Meet Luke Gallagher from Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer

Meet Luke Gallagher from Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer

Hi all! It is a blessing to bring Cynthia Roemer back today to introduce to you her hero of Beyond Wounded Hearts, Luke Gallagher. I’ve known Cynthia for a long time now, and it has been a blessing to watch her walk through writing and a continuing cancer journey. She is a woman who always glorifies and points back to God. I highly recommend all of her books (which you can check out through the link in her bio at the end) and pray you will get to be an encouragement to her. (Prayers for her cancer journey are always welcomed too!).

So before I introduce you to Luke, let me introduce you to Beyond Wounded Hearts.


Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer

They were North and South ~ Faithful and Faithless

After suffering disabling burns during the fall of Richmond, Adelaide Hanover awakens in a hospital alone and destitute, escalating her already stanch hatred for Yankees. When the Union soldier who freed her from the rubble begins paying her visits, she wants nothing to do with him … or his faith. Yet, his persistent kindness penetrates her resolve and forges a much-needed friendship. But after a dangerous man threatens Addie, she flees Richmond, intent on solving the mystery to her aunt’s dying wish before he does. Haunted by a tragic failure in his past, Corporal Luke Gallagher takes Adelaide’s plight on as his own. Though his strong beliefs collide with his growing feelings for her, he offers his family’s home as a place to convalesce. Adelaide’s initial rejection, followed by her sudden willingness to accept his benevolence, hints there’s more to the decision than a mere change of heart. When trouble follows her, endangering her safety, as well as his family’s, Luke must lay his life and his convictions on the line to save them.

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books-a-Million

Now for our interview with Luke.

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

LG: Hi. I’m Luke Gallagher. I’m what Cynthia Roemer calls “the hero”, though it’s hard for me to consider myself a hero. I’m more a simple man of faith who makes his living from the soil. Right now, though, I’m a Union soldier just itching to get home.

CC: I find it’s the everyday man who is my favorite hero. So let’s start with diving deep. Don’t hate me, but . . . What is your biggest struggle? Your biggest fear?

LG: Whoa. I’d have to say my biggest struggle is dealing with guilt. When I was younger, I had this friend named Jacob, you see. We were best buds from the time we could romp together in the woods or pull girl’s pigtails at school. We shared everything. Everything but faith.

When I was eleven, I became a Christian. I took seriously my relationship with the Lord. But somehow, I never got around to sharing that with Jacob. He came from a different sort of family than me–one on the wilder side. I figured he’d laugh at me, so I kept my faith to myself.

Then one day, when we were thirteen, Jacob had this crazy notion of building a raft and floating it down the river. I wasn’t keen on the idea. Especially since the river was running high from recent rains. But I went along with the idea. Once we had the raft built, we shoved it in, poles in hand. We figured we could stick close to the banks and dock a mile or two downstream. What we didn’t know was just how strong the current was.

The raft wasn’t strong enough to withstand the push of the river. It busted into pieces within a few hundred feet of where we’d shoved off. I found a branch to grab onto, but Jacob was swept further downstream. Him being a poor swimmer, he was sucked under and drown.

I shouldered the guilt of his passing for years to come. But mostly, I blamed myself for his soul being lost. I should have shared my faith with him when I had the chance. So I guess my biggest fear became thinking God wouldn’t accept me because I’d failed to do His bidding.

CC: Yikes! That is a heavy burden to bear. So what did you do? How did your feelings of guilt and fear impact your life?

LG: At first, I bottled those feelings inside. But, the older I got, I figured if I was ever going to be able to look Jesus in the eye when my day came, I’d better start sharing my faith to make up for my mistake. So I started being intentional about telling others about Jesus. When I joined the Union army, I even gave my sergeant a few not so gentle nudges. And eventually a wayward Confederate soldier. But Adelaide Hanover was my biggest challenge. She held such bitterness in her heart toward God, blamed him for all her struggles. I sent up a lot of prayers on her behalf.

It took my mother’s wisdom to finally bring me to my senses and help me realize I could never work my way into God’s good graces. Jesus paid the price for my sins. There is nothing I could ever do to earn a place in Heaven by my own merits.

CC: That’s a lesson we all can learn from. Tell me more about Adelaide Hanover. Who is she? Why was she so bitter toward God?

LG: I met Adelaide while in Richmond during the Union takeover. My men and I discovered her buried beneath the rubble of a burned building. She was alive, but barely. I carried her to the closest hospital, fearing the worst. Her arms and hands were badly burned. But I was soon to learn her heart was even more scarred.

She’d been through a lot–the loss of her father and brothers, her home, and now her injuries. When I dropped by to see her, I didn’t expect a warm reception, but I was a bit taken aback by her obvious resentment. I figured her being a Southern gal, she wouldn’t take to a Yankee, but I hadn’t figured on her being so opposed to my faith. At one point, she ordered me to leave and never return. I lost sleep over that encounter. By my third or fourth visit, I’d become pretty attached to her. And I didn’t want another person I cared about to suffer Jacob’s fate.

CC: I’m guessing Adelaide softened at some point. What turned things around?

LG: I’m not rightly sure, other than God must have answered my prayers. One day she just welcomed me back. She still got her dander up when I mentioned God, and her intolerance for Yankees hadn’t changed much, but she seemed to soften a bit toward me. Maybe out of pure lonesomeness. She was pretty alone. I think she sort of missed my company.

But that didn’t make her more apt to go along with my offer to help her convalesce. (chuckle) She must have thought me loony to make such a suggestion. In fact, I sort of thought so myself.

CC: Oh? What did you propose?

LG: The hospital she was at was closing, and she had no one to tend to her care, so I suggested she go stay with my mother and sister in New York. That idea went over like a lead balloon. She wanted no part in staying under a Yankee roof.

But, once again, I credit the Lord for softening her heart. Well, there was also this fellow named Simon that kept threatening her. He might have had a hand in her change of mind. Anyhow, she went, and God used that time with my family to speak godly truths into her heart. By the time I returned home from the war, she’d lost her hardened shell. But her troubles weren’t over, and neither were mine.

CC: Hmm. Well, now. That opens a whole new can of worms, so to speak. Shall we leave that for readers to discover on their own by reading your story?

LG: Definitely. All I’ll say is the Lord indeed works in mysterious ways. I never would have dreamed what He had in store.

So readers, I encourage you to go and pick up Beyond Wounded Hearts by Cynthia Roemer. You won’t regret it. In the comments, leave some encouragement for Cynthia so that we can bless her as much as she has been a blessing to me. 

About Cynthia Roemer

Cynthia Roemer is an inspirational, award-winning author with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the hearts of readers. Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the mid-1800’s prairie and Civil War era. It’s her prayer that her stories will both entertain and encourage readers in their faith. She resides with her husband on their family farm in central Illinois. They have two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and one spoiled cat. Visit Cynthia online at: www.cynthiaroemer.com

Connect with Cynthia: Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  | BookBub  |  GoodReads

 

Meet Cassie Kendrick from Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson

Meet Cassie Kendrick from Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson

If you’ve never read one of Tara Johnson’s books, I have a treat for you today. Where Dandelions Blooms is my favorite book from her, and Cassie Kendrick is in the house for a character interview. I don’t want to steal her thunder from giving herself an introduction, so I’ll introduce you to Where Dandelions Bloom instead.

Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson

Cassie Kendrick is on the run. Her abusive father arranged her marriage to a despicable man, but she’s discovered an escape. Disguised as a man, Cassie enlists in the Union army, taking the name Thomas Turner. On the battlefields of the Civil War, keeping her identity a secret is only the beginning of her problems, especially after she meets Gabriel Avery, a handsome young photographer.

Anxious to make his mark on the world and to erase the darkness and guilt lurking from his past, Gabriel works with renowned photographer Matthew Brady to capture images from the front lines of the war. As Gabriel forges friendships with many of the men he encounters, he wonders what the courageous, unpredictable Thomas Turner is hiding.

Battling betrayal, their own personal demons, and a country torn apart by war, can Cassie and Gabriel learn to forgive themselves and trust their futures to the God who births hope and healing in the darkest places?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository  |  Christianbook

Now for our interview with Cassie.

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

CK: I’m so tired of running…mostly from my father. You see, he arranged my marriage to our next-door neighbor–a horrible fellow named Erastus Leeds–and when I refused, he threatened me. I never could do anything right in his eyes.

But the Almighty provided a way to escape. Mere days before our doomed wedding, I learned war had been declared between the states. The plan was risky for sure and certain, but I was raised as a farm girl. I know how to handle a weapon. I snuck away from home in the dead of night, chopped off all my hair, and slipped on the disguise of a young man before enlisting in the Michigan 2nd under the name Thomas Turner.

