by Crystal Caudill | Jan 28, 2025 | Author Interviews
I love introducing new books and authors to people. I’ve had the blessing of having Laura on here before, but she’s back to talk about her newest release A Hundred Magical Reasons. She is graciously providing a print copy (US Residents only) or e-book (anywhere) of either of her books, A Hundred Magical Reasons or All That is Hidden. Be sure to read all the way to the end to learn the details and enter. Now before we dive in, allow me to introduce you properly.
Laura DeNooyer 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. Her novels are perfect for fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Erin Bartels, or Heidi Chiavaroli. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.
You can connect with her through: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | GoodReads | BookBub
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: Rain or snow?
LD: Snow–but only if I don’t have to drive in it!
CC: Makeup or no makeup?
LD: None whatsoever!
CC: Personal maid or personal chef?
LD: Maid–I don’t need fancy meals but I’d love to have someone clean my house!
CC: Arrive early, just on time, or late?
LD: Fashionably late–but not on purpose.
CC: Food fight or water balloon fight?
LD: Water balloons–it’s easier to clean up afterward!
I miss the days when I didn’t have to take clean up into consideration. LOL! But I’m with you on the water balloon fights. So let’s go ahead and dive in.
What kind of stories are your favorite to write?
LD: I love writing the kind of stories I like to read—complex and character-driven with complicated relationships and messy family dynamics. I like delving into the gray, murky areas of life, into false appearances and misjudgments. My stories serve food for thought as well as hope and second chances—tales that “redeem the years the locusts ate.”
CC: I love that, and yes! Writing the kind of stories I like to read is so important. Especially since we have to read them over and over and over and over during the writing and editing processes.
Do you read fiction while you are writing your own stories?
LD: I’m constantly reading, both Christian fiction and general market, plus non-fiction. My favorite genres are historical fiction and contemporary women’s fiction, but I read a variety which includes suspense, mystery, some romance, and occasional YA and fantasy.
Reading fiction keeps me tapped into the book world and also functions as a way to learn from other authors doing their craft. It’s nearly impossible to read a story for mere enjoyment without analyzing and dissecting it as a storyteller. How is the writer drawing me in? How does she raise the stakes? Why am I relating to this character and not that one? Where is she dropping hints that foreshadow? How is this story resonating with me and why?
While I was writing A Hundred Magical Reasons, I needed to be familiar with L. Frank Baum’s stories. He wrote over 70 books, most of them for children, including 14 Oz novels. I read all fourteen, plus several others, and all of his newspaper editorials. Besides the biographies I read, the editorials gave me much insight into his thinking. Then I was better equipped to write him as a character.
CC: I love how that also gives us a peek into your research process.
What is your favorite part about writing?
LD: I have a love/hate relationship with the editing process, especially if the manuscript has become long and unwieldy. I’ve definitely learned how to “slash and burn” my words on the page to cut the manuscript down to more manageable and effective proportions. It’s both painful and rewarding.
CC: There is something satisfying about making the story cleaner and better.
Do you have a general writing process you follow or does it change all the time?
LD: I used to be very organized and showed up with a plan. Nowadays, I only know the direction the story is headed, but am not sure how it will get there. Ideas start percolating when I’m actually sitting down writing a scene. I see connections to other characters and situations that will increase the stakes and further the plot.
I start asking, “What if . . .?” But I also brainstorm, considering which juxtapositions of characters and situations would cause the most tension.
For example, in A Hundred Magical Reasons, I had to consider what could make a good contrast or foil for L. Frank Baum. Enter eight-year-old Janie whose rigid parents have no use for fiction, fantasy, or fairy tales. But the inimitable L. Frank Baum knows how to draw out her imagination. This is a major tension throughout the story.
From there I planned out some basic scenes based on his own family and career timeline and worked the story around those. The details and dialog came as I wrote the scenes.
I do a lot of revising—first expanding, then cutting and/or rearranging. It’s accurate to say that I have revised this particular novel at least fifteen times! Revised not just edited.
CC: It’s definitely a process. I don’t know that I can actually put a number to my revisions. I’m constantly revising as I write.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
LD: Be teachable. Join a writers group that both stretches and encourages you. Improvement comes from getting feedback, then revising. Multiple times.
Read, read, read! Read books in and out of your genre. Read like a writer, not just a reader.
If you’re drawn to writing like bees to nectar, then persevere. If God has given you that desire and some raw talent, cultivate the gift. He’s the ultimate Creator and Storyteller, and He made us in His image. He delights in our creativity.
Meanwhile, keep reminding yourself that the joy is in the journey! It’s not just about the end product but about what we learn and who we meet along the way.
Now I’m excited to talk about A Hundred Magical Reasons.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Scrivenings
CC: What will fans of A Hundred Magical Reasons love about your story and characters?
LD: Whether readers are Oz fans or not, I think they will enjoy getting to know L. Frank Baum. Besides just getting the facts straight about his life, I wanted to create his essence on the page so that readers would experience what it was like to sit on the Baums’ Macatawa porch with him, whether running a printing press or drinking lemonade.
As a storyteller, actor, and author, Baum was constantly creating ways to tell new stories and engage children. I wanted to show how he would draw out Janie’s imagination. Which activities would they do together? What was life like around the dinner table at the Baum household? We know a bit about that from biographies, but I wanted to present Baum through the eyes of a fictional character who visits from year to year.
Additionally, I think readers will love the dialogs and growing friendship between twenty-two-year-old Carrie and eighty-eight-year-old Mrs. Gordon—one facing fears about her future, the other living with regrets about her past.
