Month: October 2023

An Interview with Gertrude Miller from Wooing Gertrude by Jodie Wolfe

~ Kathleen Rouser ~ 2 Comments

Welcome Gertrude Miller. Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello! Thanks for allowing me to stop by today. I can’t stay long before I need to get back to my dress shop. I almost ready to open it, and I’m hoping it will become a vital part of my hometown, Burrton Springs, Kansas. It’s not normal for me to step out on my own, so I’m praying this venture will be successful. The last thing I want to do is move back in with my parents.

What made you decide to open a dress shop?

I’ve had a love of sewing ever since I learned the skill when I was five years old. For a while I made dresses and sold them in the local general store. Those went over well so I decided to go a step further and open my own shop. I also sent off for a mail-order groom. He should be arriving on the stagecoach soon.

Why did you decide to send off for a husband?

There, uh, aren’t many available men in Burrton Springs, and those that are, my mother has scared off by always trying to get anyone under the age of fifty interested in me. She’s been known to chase men down and spout all my worthy traits. It’s downright embarrassing. I thought I’d do better if I tried to find one, instead of having a man thrust on me.

I hope that works out for you. What do you think you’ll learn in the course of your story?

The author said something about finding peace in the middle of storms and how we can trust God to see us through. I hope that doesn’t mean she plans to create a lot of difficulty for me!

Chuckle. I guess people will have to pick up a copy of Wooing Gertrude to find out the rest of your story. Any final things you’d like readers to know about you?

I like to think of myself as a loyal friend. I tried to help Jules in Taming Julia and the heroine in Protecting Annie. Annie and I became very close during her tale. I’m so glad the author finally gave me a story of my own though. I sure hope it has a happy ending! By the way, here’s what the author wrote for the back cover of my story.

Enoch Valentine has given up finding peace for his past mistakes. He throws everything he has into being the new part-time deputy in Burrton Springs, Kansas while maintaining the foreman position at a local horse ranch. But when trouble stirs on the ranch, he questions whether he’s the right man for either job.

Peace has been elusive for most of Gertrude Miller’s life, especially under the oppressiveness of an overbearing mother. She takes matters into her own hands and sends for a potential husband, while also opening her own dress shop. Gertrude hopes to build a future where she’ll find peace and happiness.

Will either of them ever be able to find peace?

Thanks again for having me today. Sorry I can’t stay any longer. I think I hear the stagecoach.

You’re welcome, Gertrude. Good luck with finding the husband of your choosing! If the mail order husband doesn’t work out I hear the new deputy, Enoch Valentine, is kind of cute.

Can you share some information about the author?

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW). She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Where can readers find your story?

On Amazon

Ebook: Pelican Book Group  

Print: Pelican Book Group

Meet Bertie Jenkins from Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee

~ Cindy Thomson ~ Leave a comment

Today we’re talking to Alberta “Bertie” Jenkins. Bertie, you’ve lived your entire life in the mountains of Appalachia, is that right?

Yes, my Papa and Mam were born in these parts, as were their folks. The Jenkins roots run deep in these hills. 

I’ve only been camping in the mountains, so I’m not sure what it would be like to live there permanently. 

It’s wonderful. Every mornin’ you wake up to the sound of birds and breezes and critters rather than noise from the city. All of us who are home gather ’round the big kitchen table and eat a hearty breakfast. Jennie does most of the cookin’, and she’s as fine a cook as Mam. After the meal, we have Bible readin’. When Papa was alive, he chose the Scripture passage for the day, but since he’s gone on to heaven, Jennie reads to us now. Sometimes we’ll discuss the Word, sometimes not. Someone will say a prayer of blessin’ over the day, and then we’ll scatter like ants. Everyone has their own chores to tend and things to get done before the sun disappears behind the mountain. When the boys were home, they’d go off huntin’ or fishin’ after chores were done. Us girls would pick bunches of wildflowers and wade in the creek. We’d have contests to see who could find the prettiest rock or find a robin’s nest or climb the highest tree. 

