Category: Character Interviews

Introducing Frannie Reilly from The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem

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Frannie Reilly, thank you for joining us on the North Coast Limited to Livingston, Montana. Are you excited to be on a train headed to Yellowstone National Park?

Gosh, no. I’m on this train against my will! 

My Dad sent me away to spend the rest of my precious summer with my sister Claire and be miserable. He thinks I’m running around with “a bad crowd” back at home. Sure, I got in a little trouble. And maybe the police were involved. But it was just a lark, not the end of the world. Instead of just grounding me like usual, he banished me to nowheresville. My bossy sister, Bridget, is in the car behind us and watches me like a hawk. As if I could escape from a train! 

Both your sisters will be with you in Yellowstone? That sounds like fun.

Are you kidding me? They treat me like a baby even though I’m eighteen years old. Sure, Claire and Bridget used to love me, and we used to have fun. But that was before Claire married her cowboy and moved to Montana. She left me with Dad and bossy Bridget, who works all the time. Dad pretends everything is fine and dandy, but he’s beside himself with worry about Claire, especially now that she and Red have a baby.

What do you think of your new brother-in-law, did you say his name was Red?

Yes, because he has red hair. And I think he’s swell. He and Claire had only known each other for a couple weeks – I know because Claire’s best friend Millie told me the whole story about that summer she and Claire worked in Yellowstone and met these cowboys – and then the next spring Red showed up in Willmar with a ring! Dad had a conniption. Even Bridget, who loves all that romantic junk, was worried that Claire was moving too fast. But Claire said yes and three weeks later they were married. She really stood up to Dad. I kinda felt bad, though, about what Dad did at the wedding. Red didn’t deserve that. 

What happened at the wedding, if you don’t mind me asking?

Well . . . I better not say. Claire would be mad at me and Bridget would tell me not to air our dirty laundry in public or something dumb like that. That’s the problem in this family. Claire and Bridget and Dad pretend everything’s just perfect, but it’s not. We never talk about anything real —  like Mother, or the world ending in a mushroom cloud, or about how Claire left and doesn’t call home anymore. Bridget didn’t even tell Claire that I’m coming out with her, she’s just going to dump me on Claire and Red and go off to her job as a nurse.

But hey, I’ll tell you a secret . . . I have another plan and it’s a doozy. I’m not going to waste my summer babysitting, no siree. I’m going to have some fun, and Bridget and Dad won’t be able to do a thing about it.

Oh, no. Here comes Bridget now. Don’t tell her I said anything about anything.

(Bridget Reilly) Hello. I do hope my sister hasn’t been making a nuisance of herself.

Not at all. We’re just talking about her trip to Yellowstone. Do you mind telling us what brings you to Yellowstone National Park, Miss Reilly?

I’ll be working at the hospital in a place called Mammoth Hot Springs. They apparently are quite short on nurses this summer and are in dire need of help. It will be a wonderful way to add to my nursing experience. My sister, Claire, lives in a town called West Yellowstone and I’ll get to spend some time with her and meet our new niece, Jenny. 

It will be a terrific visit, won’t it Frannie?

(Frannie) If you say so.

What are you looking forward to seeing the most in Yellowstone?

(Frannie) I want to see a Grizzly!

(Bridget) Frannie, don’t be ridiculous. We don’t want to see any bears . . . or snakes . . . or anything else that can kill us. Dad told me to take care of you and I’m going to do just that.

(Frannie) For your information, Bridget, I can take care of myself.

(Bridget) Don’t be rude, Frannie.

If you’ll excuse us, we’re about to arrive in Livingston and need to get our things. It was lovely talking to you. Frannie, say goodbye.

(Frannie) Goodbye. Remember, I didn’t tell you anything about anything.

(Bridget) What on earth do you mean by that, Frannie?

(Frannie) That’s for me to know and you to find out.

Stephanie Landsem writes historical fiction for women, about women. She’s traveled the world in real life and traveled through time in her research and imagination. As she’s learned about women of the past, she’s come to realize that these long-ago women were very much like us. They loved, dreamed, and made mistakes. They struggled, failed, and triumphed. She writes to honor their lives and to bring today’s women hope and encouragement. Stephanie makes her home in Minnesota with her husband, two cats and a dog, and frequent visits from her four adult children. Along with reading, writing, and research, she dreams about her next travel adventure—whether it be in person or on the page.

Meet Betty Floyd from To Outwit Them All by Peggy Wirgau

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Welcome to Novel PASTtimes! Today we are visiting with Miss Betty Floyd from the
novel To Outwit Them All, which is based on the true story of the only female member in
George Washington’s group of spies during the American Revolution, known as the
Culper Ring.

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Miss Floyd, are you willing to answer a few questions about your role as a spy for General Washington?


I beg your pardon, but I’m afraid I have no idea …. A spy? For their general? I’m terribly sorry, but I’m a supporter of the king. You must have mistaken me for someone else. Good day!


Of course, of course …. Forgive me, Miss Floyd. I assure you, we are among friends here and your secrets are safe with us. Allow me to rephrase my question: If you were a spy for Washington, would you please explain how you became a member of the Culper Ring?


If I was, and I’m not admitting to anything of the sort, I would say that when my family and I had to leave our Long Island farm and move to New York City, I only
wished to ignore the war. I enjoyed attending the balls and parties given for His Majesty’s officers stationed here in the city, and I assisted my mother on her visits to one of the prisons for Patriot … ahem, rebel soldiers. How they manage to survive in such deplorable conditions …. I became acquainted with one such prisoner and nursed him through dysentery until he thought he might be paroled
or exchanged. Instead, he and other prisoners were shot and killed by their captors. And what could be done? The British had occupied New York and they were the law. I could ignore the war no longer. I wanted revenge. In desperation, I went to my cousin, Robert Townsend, to pour out my anguish and seek his advice. He and his family had suffered greatly at the hands of the British on Long Island, yet he seemed to tolerate them and remain oblivious as they frequented his store near the wharf. Not long afterward, he contacted me to explain that he is working to gather information and sending it to General Washington via a secret group of spies called the Culper Ring.
And because I happen to socialize with the officers, he implored me to become apart of it. I was shocked at first, however, I had already met the British Director of Intelligence, Major John André, and I still wanted revenge. Therefore, I
reconsidered. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. Although, please remember that this is all strictly hypothetical.

Yes, of course, and thank you for humoring us. Now, if you were a spy, is
there anything in your background that would make you qualified?


I suppose I have an ability to engage the officers in conversation and gain their trust. I would not call it flirting, yet I can be persuasive if the occasion presents itself. And I do possess a good memory, which could be helpful. Otherwise, I’m
probably the least qualified of anyone. For one thing, I am much too impulsive to be a proper spy.


What would you say is the most difficult part of being a Culper spy, hypothetically of course?


The most difficult part is … hypothetically … taking orders from Robert Townsend. He can be so infuriating, so bent on following the rules! No writing notes of any sort, no using the Culper code, no circumventing his authority. I have one rule—Do Not Get Caught. There is one other difficult part that I will reveal— ‘tis becoming too attached to the very man whose main objective is to catch Washington’s spies in New York. To catch me. I am speaking of Major André. That is all I will say in that regard, however.


What do you enjoy the most about your role, that is, if you were a spy?


The satisfaction of knowing that my work makes a difference. I’ve seen it on occasion—a bit of intelligence I managed to glean and pass on in a timely manner has benefited the fight for freedom. Perhaps it will affect the outcome of the war. Ah, yet again, that is only if I truly were in the Culper Ring.

When you aren’t acting in your role as the Culper’s “lady,” can you describe your typical day?


If, as you say, I did play that role, on other days I tend to household chores and tutor my younger brother. Yet ‘tis impossible to simply be Betty Floyd without constantly thinking through my latest actions and words with the major or other officers and loyalists I’ve met. Did I ask too much? Did I say enough? Am I safe? How can I learn more of their plans? What is next for the Ring? And another thing … I bake a great deal of bread as of late, and during the process of mixing and kneading, I attempt to sort out my constant conflicting feelings for the major versus my duty to my country. There is a great battle inside me that never seems to end. Again, this is all conjecture, of course.

If you could do anything in the world, Miss Floyd, what would it be?


All I can tell you is that I would like to do something good and be remembered for it, yet, what that might be is as far off as the shores of England. When I was a child, my father said some things to me that I don’t care to repeat. I have struggled all my life, believing what he said. Recently, someone else has told me that he believes I am extraordinary. ‘Tis about time for me to believe it, and to act on it. Perhaps then I shall do something truly good. And that is not the
least bit hypothetical!

