All this week, my inspirational historical novel, In a Grove of Maples, is on tour with Just Read Tours. I am offering a special giveaway at the tour stops for those who signup to follow me on a social media platform. Today A Modern Day Fairy Tale featured a guest blog from me about faith and fiction and the importance of keeping God at the center.
Read an excerpt from that post:
The thought of writing a novel that didn’t center on God sounds impossible for me. It’s an integral part of who I am as a person, to always be pointing to Someone greater than myself. God has helped me through my darkest days and enlightened my path, and I can’t fathom living one day without Him. In whatever I do in life, I always want to be exalting God for all He’s done for me and helping others see how He longs to come alongside them.
As a teen, reading the novels of George MacDonald and Grace Livingston Hill led me to see how pairing fiction with spiritual truth can result in an enjoyable read but also one that means more than mere entertainment. If I wrote only to entertain my readers, I wouldn’t be writing. For me, writing my novels is about the larger message of hope found in deep valleys, overcoming difficult circumstances, or finding God in the midst of trials.
With wisdom Jesus often taught in story form, and I think that truth is more palatable and relatable in a story. To weave this truth in, I first define my main character, what the character wants or needs, and what or who keeps them from it. I determine how they will grow in the process and how God will be actively moving in their story to reveal Himself to the main characters. That’s not to say I have it all planned out before I start writing, but I have a premise and a direction.
Read More:
To read the rest of post, visit A Modern Day Fairytale Blog. Visit the main tour link below to see the other stops today and what’s ahead the rest of the week.
It’s Christmas in August! My Christmastime novella, Holly’s Homecoming, is now on preorder for only $1.99. Click on the image to preorder.
Synopsis:
A CHRISTMAS NOVELLA OF RESTORATION AND SWEET ROMANCE
It’s the end of 1897 and Christmas approaches. It’s been years since Holly Moore has seen her father, a well-known lumber baron, but she has heard he’s come back home to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Having lived with her aunt and uncle since the age of ten, Holly holds mixed feelings about seeing the man who once abandoned her.
When the opportunity comes for Holly to slip into the household of Grapevine Lodge—her childhood home and the seat of the Moore Lumber fortune—virtually unnoticed, she takes it.
While at Grapevine Lodge, Holly encounters Matthew Peterson, the son of a business associate of her father’s. She quickly develops a friendship with Matthew, but when she finds out just who he really is and what he’s come to the lodge for, Holly questions their relationship.
Will Holly’s father recognize her? Can she move past all that has kept her and her father apart and finally be able to truly come home? Can Holly keep her feelings for Matthew and still step into her role as the heiress to a lumber fortune?
Find out in this short and sweet, Christmas-themed novella with a surprise twist. Readers of Christian historical fiction, Christian or clean romance, and Christmas fiction will experience a heart-warming story of all that makes Christmastime magical.
Thanks for reading!
Blessings on your week. 🙂 J