by Crystal Caudill | Apr 9, 2024 | Author Interviews
Hannah Linder is a new author to me, and I had the privilege of reading her upcoming release, The Girl from the Hidden Forest, early. I’ve reached the age, where she feels like a youngling, but she is already a successful cover designer AND author. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to her. And she’s generously offered to giveaway a signed copy of The Girl from the Hidden Forest, just be sure to visit the bottom to enter.
Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In way of career, Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, National, and International bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | Newsletter | Instagram | BookBub | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Hannah with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
HL: Hands down, pineapple pizza! Literally my favorite—especially with hand-tossed crust and onions. Yum!
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
HL: Test the waters!
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
HL: Salsa!
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
HL: Silly hats! I actually collect antique hats, and I have to admit, as cool as some of them are with their flowers and nets and feathers, they are rather silly. I wish they were still in style!
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
HL: Passwords!
That is so fun about the hats! I LOVE old hats, too, but you’re right. There really aren’t many occasions to wear them anymore. Lets find out a bit more about you and your writing life.
What fiction book has most impacted you?
HL: The Stonewycke series (book one and two) by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella had me sobbing and unable to get the story out of my mind, even weeks after it was over. I think it really showed me the power of fiction.
CC: Fiction really does have the power to transform and impact people. That is probably why I read so much of it. LOL
Aside from the Bible, what is one book you think everyone should read?
HL: I want to say “Pride and Prejudice” because, let’s be real, everyone needs Mr. Darcy at least once in their life. But in all seriousness, I love that you pose this question because I was just pondering this yesterday. I think it would benefit every Christian to read “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs”. It’s mind-blowing and heart-altering to read real stories about real people who died for the Savior they believe in. It truly sheds a new light on everything, makes you appreciate the religious freedoms we enjoy today, and challenges you to stand stronger and firmer for Christ.
CC: Oh, I’ve not read that one. I will have to check it out. We could all use a little bit of light and appreciation for the religious freedoms we have here in the United States, as well as a challenge to stand stronger and firmer for Christ.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
HL: I first discovered my passion for writing when I was twelve years old. My mom had received a Christmas letter from family, and we were standing in the kitchen when she said, “Your second cousin is writing a novel.” I shrugged, thought about it for a minute, and said, “I think I’ll do that.” The first chapter in, I was hooked. I’ve never wanted to stop telling stories since.
CC: Oh that’s funny. Your cousin inadvertently got you started on this path. That is pretty cool.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
HL: I always feel like the strongest advice to anyone dipping their toes into the world of writing is to simply READ and WRITE. Those actions are the best teachers you can get. But going a step further, something I wish I had done earlier on in my writing journey is seek critique. After I began going to conferences, taking writing classes, working with an editor, and listening to critique partners, my craft developed so much faster. So while you’re hunkering down with books and scribbling stories onto paper, don’t forget to find your tribe of well-established authors or editors who can help fine-tune your work. And above all, have fun!
That is fantastic advice.
Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, The Girl from the Hidden Forest.
The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Hall and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?
Purchase your copy at Amazon
CC: Where did you get the idea for The Girl from the Hidden Forest?
HL: This is always a hard question, because it’s usually difficult for me to pin-point exact moments or ideas that inspired a novel. I think the main thought that stirred this story was, “How romantic would it be if a girl fell in love with her noble kidnapper?” Thus, we have our first scene. I hope you enjoy being carried off into the adventure as swiftly as frightened Eliza is carried off from her woods.
CC: I’m like you. I struggle to generally pin-point where the ideas come from, other than maybe research for another book. LOL
Who do you think will most love this book?
HL: I think readers who enjoy a strong “enemies-to-lovers” story will enjoy The Girl from the Hidden Forest!
CC: Enemies-to-lovers is definitely a fun book trope.
Which character was the most fun to create?
HL: Felton Northwood! From the beginning, I felt drawn to him, perhaps because he differs from so many other heroes in my books. He’s a little more rugged, a little too quick to pull out his fists, kinda passionate and determined and foolishly brave. But he felt real to me. And his gentleness—although perhaps less mushy than with past heroes—was all the more soft and endearing and precious for its rarity. He was easy to fall in love with. I hope you’ll fall in love with him too.
CC: I personally like how he wrestled with his anger and the feeling of being trapped by the rumors surrounding his family. It made for an interesting character arc.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
HL: As beautiful as stories are, as magical and lulling as our imagination can sometimes be, reality will always be just a little bit sweeter. Sometimes we need to step out of our dreams, put away our books, and embrace the real world around us. We all have a story to live. I hope the reader, like Eliza, can see the beauty in finding it outside of pages.
