Hello, friends! I’ve got another debut author to introduce. Meet Kaitlin Covel who reached out to me via my contact form. I had the privilege of reading her novel Atoning for Ashes a few weeks ago and that review will go live next Tuesday. For now, I’d love for you to get to know the woman behind the words.
Kaitlin Covel has a thirst for adventure much like the heroines of her stories. She is an old-fashioned romantic, and if she could time travel to any historical period, it would be the Regency Era. Here in the 21st century, she is a certified Nutritional Therapy Technician, but writing is her passion, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. Her debut novel, Atoning for Ashes, releases on February 14th, 2019 from Deep River Books. She has honed her craft since childhood, benefiting from the insights of other writers through professional writing associations such as the Jerry Jenkins Writer’s Guild and Hope*writers. She lives with her family in Maine, where she enjoys teaching the teen Sunday school class at her church. Her favorite things are family, books, history, chocolate, music, the ocean, and strong cups of tea. Visit her at www.kaitlincovel.com.
Sweet or Unsweet Tea?
Kaitlin:I know sweet tea is a big deal to everyone down south, but I prefer mine unsweetened!
Beach Vacation or Mountain Getaway?
Kaitlin: Definitely a beach vacation for me! Perhaps on Prince Edward Island!
Homebody or Love to Travel?
Kaitlin: I really love to travel. If I ever inherited a fortune like the heroines of novels, I would spend the first cent on a plane ticket to the first place on my bucket list: Paris, France!
Morning Person or Night Owl?
Kaitlin: I’m a night owl for sure!
Bookmark or Dog-ear Pages?
Kaitlin: I love bookmarks!
Writing, Life, and God
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Kaitlin: My dream job as a child was to be a published author and see my books on a library shelf. I thank God for making my dream come true!
Crystal: I love when God makes the desires of our heart a reality.
What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?
Kaitlin: Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, for he shall direct thy path.
I love this verse because it is a daily reminder to trust the Lord and rely upon Him in all circumstances. Life is complicated, but I know the Lord will direct my path if I acknowledge him in all my ways.
Crystal: That is a great one. Although, I confess every time I read that one, I do the little song with it that I used to teach it to my Sunday School kiddos.
What was the best advice someone ever gave you about writing, life, or anything that strikes your fancy?
Kaitlin: One of the greatest pieces of writing advice I ever received was to write until I was confident enough of my writing skills to share them with the world. I wrote short stories and several novels to practice my skills. I engaged in writing memberships and contests to polish my craft until I knew I was ready to attempt publication. This journey has taken me almost ten years, but I have loved every moment of it. I look forward to the next chapter of my publishing journey and all the new experiences that await me. I know I am doing what I was born to do!
Crystal: Very sound advice and we are excited to see where this journey brings you.
Josie Chadwick dreams of marrying for love in Cornwall, England, but with her father’s debt threatening to destroy all she holds dear, her romantic options are dwindling. When her elder sister Delia is disowned, Josie finds herself heiress of Chadwick Park, torn between dreams and duty. After sacrificing her heart to atone for Delia’s sin, Josie clings to the hope she will learn to love a distant husband, whom she fears is incapable of requiting her affection.
Atoning for Ashes
How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
Kaitlin: God taught me so much through writing this story that I don’t even know where to begin… I think the biggest lesson God taught me in writing Atoning for Ashes was the unconditional nature of His love. I’d never really meditated on this aspect of our God, but because several main characters in my book struggle with a crisis of identity, I reflected on the unconditional nature of my God’s love and grace more than I ever had before.
Crystal: That unconditional nature is just so mindboggling to our human minds.
How do you come up with the names of your characters?
Kaitlin: I like to look at the census for the year my story is set if it is available. I’m always taking note of unusual period names when I’m watching period dramas or reading classic literature/biographies/memoirs. For surnames, I do a lot of research based on the setting, and I have fun exploring historical documents from the time period. It is a struggle, but I persevere until I’m satisfied with the ring of each characters’ full name!
