Meet author Kathleen Rouser
Kathleen Rouser is the award-winning author of Rumors and Promises, her first novel about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan, and a multi-published author of historical Christian romance. She has loved making up stories since she was a little girl and wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She’s in the grip of God’s grace and is a fan of the three Cs—cats, coffee, and chocolate.
Tell us about your newest book.
In Flying Into Love, her great-grandmother’s journal holds the key to the past–and maybe her future. Unable to say no when others need her, Talia Sampson took on her deceased aunt’s advice column and the care of her special needs niece. Then new veteran, Ben Tanner, shows up unexpected on her doorstep. Hurt many times, he wonders where home is. Talia isn’t happy finding a hot-air balloon with him, but she treasures the old journal with it. Ben hopes restoring her family’s antique will please her, until he discovers a secret that shatters his trust. And Talia hates flying. Will she trust God—and Ben—enough to go airborne?
What genre do you focus on and why?
Most often I’ve written Christian historical romance, because of my faith in Christ to start. I also enjoy a romance with a happy ending with two people who accept each other’s faults and quirks while falling in love. In a sense romance is the story of God pursuing us while we were yet sinners and still loved us! How everyday people lived in the past has intrigued me as well. Their lives made a difference. Perhaps because of my enjoyment of history I was comfortable making Flying Into Love a split time novel with an historical sub-plot.
Why do you write?
I’m pretty sure God is the one who set the idea in my heart, especially since I was so intrigued with the stories my mom read to me when I was four that I wanted to write books someday. I started out wanting to illustrate them as well, but in time realized my aptitude was more towards writing than drawing. The desire was always simmering in the back of my mind and after I gave my life to Christ, I wanted to use my talent for Him
It was easy to get busy raising my family, but I felt convicted one day after hearing sermon on the parable of the talents and questioned how much I had used mine. It’s hard sometimes, but I try to write uplifting stories that show people who are very human and learning to trust in God just as you or I might be.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Talia Sampson is my main character. It’s a pretty name and when I looked it up, I found out it meant “dew of God” in Hebrew and in Arabic it means “sheep.” I thought both meanings were lovely.
Talia is someone who cares deeply about others, protective about those she loves, but she also gives to the point that her needs and concerns are lost. She is seeking the purpose God has for her life and whom she is meant to be. Through reading her great-grandmother’s journal she is surprised to learn the truth about long held beliefs about her family and finds guidance for herself.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Like many other authors I find marketing a real challenge. Being an introvert and a very private person, for me social media feels like a task rather than something fun to which I look forward.
And I struggle knowing how to promote my work and connect better with readers. And then there’s the time factor. Every minute I’m promoting is time I’m not writing.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Creating stories with the Lord! It’s fun to be able to make up different kinds of stories, especially when they have a Christian message. He wired me to look for stories, to think about stories, and when I ask him for help, even though sometimes I must wait, He always comes through.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Yes! The first two books of my Stone Creek trilogy, Rumors and Promises and Secrets and Wishes. I hope to eventually publish a third, which is written. The working title is Scandals and Mercies. My novella, The Last Memory is part of Barbour’s Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides anthology. My first novella was published in the anthology Brave New Century and is called The Pocket Watch.
What are you working on now?
A middle grade novel about a disillusioned dragon who is prompted to care for dragon foundlings by two children she’s befriended. I’m also doing research for a novel about the tragedy of the sinking of the Eastland in Chicago in 1915.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
Depending on the day of the week, I usually write in the late morning or early afternoon. I work toward a word count, depending on my deadline. Some days I may shoot for 500, others it may be 1000 or 1500. If I start with a lower word count goal and I find I’m in the “zone” I will keep going.
What is your favorite pastime?
I suppose it sounds cliché but probably spending time with my husband. We knew each other for only five months when we got married, so our first fourteen years were rather rocky. And after homeschooling for more than twenty years I had a horrible time adjusting to the empty nest. Now I cherish the time that Jack and I have together, whether it’s getting a cup of coffee to take on a stroll on the boardwalk at our town’s mill pond or just watching a whodunnit together in the evening, I am very grateful that by God’s grace we are still together. I also enjoy reading (of course), making jewelry, and baking.
