Meet author Janice Cole Hopkins
Janice Cole Hopkins grew up with an Appalachian heritage and has set several of her novels in the region. She is an avid reader herself as well as a prolific writer who has now published over seventy books. She works hard to make her stories come alive for readers, draw them in, enthrall and inspire, and give a sigh-worthy ending that makes the book hard to forget.
Tell us about your newest book, A Match for Merle.
Vanessa Acker didn’t have a very good reputation in Pinyon Falls, Texas. All the men she’d flirted with had rejected her, and some people even considered her a shrew. Since she’s not getting any younger and wants to marry, she decides to contact the same matchmaker three of the men in Pinyon Falls had success with.
Merle Sullivan has made a lot of money as a successful real estate speculator, but he’s ready to move on with his life and settle down. He contacts a matchmaker to begin the process. When he meets Vanessa Acker, she’s pretty enough, but he knows he’s in for a challenge. However, he senses something special about the woman buried beneath what she shows to the world.
What inspired you to write A Match for Merle?
A Match for Merle is part of a multiple-author collection, although each book can also be read as a standalone. Vanessa Acker had been an almost villainous character in my first three books in the collection (also set in the Hill Country of Texas), and I had no idea that she would eventually insist that she have her own book where she was the heroine. Of course, she does a lot of changing here.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
People in Pinyon didn’t much like Vanessa Acker, but when she sends to the matchmaker for a groom, she gets more than she expected in Merle Warner.
What genre do you focus on?
I write mainly inspirational, historical fiction and have written sixty four of them. But I also have seven inspirational contemporary ones and two Christian non-fiction with another on the way sometime next year.
Why do you write?
I have been an avid reader since I was six years old. Even writing full-time, I still read well over 350 books a year. I started writing my own stories in the third grade and freelanced for magazines when I taught school, but I didn’t start a novel until I became tied down to take care of my mother. I can look back and see how God was preparing me for this time in my life, so I write for Him, to hopefully bring Him glory and encourage others to draw closer to Him in an entertaining way.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Merle Warner and Vanessa Acker are my two main characters in A Match for Merle. I try to choose names that both go with the region where the book is set and match the characters’ personalities.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
When I’m working on a new manuscript, I set my goal to write a chapter a day, and I spend most of my day writing. When it’s finished, I take a break and catch up on some other things, especially editing.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
I love writing, but there are some challenges. I find editing to get an error-free book difficult. I personally edit each book at least six times, my husband edits it once, and I always have a professional editor, and yet, a few mistakes still sometimes sneak through. Promoting and marketing are also challenges because, with Amazon and all the changes in writing and publishing, there are so many books available.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I love the actual writing. I write character-driven novels, and I get lost in their stories, writing fast because I’m eager to see where they take me. As a history and English major, I also enjoy the research, and I’m meticulous with it, even making sure the vocabulary I include was used during that time.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I’m also an avid traveler, believing that to be a great way to learn. I’ve been to all 50 states and 45 other countries.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
Tremendously, but it’s something that’s hard to pinpoint, describe, or measure. It just happens, and it’s hard to separate from who you are.
What is your favorite pastime?
I’ve had many hobbies and interests over the years: Most crafts, art, drama, folk studies, history, travel, home canning, etc.; but now, most of my activities revolve around my faith, family, and writing.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I’ve been publishing for ten years and now have 71 books listed on Amazon. You can check them out here:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00SIFWZLG/allbooks
What are you working on now?
I just finished writing the rough draft of Andrea: Christmas Quilt Brides, and I’ll start on Willa’s Woe’s, a book in Westward Home & Hearts series, next.
Website: Reflections – Past, Present, and Future with God (janicecolehopkins.blogspot.com)
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Match-Merle-Matchmaker-Agatha-Returns-ebook/dp/B0CR41BL9F
Social media links:
Facebook (https://www.facebook. com/JaniceColeHopkins/)
Twitter – Janice Cole Hopkins (@J_C_Hopkins) / X (twitter.com)
Libby’s Lighthouse
Two weeks ago, Libby’s Lighthouse, came out, and I hope you’re enjoying the story. It’s the first in my Love at a Lighthouse three-book series. Here’s an excerpt from Libby’s Lighthouse:
“That sad day a year ago, Libby’s life had been dashed to pieces by an earth-shattering, deathbed confession. Her heart broken into a million pieces. Her family turned into an enigma. Her lifetime desire to stay at the lighthouse and be the first female Tibbetts Lighthouse keeper—destroyed.
All with a heart-wrenching, terrible lie.