CC: I never actually knew anything about Mr. Baum, so now I’m fascinated to learn more about him and make him one of my fictional friends.
Why did you write A Hundred Magical Reasons?
LD: While reading a biography about L. Frank Baum, I learned that his family summered at the same lake where our family vacations yearly—at the other end of the Lake Macatawa near Holland, Michigan, and a century earlier. That was a fun little connection.
Additionally, as I learned more about his life, I was smitten. Baum was such an innovative, larger-than-life personality—no surprise there, given that he created the Land of Oz. He was also a family man with a keen understanding of children and a high regard for women. (His mother-in-law was a suffragist!) His humor and creativity gave him the capacity to bounce back from failure many times.
Having always wanted to write a novel set in the turn of the century, Baum fit perfectly into my plans.
CC: How fun! I’ve been to Holland, but I’ve never made it to the lake, now I’ll have to visit for sure!
What is the most fascinating piece of research that shaped your story?
LD: Baum’s life, family, and career ups and downs are the main things that shaped the story. I wanted my two protagonists, Janie (in both timelines) and Carrie (1980), to be impacted by his influence. I just had to figure out how. I wanted to spotlight the Baums’ summers at Michigan’s Macatawa Resort (1898-1910) and his friendship with young Janie. Janie takes on challenges inspired by some of Baum’s career choices.
In 1900, Baum turned 44 and published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Decades later, Janie is all grown up as Mrs. Gordon in 1980, sharing her memoirs with twenty-two-year-old Carrie who has problems of her own. Carrie wants to run a literary-themed café against her parents’ wishes. The two women have more in common than they realize.
CC: A literary-themed café sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to see how Mr. Baum influences her decisions and creation of this magical place.
What is a fun fact about this story that readers might not know?
LD: Most people don’t know that Baum should be credited with the earliest documented original film score back in 1908-1914. Before Hollywood became what it is today, Baum dabbled in film and even created the very first scene of Dorothy stepping from black and white into color—thirty years before the MGM Wizard of Oz movie brought us technicolor.
With so many interests and projects claiming his attention, Baum wanted to be done writing Oz books. He wrote six Oz books, then closed off Oz from the rest of the world—supposedly forever. But thousands of children wrote him, clamoring for more Oz stories. He finally relented, and wrote eight more.
CC: Wow! I had no idea there were fourteen Oz books! I’ve not even read one of them, but now my interest is piqued.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
LD: Baum’s stories are all about stirring the child’s imagination, and that’s a key element of my novel. I firmly believe that since we’re all made in the Creator’s image, everybody is creative in his own way. I hope this story inspires readers to use their own imaginations.
Other themes are woven in too, such as learning to be yourself when others try to keep you in a box. A Hundred Magical Reasons would make a great book club book. I hope the story raises questions and encourages pondering.
CC: I am thoroughly entranced by this book. It’s not my typical read, but I’m picking up a copy now.
I always like to end with a fun question so . . .
You are in the back of a police car on your way to jail. What did you do, and is anyone with you?
LD: Due to daydreaming, I accidentally walked out of a store with merchandise without paying first!
CC: Oops! That sounds entirely too plausible! LOL Let’s hope that never becomes the case.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out A Hundred Magical Reasons and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Reader, have you ever read the Oz books or seen the movie? What was your favorite part of it?
Giveaway
Here’s your chance to win a copy of either A Hundred Magical Reasons or All That is Hidden. Comment on the blog and enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 4,2025. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.
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by Crystal Caudill | Nov 19, 2024 | Author Interviews, Uncategorized
I pray that you have friends in your life who have become like family. Voni Harris is one such friend. She’s part of my core group of friends, which we have fondly named the Masters of Mayhem, or Mayhemmers for short. She is an amazing woman, friend, wife, mother, and Christian. It is such an honor to finally introduce you to her with an additional title: author. Voni’s debut novel, Surge, releases TODAY, so after you finish the interview, pop over to Amazon and grab your copy! (Voni will also graciously be giving away an e-copy from the A Breed Apart Legacy series, as well as bookmarks and stickers.)
Before we go in too deep, will you introduce yourself, Voni?
Hello! Waving hi from Alaska! It’s no surprise I grew up to write suspense novels. Dad was a law enforcement instructor. Mom was a newspaper editor. And God wove a love of words and story into my DNA.
My legal eagle hubby and I make our home on an Alaska island. We live with two dogs: Stingray, an Australian Shepherd, is obsessed with playing tug, and Kip, a Boston Terrier is obsessed with food. They all conspire to get me away from my computer and out into the real world of this beautiful rainforest in which we live.
Living in Alaska is truly the stuff of dreams. Winter days of darkness, summer nights of sunlight. Mountains, ocean, forest. Rain, snow, clouds, sun. Even earthquakes. These all meet here on the island in infinite variations. In the same way joy, music, fun, tears, laughter, fear, and surprise meet in life in infinite variations. Through it all is woven the light of hope in Christ. This is what I hope to catch in my writing … The darkness of suspense, the light of Christ.
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Voni with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
VH: Candy corn is gross. Pineapple pizza!
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
VH: Ahem. I’m 4’6″, so I’m not diving in the deep end, lol.
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
VH: Salsa–as long as it’s mild.
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
VH: Silly socks, of course!
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
VH: Handshakes aren’t that secret, LOL. Passwords!
