Teatime with Author, Laura DeNooyer

I’m so glad you’ve joined me today for a special afternoon tea. I’ve got a cup of Canadian Vicar, a tray full of shortbread cookies, cucumber sandwiches, and scones with the requisite clotted cream and jam. Help yourself to anything you like and whatever beverage makes the day perfect.

Today, it is my personal joy to introduce you to Laura DeNooyer. Laura writes “Standout Stories: Redeeming the Years the Locusts Ate,”  and her newest release, The Broken Weathervane, is available for you to enjoy now.

In addition to getting to know Laura, she is giving away the choice of an eBook or print copy of The Broken Weathervane. You’ll find the details at the end of this post, but don’t miss the interview!

Before we dive into the interview, allow me to introduce you formally.

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 Amanda Cox. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.

Connect with the author:

Website  |  Newsletter  |  LinkedIn  |  Amazon  |  BookBub  |  GoodReads

*When you sign up for Laura’s newsletter, you’ll get 7 Wizard of Oz-inspired Recipes and a prequel.

Let’s dive into our Speedy Six

CC: Invisible or read minds?

LAURA: Be invisible. There’s no way I’d want to read people’s minds! Though I wish I could do better at reading between the lines of what they say. 🙂

CC: Road trip or airplane?

LAURA: Road trip! I aim for taking a road trip at least once a year.

CC: Fancy restaurant or home-cooked meal?

LAURA: I don’t need fancy, but I love going out. I’ll also take a home-cooked meal if someone else is cooking.

Tea Sandwiches and Savories

CC: Before we start diving too deep…

What kind of stories are your favorite to write?

LAURA: I love writing the kind of stories I like to read. Whether contemporary or historical, I enjoy writing about the challenges of working through dysfunctional family drama and complex relationships. I like delving into the gray, murky areas of life, into false appearances and misjudgments. My stories serve food for thought along with hope and second chances—tales that “redeem the years the locusts ate.”

Story ideas call to me without regard for genre boundaries. All That Is Hidden is Southern historical fiction set near the Smokies in 1968. A Hundred Magical Reasons is biographical historical fiction—and dual timeline. Both would be considered literary fiction. Another dual timeline story, The Broken Weathervane, qualifies as contemporary women’s fiction (2015 and 1950s). My next two books will be women’s fiction and Biblical fiction, respectively.

Perhaps the common thread is a small-town setting with multi-layered family drama that raises difficult questions, thoughtful questions. The stories encourage pondering while also uplifting readers. They all make good book club discussions.

CC: “Serve food for thought along with hope and second chances” sounds like when someone picks up your books, they’re in for a story to chew on.

Do you read fiction while you are writing?

LAURA: Absolutely! As an author of both historical fiction and contemporary women’s fiction, I need to know the books readers are drawn to. I need to find comparable titles to know how my own novels fit into the genre, both Christian fiction and general market. 

I’ve enjoyed many dual timeline novels by Melanie Dobson, Patti Callahan Henry, Susan Meissner, Michelle Shocklee, and others. Only after reading numerous dual timeline novels did I tackle the task of writing one.

Reading a variety of fiction keeps me tapped into the book world and also functions as a way to learn from other authors doing their craft. As I read, I ask questions: How does the author draw me in and make me care for these characters? How does she keep tensions high, raising the stakes? How is this story resonating with me and why?

CC: I can tell you are a very analytical reader. Sometimes I’ll read to be analytical, but I think you must be much better at it than me!

What is your favorite part about writing?

LAURA: I love the creative process. Sometimes that means putting stories together like a puzzle. Other times it means writing without a clear plan in order to discover a story. The first draft is fun as long as I take my editor hat off and just see where the story goes. It usually turns out awful! But it’s a good starting point. Editing can be tedious but rewarding as the story takes sharp turns and starts to sparkle. 

The joy is in the journey, but it’s also in the positive feedback from readers. Nothing compares to knowing my story touched a reader. I’m very grateful when readers tell me my story moved them, made them think differently about a situation, or gave them cause for reflection.

One reader wrote this about The Broken Weathervane: “You’ve written a deeply compassionate novel that treats mental illness, family loyalty, and love with rare nuance, allowing truth to emerge without spectacle, and healing to feel earned rather than convenient.”