Crystal: That is very cool. I love period- accurate names and am so glad you take the time to find them.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Kaitlin: Hmmm… I’ll try not to give any spoilers! There were several scenes that were fairly difficult to write, but the hardest scene of all was the scene where Josie and Charles eat dinner in their hotel room in Paris. It is quite an emotionally charged scene, and the climax in the dialogue occurs when Charles confesses a dark secret of his past.
Crystal: I can see where that would be a very difficult scene to write.
Fun, Zaney Question of the Day
What are the top three things on your bucket list?
Kaitlin: A trip to Paris, swimming with dolphins, and I’d love to go on a missions trip sometime!
Crystal: I hope those are things you get to enjoy at some point!
Readers, tell us what your top three things are on your bucket list, and be sure to check out Kaitlin’s debut book, Atoning for Ashes at Amazon or Barnes and Noble!
Howdy ho neighbors!!! 🙂 (Yes, a Home Improvement reference if you didn’t catch it. LOVE Wilson.) Today I am excited to introduce debut author Michelle De Bruin to you. She was one of my very first critique partners and it has been neat to see her novel transform from rough draft to printed book.
Michelle lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with physical and mental disabilities. In this role, she offers grief care, teaches Bible studies, leads retreats, and writes devotionals. Michelle is also a worship leader on Sunday mornings directing the choir, playing piano, or singing.
A romantic at heart, Michelle is always on the lookout for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story.
So let’s get to know this wonderful woman!
Sweet or Unsweet Tea?
Michelle: Unsweet
Beach Vacation or Mountain Getaway?
Michelle: Beach
Homebody or Love to Travel?
Michelle: Travel
Morning Person or Night Owl?
Michelle: Neither one!
Bookmark or Dog-ear Pages?
Michelle: Definitely bookmark
When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.
Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child.
Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together.
Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life? Life, Writing, and God
Writing, Life, and God
Why do you write historical fiction?
Michelle: The historical fiction genre is a venue where I can share conservative values on issues like morality, family, and Scripture interpretation. It also gives me a reason to go back into my own family heritage and honor the people who have gone before me.
Crystal: Historical fiction is one of my favorites for a lot of those reasons.
What has God taught you along your publication journey?
Michelle: God has taught me that he is bigger than the scope of my dreams, and that He still performs miracles.
Crystal: God really does like to show off and make our dreams bigger than we can imagine.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Michelle: Writing energizes me. I have to do it. Writing helps me examine my life and heart, and it helps me apply truth to my ordinary existence.
Crystal: I love how writing is a reflective experience for both the writer and the reader.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
Michelle: I didn’t consider a pseudonym, but I did toy with the idea of hyphenating my name when I realized my writing might actually amount to something. My married name, De Bruin, is a Dutch surname comprised of two words. My maiden name, Van Zante, is also Dutch and includes two words. I decided a hyphenation was too confusing and expected too much from my readers when trying to figure out pronunciation or finding me on-line.
Crystal: I can see where that would be difficult. I think you made the right decision.
Which character was the most fun to create? What makes them fun?
Michelle: Reverend Logan De Witt was the most fun to create because of his sense of humor. He also gets nervous around pretty girls. This makes him stutter and get his words all mixed up at times when he needs to communicate important messages, like during his sermons and convincing someone to go out with him.
Crystal: I love the bumbling hero. They are so cute when struggling around the women they like.
Fun, Zaney Question of the Day
If you could be any animal, which would it be?
Michelle: We have a rabbit as a family pet. I would probably be a rabbit. Rabbits like to hide in cozy corners and don’t lose their “cuteness” when they are full grown.
Crystal: That is too true! I’ve never seen an ugly rabbit! And thank you so much, Michelle for doing this interview!