Awwww, come on, Voni. Just because you’re short doesn’t mean you can’t dive into the deep end. 🙂 You’ve got the three of us (Angela, Liz, and me) to come after you. Although . . . maybe that isn’t such a good idea either. Liz might be the only one actually able to haul you out while Angela and I sink to the bottom.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
VH: Age 5. I loved finding out that Highlights published poems and short, short stories from kids. Plus, Laura Ingalls Wilder was a writer. L.M. Montgomery was. Ronie Kendig is. They all motivated me.
CC: I remember Highlights! Who didn’t love getting their hands on the magazine? Of course, my favorite part was the kid-submitted jokes. But that fits us, doesn’t it? LOL
What does your writing process look like in general from beginning to end?
VH: Plan the characters. Plan the plot. Write out a chapter by chapter synopsis. WRITE THE BOOK. Connect the dots and fix on my re-read. Rewrite and edit. Content edits. Line edit. Proofreading edit. Galleys. DONE!
CC: It is a process! My favorite process is the brainstorming with you how to connect those dots. 😉
What is your writing Kryptonite?
VH: Planning is great … unless you spend time in planning like you sank into quicksand.
CC: It’s definitely easy to overplan rather than get the words down.
What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
VH: Like I said above, moving forward instead of wallowing in writing quicksand.
CC: Wallowing is so easy to do. I’m so glad we have each other to be blunt and say that’s enough, move on, and then to help in the pulling out of the quicksand.
How have you seen God work through your writing journey?
VH: He has worked through writing partners and mentors who have done nothing but encourage and push me (as did deadlines, lol).
CC: I agree. Having you as a writing partner has been a gift and definitely the hand of God. I am so glad that He has given you so many people to pour into you and motivate you.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
VH: Pray, pray, pray. Always, always ask “why” as many times as it takes to understand where your story is going. And friends, friends, friends who won’t just pat you on the head emotionally about your writing because they want to help you level up your writing.
CC: Great advice and SOOO true.
Now I’m excited to talk about Surge.
Love and Betrayal in a Race Against Time
Delaney Thompson isn’t just a dog trainer—she’s the key to preventing a disaster. With loyal Military Working Dog, Surge, by her side, she’s ready to prove herself on her first mission…even without military training. Her goal? Help the intense Belgian Malinois track down a specific chemical linked to a dangerous terrorist group before it reaches American soil. But to succeed, she must navigate unfamiliar terrain and an even more unpredictable partner.
Garrett Walker is a seasoned military operator, driven by duty and haunted by tragic losses. Reluctantly, he teams up with Delaney, whose lack of tactical experience makes her a liability as he leads them across Southeast Asia. Yet Garrett knows that mission success and the safety of countless lives back home hinge on his leadership, the Malinois’s special scent training, and Delaney’s unique skills.
The stakes couldn’t be higher: if Delaney and Garrett fail to locate and secure the toxic chemical, hundreds of thousands of Americans could die. As they hunt down the terrorists, their objectives are clear—find the stash, neutralize the threat, and try not to get killed. But with mutual distrust simmering between them, their greatest challenge may be learning to rely on each other.
A gripping tale of suspense, betrayal, and unexpected romance. Dive into this high-stakes adventure where every moment counts…and falling in love might just be the most perilous move of all.
Purchase your copy at Amazon
CC: Who was te most challenging character to create?
VH: Garrett was the most difficult. He has to, at some point, give up his frustration with Delaney, so it was a hard balance.
CC: I can remember many discussions about Garrett and finding the right pacing for his growth. Enemies to lovers can be such a hard trope to make believable.
Which Character was the most fun to create?
VH: Delaney was fun as a maverick, as well as her love and understanding of Military Working Dogs.
CC: She certainly liked to stand on her own and not have to rely on someone who acted like he didn’t even like her.
How did this story affect you as your wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
VH: I learned to push ahead on the writing God prepared me in advance to do, as Garrett and Delaney and Surge learned to push ahead on their mission God called them to do. Garrett didn’t want to be called, and Delaney was afraid of being called … but they both learned from this mission. We all have both callings and things to learn, which is why God calls us.
CC: Yes. He definitely has dual purposes in his calling us.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
VH: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” –Ephesians 2:10 What has God prepared you in advance to do? Or what is he preparing you to do?
CC: Such a great verse for readers to walk away thinking about.
I always like to end with a fun question so . . .
What animal is most like you? Why?
VH: A Military Working Dog, of course. Like an MWD, it is in my heart to do exactly what needs to be done, exactly right.
CC: Why am I not surprised by this? LOL And yes, the aim for perfection is a great description of you!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out Surge and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Giveaway Info
Voni is graciously giving away a bookmark and sticker, and an e-copy of any of the A Breed Apart Legacy books. They are each stand-alone books; you do not have to read the others in order to read Voni’s.
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Reader, what other books can you think of that have a dog?
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 12, 2024 | Author Interviews
It is an honor to introduce you to Christy Award winner, Katie Powner. I met Katie for the first time a few years ago at a reader event, and her down-to-earth manner struck me. She is a fantastic author, foster mom, and Christian. I am so blessed to get to have her here today for an interview. Katie is graciously offering a copy of The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass, her latest Christy Award finalist novel, to one lucky person. Check out the details and restrictions at the end of this post. Before we dive in, here is a bit about her.
Katie Powner is a Christy Award-winning author who lives in rural Montana, where cows still outnumber people. She writes contemporary fiction about redemption, relationships, and finding the dirt road home. She’s a mom to the third power (biological, adoptive, and foster) who loves red shoes, Jesus, and candy–not necessarily in that order. Learn more at KatiePowner.com.
You can connect with her through: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | X | BookBub | GoodReads
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: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
KP: The two absolutely worst things I can imagine.
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
KP: Dive in, baby!
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
KP: I love guac too, but I have to go with salsa because there are so many varieties and it has way fewer calories, haha.
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
KP: Socks
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
KP: What?! Is this something people are doing? I feel like I’m missing out, I want both!
Ha ha! Yeah, I don’t know anyone who actually uses secret handshakes outside of elementary school, if they even do it there now. And I’m so with you on the guac. I love it, but not the calories.
What fiction book has most impacted you?
KP: Summer of Light by Dale Cramer changed the trajectory of my life because it showed me there was room in Christian fiction for a wider variety of stories than what I had been exposed to. When I read Summer of Light, I suddenly had hope there were publishers out there interested in writing voices like mine.
CC: Oh, I’ve never heard of that one. I’ll have to go look it up.
When did you first realize you want to be a writer?
KP: It’s all I ever wanted to do. Aside from briefly entertaining the idea of becoming a naturalist when I was in fifth grade, all I’ve ever wanted to be was a writer. I never imagined myself as a nurse or ballerina or astronaut or whatever. Writing was it for me.
CC: I love how you had that yearning from the very beginning!
How have you seen God work through your writing journey?
KP: Here’s a funny thing. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but I figured it would happen after my kids were grown up. I wanted to give my time and attention to them, and I figured writing could wait. But here’s what God knew that I didn’t: Writing makes me a better parent. Having a creative outlet and a way to set personal goals for myself, as well as a way to have success and identity outside of my children, allows me to find greater joy in being a mom and gives me more energy and life to pour into parenting.
CC: Oh wow! I love that. I’d actually never thought of it in that context, except that writing saves my family’s lives sometimes. LOL
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
KP: The one piece of advice I always give to people just starting out or thinking about starting out is WRITE THE SECOND BOOK. I’ve seen too many people write one story and then spend years and years revising it, passing it around for feedback, revising it again, and basically just fiddling around with it forever when they should be working on their next story. Yes, take all the time you need to write your book. Yes, revise it and get feedback and revise it again. But then submit it and move on. Start something new. Don’t get stuck on one story for ten years.
CC: That is very sage advice. It’s easy to get hung up on perfection. We grow and change with each book we write.
I’m so thrilled to get the chance to talk about your book that is currently up for a Christy Award, and even more thrilled I’ll get to cheer you on in person! Before we talk about it, here’s what it’s about:
The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House (30% off and free shipping!) | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop | Christianbook
CC: Where did you get the idea for the story?
KP: My brother drives the garbage truck for the city of Cut Bank in northern Montana. He would tell me sometimes about things he would observe while driving the truck and things he learned about people based on their garbage. I found that fascinating and that’s where The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass was born.
CC: That is so cool! I never thought about that aspect of his job.
Which character was the most fun to create?
KP: Pearl the pot-bellied pig was really fun to write because pigs are such smart and unique and curious creatures. Also because she was always getting into mischief and revealing people’s true character.
CC: Ha! I love it when animals bring more to the story than just being there for the main characters to love on.
What was some of your favorite research while preparing for the The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass?
KP: I learned that pot-bellied pigs are good at recognizing danger and have been known to save lives. They’re so much smarter than people realize!
CC: I’ve heard that pigs are extremely intelligent, but I’ve never put a lot of thought into what that might look like.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
KP: That everyone has value and their value is determined by the Creator, not by the world. Not based on human standards.
CC: Amen. That is such a hard thing to learn and hold on to, especially with our world and society’s pressures.
I always like to end with a fun question so . . .
You find a genie in a lamp. What three wishes would you make?
KP: I wish ice cream was a low-calorie food. I wish it was easier to go to bed before 10:30pm (It’s not. It’s impossible). And I wish my chickens would stop laying their eggs beneath their roost.
CC: ha ha! I can commiserate with the first two, but I don’t have chickens. However, my brother does, and I’m sure he can agree on that third wish!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Giveaway
Katie is graciously giving away a print copy of The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass to one lucky U.S. resident, 18 or older. Entries are collected until 11:59 p.m. EST on 11/18/2024. The winner will be contacted by email.
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*Contiguous U.S. residents only, 18 and older. Void where prohibited or restricted.
Reader, what is something the garbage man might learn about you when they see your trash?
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 22, 2024 | Author Interviews
Liz Tolsma is one of those amazing women that you don’t realize JUST how amazing she is until you get to know her. It’s been a rough year or two for her, and it’s been an honor to pray for her over that time. Just as is her generous nature, Liz is offering a copy of What I Left for You to one lucky person. You can find out the details on how to enter for your chance to get a copy at the end of this blog post. Now I’m glad to give you the chance to get to know this wonderful author, mother, Christian, and friend.
Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, prairie romance novellas, a romantic suspense, and an Amish romance. She is the host of the popular podcast Christian Historical Fiction Talk and is also an editor. She resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son, daughter-in-law, and daughter are all U.S. Marines. In her free time, Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.
You can connect with her through: Website | Newsletter | X | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | BookBub | Goodreads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Liz with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
LT: Is neither an option? I really don’t like either one.
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
LT: Test the waters
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
LT: For this one, I’d like both!
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
LT: Silly socks. I can be silly, but I do it in private rather than in public, so the socks make sense.
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
LT: Hmm. Probably passwords, especially if I can use face recognition because I can’t remember my passwords.