We went to school six months out of the year, mostly durin’ the fall and winter. Papa and some of the neighbors built a schoolhouse ’bout a mile down the mountain from our place. We children walked there or rode a mule, but soon as plantin’ season came, we were needed at home. 

What is your favorite season in the mountains?

I’m partial to autumn. God takes his paintbrush and touches nearly every growin’ thing with shades of red, yellow, and orange. Even those plants whose leaves turn brown are pretty in their own way. Springtime, too, is my favorite. Everything is new and fresh and bright. Flowers, baby birds, new fawns. Yes, springtime is mighty fine too. Summertime is full of tendin’ the garden, shearin’ the sheep, plowin’ and growin’ crops and then cannin’ it all so we’ll have plenty of vittles come winter, my least favorite season. 

Why is winter your least favorite?

Even though we don’t have the corn and wheat fields and the big garden to tend during the winter, the bitter weather and snow makes life hard here in the mountains. Don’t get me wrong, though. There’s beauty in every season, but winter brings hard work with it. The critters need extra feed since there’s no grass or bugs. Water freezes in buckets and troughs. Toes freeze when you’re outside too long. Firewood must be chopped several times a day. The house never really gets warm, even with Papa’s two fine fireplaces and the cookstove sendin’ out heat. But there are sweet times in the winter that we don’t usually get in the busy warmer months. Lots of sittin’ in the gatherin’ room, tellin’ stories and knittin’ or sewin’. I enjoy readin’ novels, although my elder sister says they’re silly and a waste of time.

Tell us about your family.

Papa and Mam had eleven children. I’m second to the youngest, with my sister Rubie bein’ the baby. Papa always said she was wise beyond her years, and I’d have to agree with him. Papa built our log cabin after he and Mam married. He’d been in the War Between the States—served in the Union Army like most East Tennesseans—and after he came home, they married and started their family. 

It must have been fun growing up with so many siblings.

Since I don’t know any other way of growin’ up, I’d say so. There was always chores to be done—gardenin’, cookin’, cleanin’, piles of laundry—but we had good times too. My brothers liked to tease us young’un’s by catchin’ snakes and lizards and bugs, but I wasn’t ever afraid of ’em the way my other sisters were. There were seven of us girls and four boys. After the boys were grown, they bought farms of their own and moved away, but only our sister Catherine married and left home. The rest of us girls live on the family homestead.

That’s fascinating. This might be too personal, but may I ask why you and your other sisters never married?

It ain’t too personal. It’s my story. My elder sister, Jennie, was a young girl when she decided not to marry, but three of my other sisters wanted husbands. Catie found a good man to wed, and the other two girls, Bonnie and Amelie, found fellas soon after. But those boys met with a terrible accident and were killed. My sisters never got over it. I watched each of them and the choices they made and concluded I wasn’t interested in marryin’ a fella and movin’ away. We sisters stayed on the homestead together, helpin’ each other and livin’ a good life. 

I’m sorry to hear about the tragedy. I suppose everyone suffers loss at one time or another. 

That’s true. Jesus said in this world we’ll have trouble, but he also says he’s overcome any troubles we face, includin’ death. In all my years as a midwife, I saw many miracles, but I also saw sadness. 

Tell me how you came to be a midwife. 

Mam was trained as a midwife by her mama. And her mama by her mama. We mountain folk tend not to trust fancy doctors and hospitals. We’d rather have our own people care for us, if possible. I was just a young’un when I first saw a baby bein’ born. Whoo-wee, that was somethin’. I couldn’t imagine how that little fellow got inside his mama’s belly and came out lookin’ so perfect. From then on, I asked Mam to train me in midwifery too. 

How many babies have you delivered?

Too many to count.

Do you have a favorite among them?

I sure do. One hot summer day back in 1943, a young gal showed up at our place. She was pregnant and alone, so my sisters and I took her in. When her time came, I tended the birth. I’ll never forget the moment I looked in that child’s eyes. I fell in love. 

What happened to the baby?

Well, that’s a story for another day, I think. 

Thank you for sharing your mountain life with us, Bertie. It sure makes me want to visit Appalachia soon. 

You’re welcome in our beautiful part of the world anytime. There’s always somethin’ to do in the mountains. Hikin’, bikin’, picnickin’, or just sittin’ and enjoin’ God’s handiwork. 

It sounds perfect.

It is

.

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Count the Nights by Stars, a Christianity Today fiction book award winner, and Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy and Selah Awards finalist. Her work has been featured in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. 

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A Chat with Lena Neubauer from Terri Neunaber Bentley’s For Love of Family

~ Cindy Thomson ~ 2 Comments
Amazon Affiliate Link used, which benefits the blog.

I’d like you to meet my guest today. Can you introduce yourself, please?

Guten Tag. My name is Lena Neubauer. My Momma named me Magdelena after her mother, but I have always been called Lena.

 I grew up as the oldest girl in a house with seven children.  My father provided for our happy childhood in the small German town of Frohn.

Have you lived in Germany your entire life?

Well, my adventurous older brother moved to America with his bride but when she died in childbirth, he sent for me to watch over their children there. Watching the younger children has always been a privilege to me. My own siblings were growing up, so I willingly traveled across the ocean to see to my brother’s needs. That is how I ended up here in America. 

So, are you a nanny?

 I’m not sure I’d call myself a nanny, only a helpful sister and aunt. We were taught always to put family first.

Was it scary to cross the Atlantic alone?

A young woman traveling alone in the mid-1800s was daunting. I knew no one else and tried to stay to myself but was befriended by a young family who took me in as if I were a nanny to their children. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord provides in our time of need? 

Of course, America was nothing like my brother Herman described in his letters.  The treatment of the dockworkers in New Orleans alarmed me. I had no experience with slavery except the Bible passages about it. Being face to face with such ill treatment disturbed me.

Did you stay in New Orleans?

Fortunately, my brother lived upriver on the Illinois side of the Mississippi. We spent some time on a paddle-wheeler after only a brief stay in New Orleans. It was a very pleasant adventure.

It looks like there is more to that story. Would you like to elaborate?

Well, I met a young abolitionist Karl who became a sort of tour guide. He helped me understand much of what I was witnessing in this strange land. He was an unexpected Godsend for me.

Did you stay friends after the trip? You seem to be blushing.

I really cannot say. My story is yet unfinished with him, I think. His wild abolitionist ways are a bit frightening, yet intriguing. It is difficult to explain the hold he has on me, but I am in no position to give in to those thoughts. 

What do you expect the future to hold for you, Lena?

I pray that the Lord will lead me to always do the right thing. My brother Herman needs me and that is where I will stay until I am not needed there anymore. Whether that leaves me adrift in a strange land, only God knows. However, He has never left me nor forsaken me before and I am sure He will be beside me all the days of my life. 

Is there anything else you’d like everyone to know about you?

I am a child of God. He can take ordinary people like me across oceans to brave injustice and love through the most difficult circumstances. Always be open to how God can use you. That’s what He did for me when I trusted Him.

Terri writes in the Idaho mountains where she lives with her husband and two big dogs. After raising three children and retiring as an English teacher, she now is a national speaker and Bible study leader for women’s groups.  She is also a successful writer of articles, devotions, retreats, and church programs. When she is not writing or kayaking down the MiddleFork of the Payette River, spending time with her grandchildren fills her heart.

Introducing Louisa Vaugh from Against the Wind by Amanda Cabot

~ Cindy Thomson ~ Leave a comment

Ready to leave town and start her life as a doctor-in-training, Louisa Vaughn finds herself stuck in Sweetwater Crossing saving a handsome stranger’s life. Little does she know that he’ll bring both love and danger into her life.

book by Amanda Cabot
Affiliate link used.

Welcome to Novel PASTimes! We are pleased you stopped by today.

Thanks so much for inviting me. I’m delighted to be chatting with you.

Tell us something about where you live.

You would ask about that, wouldn’t you? Until last year I would have told you that my life in Sweetwater Crossing was just about perfect. Even though Doc Sheridan scoffed at my plans to become a doctor, life in that small Texas Hill Country town was pretty good. But when my parents died and my oldest sister decided to turn our home into a boarding house, I knew it was time to leave. 

