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Meet Laura DeNooyer

Meet Laura DeNooyer

by | Jul 6, 2026 | Author Interviews

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.

author picture of Laura DeNooyer

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

Teacup #1

CC: What are you drinking during the interview?

 

LAURA: Herbal tea

CC: City, Suburb, or country?

 

LAURA: Small town not far from either city or country

Teacup #3

CC: Watching a new movie or rewatching an old favorite?

 

LAURA: New Movie

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.

Teacup #6

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

cucumber sandwich

 

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.

 

cucumber sandwich

 

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?

 

cucumber sandwich

 

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!

 

The Broken Weathervane by Laura DeNooyer

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Dual Timeline

Two co-workers seek the same information. One wants to publish it; the other has good reasons to keep it hidden.

Leslie Wickersham is building a new life at Raymond University when she’s assigned to help English professor Dr. Gregory Scott Stafford achieve full professor status. But as Greg races to complete a biography of a celebrated author, Leslie realizes the final piece of his research could expose the long-buried truth her family has spent decades protecting. Caught between professional obligation and personal loyalty, Leslie must decide between silence or revealing the truth behind every whispered secret.

Unfolding across dual timelines, The Broken Weathervane explores family loyalty, the stigma of mental illness, and the cost of telling the truth.

Step into a story where the past refuses to stay quiet.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  

 

 

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.

 

Meet Laura DeNooyer

Meet Laura DeNooyer

by | Jan 28, 2025 | Author Interviews

I love introducing new books and authors to people. I’ve had the blessing of having Laura on here before, but she’s back to talk about her newest release A Hundred Magical Reasons. She is graciously providing a print copy (US Residents only) or e-book (anywhere) of either of her books, A Hundred Magical Reasons or All That is Hidden. Be sure to read all the way to the end to learn the details and enter. Now before we dive in, allow me to introduce you properly.

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

You can connect with her through:  Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  GoodReads  |  BookBub  

Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Laura with rapid-fire.

 

CC: Rain or snow?

LD: Snow–but only if I don’t have to drive in it!

CC: Makeup or no makeup?

LD: None whatsoever!

CC: Personal maid or personal chef?

LD: Maid–I don’t need fancy meals but I’d love to have someone clean my house!

CC: Arrive early, just on time, or late?

LD: Fashionably late–but not on purpose.

CC: Food fight or water balloon fight?

LD: Water balloons–it’s easier to clean up afterward!

I miss the days when I didn’t have to take clean up into consideration. LOL! But I’m with you on the water balloon fights. So let’s go ahead and dive in.

What kind of stories are your favorite to write?

LD: I love writing the kind of stories I like to read—complex and character-driven with complicated relationships and messy family dynamics. I like delving into the gray, murky areas of life, into false appearances and misjudgments. My stories serve food for thought as well as hope and second chances—tales that “redeem the years the locusts ate.”

CC: I love that, and yes! Writing the kind of stories I like to read is so important. Especially since we have to read them over and over and over and over during the writing and editing processes.

Do you read fiction while you are writing your own stories?

LD: I’m constantly reading, both Christian fiction and general market, plus non-fiction. My favorite genres are historical fiction and contemporary women’s fiction, but I read a variety which includes suspense, mystery, some romance, and occasional YA and fantasy.

Reading fiction keeps me tapped into the book world and also functions as a way to learn from other authors doing their craft. It’s nearly impossible to read a story for mere enjoyment without analyzing and dissecting it as a storyteller. How is the writer drawing me in? How does she raise the stakes? Why am I relating to this character and not that one? Where is she dropping hints that foreshadow? How is this story resonating with me and why?

While I was writing A Hundred Magical Reasons, I needed to be familiar with L. Frank Baum’s stories. He wrote over 70 books, most of them for children, including 14 Oz novels. I read all fourteen, plus several others, and all of his newspaper editorials. Besides the biographies I read, the editorials gave me much insight into his thinking. Then I was better equipped to write him as a character.

CC: I love how that also gives us a peek into your research process. 

What is your favorite part about writing?

LD: I have a love/hate relationship with the editing process, especially if the manuscript has become long and unwieldy. I’ve definitely learned how to “slash and burn” my words on the page to cut the manuscript down to more manageable and effective proportions. It’s both painful and rewarding.

CC: There is something satisfying about making the story cleaner and better.

Do you have a general writing process you follow or does it change all the time?

LD: I used to be very organized and showed up with a plan. Nowadays, I only know the direction the story is headed, but am not sure how it will get there. Ideas start percolating when I’m actually sitting down writing a scene. I see connections to other characters and situations that will increase the stakes and further the plot.

I start asking, “What if . . .?” But I also brainstorm, considering which juxtapositions of characters and situations would cause the most tension.

For example, in A Hundred Magical Reasons, I had to consider what could make a good contrast or foil for L. Frank Baum. Enter eight-year-old Janie whose rigid parents have no use for fiction, fantasy, or fairy tales. But the inimitable L. Frank Baum knows how to draw out her imagination. This is a major tension throughout the story.

From there I planned out some basic scenes based on his own family and career timeline and worked the story around those. The details and dialog came as I wrote the scenes.

I do a lot of revising—first expanding, then cutting and/or rearranging. It’s accurate to say that I have revised this particular novel at least fifteen times! Revised not just edited.

CC: It’s definitely a process. I don’t know that I can actually put a number to my revisions. I’m constantly revising as I write.

Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?

LD: Be teachable. Join a writers group that both stretches and encourages you. Improvement comes from getting feedback, then revising. Multiple times.

Read, read, read! Read books in and out of your genre. Read like a writer, not just a reader.