My first obstacle was passing the physician’s inspection. No worries there. All he wanted to know was if I had at least three teeth to tear open powder cartridges. When he saw I had more than enough to spare, he signed a slip of paper declaring me fit for duty.

My second problem is the nosy photographer that has been assigned to follow our regiment. Gabriel Avery is his name. He wants to become a famous photographer like that Mathew Brady fellow. Gabe is likeable enough, I suppose, but he never quits talking! And he doesn’t really know how to defend himself out here on the battlefield. That became apparent when I had to save his skin on more than one occasion. Worse than covering his mistakes is how close we’ve grown in the past few months. I’m not sure what would be worse…being sent home in disgrace to face a miserable future, or Gabe learning I’m not Thomas Turner at all.

No matter what I choose, I’ll be destroying someone…including myself.

CC: Those are some terrible choices, and, knowing your story, it doesn’t get any easier for you. The challenges you face both as a female soldier and as a soldier in general. It is heartbreaking. . . and yet the hope that your story brings is one that I will never forget.

How do you think others view you? Do you feel this is an accurate representation of you? Does it bother you or make you feel good about yourself?

CK: Most people see me as quiet, introverted, and a male. For now, I don’t mind the anonymity. To hide is to escape.

CC: I’d say it’s definitely a good thing for everyone not to know the real you in this situation. 

What is your biggest struggle? Your biggest fear?

CK: My biggest fear is being trapped in the same cycle of abuse I’ve endured my entire life. First with my alcoholic father and now with a betrothal to Erastus Leeds. The rejection slices too deeply to endure anymore. Even my mother, the one person who should have protected me, is under Father’s immovable thumb. I cannot, I will not, be smothered any longer. If my future leads to nothing more than heartache and ashes, at least it will be by my own choosing…no one else’s.

CC: Escaping the cycle of abuse is a terrible struggle. Abuse affects so many. . . it’s just heartbreaking. At least this way, you get a choice in how you move forward. Even if it comes with its own consequences.

Do you have a dream you keep close to your chest that you can share with us? Is there a specific reason you want this? 

CK: To run, to be free. Free from my father. Free from death. Free from pain. Even free from myself.

CC: The ultimate freedom. I think we all seek it in different forms and fashions. It’s so hard to really wrap our minds around the truth of real freedom, but we all long for it.

Who is your least favorite person to deal with? (in the story) Why?

CK: I used to think my biggest problem was Gabe! When we first met, he was too talkative, too nosy, too naive, too…well, everything. But now the handsome photographer is starting to grow on me. I look forward to our chats, his laughter, and the way he looks at the world. Oddly enough, as Gabe and I have grown closer, I’ve noticed a strange gleam in Briggs’ eyes. My fellow soldier and fighter. I’m not sure why, but from time to time, I sense him watching me. And I don’t like it one bit.

CC: I have to say, Gabe does grow on a reader very quickly while Briggs . . . he’d make me uncomfortable too.

Who is your favorite person to deal with? Why?

CK: Grandma Ardie. She is a testament of unconditional love and grace…probably the only true example of love and patience I’ve witnessed in my life. I would give my life for hers a thousand times over.

CC: Grandmas hold a special place in our hearts. I’m actually sort of realizing for the first time that I no longer have any grandmas in my life. `In fact, this question prompted me to call and check on my only Grandpa left. They truly are special people in our lives.

Readers, don’t miss your chance to read Cassie’s story. It is one that will stick with you for years after the story is over, and you’ll NEVER look at dandelions the same. 

About Tara Johnson:

Tara Johnson is an author and speaker, and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves.

Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and finaled in the Carol and Christy awards. Her latest releases, Where Dandelions Bloom and All Through the Night were also published through Tyndale.

In addition to being published in a variety of digital and print magazines, she has been a featured guest on Voice of Truth radio, Enduring Word radio, television, and numerous podcasts. She is a history nerd, especially the Civil War, and adores making people laugh. She, her husband, and her children live in Arkansas.

Connect with Tara: Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  BookBub  |  GoodReads  |  Pinterest

 


Readers, are you Civil War fiction fans? Share the titles and authors of your favorite ones below. If you’re not a fan, let me encourage you to try one of Tara’s stories. They don’t strike me as the typical Civil War story, and they leave a lasting impact on your faith. EXCELLENT stories.

Meet Lu Thorne from Counterfeit Hope by Crystal Caudill

Meet Lu Thorne from Counterfeit Hope by Crystal Caudill

HAPPY RELEASE DAY, ANDREW AND LU!!!!!!