Her father stirred and stretched as she stepped into the room. She peeked at the handsome stranger who slept peacefully for the moment. Papa scanned the injured man, too, then rose and quietly left his side, beckoning her to follow with a tilt of his head and wiggle of his still-bushy brows.
She trailed him into the hallway and closed the door. “How is he doing? Did you find out any more about him?”
Papa yawned, then swiped his face with a hand. “Nothing. He’s been sleeping soundly and has barely stirred. I’ve decided that, since the fellow I hired as my temporary assistant keeper won’t arrive for several weeks, this Owen fellow can recover here as long as he needs.”
Libby glanced toward the closed door, holding back a smile. Wouldn’t it be lovely to get to know him by and by?
“I’ll help as much as I can. With Alberta and the baby away, the housework is so much lighter.”
Papa touched her cheek. “You’re a good daughter.”
Libby bristled at the moniker as she had for the past twelve months. “Get some sleep, Papa.”
Even that word tasted as sour as a crab apple in her mouth. Returning to the bedside of the still-sleeping stranger, the weight of the unknown threatened to overwhelm her. Why did everything have to change, especially about how she felt about Papa?
Here’s a little more about Libby’s Lighthouse:
When a lighthouse keeper’s daughter finds a mysterious sailor with amnesia, the secrets she uncovers may change her life forever.
Elizabeth Montonna, daughter of the Tibbett’s Point Lighthouse keeper, thought she’d love the lighthouse life forever—until her mother, on her deathbed, reveals a long-buried secret. Now Elizabeth’s world has been turned upside down, making her question if she’ll ever truly belong and be loved. But when a dashing young sailor appears on her shore, wounded and disoriented, she finds purpose in helping him recover. Although the man knows nothing about his past or identity, his kindness and character steal a little more of her heart each day. If only she knew his full name.
When Owen awakes on the shore of Lake Ontario with no knowledge of who he is, or where he was headed when his ship wrecked, he has no choice but to accept the hospitality of the lighthouse keeper and his lovely daughter. But as Owen works to repay their kindness, and his relationship with Libby turns into something more, he knows their budding romance can go no further until he uncovers his past.
With each passing day, Owen inches closer to discovering the secrets of his identity, but will the revelations bring him closer to Libby or tear them apart forever?
Meet author Lynne Tagawa
Lynne B. Tagawa is married and the mother of four sons. She attended the University of Hawaii where she met her husband and obtained a degree in secondary education. The Tagawas live in Texas where she teaches part-time.She writes fiction, educational materials, and Christian devotionals; she is especially inspired by the lives of great men and women of faith.
Tell us about your newest book.
The Root of the Matter is a new adventure for me. Yes, it’s historical—kind of. It’s actually time-travel!
What inspired you to write The Root of the Matter?
My last series was set in the 18th century and covered some important historical—and theological—events there, like the Great Awakening. But long ago, I’d read an excerpt from John Winthrop’s diary, and never forgotten the pathos of it. I wanted to explore this “forgotten Founding Father” of the 1600s, and finally got my chance. But when I did, I felt stymied. How could I get into the heads of these people? Time travel as a plot device popped into my head, complete with characters ready-made, seemingly.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
The Root of the Matter is the first installment of a series sending time travelers back to study the Puritans of New England. My near-future heroine, Geneva Fielding, struggles with anxiety, and when she and her friend, physicist Peter Donatelli, are tapped for a Trip to the 1630s, she’s terrified. But she’s fascinated with John Winthrop—what would the real man be like? And what about Roger Williams? Were the Puritans being cruel when they exiled him?
What genre do you focus on?
History grabbed me almost from the beginning—you just can’t make up better material! The real people and real events in history—especially our nation’s history—serve as rich sources for stories!
Why do you write?
I never thought of myself as a writer. Then I put together a curriculum for a school where I taught. I wrote it in narrative form, like a story. I mean, why bore the kids? Then I wondered, could I write fiction? Now I’m addicted.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Geneva Fielding popped into my brain, personality and all. Her first name does have a meaning of sorts. During Shakespeare’s day, there was no King James Bible. One of the translations favored by the Puritans was called the Geneva Bible. King James hated it because it had study notes in it—the first “study Bible.” And those study notes were critical of the “divine right of kings” theory James used to excuse doing whatever he wanted. So he banned it and made his own version.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
Schedule? What schedule? I do try to write first thing in the morning—even if I only get fifty words written. I know other things will crowd in throughout the day.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
See the above question. Just getting the words down. You can always edit later (love word processors).