CC: I am so thankful for password apps and face recognition. LOL, so let’s dive in to getting to know you a little better.
What fiction book has most impacted you?
LT: “Love Comes Softly” by Janette Oke. It’s the first Christian novel I read, and it opened my eyes to the genre. After I discovered it, I read all I could find, and one day, decided maybe I could write a book too. It’s the one that got it all started.
CC: Janette Oke has had such an impact on so many. She to had a major impact on my life and my eventual writing journey.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
LT: It depends on the book. Sometimes I have no deadlines or longer ones, so that allows me to do more research and story and character development on the front end. When I have a tight deadline, I have to do all that on the fly and often have more rewrites. Overall, I don’t work off an outline. I love to see what develops much the way a reader would. That’s the most fun part of writing to me.
CC: I admire you for being able to do it that way. I used to be like that, but I feel like I prefer to have an outline more often than not, even if very loose.
What has been your biggest struggle on this writing journey?
LT: The marketing part of the job has been the hardest. I never went to school for it and never took any classes. I’m learning as I go, and I’m still learning, especially with the way marketing and social media are ever-evolving. Sometimes I wish I wrote forty years ago when the publishers did all that for you!
CC: Boy do I feel you on this one. It all feels like so much and so overwhelming. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.
How have you seen God work through your writing journey?
LT: He has always brought the right story and the right publisher to me at the right time, even when I doubted it would ever happen. Throughout, he’s taught me to rely on him more and more and less on myself. It’s a lesson I have to keep learning. Trust isn’t an easy thing, and letting go of the way I have my life laid out so God can work is difficult. But he has proven himself faithful, and that’s what I lean on.
CC: I feel like I must not be learning this lesson very well, because I have to keep learning it over and over and over and over again. LOL but He has and does prove Himself faithful.
Do you have any advice for those who might want to write their own stories?
LT: Write. This is supposed to be a longer answer than that, but that’s the first step. You can’t learn how to be a better writer unless you’ve tried it, just like you can’t learn to be a better skater if you’ve never stepped on the ice. So get out there and write. And work hard to improve. This applies to aspiring authors and those who are already published. Even the world’s best figure skater continues to go to practice and work with a coach. So it is with writers. We can always strive to be better.
CC: I agree! May we always strive to be better and grow as writers.
Before we dive into your inspiration, etc, for What I Left for You, allow me to introduce my readers to the story itself.
What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma
A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939
1939 Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.
2023 Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook
CC: Where did you get the idea for this story?
LT: The idea came to me when I was doing research for my family tree. I had discovered that I’m descended from an ethnic minority living in what is today southern Poland, northern Slovakia, and western Ukraine. Originally, it was supposed to be about a Jewish woman who fled Ukraine and found refuge in the area my family is from, but the current state of affairs in Europe prevented me from traveling there for research, so I changed it to focus more on what happened to my people, and I found a treasure trove of little known information there.
CC: I love (and sometimes hate the personal process of) when God changes our stories so completely from what we thought they should be. He really does some amazing stuff when we give Him that room.
Which readers will be the ones to most love this book?
LT: Anyone who enjoys war or WWII novels will love this, and anyone who enjoys genealogy, because it delves into that. Since it’s dual time, set both during WWII and the present day, readers who like historical novels and those who like contemporary will enjoy it. It would also be great for anyone who loves little known facts because this book is filled with them.
CC: I love how this book appeals to so many people. You just can’t go wrong.
Who was the most challenging character to create? What made them so difficult?
LT: Helena was the hardest character to put together because she is so different than I am. From the time she was little, she wanted a different life than what she had, and she wasn’t afraid to go and get it. She fought for those who were marginalized, even when she was one of those people, as she often was. She was tough. I don’t know if I could survive what I put her through. It would only be by God, that’s for sure.
CC: I know there are people who say the same thing about you when they see and get to know you.
What was some of your favorite research you discovered while preparing for What I Left for You?
LT: My daughter and I were blessed to be able to travel to Poland to research What I Left for You, and it was an amazing experience. We visited the villages where my ancestors were from and saw the church my great-grandmother was baptized in. In the strangest way, I felt so much like I belonged there, that I had come home at last. Having my daughter along made the entire experience that much sweeter. And then we spent time researching in Krakow and eating plenty of really good Polish food! I could go on and on, but you can read more about my trip at the end of the book. If you ever have the chance to go to Poland, jump on it.
CC: I am more than a little jealous tha you got to travel to Poland and do all that amazing research. I look forward to reading more about your trip in the back of the book.
How did this story affect you as you wrote it?
LT: Because I was writing about my people, it definitely affected me. It was so deeply personal, and I cried for all they suffered when they wanted nothing more than to be left in peace to live the lives they had for over six hundred years. God showed me all my ancestors endured, and I’ve come to appreciate all they fought so hard for to give me the life I have. They would stare in amazement to see my “big” house (all that room for five people) when they lived with as many as eleven people in a two-room house. I try not to take my life and my blessings for granted.
CC: It is SO easy to take what we have for granted. I know I do.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
LT: I hope that I will learn where “home” is, and that is with the Lord in glory someday. This earth and its charms are fleeting, but that is where our permanent residence will be.
CC: Amen and praise the Lord for that. This poor broken world is not what I want for my home.
I always like to end with a fun question so . . .
You find a genie in a lamp. What three wishes would you make?
