of these personas are the ‘real me’ but they are what I present to the world. I am not bothered about what people think about these fictional characters I play. I find them a good way to keep people at a distance and from knowing the person behind the facade.

 

CC: Living a facade must get tiring though. I imagine you wish that one day there would be someone who would see you and love you for the real you. What do you think about love and marriage? IS there a particular woman you have in mind for a future?

  

SBT: If you had asked me a few months ago, I would have said love and marriage were fine for other people, but I was not tempted in the least. However, lately, there is one certain young lady who has caught my eye. It’s only too bad that she is even more averse to marriage than I was not long ago. Winning her would be an uphill battle for sure.

 

CC: Ah, but hard-won loves are the best in my opinion. I can’t wait to see how this uphill battle goes for you as you bring an end to all skullduggary and villains. LAST question, do you have any phobias? 

  

SBT: Heights, spiders, tight spaces, having to eat seafood…


CC: Oh dear. If ever you have dinner at my house, I’ll have to keep that in mind. We are big seafood fans.

Readers, I hope you will get to know Sir Bertrand better yourselves by diving into his latest adventure, A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch.

 

About Erica Vetsch:

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com and you can find her on Facebook at The Inspirational Regency Readers Group where she spends way too much time!

Connect with Erica: Website  |  Newsletter  |  Inspirational Regency Readers Group  |  Instagram  |  BookBub

 

 

Giveaway

Here’s your chance to win a copy of A Scheming in Parliament. Comment on the blog and enter using the Gleam Widget for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on 9/16. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.

 
Erica Vetsch – Print copy of A Scheming in Parliament with some swag US only

RCR: The Bartered Bride by Erica Vetsch

RCR: The Bartered Bride by Erica Vetsch

by | Sep 1, 2025 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge

It’s another month of our challenge: Tackle Your TBR Pile. So go dig through that stack taller than you of books you’ve been meaning to read and start reading away. Since this year is based on your TBR pile, I will not have a recommendations page, but I’m leaving the link here so it’s easier for me to set up NEXT year’s blog posts.

Find recommendations at Reading Challenge Recommendations, Crystal Caudill’s Reading Friends Facebook group, Avid Readers of Christian Fiction, or Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.

Don’t forget to comment at the bottom of the post for your chance to win a book off my prize shelf. *The list of prizes from my shelf can be found here.*

Reading Challenge 2025: Tackle the TBR Pile

If you’re anything like me, you have a TBR pile that is bigger than you can hope to read in a lifetime. This is the year we’re going to try an tackle at least twelve of those books. Head to your shelves and find books that fit each month’s challenge.

This Month: August – Book published before 2020

Next Month: September – New to you author

October – Title from a favorite author

November – Award-winning book

December – Oldest book on your TBR pile

The Bartered Bride (Kennebrae Brides Series #1) (Heartsong Presents #875)The Bartered Bride (Brides of the West Book 1)

The Bartered Bride

by Erica Vetsch

2009 – original, 2025 – rerelease REVIEW

I’ve always enjoyed Erica’s books, and it’s nice to go back and read her backlist. This story was a real quick read, full of wonderful historical detail, a forced marriage story I could get on board with, and strong-willed characters. I truly enjoyed reading Jonathan and Melissa’s story. I loved seeing them come together, was sort of annoyed by the taking something out of context over-hearing breakup (but it fit the story), but loved how things came back together in a healthy relationship way.  I’m definitely looking forward to finishing the rest of the rereleased series after I finish drafting my current work in progress.

Genre: Historical Romance, American 1900s

Plot Overview:

A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.

A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.

Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.

Originally published as part of the Kennebrae Brides series.

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Giveaway

For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Gleam Widget below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget.  *Giveaway Policies can be found here.


August 2025 Reading Challenge

What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?

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