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I’m not sure. I love the process of writing. It’s like living the story. But I also love getting feedback from readers. Some are very enthusiastic, true fans, and their comments help keep me going in the drier times.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
My sister was the “writer” growing up. I was NOT the creative sort. I preferred the chemistry lab. For me to write fiction still amazes me.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I’m always growing and learning. My first novel I wrote by instinct—I’m a voracious reader, always have been, and crafting sentences myself wasn’t that hard. But I hired an editor, and she kindly explained everything I was doing “wrong”—the areas I needed to improve. Best money I ever spent. Editors are underappreciated.
What is your favorite pastime?
Reading, of course.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
The Russells series is set during the eighteenth century and follows a single family (the Russells) through the Great Awakening, the French and Indian War, and the American Revolution. The Shenandoah Road and A Fallen Sparrow are Selah Award finalists.
What are you working on now?
Now that Root is finished, I’m working on book two. It’s about Puritan minister John Cotton and the infamous Anne Hutchinson. It’s a challenge because I have to understand all the theology—and try to figure out what these people were really like. I wonder what Geneva and Peter will think—maybe they will even have an argument!
Website: www.lynnetagawa.com
Meet author Aubrey Taylor
As a child, Aubrey spent hours creating characters and writing stories. In 2021, God led her back to her love for writing, coupled with her fascination for history. Since then, she has published four books and a novelette. Aubrey lives in New York with her husband and three children. She enjoys singing with friends and dancing with a Bavarian folk dancing group. She is a lover of Jesus Christ, the Holy Bible, tea, and cats!
Tell us about your newest book.
After publishing four books, I decided it was time to have something that didn’t feel like as much of a commitment as a full-length novel. I wanted readers to be able to dip their toes into my story world, one that is historical and yet different from what they are used to.
What inspired you to write Hans Waldemar Remembers Normandy?
Having grown so close to some of the oldest members of our German-American community, and having read stacks of memoirs written by former German soldiers, I thought it was time to share some of the things I’ve been thinking about as they apply to the world today. The American celebration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day was a perfect time to do this. I also saw it as an opportunity to share my work with a broader audience. A lot of people who enjoy WWII fiction don’t take time to read things written from “the other side.” Hans Waldemar is a more contemporary work. Though it is still related to the Second World War, it takes place in 2024 and has some of the pop culture references and banter of a modern story.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Eighty years after the war’s end, Hans is asked to break his silence about the past. If his loved ones learn the truth, will it be an opportunity for healing?
What genre do you focus on?
Sometimes, Amazon categorizes my work as Historical German Fiction. I like that, because the fact that I write from the German perspective sets my work apart from most of the Interwar and World War II fiction out there. I have a passion to give a more complete picture of what was going on in Germany at the time, and not just focus on the tropes we normally find in this genre.
Why do you write?
I long to research, write, and create deep, meaningful stories with characters that feel so real, you begin to think you might meet them on the street. I feel compelled to paint a more balanced picture of the German story. For me, it has never been about whether I will become successful or make money writing. It’s all about passion and, I believe, a definite conviction of my calling.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
In Hans Waldemar Remembers Normandy, Hans is a 97-year-old veteran who served Germany as a teenager during the Second World War. Hans is simply the name that came to me for this particular story. However, with lengthier works, if I pick a name at random, I often discover later on that the name truly suits the character I’ve given it to. For example, in the book I’m working on now, the male main character is named Lothar. Lothario is a name we might give to someone who is a ladies’ man, and that is certainly what he turned out to be! Initially, though, it was entirely unintentional.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
After writing my first book, Sani: The German Medic, I decided to investigate what kind of German-American groups there might be in my area. It turns out that there is a small but very active community here, and I became involved with a number of clubs, including a German choir and a Bavarian dance group. It turns out that I am not simply writing historical fiction from the German perspective. I am truly discovering my heritage and “my people.”
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I know how to yodel. Many Germans point out that what Americans think of as German culture is from a specific region in Germany and Austria, and does not represent Germany as a whole. It is a valid point: imagine stereotyping all Americans as Texans. However, that is a piece of the culture that has taken hold here in America. When people go to a German festival, they expect to hear at least a little bit of yodeling!
What is your favorite pastime?
Writing, of course! I am an independent writer and I am not trying to make a living. In fact, I am at peace with “breaking even,” or even investing a little in my writing, seeing the money spent as sowing into the Kingdom of God. Therefore, while I do try to approach it with diligence, I can still enjoy it. There is no pressure. It is cathartic, and an opportunity to spend time with my beloved characters.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I do! My Interwar/WWII historical series, Gott Mit Uns, invites you to experience the German perspective through the lives of the Schmidt men and their closest companions. The stories are edgy and push the reader to consider things that aren’t generally addressed in Christian fiction, but they are also filled with the love and mercy of God. People say these books are addicting, and that they don’t just read about the characters’ lives—they live the stories right along with them!
