Author Interview: Michelle De Bruin
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!
Connect with Michelle De Bruin at: