Meet Cassie Kendrick from Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson

by Crystal Caudill | Apr 4, 2023 | Character Interview

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.

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.

Tara Johnson – Giveaway & Endorser Spotlight

by Crystal Caudill | Jan 27, 2023 | Counterfeit Hope

Counterfeit Hope is about three weeks from its release date and one thing I always like to do leading up to my release day is to take time to put the spotlight on the authors who endorsed my book. Not only did they sacrifice their time to read it, but they also wrote words that touched my heart and encouraged me. These are authors that I respect and look up to. Authors who know their craft, have been writing far longer than I have, and know what makes a good story. To be endorsed by them is an honor that I cannot express adequately.

For the next six weeks, I am going to continue to spotlight an endorser, share what they have to say about Counterfeit Hope, share more about them, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them, as well as give you a chance to win one of their books. At the end of each post, I hope you will leave the author an uplifting note so they may be encouraged just as they have encouraged me.

I am pleased to introduce to you . . .

Tara Johnson

Author of All Through the Night

Tara Johnson is a writer, singer, speaker, and passionate lover of stories.

Tara uses fiction, nonfiction, song, and laughter to share her testimony of how God led her into freedom after spending year living shackled to the expectations of others.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and makes her home in Arkansas with her husband and three children.

What Tara had to say about Counterfeit Hope:

“Crystal Caudill once again dazzles with a thrilling tale of intrigue, danger, and redemption. Andrew and Lu’s story is a page-turning adventure flooded with hope and the God Who rescues the broken.”

Tara’s Books

Tara has written several amazing Civil War stories, each with a depth and grit that just blows me away. I love her depth of story and unique characters.

Engraved on the Heart

Reluctant debutante Keziah Montgomery lives beneath the weighty expectations of her staunch Confederate family, forced to keep her epilepsy secret for fear of a scandal. As the tensions of the Civil War arrive on their doorstep in Savannah, Keziah sees little cause for balls and courting. Despite her discomfort, she cannot imagine an escape from her familial confines—until her old schoolmate Micah shows her a life-changing truth that sets her feet on a new path . . . as a conductor in the Underground Railroad.

Dr. Micah Greyson never hesitates to answer the call of duty, no matter how dangerous, until the enchanting Keziah walks back into his life and turns his well-ordered plans upside down. Torn between the life he has always known in Savannah and the fight for abolition, Micah struggles to discern God’s plan amid such turbulent times.

Battling an angry fiancé, a war-tattered brother, bounty hunters, and their own personal demons, Keziah and Micah must decide if true love is worth the price . . . and if they are strong enough to survive the unyielding pain of war.

Purchase Links for Engraved on the Heart: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Despository | Christianbook

Where Dandelions Bloom

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?

All Through the Night

With her stammering tongue and quiet ways, Cadence Piper has always struggled to be accepted. After the death of her mother, Cadence sets her heart on becoming a nurse, both to erase the stain her brother has left on the family’s honor and to find long-sought approval in the eyes of her father. When Dorothea Dix turns her away due to her young age and pretty face, Cadence finds another way to serve . . . singing to the soldiers in Judiciary Square Hospital. Only one stubborn doctor stands in her way.

Joshua Ivy is an intense man with a compassionate heart for the hurting and downtrodden. The one thing he can’t have is an idealistic woman destroying the plans he’s so carefully laid. When the chaos of war thrusts Cadence into the middle of his clandestine activities, he must decide if the lives at stake, and his own heart, are worth the risk of letting Cadence inside.

Everything changes when Joshua and Cadence unearth the workings of a secret society so vile, the course of their lives, and the war, could be altered forever. If they fight an enemy they cannot see, will the One who sees all show them the way in the darkest night?

Giveaway

I am giving away one e-book of your choice of one of Tara Johnson’s stories to someone who leaves an encouraging message for Tara below between January 27th and February 3rd. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST and is open to US and international residents legally able to enter (follow your country’s rules). If you would like to earn extra entries, use the Rafflecopter widget below. The only requirement to be entered is that you leave Tara an encouraging note on this post. Thank you for participating.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please leave Tara an encouraging message below.

This Is My Story – Tara Johnson’s Podcast

by Crystal Caudill | Dec 14, 2021 | Book and Writing Events, Counterfeit Love

As I haven’t had time to get a book review written this weekend, and won’t have time until the next weekend, I’m sharing instead about the wonderful Tara Johnson and her podcast, “This is My Story” where I was blessed to be a guest this past week. We covered all sorts of fun and inspirational topics over the course of about 40 minutes, so I hope you’ll get the chance to listen in.

