by Crystal Caudill | Dec 20, 2022 | Author Interviews
The Christian writing community is wonderfully supportive, and I met Laura DeNooyer when she hosted me on her blog in September. (You can read that post here.) She is a sweet and encouraging woman, and it is my pleasure to introduce you to her here.
Laura DeNooyer-Moore thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and an award-winning author of heart-warming historical and contemporary fiction. She is president of her American Christian Fiction Writers chapter. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, playing pickleball, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip. For a FREE prequel from Laura DeNooyer, join her monthly newsletter: www.StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com.
You can connect with her through:
Website | Facebook | BookBub | GoodReads | Newsletter
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Laura with rapid-fire.
CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?
LD: Dark
CC: Print or E-book?
LD: Both. Two years ago I would have said print, hands down. But ever since my daughter gave me a Kindle, I’ve grown to love it.
CC: Cat or Dog Person?
LD: Dog.
Morning Person or Night Owl?
LD: Night Owl
CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?
LD: Summer
I used to be a print-only person too, but having access on my phone has been pretty handy. Now onto the more in-depth stuff.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
LD: Ephesians 1:3-14 is a favorite because of the reminder of all God has lavished on His children, and the blessings of an unshakeable, undeserved inheritance in Christ.
Here are the verses for reader reference.
“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.
We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him for the administration of the days of fulfillment — to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.
We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.
When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.”
What are you reading right now?
LD: I’m usually reading two or three books at a time, at least one paperback and one on my Kindle, at least one fiction and one non-fiction:
- Jesus through the Eyes of Women (Rebecca McLaughlin)
- I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (Hannah Green, 1964)
- Shadows of the White City (Jocelyn Green)
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
LD: In second grade. Our unconventional teacher had us writing and illustrating our own books, a remarkable feat for the 1960s. I discovered story writing was the way to go, and became prolific that year. I decided to be an author when I grew up.
CC: That sounds like an amazing teacher, someone who knew what was best for her students.
What is your Kryptonite?
LD: Wordiness. In the spirit of brainstorming, I used to pack every possible word into a scene, figuring I could cut it down later. But after spending multiple hours (weeks, actually) trying to winnow three ridiculously long novel manuscripts, I changed my philosophy. However, I can still be tempted into wordiness.
What has been your biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
LD: Originally, my biggest challenge was learning how to accept criticism and separate the wheat from the chaff. Being in a writers critique group helped immensely in developing broad shoulders, and has been a vital part of stretching and growing as a writer. More recent challenges include having patience with the publishing process and jumping through the necessary (but not always so fun) hoops.
CC: I understand all of those things. This writing journey is no easy thing.
Now let’s talk about your book All that is Hidden.
Are secrets worth the price they cost to keep?
Ten-year-old Tina Hamilton finds out the hard way.
She always knew her father had a secret. But all of God’s earth to Tina are the streams for fishing, the fields for romping, a world snugly enclosed by the blue-misted Smokies. Nothing ever changed.
Until the summer of 1968. Trouble erupts when northern exploitation threatens her tiny southern Appalachian town. Some folks blame the trouble on progress, some blame the space race and men meddling with the moon’s cycles, and some blame Tina’s father.
A past he has hidden catches up to him as his secret settles in like an unwelcome guest. The clash of progressive ideas and small-town values escalates the collision of a father’s past and present.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Barnes & Noble
CC: What was the most challenging character to create?
LD: The mother, Jennie. I knew what I needed the father, Drew, to be, as well as Tina, the daughter and narrator. But I couldn’t decide what kind of a woman Jennie was, couldn’t even visualize her—until one day when I was out to lunch with friends. The minute our waitress came to the table, I knew it was Jennie. This sounds weird to most people, but some novelists can probably relate. Suddenly, Jennie had a face, mannerisms, and a personality, full blown with quirks. I suddenly knew what kind of a wife and mother she was, and had no trouble writing her after that.
Which character was the most fun to create?