CC: Life outside the pages. That is definitely something to ponder on. Sometimes, it is a little too easy to want to escape reality every moment we get, but when we look up from our phones, step out of movies and books, and whatever else we escape to, the reality is sweeter than the escape into fiction.
What animal is most like you?
HL: I think a bird—because they always seem so happy, fluttering about in their own little world, playfully building their nests, singing away their cares, enjoying little things like blue skies and spring-budded branches. If I were anything but a person, I would want to be a bird.
CC: I can see that!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Girl from the Hidden Forest and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Reader, what do you think about the concept of living life outside the pages?
Giveaway
Hannah has generously offered to give a signed copy away to one reader who enters the Rafflecopter below. Open to U.S. Residents, 18 and over. Giveaway runs from April 9th until 11:59: p.m on April 16th.
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by Crystal Caudill | Mar 19, 2024 | Author Interviews
If you’ve not had the pleasure of meeting Sara Brunsvold before, let me tell you, she is one of the sweetest, humblest women I’ve ever met. Her debut novel, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, was one that rocked the Christian Fiction world in 2023. Her newest release, The Divine Proverb of Streusel, is sure to do the same, and I’m excited to talk about it with her today. In fact, you can get she streuselkuchen (German crumb cake) recipe from the book straight in your inbox when you subscribe to her monthly updates here. First, let me introduce you to Sara.
Sara Brunsvold is a Christy Award-winning author who creates stories that speak hope and life. Influenced by humble women of God who find His fingerprints in the everyday, she does the same in her life and her storytelling. She lives with her family in the Kansas City, Mo., area.
You can connect with her through: Website | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Linda with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
SB: Pineapple (period)
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
SB: Test the waters.
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
SB: You ask impossible questions. I’ll go with guacamole.
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
SB: Silly socks.
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
SB: Secret handshakes because I can’t remember one more password.
LOL. Oh man! I 100% get you on that last one. I use a program to manage all my passwords because it’s just ridiculous. Let’s start off with some get-to-know-you questions.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
SB: I first knew I wanted to be a novelist when I was in middle school, and the revelation was largely thanks to my language arts teacher.
CC: Teachers can be some of the best encouragers! I’m sure we’re all thankful for that teacher that set you on this path.
What does your writing process look like from beginning to end?
SB: I create just enough of an outline for a story in the beginning to have a general idea of where the story needs to go, and then I discover the rest along the way. My first drafts are sloppy and incomplete, but I don’t mind. I am a stronger editor than I am a first-drafter.
CC: I’m with you, except I tend to edit as I go along.
How have you seen God work through your writing journey?
SB: I have a testimony video on my website in which I share more about this. Basically, every “failure” I have had in my journey has proven to be a blessing. God wasn’t saying “No”; he was saying “Trust me.” This journey has taught and continues to teach me to be still and know that he is God. It has taught me obedience and faithful servanthood.
CC: Amen. I’m sharing the testimony video link here for those who want to hear her more detailed answer. (And can I say that I love that you have a testimony video?) Scroll toward the video and you can see her videos about her favorite verse and author journey. https://sarabrunsvold.com/about/
Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, The Divine Proverb of Streusel.
Cooking her way through her great-grandmother’s German recipes provides Nikki Werner an anchor in the storm of family crisis. But will it be enough to fill every hunger she has?
Shaken by her parents’ divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle’s farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She’ll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.
Among her late grandmother’s belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town’s history, her ancestors–and her estranged father.
What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured–with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.
This contemporary Christian fiction story features unforgettable intergenerational characters, a touch of mid-life romance, small-town charm — and yes, unique recipes.
Purchase your copy at Amazon | Baker Book House | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Books-A-Million | Christianbook
CC: Where did you get the idea for this story?
SB: Two things inspired the premise of The Divine Proverb of Streusel. First was the movie Julie & Julia, about a young woman who cooks her way through Julia Child’s cookbook. After watching the movie, I wondered, “What if that concept was applied to a granddaughter cooking through her grandmother’s recipes?” The second inspiration came from a memoir I read. A grandson chronicled his German immigrant grandparents’ settling into Missouri. He mentioned the “common book” his grandmother wrote for her children. It was a dime store notebook she filled with practical life advice and wise sayings she had collected. Those two ideas — recipes and advice — collided, and the premise of The Divine Proverb of Streusel came into being.
CC: I love that concept! How perfectly wonderful!
Who was the most challenging character to create?
SB: The character of Uncle Wes represents the first time I have written from a male point of view. My husband was a gem in helping me understand Uncle Wes and how he might think and respond in a given situation.