Website: http://kathleenrouser.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kerouser
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rouserkathy/
Twitter: @KathleenRouser
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-rouser
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Flying-Into-Love-Kathleen-Rouser/dp/B08YS61PDL
Meet author Bryan Canter
Bryan Canter has a keen interest in history and the Christian faith. He has a passion for lifelong learning in an eclectic array of subjects. Bryan has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering physics, a Master of Arts degree in religious studies, as well as a Master of Arts in liberal arts from a “great books” program at St. John’s College. He writes historical fiction in order to make history come alive for his readers, allowing them to experience the past in new and engaging ways.
Tell us about your newest book.
Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of the Picts is an historical fiction novel set in the highlands of Scotland in 367 A.D. I had the privilege of visiting Scotland for six months in the summer of 2018 in order to research the subject and literally walk the ground where the story takes place.
What inspired you to write (Daughter of the Gods)?
The novel actually started out as a college writing assignment. We were supposed to write a descriptive scene, to which I added a bit of a twist at the end. While we were doing our peer reviews in class, everyone asked, “So, what happens next.” My reply was, “I don’t know. It’s just a scene.” I literally could not sleep for several nights until I finally identified where the scene was, when it occurred in history, and why the protagonist was there. During the rest of the semester, I ended up writing what eventually became the first three chapters of the novel.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Summer, 367 A.D. In a land of mystery and enchantment, in an age of Celtic gods, Highland warlords, Roman legions, and powerful druids, a young Pictish healer finds herself embroiled in an epic struggle between gods and men.
The Celtic tribes of the lands we now know as Scotland and Ireland conspire to assault Hadrian’s Wall and drive the Romans out of Britain forever. But in order for the warriors to achieve victory in the military campaign, the druids must first gain ascendancy over the new Roman god.
Amid clandestine preparations for war, Flora is yanked out of her peaceful, ordinary world and thrust into a spiritual battle of mythic proportions. In order to save her family, her clan, and her people, she is called upon to sacrifice not only her life, but her very identity. Feeling trapped in a web of manipulation and deceit, she struggles to discover the true reality of who she is and who she will become.
Set in the Scottish Highlands, this story brings to life an age and a people that have remained veiled in the mists of time. Based on extensive research into the archaeology, culture, and geography of fourth-century Scotland, Daughter of the Gods explores the mysterious people knowns as the Picts—a collection of tribes so determined to retain their freedom that they dared to defy the mightiest army the ancient world had ever known.
What genre do you focus on and why?
I primarily write historical fiction. The past provides so many amazing stories or settings for original stories that there is an existing pool of rich content to pull from. I always liked history, but I didn’t necessarily like historical text books. I try to re-write the events of history in ways that help my readers to experience it in a more personal way than is otherwise available in the dry tomes of history classes.
Why do you write?
I wrote my MA thesis on evangelism in a postmodern culture. One characteristic of postmodern people (there are many such characteristics) is that they are more receptive to truth in story form than when it is presented as a logical argument. This realization led me to write fiction for non-Christian audiences with light Christian principles and themes woven throughout the stories. It allows people to encounter Christian ideas who would likely not visit a church or a Bible study. I don’t try to “convert” my readers, but simply acquaint them with concepts that they might not otherwise confront.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Flora is a seventeen-year-old apprentice healer who is asked to sacrifice herself for the sake of her people. The story is written from her point of view. I just randomly chose her name when I wrote that first scene for my college writing class. It turns out that flowers became an important, recurring theme throughout the story. I think that God might have inspired the name from the very beginning, knowing in advance how the novel would end up.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I try to write for two hours a day. I can usually put about a thousand words together in that amount of time. I also work as a publishing consultant, so two hours of dedicated writing provides a decent pace while leaving time for my personal publishing and marketing activities as well as my business commitments.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Independently published authors have to develop a broad range of skills. They not only have to learn the craft of writing, but they also need to figure out all the tasks associated with publishing and marketing their books. For me, this is a challenge that I enjoy. But I know it can be overwhelming to people who don’t have as much discretionary time to dedicate to these other disciplines.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I love doing research and then watching as the pieces of the story come together. I prefer to do experiential research whenever possible. Since I write historical fiction, I not only read source materials from my chosen periods, but I also visit historical locations, participate in archaeological digs, and learn relevant skills, like horseback riding, sailing reproduction ships, and fencing with authentic weapons and techniques. I want to live the experiences as closely as I can, so that I will be able to more accurately portray life in the past to my readers.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
I live full-time in a motorhome, so that I can visit historical venues and places of extraordinary beauty.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
One of God’s characteristics is creativity. Since we are made in God’s image, I believe that He placed a creative spirit within each of us. It might be expressed differently in different people, but it is there in all of us. Writing provides one way for me to interact with God as He teaches me how to create stories and to reflect that aspect of His image in me. It is a never-ending process of learning and growth.