LD: Tina, the protagonist, was fun to create. In the story, she’s an adult looking back on one particular year of her childhood. So I had to think like a child, think of how she would perceive all the adult mayhem going on around her, and as a daughter how she would view her father’s decisions and idiosyncrasies. She’s also a tomboy and gets herself into scrapes.
What was some of your favorite research you discovered while preparing for All that is Hidden?
LD: Back in the 1980s without the benefit of the internet, I found a book of Smoky Mountain idioms. Reading through that was a blast—all the colorful phrases! I had to decide which ones to use in the story. Fortunately, I had a literary consultant indigenous to the area. He read the entire novel to check for accuracy of cultural details and language.
How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
LD: My initial learning occurred when I first visited western North Carolina in college years ago. It was culture shock for a Midwestern kid who grew up surrounded by people chasing the American Dream. These mountain folks found happiness and contentment by different means, and it deeply touched me. That’s part of what I wanted to bring out in my story, with characters who had no trust in big cities or city folk who climb the ladder of success. I got to thinking: what would happen if one of their own people lived in the big city for a while and came back? As I wrote the story, I identified with these folks even more.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
LD: Misjudging others is a common theme in my stories. Besides peeling back the layers of a culture that might be unfamiliar to some readers, I hope people see the complexity of factors that lead a person down an unexpected pathway. I always want to encourage empathy over judgment.
CC: That peeling back of other cultures and not misjudging is so important in our culture, yet so often overlooked. I’m glad that is something you hope to help readers with. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
LD: Perhaps invisibility. Think of all the fascinating situations and conversations you could be privy to if you were invisible! Good storytelling material, for sure. But it could also get a person in trouble. So maybe I’d rather fly instead.
CC: Invisibility is definitely a troublesome temptation. But oh how much fun that could be.
Reader, what cultures have you discovered through reading that you might not have otherwise?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 13, 2022 | Author Interviews
I discovered Clari Dee’s book The Pinkerton’s Pursuit of Justice earlier this year and absolutely fell in love. . . to the point I stalked . . . errrr . . . searched out the author online and then emailed her. I’ve since had the privilege of meeting her at the ACFW conference in September, and am chomping at the bit in hopes of a second Pinkerton book’s arrival. (Hint, hint, Clari. 😉 ) But until then, I will have to satisfy myself with introducing you to Clari so you too might fall in love with her writing. Whether it’s historical western romances you seek or contemporary romances with a musician focus, she’s got it. Without further ado, here is Clari.
An avid reader by age seven, Clari loved to hang out at the public library, and the local bookstore staff knew her by name. Her favorite books ranged from Marguerite Henry’s horse stories, to Louis L’Amour’s westerns and Grace Livingston Hill’s romances. Her fascination with books and libraries continues, and she now works as a public librarian by day and a writer by night.
You can connect with her through:
Facebook | BookBub | GoodReads | Amazon
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Clari with rapid-fire.
CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?
CD: Both. Because chocolate!
CC: Print or E-book?
CD: Both! I love the portability of an E-reader but I still love print books. And need more bookshelves.
CC: Cat or Dog Person?
CD: I’ve had both, but currently I have four cats and no dogs.
Morning Person or Night Owl?
CD: Both. So I am a perpetually sleep-deprived pigeon. Hee hee!
CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?
CD: Summer! Definitely! Cold weather and short daylight makes my internal batteries run low. I need warmth and sunlight.
A “sleep-deprived pigeon”, LOL! Boy do I feel you on that one! Now let’s dive into the meat of the interview.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
CD: I don’t think I can pick just one. The chapter of Psalm 27 is a section of Scripture I have quoted to myself a lot this year. I love that the chapter starts with God’s promise to be my strength and ends with His promises to strengthen my heart.
That is a psalm I’ve often repeated to myself as well, especially during the early days of writing when I felt God had called me to an impossible task. For my readers, here is Psalm 27:
My Stronghold
Davidic.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation —
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life —
of whom should I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,
my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me,
my heart is not afraid;
though a war breaks out against me,
still I am confident.