CC: Husbands are a blessing in this for sure. I’m just learning how much of a gem my husband can be in the same way if I’m willing to be brave and talk to him about my story while still writing it.
Which character was the most fun to create?
SB: Hands-down the most fun was Aunt Emma. She was such a joy to write because she is witty and gregarious. All of her scenes came easily.
CC: She sounds like such fun character, and I can’t wait to get to know her better.
How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
SB: The story is in many ways a tribute to what God had already taught me, specifically about forgiveness. I share in my author’s note at the end of the book that the story is loosely based on my own family’s story, specifically my relationship with my dad. Before my dad passed away, I sought his permission to write about our journey. I thank God that he understood why I asked and gave his permission. Because he did, what God first started in our real-life story can bear fruit in a fictional story as well.
CC: Hugs. I love that you have that personal connection and that your dad was willing to allow you to share that with us. There is a special beauty to writing stories that connect to use on such a meaningful level.
For my last question, I love to end with just a playful question.
You are in the back of a police car on your way to jail. What did you do and is anyone with you?
SB: I probably spray-painted grammatical corrections onto sign. My editing brain can’t overlook such abuse of language.
CC: LOL! I think there are many grammar police who would be sitting in the back seat with you!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Divine Proverb of Streusel and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Reader, if you were to sit down with someone over a meal or dessert and offer advice, what would the food be and what would the advice be?
by Crystal Caudill | Mar 5, 2024 | Author Interviews
This week’s author interview is the wonderful Danielle Grandinetti. I’ve known Danielle for quite some time now, and it’s such a pleasure to know her. I love her unique time frame of the 1930s and her mix of history with romance and suspense. AND Danielle is generously doing a giveaway for a paperback copy of Refuge for the Archaeologist AND Relying on the Enemy (paperback, US only; ebook international). So make sure to go down to the bottom to participate.
Danielle Grandinetti is an inspirational romance author fueled by tea and books, and the occasional nature walk. An award-winning author and FHLCW Reader’s Choice Finalist, her stories span from the Great Depression to present day. 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 Signup | Website Store | Book Blog | Amazon | BookBub | GoodReads
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: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
DG: Pineapple Pizza
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
DG: Test the waters
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
DG: Both!
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
DG: Silly socks
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
DG: Passwords
I’m a huge silly socks fan. It’s the only socks I can almost guarantee my kids won’t steal. LOL So let’s dive in deep!
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
DG: I’ve loved writing stories since I was in early grade school. I vividly remember writing my first short story in 3rd grade after hearing an author speak in Assembly. It has led me to believe that there’s nothing like the power of story to change lives, including my own.
CC: Amen. The power of stories never fails to amaze me.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
DG: Funny thing, description is my kryptonite. Though it’s one of my favorite writing skills to teach, I don’t write it naturally. Instead, I have to layer it in after I’ve set the scene. I suspect that’s because I’m a math nerd, albeit a romantic one, at heart.
CC: Ah. So you are one of the rare birds who is both a writer and a math nerd. 😉 I must admit, I like my spreadsheets. LOL
How have you seen God work on your writing journey?
DG: My characters’ spiritual struggles lead me to the Bible so I can offer them guidance in order to help them grow—whether through their own interaction with God or through the voice of another character. In turn, I am challenged as I write those scenes, and I hope those truths touch the hearts of my readers, too.
CC: I think that is one of my favorite parts of writing–seing how God uses my own story to grow me.
Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, Relying on the Enemy.
She’s protecting her children. He’s redeeming his past. But there’s nothing convenient about saving their patchwork family.
Wisconsin, 1931—All widowed mother Marian Ward wants is to provide for her girls. However, she faces the dead of winter with no income and dwindling resources. Then she overhears a nefarious conversation, putting her life and that of her children in immediate danger.
Aiming to make amends to the Wards, Gilbert steps in when the threat to Marian escalates. It costs him dearly. Either lose his career or marry her, and be tied to his past until death do them part.
He leaves the decision to Marian, who will do anything to protect her girls, even marry the son of the man who ruined her family. How will their fledgling trust prove strong enough to fulfill their vows as winter tightens its grip and desperation stalks at the door?
Welcome to Crow’s Nest, where danger and romance meet at the water’s edge.
Purchase your copy at Danielle’s Website and other retailers.
CC: What readers will most love Relying on the Enemy?
DG: If you love marriage of convivence tropes, then I hope you’ll love this story! And, doubly so if you also love Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables.
CC: You know, I’ve never read or seen Anne of Green Gables, but I’ve heard so much about Gilbert. He must be real swoon-worthy if this story has some connections to him.