Scones with Cream and Jam

This is always my favorite part of high tea … and of book talks! Who doesn’t like to learn about a new story? Before I start asking #AUTHOR questions about her book, allow me to whet your appetite with the book description!

CC:  Let’s talk about The Broken Weathervane? 

What was the inspiration for this book?

LAURA: My dad shared a family story about his father and uncle who were in business together with their youngest brother, who struggled quite a bit. The two older brothers did everything in their power to help him succeed in his own businesses and later let him work at theirs. I loved the way they cared for him despite all the difficulties they encountered. I’d always wondered what the issues were.

This was the spark of the 1950s timeline in my novel. Then the characters took on lives of their own.

Last year, my dad was in hospice for five months. I was glad I had the chance to tell him I’d dedicated the book to him. He was surprised and pleased. It was bittersweet launching a book (with a time frame out of my control) while watching him decline. He passed away nine days after the book was released. Until then, he was rooting for me the whole time.

CC: Oh what a difficult road to walk, and what a blessing that he got to root for you through it until the end.

What is the most fascinating piece of research that shaped your story?

LAURA: Two major things I had to research were mental illness treatments in the 1950s and the current small campus university setting. Those treatments played a big part in the lives of my 1950s characters and the story’s direction. Learning about typical treatments during that time period was both enlightening and alarming.

Several women in my neighborhood book club are college professors, so I enjoyed tapping into their knowledge and experience regarding college protocols, grant proposals, and faculty/staff dynamics.

I enjoyed learning about 1950s grocery store trends, including common food brands back then. During that time, Swift & Company packaged peanut butter in reusable glass tumblers that featured The Wizard of Oz characters. Nowadays they are still collectors’ items. Being an avid Wizard of Oz fan, I had to include these glass peanut butter jars at the Buckwalter Brothers Grocery.

CC: How fun! Especially with your connection to The Wizard of Oz in your previous story.

What do you hope readers will take away from your story?

LAURA: My hope is that book club discussions about the characters’ situations will help increase understanding, transparency, and empathy for those who suffer from mental illness. Open conversation is that important first step toward reducing the stigma associated with it. A fictional story is the perfect catalyst for that.

When a family member is physically ill or in an accident, church folks will line up outside your door to bring comfort or casseroles. It’s an easily shared prayer request. But when a family member has an episode related to mental illness, it is shrouded in secrecy and shame. Thus, the people most needing prayers and support don’t get them.

I am most blessed when readers write to tell me how The Broken Weathervane resonated with them due to their own experiences with friends or family members struggling with mental illness.

CC: As a person who has loved and struggled with loved ones with mental illness, this is so true. I’m glad your story provides an avenue for understanding and discussion.

A Sweet Finish

CC: Unfortunately, it is time to wrap up our interview. I always love finishing with two questions. 

First, if someone has never read one of your books before, where should they start?

Laura: This really depends on the reader’s interests. All my books are character-driven with thematic depth that inspires great book club discussion. Two are dual timelines with a Midwest setting; one is Southern fiction. 

I’d recommend A Hundred Magical Reasons to lovers of literary biographical fiction for a whimsical dive into the life of The Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum.

The Broken Weathervane will intrigue those interested in a literary mystery where family loyalty collides with truth. All That Is Hidden is a coming-of-age novel where a small southern town is threatened by northern exploitation and a father’s secret.

CC: Fantastic. I think you’ve made it easy for anyone to figure out where to start.

Which part of the roller coaster do you like to sit in? 

Author: Answer

That’s it for now. If you enjoyed getting to know Laura DeNooyer and are curious about their book, I highly recommend you check out The Broken Weathervane. Before we clear the table and pack away the tea stuff, I have a question for you.

When it comes to stories, do you like it when a story gives you a new perspective on a topic or a people group? What other books have made you think?

Leave your comment below and join the teatime fun. Until next time, may your days be filled with good books and cups of tea (or your favorite beverage)!

Giveaway Details

Here’s your chance to win a copy of The Broken Weathervane. Comment on the blog and enter using the Google Form below for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 EST on 7/14. Open to legal U.S. residents. see Giveaway Policies for more details.