I can think of no better way to celebrate than to give you a personal interview with the main characters. I had the pleasure of interviewing Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington on Reading is My Super Power a couple of Saturdays ago. You can read Andrew’s interview HERE. Then come back here and read my interview with Lu. (Or read Lu first and then jump to Andrew.) I had such a blast getting to talk to these characters. And for those who wonder if our characters really talk to us, their authors? Yes. Yes, they do. In my head, my characters are almost as autonomous as my children. I created them (by God’s power and grace), but they have each taken on lives of their own.

Before I introduce Lu to you properly, let me introduce you to her story. (And don’t forget to check out the giveaway opportunities at the post’s bottom.)

Counterfeit Hope  by Crystal Caudill

Trapped by their pasts, is there hope for a future?

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it’s simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high–and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn’t ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow “Lightning Lu” Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes’ clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team–unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they’re not even sure God can be trusted–much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past–and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes and Noble  | Books-A-Million  |  Book Depository  |  Bookshop.org  | Christianbook

Now on to our interview with Lu.

Crystal: This story is quite a bit different from Counterfeit Love, and a lot of that is because of who you are and your very challenging past. So why don’t you start off by telling my readers about yourself?

Lu: I’m not exactly your sweet and innocent little lady. In fact, if you saw me while on the same sidewalk, you’d probably cross the street to avoid me. You can pretend you wouldn’t, but I’ve got twenty years of people looking at me in my bold and revealing dresses to combat the lies you tell yourself. There are lots of names they use for my type. Some are a little nicer than others–lady of the night, soiled dove, harlot . . . you get the picture. Not that I am actively a part of that life anymore. I just let people believe that I am. It’s easier that way. Then they won’t look too closely and discover truths I don’t want them to see. 

Crystal: That isn’t exactly the type of heroine I envisioned for Counterfeit Hope. In fact, ALL I envisioned was you being a pickpocket. The other stuff completely blindsided me when you finally chose to trust me with your story. Why did you choose that path to begin with?

Lu: Choose? You think I chose that life? Ha! There are a few who willingly enter that life, but most of us enter because we have no other choice. I was just like any other girl when I was young. I lived in Tennessee with my Ma and Pa. I even went to school for a year. Then the War hit. Ma died, and Pa took me and fled to Colorado to search for gold and silver. Anything he found, he exchanged for drink. When the gold and silver dried up, he exchanged me instead. Finally, he sold me to a brothel where I lived and worked for over ten years. Ain’t much choice for me on that path.

Even getting out I didn’t have much choice. Clint and Irvine Thorne were regulars, and when they had to hightail it out of Colorado, Irvine offered to marry me and take me with him. I wasn’t getting any offers elsewhere, so it was in my best interest to say yes. The Madam wouldn’t allow it, but Ma Frances paid a price for me, and off I went to join them. Had I known what that life would entail, I’m not sure I would have followed Irvine. But then again, I wouldn’t have my son, Oscar, and Oscar is worth everything I’ve been through.

Crystal: Are you hoping that Oscar will grow up to be just like his dad?

Lu: The only thing I want Oscar to share with his father is his looks. While the sweetest of the Thornes, Irvine was only as sweet as a rattler dipped in honey and poised to strike. Cross him when he was drunk or angry, and there was a price to pay. When he was in a good mood, he was sweet as could be and I generally enjoyed being with him. He was good at protecting me from his brother, Clint, and I had high hopes that if I could get him away from his family, there might be a better future for us.

And that’s what I hope for Oscar. If I can just get him away from the Thorne family, maybe he can grow up to be a good and honorable man. One like Pastor Newcomb. I want a future for him as far from the crime life as I can get him, and I’m willing to do anything to get him away. I just have to bide my time for the right moment. Ma Frances would kill me if she knew I was trying to take Oscar away from her.

CC: Why are you afraid of her? Isn’t she just a sweet, old grandma?

Lu: *Snort* A sweet old grandma with poisoned food, talons for fingers, and a derringer at the ready. All the Thornes are scared of their mother, even Clint. Cross her and you ain’t gonna forget it. She regularly poisons our meals just to keep us in line and remind us how much we need her. She keeps a tight rein on her family and whip at the ready if we even get a thought of rebelling. If she finds out I plan on escaping with Oscar, she’ll either sell me to the local brothel to make her money back and watch me suffer, or she’ll just flat-out murder me and bury me next to Irvine.

Crystal: That sounds like a rough existence.