If you’re drawn to writing like bees to nectar, then persevere. If God has given you that desire and some raw talent, cultivate the gift. He’s the ultimate Creator and Storyteller, and He made us in His image. He delights in our creativity.

Meanwhile, keep reminding yourself that the joy is in the journey! It’s not just about the end product but about what we learn and who we meet along the way.

Now I’m excited to talk about A Hundred Magical Reasons.

Most fairy tales have happy endings, but is it too late for this one? After all, Mrs. Charlotte Rose Gordon is eighty-eight. This disgruntled town recluse has grown weary of fighting the dragons of her past—including the desire to clear her husband’s name of a 1918 crime.
Dragons of a different kind pursue Carrie Kruisselbrink. In 1980, during the summer of her private rebellion, Carrie defies parental expectations and pursues her café dream. While waiting for funding, she takes a job with Mrs. Gordon.
As Mrs. Gordon unfolds the story of her oppressive childhood and delightful friendship with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum, Carrie never expects to encounter her own fears and soul-searching.
In this modern-day fairy tale that weaves between 1980 and the early 1900s, Mr. Baum’s influence impacts each woman’s personal quests on a hero’s journey neither anticipates. Can Carrie and Mrs. Gordon find common ground in battling their respective dragons?

Purchase your copy at  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Scrivenings

CC: What will fans of A Hundred Magical Reasons love about your story and characters?

LD: Whether readers are Oz fans or not, I think they will enjoy getting to know L. Frank Baum. Besides just getting the facts straight about his life, I wanted to create his essence on the page so that readers would experience what it was like to sit on the Baums’ Macatawa porch with him, whether running a printing press or drinking lemonade.
As a storyteller, actor, and author, Baum was constantly creating ways to tell new stories and engage children. I wanted to show how he would draw out Janie’s imagination. Which activities would they do together? What was life like around the dinner table at the Baum household? We know a bit about that from biographies, but I wanted to present Baum through the eyes of a fictional character who visits from year to year.
Additionally, I think readers will love the dialogs and growing friendship between twenty-two-year-old Carrie and eighty-eight-year-old Mrs. Gordon—one facing fears about her future, the other living with regrets about her past.
CC: I never actually knew anything about Mr. Baum, so now I’m fascinated to learn more about him and make him one of my fictional friends.
Why did you write A Hundred Magical Reasons?

LD: While reading a biography about L. Frank Baum, I learned that his family summered at the same lake where our family vacations yearly—at the other end of the Lake Macatawa near Holland, Michigan, and a century earlier. That was a fun little connection.

Additionally, as I learned more about his life, I was smitten. Baum was such an innovative, larger-than-life personality—no surprise there, given that he created the Land of Oz. He was also a family man with a keen understanding of children and a high regard for women. (His mother-in-law was a suffragist!) His humor and creativity gave him the capacity to bounce back from failure many times.

Having always wanted to write a novel set in the turn of the century, Baum fit perfectly into my plans. 

CC: How fun! I’ve been to Holland, but I’ve never made it to the lake, now I’ll have to visit for sure!
What is the most fascinating piece of research that shaped your story?
LD: Baum’s life, family, and career ups and downs are the main things that shaped the story. I wanted my two protagonists, Janie (in both timelines) and Carrie (1980), to be impacted by his influence. I just had to figure out how. I wanted to spotlight the Baums’ summers at Michigan’s Macatawa Resort (1898-1910) and his friendship with young Janie. Janie takes on challenges inspired by some of Baum’s career choices.
In 1900, Baum turned 44 and published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Decades later, Janie is all grown up as Mrs. Gordon in 1980, sharing her memoirs with twenty-two-year-old Carrie who has problems of her own. Carrie wants to run a literary-themed café against her parents’ wishes. The two women have more in common than they realize.
CC: A literary-themed café sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to see how Mr. Baum influences her decisions and creation of this magical place.
What is a fun fact about this story that readers might not know?

LD: Most people don’t know that Baum should be credited with the earliest documented original film score back in 1908-1914. Before Hollywood became what it is today, Baum dabbled in film and even created the very first scene of Dorothy stepping from black and white into color—thirty years before the MGM Wizard of Oz movie brought us technicolor.

With so many interests and projects claiming his attention, Baum wanted to be done writing Oz books. He wrote six Oz books, then closed off Oz from the rest of the world—supposedly forever. But thousands of children wrote him, clamoring for more Oz stories. He finally relented, and wrote eight more.

CC: Wow! I had no idea there were fourteen Oz books! I’ve not even read one of them, but now my interest is piqued. 

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

LD: Baum’s stories are all about stirring the child’s imagination, and that’s a key element of my novel. I firmly believe that since we’re all made in the Creator’s image, everybody is creative in his own way. I hope this story inspires readers to use their own imaginations.

Other themes are woven in too, such as learning to be yourself when others try to keep you in a box. A Hundred Magical Reasons would make a great book club book. I hope the story raises questions and encourages pondering.

CC: I am thoroughly entranced by this book. It’s not my typical read, but I’m picking up a copy now. 

I always like to end with a fun question so . . . 

You are in the back of a police car on your way to jail. What did you do, and is anyone with you?
LD: Due to daydreaming, I accidentally walked out of a store with merchandise without paying first!
CC: Oops! That sounds entirely too plausible! LOL Let’s hope that never becomes the case. 
Readers, I hope you’ll check out A Hundred Magical Reasons and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.  

Reader, have you ever read the Oz books or seen the movie? What was your favorite part of it?

Giveaway

Here’s your chance to win a copy of either A Hundred Magical Reasons or All That is Hidden. Comment on the blog and enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 4,2025. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.

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