Peggy Wirgau loves true stories and writes through the eyes of history’s ordinary women who faced extraordinary challenges. Her award-winning debut novel, The Stars In April, is based on the true story of a twelve-year-old Titanic survivor. Her newest novel, To Outwit Them All, will release on October 14, 2025. Peggy and her husband reside in Colorado near their three small book-addicted grandchildren. https://www.peggywirgau.com

An interview with Bertha “Birdie” Stauffer from Whistling Women and Crowing Hens by Melora Fern

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THE EVENING TIMES
Salisbury, Maryland Wednesday, August 20, 1924
Archie Drake, reporter


PACKED HOUSE AT OPENING OF WESTDALE CHAUTAUQUA
Program of Entertainment Is a Most Varied One And Appeals To All Classes of
People—

Last Night’s Opening Concert Featuring The Versatile Quintet Was Greeted With Much Applause
The Chautauqua Season opened last night to a standing-room-only crowd. The ladies of the renowned Versatile Quintet entertained the audience with a varied program starting with a rousing patriotic medley, followed by equally brilliant piano, then trombone solos and a knee-slapping duet of the banjo and violin. Several other varied numbers including a musical saw solo, a hilarious monologue
along with an outstanding a cappella rendition of “Where the Lilies Bloom” finished the fine evening of entertainment. Yet, it was the two whistling numbers
that had the audience on their feet. First, the unusual harp and whistling duo of Mendelssohn’s “Spring Song” and then the finale, a mesmerizing arrangement of
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Flight of the Bumblebee.” This reporter was able to catch a few moments with Miss Bertha Stauffer, the whistling sensation who
dazzled tonight’s crowd, as she was leaving the Chautauqua tents.


AD: I’m Archie Drake (AD), reporter for The Evening Times of Salisbury, Maryland and all of Wicomico county. So, Miss Stauffer (MS), please tell me how a woman like you learned to whistle.


MS: I practiced whistling bird calls with my older brother, Edwin. We’d stroll around our apple orchard mimicking different birds starting when I was about five or six years old. He’s the one who told me I had perfect pitch. Then my mother taught me to whistle hymns and such while she accompanied me on the piano.

AD: Your folks approved of your whistling?


MS: Ab-so-lute-ly. My mother encouraged it. I was eleven when I whistled with the West Chester United Methodist Church choir for the first time. AD: Is that so? I don’t think I’ve ever heard a woman whistle in perfect pitch.

MS: It’s a gift, isn’t it? My older sister still doesn’t approve of my whistling; she thinks it’s not proper. But whistling is what got me this job with Westdale Chautauqua. It’s our duty to bring education and enlightenment to all of America
and that includes whistling women!


AD: I’ll say! How many bird calls can you imitate?


MS: Over forty and counting. I hear new songs as we travel across North America so I’m adding more bird calls to my repertoire daily. I just learned the Black- Throated Blue Warbler. Do you know it?


AD: Let’s hear it.


Note: Miss Stauffer proceeded to whistle the five-count buzzy, slurred call that sounded like “please, please, please, and squeeze” in a sweet high pitch to this reporter.


AD: Who arranges your music? I’ve never heard whistling with a harp accompaniment. And the way each instrument was brought in at such fast tempos for the finale number definitely captured my attention.


MS: Both arrangements were written by our brilliant pianist, Miss Helen Wilcox. She composes all the musical pieces for the Versatile Quintet and is a student at the Curtis Music Institute out of Philly. And our harpist is Miss Florence
Armstrong—she’s pos-i-tive-ly the bees knees, isn’t she?


AD: A woman composer? That makes my head spin. I wouldn’t use that particular phrase, Miss Stauffer, however you have an impressive harpist in your troupe.


MS: Please, call me Birdie, all my friends do. And don’t forget to mention Mary and Adelle in your article. I mean, Miss Mary Brewer on violin and Miss Adelle Rowley on banjo. Goodness sakes, their duet was glorious as well, wasn’t it?


AD: Ah, how is it that five women travel to so many towns unaccompanied?

MS: Oh! We’re not unaccompanied. Our assistant circuit manager, Mr. Teddy Zimmerman is with us on every train. The Westdale Chautauqua circuit takes care of their talent. They schedule our train travel, purchase our tickets, and arrange for our lodging. Tonight, we’re staying at the Whitehaven Hotel. I hear that’s a fine establishment.


AD: Why yes, it is. And what musical arrangements are you delighting us with tomorrow?


MS: You’d have to travel to Staunton, Virginia to hear the Versatile Quintet tomorrow. We’re the opening act of opening night for every Westdale Chautauqua circuit A. I know it sounds crazy but we travel to a different town every day. As a
matter of fact, I must skedaddle. I’m to meet the other girls at the hotel’s restaurant for a late-night dinner. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Drake.


And with a tip of her cloche, Miss Stauffer dashed away. The Versatile Quintet was followed by a rousing reading of “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Miss Mable Walker Willebrand. The crowd had been expecting Mr. Walter Grantham as
the lecturer however, the esteemed Miss Willebrand was substituted at the last minute and was quite a success.
Tomorrow’s program is as follows: Morning: Junior Chautauqua for the children; Afternoon lecture “Our Crowned Kings” by Arthur W. Evans, concert by the Durieux-Carley Company; Evening: Artistic recital by Louise Stallings, lecture
“World Building” by Honorable Frank B. Pearson. Based on tonight’s sensational program, this reporter is looking forward to all that Westdale Chautauqua has to offer Salisbury and all of Wicomico county.

Growing up as the perpetual “new kid” Melora Fern persevered by making up stories and recently has learned how to hone that skill into writing fiction. As a recovering CPA, she now counts seashells, colorful stones, or words discovered on her walks. She loves a good local gin, hiking, feeding songbirds, moonrises and joyfully sharing bites of your dinner. After eight years of perfecting her craft with writing classes, workshops, retreats, and an awe-inspiring critique group, Melora’s months of querying agents and small presses has paid off. Her novel, “Whistling Women and Crowing Hens” (Sybilline Press) is out now. Learn more at: https://www.melorafern.com/

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An Interview with Madison Murray from Madison’s Mission by Susan G Mathis – A Journey of Faith, Love, and Healing

~ Kathleen Rouser ~ Leave a comment

Madison, thank you for joining us. Let’s start at the beginning—what brought you from Ireland to America?

Thank you kindly for having me. It’s been a long road, truly. I came to America after losing my father and brother back home in Ireland and then my mama on the ship over. I was barely holding on, but the Lord opened a door for me to serve as a lady’s maid to Mrs. Louise Boldt. I never imagined how that position would change the course of my life.

You became very close to Mrs. Boldt. Can you tell us about your relationship with her?

She was more than an employer—she was a dear friend, a mentor, and in many ways, a mother figure. I saw how deeply she loved her family and how her strength shone through her illness. Caring for her gave me purpose, especially when I was drowning in grief. But I also feared losing her. After so much loss, my heart wasn’t sure it could bear another goodbye.

]During your time on Heart Island, you met Emmett O’Connor. What were your first impressions of him?

Oh, he was quite proper—and a bit intimidating at first. Always focused, always composed. But there was a kindness in his eyes I couldn’t ignore. He carried his own burdens, though he rarely spoke of them. Over time, I came to see that his strength wasn’t just in his hands—it was in his heart. He’s a man who walks with integrity, even when it costs him.

You and Emmett faced some heartbreaking trials. How did your faith sustain you through
those times?

 There were moments I felt utterly alone—especially after Mrs. Boldt passed. I questioned everything. But time and again, the Lord reminded me that He was near, even in my sorrow. Sometimes He whispered through Scripture, other times through the quiet support of Emmett or in hope itself. I had to learn to trust that even when I couldn’t see the way forward, God was already at work.

You were hesitant to open your heart again. What helped you find the courage to love?

It was a slow surrender. Grief can be like chains around the heart, but love—true, God-given love—breaks those chains. Emmett never pushed me, never demanded anything. He simply stayed. And through his gentleness and God’s leading, I began to believe that love isn’t something to fear—it’s a gift, even when it comes with risk. The Lord doesn’t ask us to protect our hearts—He asks us to give them to Him and trust that He’ll care for them.

What lessons did you take from your time on Heart Island?

That healing is a process, not a moment. That people are placed in our lives for a reason. And most importantly, that the Lord never wastes our pain. Boldt Castle may have been built for love and abandoned in grief, but even that brokenness was restored in time. That mirrors what God did in me—He took the ruins of my life and began to build something beautiful.

For those struggling with grief or fear, what would you say to encourage them?

Don’t give up hope. Your story isn’t over. The ache in your heart doesn’t mean God has forgotten you—it means He’s preparing to do something new. Lean into His love, even if it feels risky. And let others walk with you. You don’t have to face the darkness alone. God is still writing your story, and I promise, His pen is steady.

And finally, what does life look like for you now?

It’s quieter, simpler—but filled with purpose. I’ve found peace in new beginnings and joy in the little things—sunlight on the water, laughter shared over tea, the sound of Emmett’s voice reading Scripture aloud in the evening. It’s not perfect, but it’s full of grace. And that’s more than I ever hoped for.

About Madison’s Mission:

Step into the captivating world of Boldt Castle in 1903, where dreams are forged in the fires of adversity and love.

Madison Murray, the devoted maid to the legendary Louise Boldt, harbors a singular mission—to care for her ailing mistress while hiding her own painful past. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Emmett O’Connor, the distinguished foreman overseeing Boldt Castle’s extravagant construction. Their connection sparks with promise, yet the chasm of class difference and hidden secrets loom large. 

Just as their budding romance begins to flourish, tragedy strikes, shattering their world. A deadly accident leaves Emmett wrestling with guilt and at the center of an investigation that could unravel everything he holds dear. Then Madison finds herself ensnared in a dangerous coverup that threatens her very life.