Lu: You got that right. But it’s not forever. Pastor Newcomb tells me that I can leave my past behind and become one of those new creatures. And that’s what I intend to do. For both Oscar and me. And I was so close to succeeding too. But I’m not giving up yet. I can’t. Oscar deserves a better life with friends, an education, and a safe home. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.

Cyrstal: What if that “whatever it takes” includes Andrew? I mean you haven’t mentioned him yet, but I know you’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately. 

Lu: That so-called “Doc”? Don’t get your hopes up too much. He’s as much a doctor as I am a saint. I’d bet all the money I’ve ever picked that he’s a con man and thief. I ain’t never been caught picking someone, and that man called me out AND picked ME without my notice. I tell you, he’s not what he seems. If it weren’t for the fact that my only ticket out of the Thorne family was stupid enough to eat a poisoned pie from Ma Frances, I wouldn’t care one wit about Doc Andrew. But until I can make a new plan to escape this family with Oscar, he’s a fun distraction. I pick Doc’s wallet every time I see him, and every time he comes to collect it, he sticks his foot so far in his mouth that I give it a shove so he’ll choke on it. Although, the man does have a bit of a hero streak, the poor fool. He thinks he can cross Clint and save me from Clint’s advances. All that is going to do is tick Clint off and put a target on his head. And Clint doesn’t miss a shot. For Doc’s sake, I hope he wises up. I like him too much to see him as a corpse.

Crystal: I suppose that’s a good thing since he’s the hero of the story.

Lu: What do you mean he’s the hero? I may not be able to read, but I know enough about books to know a heroine and hero end up together in the end. I tell you, there is no way I’ll ever willingly marry again.

Crystal: Willingly being the keyword.

Lu: What do you mean by that?

Crystal: And I think that is a good place to end this interview. If you want to find out what–

Lu: This interview is NOT over. What do you mean by willingly?

Crystal: You’ll just have to read the book to find out . . . or rather you’ll get to experience every time someone reads the book. . .  Over and over and over again. This probably shouldn’t make me so happy. Just trust me, Lu. I have your best interest in mind.

Lu: Trust you? I don’t trust you as far as a can throw you.

Crystal: Probably wise, but you have no choice. Readers, I hope you will pick up Counterfeit Hope and give Lu the chance to have her entire life changed. If you have already read Counterfeit Hope, would you mind leaving a review? Below are the direct links to leave a review, just to make it easier. Thanks so much.

Question for Comments: Is there anything about Lu or Andrew that you found surprising? Anything you’d like to know?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes and Noble  | Books-A-Million  |  Book Depository  |  Bookshop.org  | Christianbook

Review Links: Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  | Books-A-Million  |  BookBub  |  Christianbook  |  GoodReads

About Crystal Caudill:

Crystal Caudill is a tea-drinking, book-hoarding, history nerd. Her award-winning stories are ripe with history, danger, love, and hope. When not writing, Crystal can be found playing board games with her husband and boys, caregiving for loved ones, hiding in a book, drinking copious amounts of hot tea, or connecting with readers. You can connect with her at www.crystalcaudill.com or by joining her newsletter crew at bitly.com/CaudillNews.

 

Connect with Erica: Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  Facebook Group  |  Instagram  |  GoodReads  | BookBub  |  Pinterest


GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITIES

US RESIDENTS ONLY:
Giveaway: Bookload of Hope (LAST CHANCE)

Runs: January 15 – February 15, 2023, 11:59 pm EST

Prize: 1 winner – 8 paperbacks, 2 ebooks

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Giveaway: International Readers ONLY Giveaway

Runs: February 1 – February 28

Prize: 2 Winners – A print copy of Counterfeit Love or Counterfeit Hope to one winner outside of the US. Bookmarks and a signed bookplate will be mailed separately.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Launch Party Prizes (LAST CHANCE)

Leave a comment on the posts from the launch party for a chance to win one of these prizes.
Comment at bit/ly/CHLaunchParty

Meet Sadie Stewart from Home Where She Belongs

Meet Sadie Stewart from Home Where She Belongs

It’s my joy and honor to bring to you not an author interview but a fun character interview. Penny Frost McGinnis released her debut novel Home Where She Belongs recently and is excited to present to you Sadie Stewart.

Before we meet Sadie, allow me to introduce you to her story.