What is your favorite pastime?
I love to be outdoors. I like to hike, to ski, and to film video of nature’s beauty with my drone.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I published The Bethany Tales in February of 2020. It is a biblical fiction novel, and is available as an eBook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook. https://www.amazon.com/Bethany-Tales-Intertwined-Stories-Restoration-ebook/dp/B082TZHQNJ
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a contemporary romantic drama that I hope to release later this year. (I know, it’s out of my genre, but God got the deciding vote.)
Website: bryanEcanter.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XTSZ1TV
Social media links: https://www.facebook.com/BryanECanter/
Peyton’s Promise: Art Nouveau?
As Peyton works on reupholstering furniture in Calumet Castle, Art Nouveau fabric becomes a focus. But what is Art Nouveau?
It was a popular aesthetic movement from 1890-1910. It was meant to modernize the Victorian-era with geometric and organic themes, elegant designs, and the natural beauty taken from nature. Here’s an excerpt from Peyton’s Promise that explores this movement:
Patting her pocket, she surveyed the bolts. Sure enough, Art Nouveau fabrics littered the pile. Running her fingers over the heavy material, her excitement grew. She’d use many of them, some with modern geometric shapes of arcs, parabolas, and semicircles. There was lavender ribbon with pink roses, rosettes, and other flowers on a cream background for the great hall. And even bolder fabrics with peacock feathers and poppies.
Behind her, Patrick ascended the ladder, humming, “It is Well With my Soul,” a song that had become her papa’s favorite. Sad, melancholy, yet uplifting and reverent at the same time.
“Patrick, do you know the story behind that tune you’re humming?” Papa had related it to her just last week. Perhaps sharing it now might soothe ruffled feathers.
Patrick paused, shaking his head as he stopped filling a nail hole. “Nae, I don’t. Please tell.”
Peyton drew closer, as the touching tale did not lend itself to shouting. “There was a man who lost his little boy in the Great Chicago fire of 1871, the fire that also hurt his business badly. Two years later, he sent his family to England, but the ship sank, and all four of his daughters died. Only his wife survived and told him of the tragedy in a telegram. When he went to meet her in England, his ship passed near where the girls died, and he wrote this song about it.”
A woman’s voice commented instead of Patrick’s. “I didn’t know that. How tragic!”
Peyton spun around to find Mrs. Emery with a man who she assumed to be her husband.
Caught shirkin’, as Rachel had called it. Peyton’s face heated, and she curtsied low. “Forgive me. He was humming my papa’s favorite tune, and my tongue flew into the tale.”
The missus laughed. “And an interesting story it was. No harm. This is Mr. Emery.” She inclined her head toward her husband. “We’ve come to examine the fabric I’ve chosen.”
Meet author Sarah Hamaker
Sarah Hamaker has romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books published as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter, and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four children, and three cats.
Tell us about your newest book.
After nine years searching for his missing sister, attorney Henderson Parker uncovers a clue that leads him to Twin Oaks, Virginia—and podcaster Elle Updike investigating the case. Partnering with the journalist is the last thing Henderson wants, until mysterious thugs make multiple attacks on both their lives. Now they’ll have to trust each other…before the suspected kidnappers make them disappear for good.
What inspired you to write Vanished Without a Trace?
I’m not sure where the idea of an investigator podcaster helping a brother find his missing sister originated in my mind—sometimes, these stories just appear as a glimmer, and as I begin to think about the characters and start writing, the story takes form.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
A missing person case. A new clue. And a fight for survival.
What genre do you focus on?