When Mrs. Boldt passes away, Madison is left reeling—jobless and burdened by the weight of her perceived failures. In a world filled with uncertainty, can she summon the strength to move forward and confront her past? Will Emmett rise above his challenges to forge a future alongside the woman who has captured his heart?

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has fifteen in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House, Libby’s Lighthouse, Julia’s Joy, Emma’s Engagement and Madison’s Mission. Her book awards include four Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, three Indie Excellence Book Awards, five Literary Titan Book Awards, two Golden Scroll Awards, a Living Now Book Award, and a Selah Award. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Northern Virginia and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more


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Madison’s Mission book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viMY4EJLRZc

Meet Sara from Christine Hill Suntz’s The Lawyer and the Laundress

~ Cindy Thomson ~ Leave a comment
book cover
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Welcome to Novel PASTimes! We haven’t seen you around Cooper’s Inn before. Where are you from?

I’m Sara O’Connor, the new laundress. I’ve always lived here in Toronto, but this town has changed so much. When I was a child, people called it “muddy York”. The buildings were rough and the streets nearly impassable after a rain. 

It’s 1837 now, and Toronto is a city. New settlers come through every day. Farms are springing up in the wilderness that used to surround the city. Cooper’s Inn is a busy place. I suppose that’s why Mrs. Cooper hired me.

I thought I saw a little girl here a moment ago. Is she your daughter?

Oh, heavens, no. That was Evie. She takes lessons with the Cooper girls, but they exclude her every chance they get. She visits me instead, and I’m happy to see a friendly face. We have to be careful, though. Mrs. Cooper saw me talking to her and gave me a warning. Doesn’t want a girl from a fine family mixing with the riffraff from Irishtown like me, I suppose. 

Evie’s father has it out for me, too. He’s forbidden her from speaking to me. Can you imagine? What does he think I’ll do, force her to do my work? I’m the one friend she has here, and he wants to take that away. 

He’s a lawyer, so I shouldn’t be surprised. He lives by the rules and doesn’t understand a young girl’s heart. I’d like to go right up to him and make him open his eyes, but I can’t risk losing my position. 

Still, I won’t push Evie away. I guess I see in her the little girl I once was. We neither of us knew our mothers. We even love the same books. Have you read Ivanhoe? 

No, I can’t say that I have. I don’t mean to offend, but how does a laundress come to read Ivanhoe? You don’t sound like you’re from Irishtown, either.

Well, the truth is, I didn’t always live in Irishtown. In fact, I might have more in common with Evie than anyone realizes. 

I could earn more money as a lady’s maid or even a governess, but I have my reasons for working as a laundress. There are people I’d rather not see again, people who let me down when I needed them. I wouldn’t go back to that world, even if I could.

That’s why I keep to myself here at Cooper’s Inn. Or, at least, I did until Evie came along. Now I’m not sure what to do. Someone has to make her father understand her, but it can’t be me. I have too much at stake.

You see, I need to money to take care of Granny. She was a laundress, too. She taught me the trade and gave me a home when I had nothing. Now, it’s my turn to take care of her. She’s all I have left. 

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today. Before we go, any idea what’s happening in the common room? It’s full to the brim, and those men sound angry.

Meetings like this are happening all over the colony. No surprise, I say. Hundreds of newcomers arrive here, hoping for a better life, but the same systems that held them back in Britain exist here. A few wealthy families hold all the power and run our colonial government. The elected assembly can do very little to sway the Queen’s appointed governor. They’re frustrated.

So you’re a rebel, then?

No! I’m just a laundress who lives among the poor. I see how they struggle. You won’t repeat anything I’ve said, will you? 

Your secret is safe with us, Sara. It sounds like you have some big decisions ahead of you. Good luck!

Christine Hill Suntz knew she wanted to write novels the day she finished Anne of Green Gables, and she’s been lost in her imagination ever since. Her love of language led her to study French and German and pursue a graduate degree in Comparative Literature before finding a home teaching high school French. Her work has won numerous prizes, including the 2022 ACFW Genesis competition.

Christine lives in Ontario on a hobby farm with her family, a flock of chickens, one attack rooster, and a herd of entitled goats. When she’s not writing or teaching, she enjoys trying out historical recipes on her (mostly) willing family.

Instagram: @christinehillsuntz Facebook: Christine Hill Suntz Author

https://www.tyndale.com/p/the-lawyer-and-the-laundress/9798400507755

Meet Jo Van Gogh Bonger from Joan Fernandez’s Saving Vincent

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

How did a failed belligerent Dutch painter become one of the greatest artists of our time?