4 I have asked one thing from the Lord;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord
and seeking Him in His temple.
5 For He will conceal me in His shelter
in the day of adversity;
He will hide me under the cover of His tent;
He will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be high
above my enemies around me;
I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7 Lord, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about You,
“You are to seek My face.”
Lord, I will seek Your face.
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
do not turn Your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper;
do not leave me or abandon me,
God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord cares for me.
11 Because of my adversaries,
show me Your way, Lord,
and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.
13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and courageous.
Wait for the Lord.
What are you reading right now?
CD: Robert J. Morgan’s 100 Bible Verses That Made America and Karen Witemeyer’s In Honor’s Defense.
What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
CD: I like being outside, going for a walk or a horseback ride.
CC: I haven’t been horseback riding in forever. I’m not sure I’d even be able to get back up on a horse at this point. LOL
Now I’m really excited to talk about the story that introduced me to you, The Pinkerton’s Pursuit of Justice.
He’s searching for justice. He just didn’t expect it to be her.
Pinkerton agent, Tremain Taggart, has dangerous criminals to investigate and apprehend. He doesn’t have time to escort a petty thief to Denver, but the quicker he completes the assignment his superior ordered him on, the quicker he can return to more important cases. However, the straightforward task promptly turns into the most complicated, chaotic chase of his career, and if he ever gets his hands on the elusive Miss Justice, he will be sorely tempted to wring her neck.
All Emmalena wanted was a tiny corner of the world to call her own. But after running away from the circus—the only life she’s ever known—all she’s found is trouble. And now she’s on the run, again. This time with a disturbing Pinkerton hot on her trail. If she can’t outrun or outwit him, she might have to risk her heart and actually trust him.
She’s the assignment he didn’t want. He’s the complication she didn’t need. But together, they might be exactly what they were each searching for.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Indiebound
CC: What was some of your favorite research for The Pinkerton’s Pursuit of Justice?
CD: Researching circus was a lot of fun, and I found that a large provider of horses, mules, and all sorts of circus animals once lived in Northern Missouri (the state I call home). It was said that children in that county didn’t have to run away from home to join the circus because the circus had run away to them.
CC: The circus culture really is intriguing, and a topic I’m dipping my toes in for some research myself.
Who was the most fun character to create?
CD: Emmalena. Pitting her circus-knowhow against Tremaine’s Pinkerton skills is hopefully as much fun for the reader as it was for me.
CC: I know I absolutely adored all of those moments. It’s definitely a reread for me.
How do you select the names of your characters?
CD: For my historicals, I like looking at old census records to see what names were in use during those decades I am sometimes surprised to find names that I would’ve guessed were more modern if they weren’t on an 1850 or 1880 census.
CC: That has surprised me in my research as well, and I’ve sort of shied away from using them because I’m afraid of reader kickback. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot?
CD: My writing buddies insist that this answer has to be cat. Because there is usually one in my lap and/or in the basket on top of my big roll-top desk and/or on the back of my easy chair watching the birds at my feeders and/or on the floor under my desk chair. This is a Sugar, Spice, Smoky, and Pickles approved answer.
CC: LOL, that is great! I just have one very annoying dog. Thank you so much for joining us. Readers, I highly recommend you pick up her story The Pinkerton’s Pursuit of Justice ASAP.
Reader, what stories have you read that feature circuses or Pinkertons?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 6, 2022 | Author Interviews
I am so blessed to know Danielle Grandinetti and get to read her novels, rich with history, danger, and romance. It’s my favorite combination, and she does it so well. Allow mt to introduce her to you and her books.
Whether in her historical romantic suspense or contemporary sweet romance Danielle Grandinetti crafts characters finding home in hard times. She is also an avid reader and her writing has won the University of Northwestern Distinguished Faith in Writing Award. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.
You can connect with her through:
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | BookBub | GoodReads | Amazon
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Danielle with rapid-fire.
CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?
DG: Dark
CC: Print or E-book?
DG: Print
CC: Cat or Dog Person?
DG: dog
Morning Person or Night Owl?
DG: Mornings
CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?
DG: Fall
I’m not really sure how morning people exist, but I’m glad that works for you! LOL Now let’s dive into the meat of the interview.
What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
DG: I love to cook. It’s hard to find the time to craft a meal with little kiddos, but putting together a meal is one of my favorite ways to let my creativity renew itself. I also enjoy photographing nature, especially Lake Michigan, and crocheting. Like cooking, these activities are often done in small, rare snippets, but I enjoy them whenever I get a chance.
CC: Oh the life of being a mom with littles. Those activities definitely sound renewing, and I’ll never be opposed to having someone else cook for me. . . or at least someone who enjoys cooking. 😉
What is your writing Kryptonite?
DG: Description. To compensate, I leave room in my word count to go back through after the initial draft to layer in the description. It keeps me from getting bogged down during the first draft and helps me bring each scene to life one at a time.
CC: Aren’t you so glad our stories don’t have to be done perfectly the first time around? That editing is really where we get to clean up our weaknesses and let God really shine through.
What is your writing schedule like?
DG: As a mother of young boys, I have to snag writing time when I can. When they’re playing well together, I pull out my computer. Or we all snuggle on the couch to watch a movie while I write. Sometimes, one of my kiddos will even grab a toy computer and pretend to write with me!
CC: That is so sweet. And grabbing time when and however you can is the only way to survive.
Let’s talk about your Christmas story, As Silent as the Night.
He can procure anything, except his heart’s deepest wish. She might hold the key, if she’s not discovered first.
Chicago, 1933―Lucia Critelli will do anything for her ailing grandfather, including stand in a breadline to have enough food to make him a St. Nicholas Day meal. When she catches the eye of a goon who threatens her grandfather, she discovers the end of Prohibition doesn’t mean the end of the mafia’s criminal activity.
Retired Marine Scout Giosue “Gio” Vella can find anything, especially if it helps a fellow Italian immigrant, so he has no doubt he can locate his neighbor’s granddaughter, who has gone missing from a local church. Keeping her safe is another matter. Especially when he chooses to hide out with his Marine buddy in Eagle, Wisconsin, the site of a barely-held truce among striking dairy farmers.
Will Christmas bring the miracle they all need or will Gio discover there are some things even he can’t find, particularly when he stumbles upon the most elusive gift of all: love.
Purchase your copy at Amazon
CC: What was some of your favorite research for As Silent as the Night?
DG: The opening prologue of As Silent as the Night is based on a real event that occurred. It was also fascinating to learn more about the Chicago mafia during the years when Al Capone was in prison. Add in the challenge of the Great Depression, when half of the city, one full of immigrants, was out of work and it gave me plenty of fodder to create Gio and Lucia’s story.
CC: It’s always fun to play with criminal organizations. There is so much fascinating research involved with that.
Who was the most challenging character to create?
DG: Believe it or not, Gio was my hardest character. He was so beloved as a side character in A Strike to the Heart, that when I wrote As Silent as the Night, I worried whether I’d get him right. It’s also hard to layer flaws into a character everyone loves. Not to mention the challenge of putting him in life-threatening situations. Hopefully I have done him justice, because he is one of my favorite characters, too.
CC: That is a real challenge, but I believe you handled it beautifully!
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
DG: That no matter your hardships, especially this Christmas season, you will remember the Light that shines in the darkest times. There is always hope, even when the world seems bleakest. And that Jesus came to bring love and peace to the world, and to you.
CC: Amen and Amen. It’s definitely one of those hard seasons for our family this year, and that reminder is so needed. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
If you could travel anywhere without worry to cost, where would you go?
DG: I want to go back to the Alps! I saw a glimpse of them along the Swiss/Italian border and again from the air, and I’ve wanted to explore them more ever since. Ciao! Buon Natale!