Romantic suspense is my favorite genre to write because I love the blending of the mystery to solve (who’s trying to hurt/kill the hero and/or heroine?) with falling in love. I like to describe it to readers as “The hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.”
Why do you write?
I couldn’t not write. I’ve been writing in some form or another all my life. I still have my scribblings from my elementary and teen years (my kids got a kick out of reading those stories and half-completed manuscripts), and I have nearly a dozen novel rough drafts on my computer that I may or may not ever revise. Writing is my happy place. I love creating characters who grow and struggle and overcome danger and come out of it with love and a strengthened faith.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
About two years ago, I realized I was leaving my writing time to the “leftovers” of my day. I’d start my day with checking email, and then the other things on my to-do list. Not surprisingly, at the end of the day, I would be too tired to write or had run out of time to write. So I switched things up. Now I get up a half hour early, so I can exercise, eat and dress for the day before booting up my computer to write for at least 45 minutes. That has been a game-changer for getting words on the page, since I don’t check email or anything else during that dedicated writing time.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Seeing my name on the cover of a book. That makes me so happy! Also, talking to or hearing from readers. I love to read reviews from happy readers who loved what I wrote. Talking to readers at in-person events is always fun too.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
When I was a teenager, my parents began taking in foster kids. A few years ago, my husband and I became foster parents ourselves. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do because I saw how great the need was as a teenager and young adult. Fostering isn’t easy but being a foster parent has stretched and grown me in ways I could not have imagined.
What is your favorite pastime?
Probably like most writers, I love to read! Favorite genres include Christian romantic suspense, World War I-era historical fiction, and a smattering of nonfiction (whatever catches my attention). I also enjoy listening to audio books, both classic British mysteries (can’t get enough of Agatha Christie!) and contemporary mysteries and suspense. My teenagers gave me a subscription to BritBox streaming service for Christmas, so I’ve enjoyed watching my favorite British crime shows while knitting. Current knitting projects include an afghan for my high school senior to take to college and bookmarks for reader giveaways.
Do you have other books?
We’d love to know. Yes! My romantic suspense books include Dangerous Christmas Memories (Love Inspired Suspense), Mistletoe & Murder, Illusion of Love and Protecting Her witness. I’ve also written two nonfiction books, Hired@Home (about working from home) and Ending Sibling Rivalry (about how to help your children learn conflict management).
Website: sarahhamakerfiction.com
Link to book:
Social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsarahhamaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hamaker-7295a01/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sarah-hamaker
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1804799.Sarah_Hamaker
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002TIARBS
Twitter: @sarah_hamaker
Meet author Carol Heilman
Carol Heilman, a Kentucky coal miner’s daughter, married her high school sweetheart, a farmer’s son. She began writing family stories for newspapers and magazines. One day her mother said, “We don’t have any secrets anymore!” Carol’s book series, Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar, Agnes Hopper Bets on Murder, and Agnes Hopper Tackles Mayhem at the Manor, was inspired by her mother’s spunky spirit and her dad’s sense of humor.
What inspired you to write Agnes Hopper Tackles Mayhem at the Manor?
I’ve always had a heart for innocent people who have to endure the scorn or ridicule of others who are convinced of their guilt. In this book, Agnes is confronted by two people who seem guilty in her eyes, but will the facts support her gut feelings or prove her wrong?
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Agnes Hopper, as the new owner of her retirement home, Sweetbriar Manor, thought her life would be as enjoyable as sharing a cup of tea with her best friend and love interest, Smiley, but when she discovers money missing from the cash box she immediately suspects the Manor’s administrator, Mr. Lively, as the thief. Before she can untangle her thoughts, a woman, Zelda Dee, appears from the local halfway house and assumes Agnes will hire her as a manicurist for the residents. Agnes sends her on her way. Add to the unsettling mix a fire, a kleptomaniac, and a storm of the century bearing down upon the town and mayhem is the result.
What genre do you focus on and why?
The Agnes Hopper series is considered both cozy mysteries and women’s fiction.
Why do you write?