In 1891, timid Jo van Gogh Bonger lives safely in the background of her art dealer husband Theo’s passion for selling the work of unknown artists, especially his ill-fated dead brother, Vincent. When Theo dies unexpectedly, Jo’s brief happiness is shattered. Her inheritance—hundreds of unsold paintings by Vincent—is worthless. Pressured to move to her parents’ home, Jo defies tradition, instead choosing to open a boarding house, raise her infant son alone, and promote Vincent’s art herself. Her ingenuity and persistence draw the powerful opposition of a Parisian art dealer who vows to prevent her success, and so sink Vincent into obscurity. How will Jo overcome the forces working against her, and save herself along with Vincent?

In the spring of 1894, a young Parisian—an aspiring newspaperman —pauses at the doorstep of the Dutch widow’s guesthouse. By chance, he’d become stranded in the town, for he’d miscalculated the amount of time the train would stop in the Bussum station and gotten off to stretch his legs, only to find himself running behind the disappearing caboose not fifteen minutes later. Now stuck in this backwater village, he’d asked the stationmaster for a place to lodge. “Try the widow Johanna van Gogh,” he’d said, pointing down a dirt road adding, “The art dealer.” A woman art dealer!What luck! It was just the type of curiosity he could sell. He bounds up the steps and raps sharply on her door. 

But thirty minutes later, he’s sitting on Mevrouw van Gogh’s sofa more bewildered than ever. This is not the grey-haired widow he’d imagined. She hands him a steaming cup of hot tea and takes a seat in a large stuffed chair opposite him.

Jo: All right then. I have just a few minutes before supper preparation. Tell me what you want to know.

Newsman: Well, for starters, the artwork you have hanging all over your house is stunning. Gauguin, Degas, Lautrec and of course, your brother-in-law Van Gogh. . .It’s like a museum! But tell me, why here? Bussum is such an out-of-the-way little Dutch town. Surely cities like Rotterdam or The Hague would be better?

Jo: I don’t think so. I know cities. I grew up in Amsterdam and lived in Paris for nearly two years when my husband Theo was alive. Art dealing is like a street fight there. There are so many dealers and hundreds, if not thousands, of aspiring artists. Competition is cutthroat.

Newsman: You have art collectors in Bussum?

Jo: Not many. 

Newsman: Then how can you make money as an art dealer here?

Jo: Well, first of all, my guesthouse earnings literally keep a roof over me and my son’s head. I need independent income. After Theo died, my father assumed I’d move back home, but I couldn’t. I’m no longer a frightened little rabbit. Marriage to Theo changed me. He listened to my ideas. We shared both our dreams and worries. I never dreamed that a marriage could be like that. A partnership. My father doesn’t understand. 

Newsman: Did Theo train you to become an art dealer? 

Jo: Not. . . intentionally. He was sick but it never occurred to either of us he would die. When I found out that the inheritance my son and I share was all of Vincent’s artwork—we’re talking hundreds of paintings and drawings—I needed to see if it could all amount to something.

Newsman: What do you mean?

Jo: Theo was only ever able to sell a handful of Vincent’s paintings. Most art critics panned Vincent. His paintings were nearly worthless.

Newsman: But what made you think you could sell the paintings when your husband couldn’t?

Jo: I would never compare myself to Theo!

Newsman: If anything, I think it would be more difficult. Art dealing is a man’s occupation. You said yourself that it’s cutthroat.

Jo: I’m persistent. I write letters to Dutch galleries asking them to display Vincent’s work. I’ve given art to influential friends who then loan them back to me for exhibits. When I add a little note in the catalog that the work is owned by a private collector, patrons tend to give the art a second look. It’s gotten to the point that dealers are starting to contact me to see if they can sell Vincent’s work. Paintings are being crated and shipped every week. I have so many lists! It’s a lot to keep track of.

Newsman: Is that why I smelt wood shavings when I came in?

Jo: Oh dear (laughter). When the weather’s bad we hammer the crates here in the salon. The broom can’t seem to get all the wood slivers.

Newsman: Are your efforts working?

Jo: Do you mean am I persuasive? I actually sold more paintings in my first year than Theo did in the ten years he supported Vincent.

Newsman: I wouldn’t expect that from a woman!

Jo: (smiling) Most people don’t. Let me tell you what I think my best idea’s been so far to attract interest to Vincent’s work. In 1893 Theo and Vincent’s good friend, Émile Bernard, approached the editor of Le Mercure de France to do an article about Vincent.

Newsman: Mercure the Parisian art journal?

Jo: That’s the one. When the editor agreed, I sent him not only drawings, but translated excerpts from letters Vincent wrote to Theo. They’re a treasure trove! Witty, angry, frustrated and most of all, so passionate about trying to produce art his own way. I came to know Vincent myself through those letters, for I only met him three times in person. Theo was a packrat. He kept all of their correspondence. It wasn’t until a year after his death that I began to read the letters he’d crammed into the nooks and crannies of his writing desk. So, for Mercure, I chose excerpts that would spark the public’s curiosity—and they did. Instead of one article, the editor increased the plan to six. 