Home Where She Belongs by Penny Frost McGinnis

Tired of being a pawn for her father and an emotional punching bag for her ex-boyfriend, Sadie Stewart runs away. She leaves behind a lucrative job, at her father’s financial company, and narcissistic, abusive ex-boyfriend, Bryce Shaw. Her heart longs for a peaceful, simple life on beloved Abbott Island in Lake Erie, Ohio where she spent magical summers with grandparents she adored.

On the island, Sadie takes over her grandparents’ small island home and her gram’s rental cottages. With a fresh start on the island, she tries to push the past behind and dig in to make the rental business thrive. As Sadie and her dog, settle into her new home, her thoughts wander to Joel Grayson, her teen crush. As soon as he crosses her mind, she dashes the thought away. Not ready to share her heart with anyone, she pushes herself to finish her tasks.

Joel Grayson left the island long enough to train at the Police Academy. The folks in the community trust him, even with his failures. Before Sadie’s grandpa died, Joel had promised him he’d look after their cottages, with a secret hope Sadie might return. When he’s on patrol and finds a woman on his friend’s property, he bristles until he realizes his dream girl has come home.

Sadie recognizes Joel and immediately guards her heart. Her experience with Bryce left her untrusting and hesitant. Even handsome and kind Joel won’t tempt her to open her heart.

When someone is set on sabotaging Sadie’s future, she seeks Joel’s help. As they are drawn together, Joel wants to protect Sadie as a police officer and a friend. Sadie begins to trust Joel and allows the wall around her heart to crumble, just a little. As Joel tries to find the person behind the menacing, Sadie fights to build her rental business and latch on to the peace she longs for.

Even as Joel and Sadie grow closer, a dark cloud hangs over them. Ugly graffiti, a fire, and threats cause Sadie grief. She wants to believe in God, the way her grandparents did and longs for the peace that passes understanding, but her heart hesitates to trust anyone.

Joel needs to place his past behind him and allow God to work in his heart. In his attempts to protect Sadie, he falls for her all over again, even though she keeps her distance.

Will Joel and Sadie overcome their fear and lack of trust? When they discover who is sabotaging Sadie’s future, can they stop them? Will two broken people find their path to love?

Home Where She Belongs is a romance with a dash of mystery and the promise of hope, as Joel and Sadie discover what it means to trust in the God who loves them.

CC: Hi Sadie! It is so great to meet you. Would you please introduce yourself to my readers?

SS: Hi, I’m Sadie Stewart. I moved to Abbott Island recently to resurrect my gram’s cabin rental business. Grandpa and Gram both passed away and left me their home and two cabins. I haven’t been back for a while, but it’s time for me to leave my old life behind and start fresh.

CC: New beginnings are so hard but always needed. So what’s your role in this story?

SS: I’m Sadie, the heroine of the story. After a heart-wrenching experience, I finally claim the property my grandparents left me after Grandpa’s death. On Abbott Island I work to revive my grammy’s cabin rental business while trying to break ties with my ex-boyfriend and ignore my father’s pleas to return to his company to work. There is a hero for my heroine, sweet Joel. I knew him from visiting my grandparents every summer, but haven’t seen him in years. Kind of makes you want to find out what happens, doesn’t it?

CC: Who is your least favorite person to deal with? Why?

SS: My ex-boyfriend. After we dated for awhile, he showed his true colors, and let’s say, they were ugly. I no longer want anything to do with him, but he won’t give up.

CC: Discovering who we are after we return to our faith, or even start our faith, can be a difficult road to walk. How would you describe the hero of the story?

SS: The hero, Joel, is a police officer. We met when we were kids and kind of grew up together in the summers. After I went to college, we lost touch. He’s a kind-hearted man who cares about the community, is loyal to his friends, but keeps his hurts to himself. Did I mention he’s handsome with beautiful eyes? I have to call on him for help, way more than I want. His sister Lucy is one of my dear friends, and she loves to give her brother a hard time.

CC: What is your biggest fear?

SS: My biggest fear is failure. I was raised to succeed, and I don’t always feel I can.

CC: What’s one of your happiest memories?

SS: One of my happiest memories is sitting on the porch with my grandpa while he whittled and I sketched.

CC: What is your favorite holiday? Why?

SS: My favorite holiday is the fourth of July because I spent the summers with my grandparents on Abbott Island and got to be part of the celebration. We had an island-wide picnic, swam, and watched fireworks. Two of my best friends, Lucy and Joel, lived on the island.

CC: Do you enjoy family gatherings? Why/why not?