I attempt to write for those who won’t or can’t speak for themselves. In the beginning, I didn’t even realize I was doing this until an author friend pointed this out.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Agnes Hopper. Her spunky, ‘take charge’ spirit is inspired by my mother. Her maiden name was Hopper.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I have learned to write whenever and wherever I can these days. Even though my husband and I are retired, my schedule is flexible to include time to take long walks together or to go out for lunch or dinner. And we love spending time with our young grandsons who live nearby.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Self-promotion & social media. Why? I’d rather be writing or reading.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Meeting other writers, authors and readers. Why? They are generous, giving people who will share their knowledge, their insights, and their encouragement.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
I grew up in coal mining camps of eastern Kentucky.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I think so, but part of the joy of writing is stretching myself to learn something new. It’s a never-ending process.
What is your favorite pastime?
Walking either in the low country of SC or in the mountains of NC.
Do you have other books?
Yes. A self published nonfiction book, Just Go!, about a missionary serving in Haiti. We’d love to know.
What are you working on now?
Something completely different for me. A historical fiction book, A Faraway Place, set in Appalachia in the 1920’s. Hattie Mae Sizemore yearns to read scores of books, but her dad forbids any influence from the outside world coming into their holler, into their lives, into their minds. When he discovers Hattie reading a book she had found in a barrel of used clothing, he tosses it into the woods. After her mother gathers most of the pages, Hattie hides it underneath her mattress. Until the night she leaves.
Website:
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZKDKS4B
Social media links:
Email: carolgheilman@gmail.com
Website: www.carolheilman.com
Author Page: amazon.com/author/carolheilman
Facebook www.facebook.com/carolgheilman
Meet author Davalynn Spencer
Davalynn Spencer’s story-devotions have appeared in multiple publications including The Upper Room, Power for Living, and Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures and Miracles Do Happen. She is a bestselling, multi-published author of inspirational Western romance, former award-winning journalist, and sought-after speaker for women’s events. She makes her home along the Front Range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains with mouse detectors Annie and Buffalo Bill.
Tell us about your newest book.
Always Before Me – 90 Story-Devotions for Women, is a three-month collection of brief, day-warming inspirations that focus on hearing and seeing God in our everyday lives. A moment of insight is sometimes all it takes to find strength in the struggle.
What inspired you to write Always Before Me?
During my nonfiction years as a journalist, I wrote inspirational reflections for the religion page in my local newspaper. Over time, these reflections became part of my blog and appeared in several national publications. It was time to collect some of them in a devotional book, and I was honored to have you, Susan G. Mathis, write the foreword for this book.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Every place we go, God has been. Every circumstance we face, He has seen. The same Voice that spoke the world into existence speaks in our hearts today, and we can hear Him if we learn to listen. We can see Him if we learn to watch.
Why do you write?
I write because I absolutely have to. All these novels in my head and heart must get out somehow!
What is the hardest part of being an author?
For me, the hardest part of being an author is everything else I have to do besides write the story of my heart. I refer to the hours of marketing, promotion, and advertising as “underground construction.”
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I love living in the story while I’m writing and putting it all on paper/screen. I also enjoy meeting readers and listening to what they have to say about my books whether they enjoyed them or have informational comments.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I was married to a professional rodeo clown and bullfighter—hence my love for all things cowboy. One summer in Estes Park, Colorado, my husband, Mike, was injured saving a fallen bull rider and could not return to the arena for several days. However, we had contracted to provide comedy routines during the rodeo performances as well as bullfighting. I dressed up like Mike and worked the clown acts. But I didn’t run in front of the bulls. Mama didn’t raise no fool!
What is your favorite pastime?
Music is the love of my life. I sing and play the keyboard with my church worship team and I’m blessed to do so.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
All of my books are listed on my website with descriptions and buy links, as well as on my Amazon author page. I write primarily historical Western romance, but a few contemporary cowboy love stories showed up along the way, as well as inspirational nonfiction.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on Book 5 of The Cañon City Chronicles. It continues the family saga of the Hutton twins, Hugh and Caleb, and the struggles, challenges, and loves they find on Colorado’s front range in the 1910s.
Website: https://www.davalynnspencer.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735074152/
Social media links:
Free Book and Quarterly Author Update: https://bit.ly/3b4eavB
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/davalynn-spencer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5051432.Davalynn_Spencer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDavalynnSpencer
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davalynnspencer/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davalynnspencer
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/davalynnspencer/boards/