What are you working on now?
My current WIP is similar to the Gott Mit Uns (GMU) series, though it is not a part of it. The story centers on one of GMU’s supporting characters, Lothar Feinberg, and his first love, Brygida Neumann-O’Hare. Their choices tear them apart—hence the working title of the book, Separate Ways. The story then follows their individual paths: his journey as a soldier in the SS, and her journey from cobbler’s granddaughter to mistress of a high-ranking Nazi. Like I said above, my writing is edgy. I like to challenge the reader to consider God’s grace in unconventional ways. Naturally, it is a closed-door romantic story, but you will see both Lothar and Brygida struggle with things that, by the grace of God, many of us haven’t.
Thank you again for this opportunity to share my work with you.
Website: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Link to book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/d2lvbsx9ka
Social media links:
Website: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Blog: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com/blog
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/o3k4f2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aubtaybooks
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/aubrey-taylor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21846520.Aubrey_Taylor
Libby’s Lighthouse is out now!
Hi dear reader friends! Yesterday, Libby’s Lighthouse, the first in my Love at a Lighthouse three-book series, came out. Here’s a little about it:
When a lighthouse keeper’s daughter finds a mysterious sailor with amnesia, the secrets she uncovers may change her life forever.
Elizabeth Montonna, daughter of the Tibbett’s Point Lighthouse keeper, thought she’d love the lighthouse life forever—until her mother, on her deathbed, reveals a long-buried secret. Now Elizabeth’s world has been turned upside down, making her question if she’ll ever truly belong and be loved. But when a dashing young sailor appears on her shore, wounded and disoriented, she finds purpose in helping him recover. Although the man knows nothing about his past or identity, his kindness and character steal a little more of her heart each day. If only she knew his full name.
When Owen awakes on the shore of Lake Ontario with no knowledge of who he is, or where he was headed when his ship wrecked, he has no choice but to accept the hospitality of the lighthouse keeper and his lovely daughter. But as Owen works to repay their kindness, and his relationship with Libby turns into something more, he knows their budding romance can go no further until he uncovers his past.
With each passing day, Owen inches closer to discovering the secrets of his identity, but will the revelations bring him closer to Libby or tear them apart forever?
I thought you might want to know a little background of why I wrote this story. My grandmother, Libby, inspired this story. When she was a young woman, she and her family lived in Cape Vincent, near Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, whose stories I tell in my first two books, The Fabric of Hope and Christmas Charity. During my childhood, every summer we would visit the lighthouse, and after Grandma died, my mother continued the tradition. I did the same, and I still visit the lighthouse every summer. When I started writing about the Thousand Islands, I knew I had to tell its story. This is my twelfth Thousand Islands Gilded Age story!
Here’s a little about the other two books. I hope you love them all!
Julia’s Joy
Book two coming October 29, 2024
She came to claim her inheritance, but the mysterious lighthouse keeper makes her question all her plans.
When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her grandmother’s will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the peaceful, faith-filled island life and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents’ deaths.
William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, harbors a heart hardened by a past betrayal. Between that and his chronic pleurisy, he wants nothing to do with love. But when Julia arrives on the island bursting with vitality and unconventional notions, William’s world is turned upside down. As she chips away at the walls William has built for himself, he finds his reluctance waning.
But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?
Emma’s Engagement
Book three coming January 21, 2025
Emma Row embarks on a journey that will test her resilience and love. She marries Michael Diepolder, the Rock Island Lightkeeper and widower, a man who seeks a companion for both himself and his eleven-year-old daughter, Ada. But as she steps into the role of lightkeeper’s wife with a heart full of hope, little does she know that the idyllic setting conceals challenges that will shake the foundation of her happiness. Isolation creeps in, compounded by Ada’s determination to keep her father all to herself. As a storm looms, Emma must grapple with the difficulties of being a stepmother and lightkeeper’s wife. Will she find her place, or will the tumultuous waves of doubt and isolation tear them apart?
For Michael, Emma is not just a wife but the hope for his future. But the lighthouse life and being a stepmother proves harder for Emma than he ever imagined, and Ada’s animosity only intensifies it. When the lighthouse inspector questions Emma’s place due to her Canadian heritage and Ada become deathly ill, the very foundation of their family is shaken. Can their family find solace and unity on this tiny island?