Readers, be sure to check out Michelle’s debut book, Hope for Tomorrow at Amazon or Barnes and Noble! For a chance to win an e-copy from me, just comment below with your answer to the Fun, Zaney Question of the Day!
Often times for Christian authors writing for the CBA market look at the story’s spiritual elements and character spiritual arcs.
As I was reading one of my critique partners stories, she worried about what message God was trying to give her story. Her characters didn’t have any of the normal spiritual strengths she was used to writing.
As I read her magnificent story, I was struck by the way God’s voice came through. While in her other books, His voice had be loud and clear, in this book He had chosen to speak in His usual way, a still, small voice.
His message didn’t hit you over the head and declare listen to me, I’m speaking. Instead, His voice was a quiet invitation to allow Him to work in your heart and change you without your notice.
Her story was powerful but in a quiet way, not the way we often demand to God to reveal Himself. He hid Himself in the folds of the story, gently whispering to the soul.
Writers, let this be an encouragement to you. When you read your story that you have written with God and you find it lacking His voice, maybe you aren’t listening hard enough. Sometimes He chooses our stories to be full of plot and character arc, but quiet on the spiritual arc because the message is too delicate to be shouted.
I could go into the book of Ruth and how it is unlike any other book in the Bible, but I think you get the message. If not, go read Ruth. The romance and story are beautiful and powerful in their own right, but it is the still, small voice of that story that is most powerful.
Authors, listen for God’s still small voice. How do you hear it in your writing? Readers, in what ways has God used story to impact your life?
God bless, and may you hear His still small voice today.
Hello, friends! I am so excited to introduce to you one my dear friends and critique partners, Kelly Goshorn. She is an amazing, generous, loving woman who I am so blessed to know. This month her debut novel, A Love Restored, releases and let me tell you, it is a sweet read… but more on that next week. Allow me to introduce you to Kelly.
Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in 19th century America. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Kelly has been enjoying her own happily-ever-after with her husband and best friend, Mike, for 28 years. Together they have raised three children, four cats, two dogs, a turtle, a guinea pig, a gecko, and countless hamsters. Thankfully, not all at the same time. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, scrapbooking with friends, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, releases June 29th from Pelican Book Group.
Sweet or Unsweet Tea?
Kelly: Unsweet
Crystal: I’m with you there.
Beach Vacation or Mountain Getaway?
Kelly: Definitely mountains
Crystal: And yours are beautiful to drive through in the fall!
Homebody or Love to Travel?
Kelly:Travel
Crystal: Road trips all the way!
Morning Person or Night Owl?
Kelly: Morning person—VERY early morning. Alarm usually goes off around 4:30 or 4:45.
Crystal: Ugh! I admire you, lady.
Bookmark or Dog-ear Pages?
Kelly: Dog Ear. I write in books and highlight lines I love! Is that sacrilege?
Crystal: Yes, it is, but we forgive you. 😉
Kelly Goshhorn – The Person
What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
Kelly: I enjoy scrapbooking and cardmaking, though I don’t do that as often as I’d like. Hubby and I enjoy watching movies and BBC programs together as well as going to the theater and playing board games. Living in Virginia, I’m blessed to be within a short driving distance to many historical landmarks. I love planning day trips to battlefields, historical sites, museums, etc. I also enjoy walking my dog several times a day and I’m hoping to begin hiking on some of the nearby mountain trails.
Crystal: I knew there was a reason we were friends. 🙂 We must plan a history trip together.
What has God taught you along your publication journey?
Kelly:My writing journey began with a simple prayer for the Lord to give me a passion. I’d grown weary of childcare and knew it was time to step out into something new but really had no direction. I NEVER saw the writing thing coming. I merely began tinkering with a story in my free time, mimicking my son who loved to write and has the goal of being a published author. It was something to fill time while I was waiting on the Lord. Or so I thought. The more I fiddled with the words, the more I enjoyed the process. It didn’t take long for my hidden hobby to become a God-given passion and the answer to our prayers.