CC: Thank you so much for joining us. Readers, I recommend you pick up her story As Silent as the Night for an exciting Christmas read.
Reader, what Christmas reads are you diving into?
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 30, 2022 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
We’ve finished the eleventh month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month we traveled to any country you want to go to but have never been, and my choice of story was Millstone of Doubt by Erica Vestch Once you read my review, don’t forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win a copy.
*Want more interaction and/or suggestions each month? Join the Facebook Group. Need a reminder on the details of the challenge? Go to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page.*
Millstone of Doubt
by Erica Vetsch
What can I say? I adore Erica Vetsch’s books and this series has definitely ranked top of my list from her. Millstone of Doubt is the exciting sequel to The Debutante’s Code. Just as in the first book, Millstone of Doubt is filled with excitement, suspicious relationships, unexpected twists, and best of all danger. Well maybe, second best. I’m not a huge romance girl, but this book had the perfect amount of romance and a swoon-worthy ending. I’m looking forward to seeing how things wrap up with the next book, Children of the Shadows, which is not yet up for preorder but I am eagerly anticipating its release next year.
This book is great for lovers of Regency romance, spy stories, and romances where you’re never sure who is holding back secrets. It’s a thrilling adventure with depth, romance, and characters you can’t wait to continue to follow.
Genre: Regency Mystery Romance
Plot Overview:
Caught in the explosion of the Hammersmith Mill in London, Bow Street runner Daniel Swann rushes to help any survivors only to find the mill’s owner dead of an apparent gunshot–but no sign of the killer.
Even though the owner’s daughter, Agatha Montgomery, mourns his death, she may be the only one. It seems there are more than a few people with motive for murder. But Daniel can’t take this investigation slow and steady. Instead, he must dig through all the suspects as quickly as he can, because the clock is ticking until his mysterious patronage–and his job as a runner–comes to an abrupt and painful end. It seems to Daniel that, like his earthly father, his heavenly Father has abandoned him.
Lady Juliette Thorndike is Agatha’s bosom friend and has the inside knowledge of the wealthy London ton to be invaluable to Daniel. She should be in a perfect position to help with the case. But when her trusted instructor in the art of spy craft orders her to stay out of the investigation, Lady Juliette obeys. That is, until circumstances intervene, and she drops right into the middle of the deadly pursuit.
When a dreadful accident ends in another death on the mill floor, Daniel discovers a connection to his murder case–and to his own secret past. Now he and Juliette are in a race to find the killer before his time runs out.
Purchase Links:
Amazon Baker Bookhouse Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Book Depository Bookshop.org Christianbook.com Indiebound.org
Giveaway
*Special Giveaway note: Erica Vetsch is going to give this month’s winner a copy of her Thorndike and Swann paper dolls.*
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on December 7th at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget. *Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What did you read for November’s Challenge? What do you hope to read in December?
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 22, 2022 | Author Interviews
I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Powner and Moolene at the Fiction Readers Summit in May, and now it is my pleasure to introduce Katie to you. She is a woman with a big heart and impactful stories about redemption, relationships, and finding the dirt road home.
Katie Powner lives in rural Montana, where cows still outnumber people. She is a mom to the third power (biological, adoptive, and foster) and writes contemporary fiction about redemption, relationships, and finding the dirt road home.
You can connect with her through:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | BookBub
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Katie with rapid-fire.
CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?
KP: Dark
CC: Print or E-book?
KP: Print
CC: Cat or Dog Person?
KP: Cat
Morning Person or Night Owl?
KP: Night Owl
CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?
KP: This question isn’t fair, because in Montana winter lasts from October to May. And July and August are really hot and dry and filled with forest fires. So my favorite season in Montana is June.
CC: That is too funny! Well, not the forest fires, but the lack of seasons. Now for a couple of fun personal questions:
What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
KP: When I’m not reading or writing, I love taking walks, fostering babies, going to high school sporting events, and hanging out with my husband and kids.