What was some of your favorite research tidbits for this story?
DG: I love scouring old newspaper archives! And I found a gem of an article that provided a major scene in the story. On January 18, 1931, the first big snowfall of the year occurred. According to local newspapers at the time, it was a twenty-four-hour snowfall dropping six inches of blinding snow followed by cold weather.
CC: Oh my! That must have been something, and definitely a challenge for those who lived through it. (And I’m a huge fan of scouring old Newspaper archives too!)
Relying on the Enemy is book four in the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. Can this story be read as a stand-alone?
DG: Yes, with a caveat.
All the books in the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series are stand-alone romances, meaning each book focuses on just one couple and their happily ever after. However, each book’s plot does build on the events in the previous one, though I do my best to avoid spoilers.
That said, this book is one that has a major spoiler. Gilbert is the son of the man who ruined Marian Ward’s family. Notice that I don’t use Gilbert’s last name. That’s because it’s a spoiler for events that happened to Marian’s brother-in-law in Refuge for the Archaeologist.
While you don’t have to read Refuge for the Archaeologist (book 2) before reading Relying on the Enemy, it is where you meet the Ward family, especially Marian’s two precocious little girls. And, it will help you understand why Gilbert could be seen as an enemy.
CC: Good to know! I have a few stories like that myself.
What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
DG: The verse I chose for the front of the book is “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Genesis 50:20a (KJV). That theme permeates this story. God can redeem. He can take awful circumstances and redeem them for His children. It might not always look the way we think it should, and we may not see the fruit of it as soon as we think, but I pray this story will offer hope.
CC: What a sweet and important nugget to walk away with. As always, I love to end off with a fun question.
What animal is most like you? Why?
DG: A golden retriever. Their personality seems so similar to the way other people describe me. 🙂
CC: LOL They are a man’s best friend, and you are a wonderful friend. So I definitely say that fits!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out Relying on the Enemy and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Giveaway – A copy of A Refuge for the Archaeologist and Relying on the Enemy (print US, ebook for International) Ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on 3/12/2024.
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Reader, what animal best describes you?
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 20, 2024 | Author Interviews
Amanda Wen is a fellow Kregel author, and it is my pleasure to introduce to you this Selah and Carol award-winning and Christy finalist author. She is an amazing woman that you don’t want to miss the opportunity to get to know. Even better, make sure to read all the way to the bottom where Amanda is generously giving away a signed paperback to one lucky U.S. resident.
Amanda Wen’s novels have released to both reader and critical acclaim. Her second novel, The Songs That Could Have Been, won both the Selah and the Carol Awards, and her debut, Roots of Wood and Stone, was a finalist for the Christy Award. In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team, as well as serving as a choral accompanist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda currently lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
You can connect with her through: Website | BookBub
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Amanda with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
AW: Probably pineapple pizza because I can pretend it’s healthy.
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
AW: Test the waters. I’m generally a pretty cautious person.
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
AW: Guacamole, forever and always.
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
AW: Socks. Despite my author photo, I’m not usually a hat person!
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
AW: Secret handshakes.
I am a huge guacamole fan, too, especially when it’s homemade and fresh. Oh, man. Now I’m craving some. I guess I’ll have to pick up an avocado, tomatoes, and onion. So lets dive a little deeper into getting to know you.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
AW: I’ve been writing stories since I was old enough to hold a pencil, and I have a vague memory of my dad paying me a penny a word in order to encourage me to write stories. (Decades later, I discovered editors don’t necessarily believe that more words = better, but hey, you gotta start somewhere!) My formal education was focused exclusively on music, resulting in two degrees in cello performance, but when I finished with school, fiction writing still called to me. I wrote a few stories for fun, but didn’t get serious about it until we moved back to my hometown in 2009 and I reconnected with my middle school BFF, who by then was a multi-published general market author. I finally got up the guts to show her my writing and she said I had promise! The rest, as they say, is history…
CC: How cool is that! I love that your dad paid you to write, and then your friend encouraged you too. (And can I admit I always wanted to play either the violin or cello but that was never offered at my school, so I got stuck with clarinet?)
What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?
AW: Making time for writing! The beginning of me getting serious about writing not-so-conveniently coincided with my beginning of Life As A Mom, so writing always came in snippets. I always wrote during my kids’ naptime, though, so most days I got 1-2 hours to focus on writing. Now that my kids are teens and tweens, my other job as a musician is what frequently gets in the way! I love love love my day job, and I can’t imagine not doing it, but balancing is sometimes incredibly challenging.