But the journey that lay ahead would not only prove to be challenging from a craft point of view, it would require me to face my biggest personal and spiritual obstacle—the fear of failure. In true God fashion, He led me where I needed to be, not necessarily where I wanted to be. Over the next few years, I would be repeatedly plagued with crippling self-doubt and the fear of rejection. What if I mastered the craft, stepped out in faith, and there was no contract? What would that mean for my writing? For my faith?
Conviction set in. I had to pour out my heart and confess to God that I believed He would meet others needs but not necessarily my own. I repented for believing that the finishing work of the cross wasn’t enough. That I didn’t trust He was faithful to do what He said He would do—for me.
The result has been liberating. What I discovered is that God sees not only who we are, but who we can be when we place our trust in Him. He calls us to tackle our biggest obstacles so that we can rest in total dependence on Him.
Crystal: What a beautiful testimony. It truly brings tears to my eyes. God loves us so much.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Kelly: As long as I can remember I wanted to be a teacher. I remember playing school very intensely with name cards for each of the ten students in my class set out on cardboard boxes in the basement. My friend and I would spend hours planning lessons and making worksheets with carbon paper (man, does that ever date me). We would fill them out, grade them and record the grades in our homemade gradebooks.
Crystal: I love this picture of you! I had no idea. (And carbon paper… sigh, I’m with you there. When did we get so old?)
A Love Restored
You once said this story parallels your own love story. Can you share a little bit about that?
Kelly: You’re right, Crystal. A Love Restored is based on the true-life romance between my husband and myself, with all its ups and downs, including our tumultuous break-up. (no more about that here, you’ll have to read the story if you want to know the details). I set the story in the 1870s because I’m a history geek. Like my fuller-figured heroine, I’ve struggled with weight issues my entire life and that struggle plays an important part in our story. My own journey to self-acceptance and what a loving God will do to grab a stubborn woman’s attention is pivotal to the storyline.
But A Love Restored is not only a story of love, romance, heartache and restoration, but also a story about the power of words over our lives. It is a story about the struggle each of us faces to take our thoughts captive to the truth of Scripture so we may experience the fullness of God’s unequivocal love for us. As my husband and I discovered, it is only then that we are truly able to give and receive love, unconditionally.
Crystal: I love how God uses our stories and struggles to reach out to others with such a powerful message. This will be a powerful story that will touch many lives.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Kelly:The blank page. I would much rather edit, tweak and polish than fill an empty page. I can usually get the first six or seven chapters out without much trouble but since I’m a panster, sometimes it’s a real slugfest.
Crystal: I getcha! Sometimes I’ll fill a whole page with random letters or cut and paste old work in just so I am not looking at a blank page. (Oops, did I just admit that?)
What did you edit out of this book?
Kelly:My first draft was 116,000 words! Needless to say, A Love Restored was put on a diet and is now a much trimmer 92,000 words. I had several chapters where Ben and Ruth Ann traveled to Pennsylvania to meet his parents. This led to some comical moments because she was raised with household help and Benjamin teaches her how to milk a cow and gather the eggs. I also had a great deal of unnecessary backstory about Benjamin’s life in Texas before he came to Virginia and several flashbacks to his service in the Union Army.
Crystal: An important slimming, but I will miss getting to see some of that information.
And of course, no Write Call Interview is complete without our fun question!
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot? Why?
Kelly: What a great question! Although many would assume I’d choose a corgi because I’m more than a little obsessed with my dog, I think I’d have to say a turtle. I’m the slowest writer to ever grace the planet earth. But like the turtle, I keep plodding along “slow and steady” until I type “The End.” Team turtle for the win!
Crystal: I LOVE turtles! Especially of the Teenage Mutant Ninja variety. (Tee hee hee. You know I had to sneak that in.)
Thank you so much for sacrificing time from your busy schedule to complete this interview. I am so proud of you and excited for your release.