CC: I love your fostering heart, and I’m so thankful for the handful of posts that have shared the struggles of that journey. (Reader, you can find those on her blog through her website.)
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?
KP: I’ve known I wanted to be a writer from the beginning…from when I first learned how to write. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.
CC: It is so neat to see God use the desires of our hearts for His glory. It’s not an easy road, but I love that you have always wanted to do it.
What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
KP: The biggest challenge on my writing journey has been trying to find that all-important balance between writing life and family life, as well as the balance between being committed to what I feel is my calling (and working hard to succeed) and still trusting that God is the one in control and will bring about the results He wants to bring about. It takes a lot of recurring prayer and meditation!
CC: I’m beginning to wonder if that balance between family and writing exists! And success in this writing world and struggling to not have control is a hard one for sure. I love that you actively pray and meditate on what He wants to bring about.
Let’s talk about your newest release, Where the Blue Sky Begins.
Sometimes the hardest road of all is the road home.
When confident and handsome Eric Larson is sent to a rural Montana town to work in the local branch of his uncle’s financial company, he’s determined to exceed everyone’s expectations, earn a promotion, and be back in Seattle by the end of summer. Yet nothing could prepare him for the lessons this small town has in store.
At forty-six years old, eccentric and outspoken Eunice Parker has come to accept her terminal illness and has given herself one final goal: seek forgiveness from everyone on her bucket list before her time runs out. But it will take more courage than she can muster on her own.
After an accident pushes Eric and Eunice together, the unlikely pair is forced to spend more time with each other than either would like, which challenges their deepest prejudices and beliefs. As summer draws to a close, neither Eric nor Eunice is where they thought they would be, but they both wrestle with the same important question: What matters most when the end is near?
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Christianbook | Indiebound
CC: What was some of your favorite research for Where the Blue Sky Begins?
KP: While preparing for Where the Blue Sky Begins, I did a lot of research about stomas, particularly urostomies, because Eunice in the story has a urostomy. I already knew what they were, but it was so fascinating to learn more about this absolute marvel of modern medicine. I mean, to think that doctors can re-route a bladder or a colon to a newly formed opening to save a person’s life…it’s amazing. Not many years ago, a person with a diseased colon would’ve died a slow and painful death. But now, thanks to advancements in stomas and stoma supplies, they can live a long, basically normal life. I loved learning more about that.
CC: We recently had the son of an acquaintance whose life was saved through a stoma. I never really thought about the fact that before they existed, people had such a miserable death. I am definitely glad for that bit of modern medicine.
How do you select the name of your characters?
KP: Names are so interesting. They tell us a lot about a person, even if we don’t realize it on a conscious level. So I take character name-choosing very seriously. I consider their age, their location, their family heritage. I consider their temperament and their character arc. I also consider how their name sounds out loud and how it sounds paired with other prominent names in the story. For example, if you have a William, you wouldn’t want to name his wife Wilma because that would be a tongue twister!
CC: I love how much thought you put into names. They really are such an important part of the story, and once it’s in print, you can’t change it.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
KP: I hope readers will think about their own mortality and consider not only what will happen after they die but what they should be doing now with the life they still have. I also hope they will be encouraged to not judge others so quickly but to give people a chance to show who they really are.
CC: That is so beautiful and so needed. Thank you so much for joining me today and providing such thought-provoking answers. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot?
KP: Actually, I already have a writerly mascot! It’s my stuffed Holstein cow named Moolene. She and I wear matching red Converse shoes and matching retro red bead necklaces. If you follow me online at all, you will see Moolene make appearances fairly often.
CC: Thank you again for joining us. For fun, I’ve included a picture of Moolene. 🙂
Reader, what would be YOUR mascot?
Laura DeNooyer-Moore thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and an award-winning author of heart-warming historical and contemporary fiction. She is president of her American Christian Fiction Writers chapter. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, playing pickleball, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip. For a FREE prequel from Laura DeNooyer, join her monthly newsletter: www.StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com.
Are secrets worth the price they cost to keep? 