LIT: 1. A few million dollars so I could take care of my parents, my kids, me and my husband, and my sisters and their families. 2. A lab puppy. I miss my labs and want another one so much! 3. A private island just for me and my family to vacation on and get together in one place.
CC: I love each one of those! You are definitely very family-oriented.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out What I Left for You and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Reader, do you know any little known historical facts?
Giveaway
Liz Tolsma is generously giving away one copy of What I Left for You to one contiguous U.S. resident, 18 years or older. Just complete the Rafflecopter entries below for your chance. Entries close 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/29/2024.
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by Crystal Caudill | Sep 24, 2024 | Author Interviews
I have had the joy of getting to know Karen online and finally in person when we did a book signing together in Pigeon Forge. Karen is such a fun and interesting person, and I’m so glad to get to introduce you to her today. (And learn a bit more about her myself.) Karen is also graciously giving away a signed copy of Where Trees Touch the Sky to one lucky U.S. Resident. Be sure to check out the details at the end of this post. Now before we jump to the meat of the interview, allow me to formally introduce you.
KAREN BARNETT is the award-winning author of nine novels, including When Stone Wings Fly and The Vintage National Park Novels. Before becoming a novelist, she worked as a ranger naturalist and outdoor educator at Mount Rainier National Park and Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park. When not writing, Karen enjoys photography, hiking, public speaking, and decorating crazy birthday cakes. She lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at KarenBarnettBooks.com.
You can connect with her through: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | Ranger Bear FB | Ranger Bear Instagram | BookBub
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Karen with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
KB: How about just pineapple? I’m on a weird auto-immune diet right now that doesn’t allow either pizza or candy. I’m going a little crazy, but I’m happy it’s working. And once you’ve been off sugar for a while, fresh pineapple is an incredible treat!
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
KB: Test the waters.
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
KB: Guac. Yum!
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
KB: Socks. Hats rarely fit on my melon-sized head.
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
KB: Secret handshakes sounds like more fun!
Yikes on the diet, but I totally need to get the sugar out of my system. I hope it helps you! Let’s dive into the meat of the interview now.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
KB: I’ve always been an avid reader, and I spent as much time in the public library as my parents would allow. I think I was still pretty young when I stopped once to gaze at the long rows of shelves in our library, amazed at the sheer number of books that were available to me. A grand thought crossed my mind–I could add even more stories to these shelves for other people to enjoy. Of course, I had no clue at the time how difficult writing a book would be.
My dream was never about bookstores or best-sellers lists. It’s always been about libraries!
CC: I love that! My public library was how I survived. I will forever be grateful to see any of my books in that wonderful building.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
KB: I like to do a lot of research ahead of time. Since I write stories set in national parks, that means visiting the park to get a sense of what makes that place special. If I get a chance to visit a park archive, I’m like a kid in a candy store. Just call me a history geek!
After that, I typically write a short (and loose) synopsis. Since I tend to write by the seat of my pants, I avoid outlining. For me, that’s too many spoilers. I enjoy discovering plot twists in the same way that readers do, and the story comes to life when the characters do things that surprise me. I’m sure that probably sounds crazy to non-writers because the characters come out of my imagination. But I’ve learned to give my fictional friends freedom to make some of their own choices.
CC: I completely understand this sentiment. LOL And may I say how jealous I am of you getting to travel to the parks for your research? Maybe one day in retirement.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
KB: Fear. Fear and self-doubt lead me to some dark places and convince me that no one will like what I’m currently writing. The internal voices whisper stuff like, “Why did you write it that way? That sounds dumb. This is boring. Who cares?” That can slow my writing process to a crawl. The only thing that brings me out of it is remembering that God is right there with me. Like the story of the loaves and fishes, He can take my meager offering and feed souls with it. It’s not up to me. It’s all Him.
CC: I cannot tell you how much I needed that reminder tonight. May we all offer up our meager offerings for His purpose.
What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
KB: My biggest challenge has been procrastination. There a thousand little distractions that seem more fun (or more critical) than sitting down and getting my daily word count done. Because of that, I end up getting increasingly anxious as my deadline approaches. That stress tends to suck the joy out of the creative process.
CC: Ain’t that the truth. Facing my own deadline, I’m feeling that heartily.
Before we dive into the second section of our interview, allow me to share the blurb for Where Trees Touch the Sky.
Some secrets have shadows as long as the redwoods are tall.
In the early 1920s, the accelerating destruction of the California redwoods is more than nature-loving Marion Baker can bear. Throwing herself headlong into the work of the Save the Redwoods League, she is shocked to learn that Frank Duncan, a man she’s grown to love, is the son of one of the area’s worst timber barons. Though devastated by the betrayal, she realizes this could also be an opportunity–if only she can convince him to help preserve her favorite grove from his father’s greedy grasp. Is her love strong enough to persuade him to save these precious trees? Or will Marion choose to sacrifice her beliefs to keep Frank by her side?
Nearly fifty years later, in 1972, polio survivor June Turner is deeply proud of the legacy her great aunt Marion has left as a redwood warrior. And despite her disability, June is determined to prove herself capable as a ranger at the recently established Redwood National Park, even if it means taking to the trails with her crutch in hand. What better way to carry on the family tradition of preserving Gods magnificent creation?
When aspiring film student Adam Garner approaches June to help make a documentary about Marion’s life, she swiftly grabs the opportunity to spread her aunt’s worthy reputation. That is, until they unearth a secret that might shatter the family legacy. In the scramble for answers, June may lose not only her family pride but also her own dreams.