Friends, keep reading below to find out more about A Love Restored, connect with Kelly, and a chance to enter to win an e-copy of A Love Restored.
She was nothing like the woman he’d envisioned for his bride, but he was everything she’d ever dreamed of—until a promise from his past threatened their future.
Twenty-year old Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. She would rather read Jules Verne or teach Negro children to read and write than join the Women’s Benevolent Aid Society or practice her voice lessons. Her pert opinions and less than perfect figure keep many suitors away. When Ruth Ann accepts a position teaching at the new Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer she is likely to receive. Should she risk life as a lonely spinster or reinvent herself to accept a proposal from a man she does not love?
Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect of other men. All he needs now is a woman to share his promising future. When Benjamin has a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, he is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality. When others ridicule his choice, Benjamin must decide whether he will listen to his heart or put ambition first.
Here it is! The time you all have been waiting for. Enter for your chance to win an e-copy of A Love Restored. Just comment below AND use the Rafflecopter link below to enter. Entries are open Tuesday 12 AM (EST) 6/26/2018 and close on Monday, 7/3/2108, at 11:59 PM (EST). Winner will be announced on the A Love Restored Review.
*Legal Jargon: No Purchase is necessary. This contest is open to all readers in the world, 18 years and older who are legally allowed to participate in such a giveaway as allowed by their local laws. The Write Call does not exchange prizes for reviews. Reviews are appreciated, but not required.*
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Fairytale Retellings, 1363
Overview of Plot:
Avelina is a lady’s maid… only her lady has decided to run off with a knight. When the Earl’s daughter is summoned to Thornbeck to be evaluated as a possible bride to the new Margrave, she is commanded to go in Lady Dorthea’s place. Her job: convince everyone she is Lady Dorthea, secure an alliance with the Margrave of Thornbeck to protect against an imminent attack, but don’t be chosen as his bride. The latter should be easier than the former.
Former knight Reinhart of Thornbeck became Margrave after his brother’s death… a death which some speculate was his doing. Ordered by the king to find a wife from a list of suggestions to strengthen empire stability, his chancellor comes up with the plan to test the women over the course of two weeks. Lady Dorthea intrigues him like no other woman, but she is hiding something.
When the truth is revealed in a humiliating way, more than their hearts are at stake. Someone is bound and determined to take Thornbeck over and he will use the deception to his advantage. The stakes become life and death as Margrave and Lady’s Maid work together to save a kingdom.
Favorite Character and Why:
As much as I loved Avelina, I loved Reinhart. He is a man who wants more than his parents had but is stuck with new responsibilities that thrust the idea of marrying for love out the window. He has such a good heart and, yes, he is swoony. Who couldn’t love a knight like him? Even when he is conflicted about Avelina’s deception he isn’t a complete monster. He does make mistakes, but he is still the swoon-worthy hero we love to read about.
What I liked:
The cast of characters was great, and I loved how none were stupid. They all had sharp minds and were good adversaries for each other. The inner struggles of the characters were particular interesting to me, and I really love the way Melanie handled them.
Who would like this:
Anyone who loves a good fairy tale. This retelling of the Princess and the Pea was a masterful retelling.
Amazon blurb:
“After inheriting his title from his brother, the margrave has two weeks to find a noble bride. What will happen when he learns he has fallen for a lovely servant girl in disguise?
The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble born ladies who meet the king’s approval to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.
Avelina has only two instructions: keep her true identity a secret and make sure the margrave doesn’t select her as his bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.
Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences.”
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Michelle lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with physical and mental disabilities. In this role, she offers grief care, teaches Bible studies, leads retreats, and writes devotionals. 
When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.
thing coming. I merely began tinkering with a story in my free time, mimicking my son who loved to write and has the goal of being a published author. It was something to fill time while I was waiting on the Lord. Or so I thought. The more I fiddled with the words, the more I enjoyed the process. It didn’t take long for my hidden hobby to become a God-given passion and the answer to our prayers.