CC: I can only imagine. You frequently blow my mind with how much you perform, get to be an incredible mother, and yet still find time to write. You are a rock star.
Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?
AW: Just do it! You’ll never know until you try. And hardly anyone is good at it when they first start–I know I wasn’t! Study the craft, dig into books you love and find out WHY you love them, then figure out how to incorporate those elements into your own stories. Finally, connect with the writing community. Those who are further along the path than you are will usually be eager to help you, and as you progress on your own journey you get to extend a hand to those further behind you. It is so rich and rewarding and one of the best parts of being a writer.
CC: I 100% agree. And I adore helping other writers. It truly is one of the best parts of being a writer.
Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, The Rhythm of Fractured Grace.
The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen
When a new customer brings a badly damaged violin into Siobhan Walsh’s shop, it is exactly the sort of challenge she craves. The man who brought it in is not. He’s too close to the painful past that left her heart and her faith in shambles.
Matt Buchanan has had a rough start as the new worship pastor. A car accident on his way into town left him with a nearly totaled truck, and an heirloom violin in pieces. When he takes it to a repair shop, he’s fascinated with the restoration process–and with the edgy, closed-off woman doing the work.
As their friendship deepens and turns into more, they both discover secrets that force them to face past wounds. And the history of the violin reveals more about their current problems than they could have ever expected.
On the nineteenth-century frontier, a gruesome tomahawk attack wiped out most of Deborah Caldwell’s family. Her greatest solace after the tragedy is the music from her father’s prized violin. Given her horrendous scars, she’d resigned herself to a spinster’s life. But Levi Martinson’s gentle love starts to chip away at her hardened heart, until devastating details about the attack are revealed, putting their love–and Deborah’s shaky faith–to the ultimate test.
Full of forgiveness and the message that no one is too damaged for God’s healing touch, the final book in the split-time Sedgwick County Chronicles will thrill fans of Rachel Hauck, Lisa Wingate, and Kristy Cambron.
Purchase your copy at Amazon
CC: Where did you get the idea for The Rhythm of Fractured Grace?
AW: The historical story comes directly from my own family tree, which my mom has been researching for the last 50 years or so. In 1782, my 6x-great grandmother, Delilah Corbly, then 7 years old, survived a tomahawk attack that wiped out her mother and three of her siblings and left her and her sister, Elizabeth, maimed and scarred. Despite her injuries, Delilah lived to adulthood, got married, birthed and raised ten children, and died at the age of 64, which back then was quite the achievement for anyone, let alone someone who’d been scalped! The idea that someone could survive something so traumatic has always been an inspiration to me, so when I started writing novels, I knew I wanted to explore that issue in fiction.
CC: Wow! That is both incredibly horrifying and intriguing. I can see why you would write a story around that.
What readers do you think will enjoy this book?
AW: Readers who like deep fiction that deals with tough issues, split-time fiction, the friends-to-lovers trope, and pioneer-era stories. Also, to anyone who enjoyed Jack and Annabelle in the historical timeline of my debut, Roots of Wood and Stone…they just might show up in this book, too. 😉
CC: Oh! How fun! I love it when characters from other books show up!
How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through it?
AW: The contemporary storyline deals with toxic churches, and narcissistic abuse. What I didn’t realize when I wrote the book was that I was trapped in a web of manipulation and gaslighting courtesy of a narcissist in my own life. It wasn’t until I’d submitted the manuscript and was in the final stages of editing that I realized how closely some aspects of what my heroine, Siobhan, went through mirrored my own experience. And just as Siobhan was able–by God’s grace–to forgive her abuser, you guessed it, God called me to forgive mine. And– by His grace–I am thrilled to report that I have.
CC: Praise the Lord for your obedience in forgiveness, and oh my, how my heart hurts that you had to endure it.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
AW: The idea that no one is too far gone, too broken, or too damaged for God to redeem and restore.
CC: Amen. Such a powerful thing. To wrap this interview up, I always like to ask a fun question.
If you were stuck on an island, what three items would you have with you? Why?
AW: Sunscreen so I don’t burn, food so I don’t get hangry, and my cell phone (with battery pack) so I could get off the island and get back to Kansas where I belong. (There might not be a big hurry, though; we Kansans don’t get to see islands very often!)
CC: Wise decisions, and I laughed out loud about the cellphone. LOL That is a wise woman, if I do say so myself!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Rhythm of Fractured Grace and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
GIVEAWAY – U.S. Residents only, ends 11:59 p.m. EST on 2/27/24.
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Reader, have you ever played an instrument? Or did you ever dream of playing one? Which one?