Going to Cimarron Creek was the best thing I’ve ever done. Not only were there no misguided sisters, but – more importantly –  everyone took my dreams seriously. I learned so much from the town’s doctor and midwife, and the residents trusted me with their care. After hearing that, you won’t be surprised when I say that I never planned to return to Sweetwater Crossing, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. Yes, I’m back … for at least six weeks.

Do you have an occupation? What do you like or dislike about your work?

I’d like to say that I’m a doctor, but the truth is, I’m not a doctor … yet. I’m a fully qualified midwife, but I still need more training to be considered a physician. That’s one of the reasons I wish I were still in Cimarron Creek. I was getting the training I needed there. Now that I’m back in Sweetwater Crossing, I’m doing the best I can by reading the books in Doc Sheridan’s office. Oh, why did I call it that? It’s MY office now. 

Whether you call me a doctor or not, I LOVE being a healer. There’s such joy in helping women bring new life into this world and in being able to set a man’s badly broken leg. 

Who are the special people in your life?

My family, of course. Even though my sisters annoy me at times, they’re still very dear to me. And then there’s the man I found lying on the side of the road, his leg so badly broken that – even though I wouldn’t admit it to him – I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to set it properly. Josh is unlike any man I’ve ever met. He’s urbane and dedicated, but what intrigues me the most is what he doesn’t say. I know there are secrets behind that smile, and I for one want to discover what they are.

What is your heart’s deepest desire?

A month ago, I would have told you that it was for Sweetwater Crossing’s residents to respect me as a healer. That’s still true, but now I have a second wish that’s as strong as the first one. I want Josh to have the future he’s dreamed of. I know winning his grandfather’s challenge is a key to that, but something tells me there’s more. I wish I knew what it was.

What are you most afraid of?

I don’t like snakes. To be perfectly honest, I’m afraid of them, but what terrifies me are bees. My first bee sting was one I’ll never forget, and Doc warned me that another one could kill me. That’s why I avoid getting anywhere near bees. I can’t take chances with my life, not when I’m the only healer Sweetwater Crossing has.

What do you expect the future will hold for you?

Oh, I wish I could predict it, but of course I can’t. What I know is that each day is a gift to treasure and that whatever the future brings, there’ll be something good in every day. 

Thanks for allowing us to get know you a little better!

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of After the Shadows, as
well as several historical and contemporary romance series,
including Mesquite Springs, Cimarron Creek Trilogy, Texas
Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds. Her books have
been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion,
and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming.

MEET CIRCE FROM AN UNEXPECTED ALLY: A GREEK TALE OF LOVE REVENGE AND REDEMPTION by Sophia Kouidou-Giles

~ Cindy Thomson ~ Leave a comment

In this retelling of ancient Greek myth, Circe seeks a new lover, amphibian Glaucus, after Odysseus’s departure from the island of Aeaea; but in a twist of fortune, mortal Skylla complicates her plans, leading to an adventure threaded with friendship, jealousy, revenge, and redemption . . . and filled with divine interventions, shapeshifting, and magic. Meet Circe, Glaucus and Skylla and prepare for an epic adventure in the Mediterranean Sea.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY

I am Circe, the enchantress of Aeaea. My powers are mighty, but I am not an evil witch. I am the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and Perse, his wife. My brother, Aeetes, rules the kingdom of Colchis, and I live on my own island. Though I have not seen my brother in eons, I miss him dearly. Recently Odysseus has been my companion, but he is about to leave me for his wife and his island, Ithaca. My life is filled with complexities, but I am more than the stories told about me. I embrace my true essence as Circe and weaving my own legacy through the ages.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO?

Of course! I live on the secluded island of Aeaea, surrounded by the vastness of the sparkling Aegean Sea. My palace is nestled amidst lush greenery, and I am surrounded by servants and my beloved tamed wild beasts. 