SS: Not with my family. As a child they amounted to making a good appearance for the sake of my dad’s business. On the other hand, I loved being with my grandparents. They were the best people I knew.

CC: If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?

SS: I long for peace and people I can trust.

CC: How do you view God in your life?

SS: I know God is real, and I learned about His love through my grandparents. I’m not sure about my own beliefs yet, but I sure hope He hears my prayers.

CC: What the worst thing that every happened to you?

SS: My ex-boyfriend abused me. You’ll find out more about that in my story.

CC: Do you have a pet?

SS: I do. Rosie is my Golden Retriever. Grandpa gave her to me just before he died. She’s the sweetest animal, loving and loyal.


About Penny Frost McGinnis:

If Penny Frost McGinnis could live in a lighthouse or on an island, she would. Instead, she and her husband are content to live in southwest Ohio and visit Lake Erie every chance they get. She adores her family and dogs, indulges in dark chocolate, enjoys fiber arts, and grows flowers and herbs in her tiny garden. She pens romance novels with a dash of mystery and the promise of hope. Her life’s goal is to encourage and uplift through the written word.

Connect with Penny: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon

Meet Dani Sango from Love’s Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik

Meet Dani Sango from Love’s Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik

I absolutely love character interviews. There is just something so fun in getting to know the characters you read and love in a whole different way. Today’s character interview comes from the duel-time novel Love’s Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik. Dani Sango is the heroine of the contemporary timeline. Before we dive in getting to know her, let’s take a moment to get familiar with the story.

Love’s Fortress by Jennifer UhlarikAmazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Books-A-Million  |  Christianbook

An Epic Love Story From the Past Brings Closure to Dani’s Fractured Family Root

When Dani Sango’s art forger father passes away, Dani inherits his home. Among his effects is a book of Native American drawings, which leads her to seek the help of museum curator Brad Osgood to decipher the ledger art. Why would her father have this book? Is it just another forgery?

Brad Osgood’s four-year-old niece, Brynn, needs a safe home, and Brad longs to provide it. The last thing he needs is more drama, especially from a forger’s daughter. But when the two meet “accidentally” at St. Augustine’s 350-year-old Spanish fort, Castillo de San Marcos, he can’t refuse the intriguing woman.

Broken Bow is among seventy-three Plains Indians transported to Florida in 1875 for incarceration at ancient Fort Marion. Sally Jo Harris and Luke Worthing dream of serving God on a foreign mission field, but when the Indians arrive in St. Augustine, God changes their plans. Then when friendship develops between Sally Jo and Broken Bow and false accusations fly, it could cost them their lives.

Can Dani discover how Broken Bow and Sally Jo’s story ends and how it impacted her father’s life?

CC: Hi Dani! I’m so excited to meet you. Would you please introduce yourself to my readers?

DS: I’m the contemporary heroine of the novel. So what does that mean in terms of the story? Well, I am the estranged daughter of an art forger. I haven’t seen my dear ol’ dad since the day he was arrested when I was two years old. But here we are, twenty-six years later, and I get contacted by an attorney who regrets to inform me that my father has died and left me some kind of an inheritance in St. Augustine, Florida. When I drive up here from my home in Tampa, the attorney hands me a set of keys and an address and tells me Franklin Sango left me his house as part of that inheritance. Needless to say, I’m really confused and more than a little gun shy! Franklin never gave me the time of day, and now he leaves me his house? As if that’s not enough, he’s decorated the place with tons of his forgeries—and he’s got some weird ancient book of Native American artwork in his studio, and an odd message on his answering machine from a museum curator asking about that artwork. I think he was up to no good! The official reading of the will won’t be for a few days yet, so I’m stuck here to poke around the creepy place, ponder why the jerk finally decided to acknowledge my existence, and wonder whether this Native American artwork is his next big con or what. Oh joy!

CC: Oh my! Talk about complicated family relationships. I take it family gathers were not your favorite thing? 

DS: Oh, goodness, no! My family is a hot mess. With me being the daughter of a convicted art forger, I’m pretty much treated like an outsider by my mom Jessica, step-dad Neil, half-siblings, and especially my grandfather. Somehow, they all overlook the half of my DNA that comes from Mom and see only the half that comes from Franklin, so they all make me feel like I’m somehow less than them. Family relationships have been hard, and get-togethers are not fun or emotionally healthy for me.

CC: Ugh. That is so hard and heartbreaking. Is it just your family? Or how do you think others view you?