Newsman: I’m astounded at your pride! Women are meant to be mothers, not to be in commerce. 

Jo: Come now! I am a mother. I’ve been raising my son on my own since he was a baby. He’s four years old now. I want him to know his father left him a legacy of value and that neither his uncle nor his father worked in vain. I didn’t realize it until a friend pointed it out to me, but I’m what they call a “New Woman.” A woman capable of many things outside of traditional female occupations. I’ve changed a lot from that frightened rabbit. I think that’s progress, and it’s the perfect role model for my son.

Newsman: I beg your pardon, but it’s not quite adding up. You’ve been at this for nearly three years. Vincent van Gogh’s art is too controversial to ever catch on. Why haven’t you given up?

Jo: Vincent. I think I understand him.

Newsman: What do you mean?

Jo: (looking down at the clasped hands in her lap) When I came to Holland—completely sure in myself about the great—the indescribable height of that solitary artist life—what I felt then, faced with the indifference that met me on all sides where Vincent and his work was concerned—the burning sense of the whole world against him—I felt so abandoned—that I understood for the first time what he must have felt—in those times where everyone turned against him and it was as if there was no place for him on earth. I wish you could feel what Vincent’s influence on my life has been. I’m grateful to him. . . (Looking up she smiles and quickly swipes at a tear). Now, do you have enough? My guest Mevrouw van Dijk becomes quite grumpy if supper is late!

Newsman: Yes, plenty. Thank you, Mevrouw van Gogh. I’m honored. . .

Jo: You’re most welcome.

“Lovers of Van Gogh will find this story intense, vibrant and deeply moving.” Based on a true story, Jo van Gogh, a timid widow, takes on the male-dominated art elite to save her brother-in-law Vincent’s art from obscurity. She must prove that the hundreds of worthless paintings she inherited are world-class to ensure her young son will have an inheritance.

In 2018, Joan Fernandez retired from a 30+ year career as a senior marketing executive to be a full-time writer. Her short story, “A Parisian Daughter,” is published in the anthology, Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women. Her debut novel, Saving Vincent, A Novel of Jo van Gogh, will be published in April 2025 by She Writes Press. Joan is a sought-after public speaker, reviewer and blogger. She calls both St. Louis and Sedona, Arizona, home, and enjoys foodie meals with her Cuban husband and antics with grandkids. Subscribe to her free newsletter at joanfernandez.substack.com Follow her at @joanfernandezauthor and see her website at www.joanfernandezauthor.com

Meet Gitel from Gitel’s Freedom by Iris Mitlin Lav

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book cover
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Interviewer: We are here today with Gitel, the main character in Gitel’s Freedom by Iris Mitlin Lav. Gitel has graciously agreed to come back briefly from the afterlife to allow me to interview her.

Hello Gitel. Thank you for granting me this interview. If you were still alive today, how old would you be.

Gitel: Let me see. I was born in February, 1907, so I would be around 118 years old now. 

I: You seemed unhappy a lot of the time you were growing up. What made you so unhappy?

G: I felt stuck between being an old-world girl and being an American girl, although I wanted to be the latter. I was five years old when we came to the United States, to South Bend, Indiana. My mother Rayzel never adjusted to life in the U.S. She never even learned to speak English. She tried to impose on me all the restrictions that would have applied if I had been raised as an Orthodox Jewish girl back in Belorussia. I couldn’t go to the houses of my school friends, I couldn’t play sports, I couldn’t wear pants, I couldn’t go away to college, and lots of other restraints. I defied her to the extent I could by playing on a non-Jewish softball team, for example, but that was not until I was in high school.

I: How did you meet Shmuel? What made you want to marry him?

G: I was already 25 years old and working at Studebaker. My mother was pushing me hard to get married, but I had no use for any of the local men the matchmaker or my mother proposed. They were so provincial and boring. I had just about decided that I didn’t want to marry at all. But when I heard Shmuel speak at a Workmen’s Circle meeting in Chicago, he seemed so different from any men I knew. He was concerned about the welfare of people who didn’t have the money to afford their necessities. And he also had good ideas about what politicians and the government could do to help workers and those without jobs. I fell in love with him and his ideas.

I: What is your conception of happiness and freedom? 

G: When Shmuel died, after having been an invalid for much of the preceding 11 years, I was 60 years old and exhausted from taking care of him, being the breadwinner, and holding the family together. But I soon shook off my exhaustion and realized that for the first time since our first daughter was born a year after we married, I was free from responsibilities and could be my own person. Both daughters were married and on their own. I set about finding a job and a small studio apartment in the city, which my bookkeeping skills allowed me to readily find and afford.  And with no other responsibilities, I could visit with friends or relatives or do volunteer work in my free time. It was wonderful. I worked at that job until I was 72, and then I retired. 