I am connected to trees, plants and herbs, a testament to my deep connection with nature. Herb medicine is my passion, and I spend a significant portion of my time exploring their secrets, unraveling their healing properties, creating potions and medicinal remedies. Creating beautiful tapestries through weaving and intricate designs gives me solace and reflects my environment. Unlike some gods, I delight in mingling with mortals. Observing their lives and experiences has been a source of inspiration and insight.

My island is a haven where magic and mystery intertwine. I relish exploring its beauty and uncovering its hidden treasures, always seeking to learn and grow as I navigate through this ever-changing world.

WHAT CAUSED YOU TO LEAVE YOUR ISLAND?

I heard from Odysseus’s men about an amphibian creature named Glaucus, who lives near the island of Delos. The crew spoke highly of him, mentioning his helpful guidance and extensive knowledge of herbs. Intrigued by the possibility of meeting a kind and unusual demigod as I was thinking about finding a potential companion, I decided to journey to Delos. The island’s fame, with its many temples and significance as the birthplace of Apollo, added to the allure of my adventure. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to explore Delos, learn more about who Glaucus was and meet Ariston, a fisherman and a local beauty, Skylla, among other locals.

GLAUCUS, WHAT IS YOUR STORY?

I am a sea creature, a mystical being with unique magical properties. My powers encompass prophecy, the deep knowledge of sea herbs, and a profound understanding of the sea. It has been revealed to me that someday, I will meet Circe. 

In my mortal life, I was once a humble fisherman, which granted me an innate connection to the sea and the plight of sailors. I became of demigod when I discovered the magic herb gods call moly, a black root with a milky white flower. When I found and ate it, it became my talisman to immortality. But I also lost my arms and feet, gaining fins and a tail, and turned into an amphibian creature. With my superhuman powers, I offer protection and guidance to those who traverse the treacherous waters, ensuring their safety and well-being. Through my abilities, I weave the threads of destiny and harness the forces of nature to bring aid to those in need. And I am in love!

SCYLLA OF DELOS, WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DO YOU KNOW CIRCE?

I met her on my beach where I swim every day. She was visiting our island, and she talked to me and honored me with her friendship. I am a young woman who lives with my father, Phorkys. My mother passed away when I was three years old, and we still grieve for my brother who was swallowed by the stormy seas. I am my father’s only child and I love him dearly. My uncle is the head priest for the temple of Poseidon and is well respected in Delos. 

I am an attractive young woman that has friends in my village, and I am a strong swimmer There are a couple of boys that are pursuing me, but I have not chosen who will be the one.

CIRCE, WHAT DID YOU LEARN THAT BROUGHT YOU TO DELOS A SECOND TIME?

Back on my island of Aeaea and upon consulting my scrying mirror, I learned that there is trouble in Delos that required my immediate action. Something must have happened to Skylla or Glaucus, and although it was not clear, I needed to find out what it is. In the turbulent world of gods mingling with mortals, I shifted shapes, flew to Delos and discovered the trouble. Come along with me for I should be able to reverse the course of evil. 

I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO READING MORE ABOUT YOU, CIRCE, AND FOLLOW YOUR ADVENTURES WITH GLAUCUS AND SKYLLA.

Sophia Kouidou-Giles was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, and university educated in the USA. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and masters in social work. In her over-30-year child welfare career, she served as a practitioner, educator, researcher, and administrator and published articles in Greek and English professional journals. In recent years, her focus has shifted to writing nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and translation. She has published in Voices, Persimmon Tree, Assay, The Raven’s Perch, The Time Collection, and The Blue Nib. Her poetry chapbook is Transitions and Passages. Her work has appeared in anthologies, including The Time Collection, Visual Verse, and Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis.

Her memoir, Επιστροφή Στη Θεσσαλονίκη/Return to Thessaloniki, was published in Greek by Tyfri Press. The book in English: Sophia’s Return: Uncovering My Mother’s Past, was published by She Writes Press. Sophia  lives in Seattle, Washington, near her son, her daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. Find out more about her at her website. Perse is a sequel to An Unexpected Ally. Look for it in November 2025.