DS: You’d think being raised in the home of my well-respected neurosurgeon step-father and my socialite mother, I’d have had all the benefits that such an upbringing could afford. But my life wasn’t quite so neat and tidy. If you’re talking to my rich, elitist family’s inner circle, who all know I’m the daughter of Franklin Sango, I’m either pitied or treated like a pariah. Growing up in that kind of an environment led me to make some out-of-the-box choices. In order to get away from the toxic private prep school environment, I made the choice to transfer to a public school and make a new circle of friends. I worked in preschools during high school and college, turned down Mom and Neil’s offers of expensive cars and a private university education so I could live the life I wanted to, without their strings attached. Yeah, I’ve got school loans to pay off, but at least I can look myself in the mirror and know I’m being true to myself. I hope, with all of that, that people who aren’t aware of the specter of my questionable parentage see me as a kind, hard-working, semi-responsible woman who’s trying really hard to hold her life together…and managing to succeed some of the time.

CC: That is so hard, but you have achieved much to be proud of. Who is your least favorite person to deal with?

DS: Okay, so this one’s really hard to answer, because nothing and no one in St. Augustine is as they seem at first. Obviously, my family is a problem, as already stated. Beyond that, I could say my least favorite is the tattooed biker dude who sneaked up on me when I first entered Franklin’s house to look around. The guy scared the bejeebers out of me and threatened to call the cops when I had every right to be in Franklin’s house, per the attorney who gave me the keys. Or I could say it was the even bigger Viking wannabe guy who called the biker dude off just a minute later. But then, it turns out, they’re both former business associates of Franklin’s who were just watching over his house since his passing. Good night! They both scared the tar out of me. And that Viking wannabe—Matty Joie—he’s too persistent for my comfort! I mean, he was Franklin’s boss… Not exactly the person I feel like cozying up to. I don’t know if I can trust him, given he was Franklin’s friend. But at least he seems helpful…not exactly the creeper type, even if he does look a little terrifying! In case I didn’t mention it, the guy is huge, tattooed, and looks pretty rough…but like I said, he seems helpful, even if I don’t know whether to trust him.

CC: Yikes! That is definitely an uncomfortable situation. But certainly, not everyone’s questionable. What about the hero of the story? How would you describe him? 

DS: Well, there’s the bright spot in all of this. Brad Osgood. He’s…amazing! Tall, sweet, good-looking. He’s the art museum curator I mentioned, and we met in the most unusual way, but you’ll have to read the book to find out how. What I really like about Brad is—he’s got a beautiful heart. His younger brother and sister-in-law got themselves in a bunch of trouble, and Brad’s four-year-old niece, Brynn, needed a safe place to live. Someone to love and raise her. Without batting an eye, Brad stepped up to the plate. He’s so sweet with her, and she trusts him completely. My heart melts every time I watch them together. Yet in spite of all their own turmoil, Brad has taken time to help me ferret out the truth behind some of Franklin’s forgeries—including that Native American art I mentioned. He’s really patient with me, a non-art lover. Well, I shouldn’t say I’m a non-art lover. I’ve always avoided fine art because of Franklin. Never set foot in an art museum and took very few art classes in high school or college because I didn’t want anyone associating me with my father’s crimes. But Brad took all that in stride and is slowly helping me understand and fall in love with art in ways I never thought I could. What can I say, he’s an all-around wonderful guy!

CC: Awwww. He does sound like a wonderful guy. With such a challenging childhood, I’m curious, do you have any happy memories? What’s your favorite one?

DS: Contrary to how I’ve made my life sound so far, it hasn’t been all bad. My best friend, Rachel, and her parents have helped make it bearable. I met Rach after I transferred to the public high school, and we’ve been friends ever since. As stupid as it sounds, going over to her house, spending the night in her middle class neighborhood, binge-watching movies, and just dishing with a girlfriend…it was so deliciously normal! I’ve loved hanging with people who didn’t treat me like I was a leper because of my father’s crimes. Rachel’s family accepted me for exactly who I am and let me be a normal person for a little while. Their place quickly became a safe haven, a place of unconditional acceptance, and their house is one full of good memories.

CC: They sound like a really great family, and I look forward to finding out all the mystery behind these creepy men, the art forgeries, and that Native American journal. 

Readers, head over to your favorite retailer to check out Love’s Fortress and what is the truth behind the strange inheritance.

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has finaled and won in numerous writing competitions, and been on the ECPA best-seller list several times. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers, Women Writing the West, and is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, electrical engineer son, and four fur children.

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