Karen Barnett’s beautifully crafted split-time novel, set against the majestic backdrop of a beloved national park, immerses the reader in history that feels as fresh as if it happened yesterday.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook
CC: Where did you get the idea for the series?
KB: In a way, this story has been percolating ever since I was in elementary school. While cleaning out her classroom, a retiring teacher let us adopt some of her discarded textbooks. I snatched up a couple of children’s literature compilations. Reading late into the night, I fell in love with a Newberry Honor book called Big Tree by authors Mary and Conrad Buff. It told the tale of the redwoods from the point of view of a single tree. I have dreamed about these forests ever since. In Where Trees Touch the Sky, one of my main characters names a specific redwood after a friend of hers, and I included that tree in honor of the children’s book I loved.
CC: That is so sweet. I love how our childhood can really echo forward to influence the stories we write today.
Which readers will most like this book?
KB: Publishers often ask writers to describe our target audience. A couple of years ago, I met a woman who embodied my ideal reader. She loved camping in national parks, but due to her husband’s illness, she was now unable to travel. I felt very honored when she shared that my books filled that need for her, and now I often picture her as I write. My national park novels have been described as “armchair travel.” I love it when people tell me my books inspired them to visit parks, but my heart truly goes out to the readers who can’t.
CC: That is beautiful and perfect. I’m in a position right now where travel, especially to places like national parks are just too physically demanding for my family. It may be quite a while before I can enjoy the actual parks, but I can concur that it is so wonderful to be able to “travel” to them in your books.
What was some of your favorite research while preparing for the Shadow Creek Chronicles?
KB: I wouldn’t call this my favorite, but perhaps the most disturbing! As someone who loves trees and parks, I was eager to dig into the history of the Save the Redwoods League as background for Where Trees Touch the Sky. I was disturbed to learn that many of my conservation heroes were also strong proponents of eugenics. Eugenics was a popular movement among intellectuals of the early 20th century that claimed we could “improve” humanity and eliminate both poverty and mental illness by controlling who was allowed to have children. One of the founders of the STR League wrote a book that later inspired Hitler. Have you ever heard the expression, “Don’t meet your heroes?” I was tempted to leave this upsetting fact out of the novel, but I decided it was important to be true to history even when it’s ugly. Maybe especially then!
CC: History, even when ugly, should be shared and not hidden. How else can we learn from it. I’m glad you shared it, but it really is hard to realize our heroes weren’t as perfect as we once thought.
Which character was the most fun to create?
KB: June Turner, the heroine of my 1972 timeline, was both the most challenging character to write, and also the most fun. I struggled to accurately portray her disability and also to be sensitive to how she was described. It was a bit overwhelming to consider what June might have endured as a disabled park ranger–not just physical barriers, but discrimination from people who assumed she wasn’t capable of doing the job. On the other hand, that made her a lot of fun, too. She turned into a real spunky character who was able to speak up for herself. I learned a lot in the process of writing her!
CC: I love that you have shown that aspect of life for people. My MIL is legally blind, but she has always done her best to not allow her limitations to slow her down or keep her from what she wanted. It’s time to wrap this up and I always like to end with a fun question.
You find a genie in a lamp. What are your three wishes?
KB: Hmm. That’s tough. I know one wish would be for the ability to travel in time. There are so many things I’d love to see and experience–the American west before we filled it up with cities and roads, hearing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount with my own ears, discovering what my parents were like as children, etc. But I’d probably tuck the other two wishes in my pocket for later!
CC: Smart woman!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out Where Trees Touch the Sky and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Giveaway
Karen is graciously providing one U.S. resident, 18 years and older, with a copy of Where Trees Reach the Sky. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Entries open until 11:59 p.m. EST on October 1.
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Reader, what national parks have you visited or want to visit?
by Crystal Caudill | Sep 17, 2024 | Author Interviews
It’s always so much fun to hang with characters from books, especially when they are the books of a fellow Kregel author. The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton has been patiently waiting on my bookshelf for me to sit down and binge-read. Today, FBI agent, Gertrude Levine, had joined us to talk about the story and her role. Before we jump into that, let’s check out the story blurb.
The Rare Jewel of Everleigh Wheaton by Susan L. Tuttle
Everleigh Wheaton knows it only takes a few well-placed lies to ruin a reputation. She’s experienced it time and time again. But there’s a silver lining to repeatedly proving herself: she’s become confident and self-reliant.
When she loses yet another job and an enigmatic stranger offers a solution to her financial troubles, she’s game. After all, she loves a good mystery, and the invitation to visit the legendary Halstead Manor is irresistible. But she’s not about to let her guard down–especially not with the other women who received the same invitation. Life has taught her that trust is dangerous.
A strange voice on the phone explains that he’s gathered the three of them to work together as treasure hunters. Their first assignment requires Everleigh to be a traveling nurse for retired FBI agent Gertrude Levine, who has one cold case she just can’t let go of–the missing Florentine Diamond.
With Everleigh’s keen ability to solve puzzles, Natalie Daughtry’s vast knowledge of history, and Brooke Sumner’s connections to the antiques world, they’re confident they’ll track down the diamond. Except Gertie’s nephew, Niles Butler, doesn’t believe Everleigh is as innocent as she claims–even as he finds himself fascinated by her–and he’s determined to block every move she makes. If Everleigh can’t learn to drop her walls of self-protection, the diamond treasure won’t be the only thing she’ll lose.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Baker Book House
Now for our interview with Gertrude.
CC: I’m so excited to get to introduce you to my readers, Gertrude. Would you mind telling them a little bit about yourself?