Episode 3: Silver Strands and “Even Ifs” with Crystal Caudill

https://blubrry.com/thisismystorywithtarajohnson/83281318/episode-3-silver-strands-and-even-ifs-with-crystal-caudill/

On today’s show, Tara and Crystal chat about messy families, the power of not being perfect, plastic Christianity and balking heroes of faith. Crystal shares how escaping PE class led her to Christ. The ladies talk about classics, Christian fiction, wild research, and Crystal’s new release Counterfeit Love. Also on this show… Silver strands, Bearing Precious Seed and what God teaches us when we say “even if”.

Links: www.crystalcaudill.com

Bearing Precious Seed- www.bpsmilford.org

Pre-order Crystal’s upcoming novel here: Counterfeit Love: Caudill, Crystal: 9780825447402: Amazon.com: Books

Endorser Spotlight: Tara Johnson

by Crystal Caudill | Nov 26, 2021 | Counterfeit Love

One of the most nerve-racking parts of being an author is sending your book out into the world for the first time, knowing you can no longer change a single word of your book. Thankfully, the first people to read my novel outside of my critique partners and the Kregel team are endorsers. I am so honored and encouraged by the ladies who read my book and then wrote up beautiful endorsements. For the next few months, I’m going to feature one endorser every couple of weeks. So settle in, hear what they have to say about Counterfeit Love, and then learn about who they are, the books they’ve written, and how you can connect with them. Maybe you will be blessed to discover a new author.

At the end, I’d be blessed if you would leave an encouraging note for this author who has encouraged me so much!

I am pleased to introduce you to . . .

Tara Johnson

Writer, Singer, Speaker, and Passionate Lover of Stories

Tara Johnson is an author, speaker, and passionate lover of stories. She loves to travel to churches, ladies retreats, and prisons to share how God led her into freedom after spending years living shackled as a people-pleasing preacher’s kid.

From the time she was young and watched Gone with the Wind with her mother for the first time, the Civil War intrigued her. That fascination grew into all aspects of American history and the brave people and stories who made up its vibrant past.

She says, “History is crammed full of larger-than-life characters. Doc Holliday, Annie Oakley, Helen Keller, Daniel Boone, George Washington, Amelia Earhart, and Frederick Douglass are just a few examples of flawed, wounded humans who battled their demons with vibrant determination and left an indelible mark on the pages of history. I suppose that’s why people are so fascinating. No matter the era, we all battle the same wounds. Abandonment, abusive fathers, overprotective mothers, loss, grief, rejection, addiction, crippling anxiety, loneliness, or the yearning for unconditional love, to name a few. We all battle the same junk and have to decide whether to fight or cave. Run or stand. Cry or smile. That’s what great characters do. They are a reflection of our struggles, our own wounds. Our own need. And, when written well, they remind us Who we need to turn to for healing.”

Tara has written articles for Plain Truth magazine and has been a featured guest on Voice of Truth radio and Enduring Word radio. Tara is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband Todd live in Arkansas and the Lord has blessed them with five children: Bethany, Callie, Nate, as well as Taylor Lynn and Morgan Lane who are with Jesus.

Connect with Tara:

Website: https://tarajohnsonstories.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HFKHH2W
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tara-johnson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17316746.Tara_Johnson

What she had to say about Counterfeit Love:

“Counterfeit Love is a dazzling debut! Caudill weaves a tale of intrigue, danger, and romance. Theresa and Broderick will long live in my heart as deep characters who struggle with relinquishing control to God . . . the same struggle many of us have felt to our core. A story to cheer for and an author to watch!”

Wow. I am humbled, encouraged, and blessed by Tara’s words, and it is my hope that others will be impacted by Theresa and Broderick’s struggles. Relinquishing control to God is certainly something I struggle with and wrestled through as I wrote these characters. Thank you so much for your endorsement, Tara! (And I’m shamelessly putting the link to Counterfeit Love here if you would like to learn more or preorder it.)

Tara’s Books

I’ve long admired Tara Johnson’s stories. They have such depth, historical accuracy, and just powerful stories. I really encourage you to read them yourself. You can purchase them from any major retailer, but here is the link to her Amazon Author Profile where you can grab any of the titles you like.