Amid the swirling tempest of challenges, Emma, Michael, and Ada must discover the strength within themselves and each other to weather the storm. Emma’s Engagement is a poignant tale of love, resilience, and the enduring bonds that can form in the most unexpected places. This fictional story is based on the actual lives of Michael and Emma Diepolder.
Meet author Kit Hawthorne
Kit spent years in a Celtic folk band, singing, composing, and playing Irish pennywhistle. She lives on a Texas farm that’s been in her husband’s family for seven generations. She’s an avid reader who enjoys logging her reads (and plotting her life) in her Bullet Journal. She also enjoys drawing, sewing, quilting, knitting, and restoring old furniture to beauty and usefulness. She writes historical romance and contemporary western romance.
Tell us about your newest book.
My latest book is Treason Trail, book 3 in my Cape Fear Legacy series, set in South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War.
What inspired you to write Treason Trail?
I’d already written two books sets in the Carolinas during the Revolution. I loved the setting, the time period, and the characters—especially the Shaw family. Nessa Shaw is the third Shaw sibling. She’s outgoing, nurturing, forthright, and brave, and I wanted her to have her own love story. I was also interested in ways the war could have plausibly been lost at this stage, after the huge Patriot victory at the Battle of Yorktown—and in ways my hero and heroine could prevent that from happening.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
In the final days of the American Revolutionary War, Nessa Shaw tends to the sick and wounded at the Continental Army camp in Charlestown, South Carolina. When she stumbles upon a man lying unconscious on a forest trail, she quickly realizes he is unlike any patient she has ever encountered. With no memory of his past, his only clues to his identity are his first name—August—and the certainty that he is a Patriot. Against her better judgment, Nessa grows closer to August, trusting him with secrets that could cost her dearly. But when she discovers a deadly plot that could change the course of the war, Nessa must question everything she thought she knew about August and his true allegiances.
What genre do you focus on?
I’m currently focusing on historical romance. I’m fascinated by the American Founding and by the manners, clothing, furnishings, etc. of that time period. The backdrop of another time period shows not only how different people were in the past, but also how the most important things—like love, loyalty, and courage—have stayed the same.
Why do you write?
I love to read, and I constantly think in terms of stories and “what if” scenarios. I try to write the sort of stories that I would want to read. The world can be a frightening and heartbreaking place. As a Christian, I know that God turns bad things to good for his children, and brings order to all the apparent chaos around us, but we lack the perspective to see or even imagine the scale of the pattern he is making. Stories give us the closure and resolution that we long for, and wait for, in real life. I want my stories to give comfort and hope to my readers.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
I chose the surname “Shaw” because there were Scottish immigrants of that name who settled in North Carolina in the 18th century and because it’s a good strong name. “Nessa” is also Scottish, and it’s both strong and feminine, like the character.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
Up before dawn, feed the dogs, feed the cats, feed the chickens and whatever livestock we’ve currently got on the place. Start the Roombas. Bible reading and Bullet Journal with Darjeeling tea. Then three to four hours of work on the current book, interspersed with breaks for light housework and making more tea. I try to get all my actual writing done as early in the day as possible, leaving afternoons for clerical work and exercise.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Keeping up with all the administrative stuff. I have spreadsheets, Trello boards, printed calendars, and my Bullet Journal to help me keep track of it all, but it still stresses me out.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
The fact that I get to work alone, wearing yoga clothes, surrounded by pets and livestock, and can set my own hours to allow time for all the stuff I want to do—gardening, home improvements, or just taking a long lunch while reading a good book. I’m a very regimented person and have always enjoyed setting my own schedule.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
In the late 90s, I used to play and sing in a band. We were a Celtic folk group and performed at coffee shops, festivals, and the occasional bar. We all went to the same church and played together in the church band as well. Once we even went on tour to Muscatine, Iowa!
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I used to labor over my writing, endlessly polishing or else starting over completely. That all changed with my first traditionally published book. I have learned to set and meet deadlines and to write with specific genre requirements in mind. Perfectionism is often a form of procrastination. Letting go of it has made me a better writer, as well as one who finishes projects and gets paid.
What is your favorite pastime?
I love to ride my horse around the property.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I have an eight-book series with Harlequin Heartwarming called Truly Texas. They are set in a fictitious rural community in the Texas Hill Country. My Cape Fear Legacy series, set in the Carolinas during the American Revolution, is currently at three volumes—Savanna Storm, Carolina Crossing, and Treason Trail (coming 18 June 2024).
What are you working on now?
I’m in the planning stages of a contemporary novel tentatively titled The Stand-In.
Website: kithawathorne.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CVNJTN5R
Social media links: https://www.facebook.com/kithawthorneauthor/ https://www.instagram.com/kithawthorne/