GL: This is Gertrude Levine, but you can call me Gertie. I’m a retired FBI agent who loves puns and hates sitting around, so I opened my own PI Firm. I raised my nephew, Niles, after my sister died looking for a gem we once dreamed about finding together. I can’t let that mystery go or the regrets that I have when it comes to my little sister. I’ve been losing my sight to macular degeneration, which has Niles hovering and helping out at the PI firm. The boy seems to think it’s his job to take care of me now. His overprotective streak puts a snafu into this new adventure I plan to go on with a mysterious man named Caspar and three women he’s hired to finally find that gem. Nile has got it in his mind that he needs to watch out for me. All right, then. That means he’ll be tagging along, and I think one of the girls is the perfect match for his surly ways, so I’m all for it. I might find that gem. He might find his woman. Sounds like the makings of a fun time.
CC: Oh that sounds like a lot of fun mischief and some very punny situations. 😉
You talk about hindsight in the story. Drawing from your own, what’s one lesson you wish you could pass on to someone younger?
GL: Don’t allow what you don’t have to separate you from those who do have it. God’s got a plan for all of us. Spend your time and energy falling in love with the plan he has for you, even if it doesn’t look like you thought it would. Stop fixing your eyes on those around you, and fix them on Jesus.
CC: So it sounds like you are a woman of God. How would you describe your relationship with Him?
GL: I say God’s love is like a dictionary. It gives meaning to my life 😉 Sorry, I can’t resist a good pun. But truth-be-told, I wish I’d have allowed God fully into my life years ago. I kept certain rooms of my heart off limits to him, and that only caused me pain and regret. I can’t go back and change things, life only moves forward. Now I let him order those steps I take, and it’s made a world of difference in how I see the world–and in how I treat others. I have more patience. More wisdom (and I already thought myself pretty wise). More love. Less bitterness. Less fear. Less regret. I also have less years left, but one’s never too old to make the most of the days in front of them. Jesus helps a person do just that.
CC: I love that . . . especially the pun! Seriously, I’m a pun girl. I can’t get enough of them. So tell us about your nephew, Niles.
GL: He’s a hard worker and a protector. He’s turned that protective streak toward me. Seems he’s forgotten that I raised him and taught him everything he knows, but ever since my eyesight started failing, he’s hovered. He carries too much on his shoulders, and he struggles to trust people. That boy carries hurt from his past that if he could simply let go, he might just find some love in his future. Because I happen to think he likes my new nurse and adventure partner, Everleigh. If he could get out of his own way and let himself get to know her.
CC: Isn’t it just like us to let ourselves get in the way of God’s best plan for us? Since you think Everliegh is such a great match for him, tell us about her.
GL: She’s got grit and she doesn’t have a problem putting Niles in his place. His growl doesn’t scare her. She also has a sense of humor, I see it in the way she teases him and it brings out that lighter side of Niles that he seemed to have buried. But she has her own hurts that cause her to pull back from people. She’s a bit of a loner, yet I think–and she might disagree with me–that a part of her is hungry to be seen. To be known. To have friendships and maybe even fall in love. I happen to think my Niles would be the perfect fit for her. The two of them just need a little help in being pushed together, which is why I’m fine with Niles coming along with us to find the Florentine Diamond. Forced proximity has been known to bring more than one couple together.
CC: LOL Good ol’ forced proximity. So much can happen when you can’t get away from each other. So why are you searching for this gem?
GL: My little sister Amelia and I had a friend when we were children and all three of us loved adventuring together. We’d pretend we were treasure hunters, and one of the treasures we sought was that diamond. For some reason, that mystery stuck with us both even though through the years we drifted apart. That drift had more to do with me than her–one of those regrets I’ve talked about. So now if I can find it, it’ll be like getting a small piece of Amelia back too. Plus, losing my eyesight has taken so much from me. I’m ready to go see the world again–even though I can’t see it. Life isn’t meant to be lived on a couch. As long as I have get-up-and-go in me, I plan on doing just that.
CC: Good for you! But what happens if you don’t find the gem? How would you feel?
GL: Finding that gem would be pretty amazing, I’m not going to lie. But I’ve come to realize in life that sometimes you discover much more important things along the journey, and sometimes the destination God has for you is different than what you first imagined. So, find it or no, I’m going to enjoy the journey. Especially since I get front row seats to Niles and Everleigh falling in love–leastwise I’m hoping for them to. Even better? Seeing Jesus work on their hearts. He’s the most valuable treasure anyone can find.
I love all of this so much, and it just makes me hungry to watch their journey unfold too. Guess this Jewel of a book is going to get knocked to the top of my TBR pile. Thank you so much for talking with us, Gertie. I look forward to your puns and wisdom in the chapters to come.
Readers, be sure to check out The Rare Jewel of Everliegh Wheaton as soon as possible. Who doesn’t enjoy a little romance, adventure, and puns?
About Susan L. Tuttle:
Susan L. Tuttle is a pastor’s wife, mom, and the director of women’s ministry at her church near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her work includes the Along Came Love and The Treasures of Halstead Manor series, and the Carol Award finalist Love You, Truly. Learn more about Susan at susanltuttle.com.
Connect with Susan: Website | Amazon | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | GoodReads
Most fairy tales have happy endings, but is it too late for this one? After all, Mrs. Charlotte Rose Gordon is eighty-eight. This disgruntled town recluse has grown weary of fighting the dragons of her past—including the desire to clear her husband’s name of a 1918 crime. 