I: Why does so little make you feel happy and free? 

G: My life had been so difficult. Shmuel and I had just been married a couple of years when we lost our business in the Great Depression, when our bank that hcld our working capital and personal funds closed and didn’t reopen. Then Shmuel kept getting sick or injured. Most of the time we didn’t have enough money to live; we were always pinching pennies. And Shmuel insisted that I didn’t work outside the house to supplement his meager income. I never was able to realize my dream of becoming a teacher. After all that, a job with a decent salary, a nice place to live, and free time that I could spend as I pleased seemed to me like a huge reward or recompence for all that I had suffered.

I: If you could go back and change anything in your life, what would you change?

G: There is so much I would want to change. To start with, there were warning signs before we were married that Shmuel’s health might be problematic. But I was too much in love to pay attention to those signs. And above all, I wish I had insisted that Shmuel pay more attention to the warning signs of what might happen during the Depression, rather than my going along with his optimism. We could have waited a few years before opening our drug store, rather than do so in 1932 when the economy was crashing. And I wanted to take our working capital out of the bank. I should have insisted rather than let Shmuel’s reluctance prevail. 

I: Thank you so much for your willingness to be interviewed and for your honest answers. One more question. Is there really life after death? What is it like?

G: Ah. We are forbidden to talk about that. 

Iris Mitlin Lav grew up in the liberal Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. She went on to earn an MBA from George Washington University and an AB from the University of Chicago, and to enjoy a long career of public policy analysis and management, with an emphasis on improving policies for low- and moderate-income families. She also taught public finance at Johns Hopkins University and George Mason University, and in 1999 received the Steven D. Gold award for contributions to state and local fiscal policy. Her first novel, “A Wife in Bangkok,” was published in 2020 by She Writes Press. “Gitel’s Freedom” is her second novel. Learn more at: www.irismitlinlav.com

Meet Katie Ables from These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

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

Thanks for having me! It’s quite posh here, isn’t it?

Tell us something about where you live?

I live in Hackney in London. It’s a bit grim at the moment. Our street is practically rubble after Hitler aimed his vengeance bombs right at us. Thankfully, my neighbours were safe and our house was spared. It’s crowded, though. What with me and my sister, mum and dad and my four brothers. And that’s before Jonty comes home.

Do you have an occupation?

Yes. I’m a seamstress. I do the hand embroidery and other details on gowns for a fancy French dressmaker in Mayfair. I taught myself to sew and I never dreamed I’d be good enough to get a job at such a place. I couldn’t believe it when Madame Martin took me on. I worked at RAF Bottesford in the war, which is all but over now. The Germans surrendered a few months ago, but the Japanese are drawing things out to the bitter end.

What do you like about your work?

I love working on fancy gowns for some of the richest people in the country. And not just gowns, we also make underthings. They are all very French, if you know what I mean. I could never afford anything like what we make, but I love being able to sew all day.

Who are the special people in your life?

Well, there’s my family. Lucy’s getting married soon and Dad’s a bit unpredictable, but Mum knows how to handle him. Then there’s Jonty. He’s my husband, so maybe I should have put him first. But everything is so complicated that I never know what to say.

See, we got married about two and a half years ago. I was well, in a family way, if you know what I mean. The baby wasn’t his, but he didn’t care. It was his idea to get married! We thought that once the baby was born we’d just get on with being a family. But my darling girl died and everything sort of fell apart after that. I told Jonty to leave. I said some awful things to him. Things that kept him away for two years. But, I regret them. And now that he is being demobilised, we need to find a way to begin again. I honestly have no idea where to start.

Then there’s my friend, Jan. He’s my neighbour’s nephew. We’re just friends. Or so I keep telling myself.

What do you expect the future will hold for you?

I wish I knew. Despite everything that has happened, I know that Jonty is a good man. Well, he was. Maybe the war changed him…? There’s a housing shortage because of all the bombing so we’ll be living with my family. But I don’t want to leave Hackney anyway. Not when my family and friends are here.

What are you most afraid of?

After my baby daughter died, I’m afraid that I can’t have babies that live. It happened to my neighbour Mrs Parkin. She buried every child she ever had. I’ve only done it once but I can’t do it again. I just can’t. It hurts too much.

What have you learned about yourself in the course of your story?

That, despite everything, I am loved and loved well. But it’s a long road, and I don’t want to give too much away, you see.

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan is a second chance, marriage-of-convenience love story with a dash of intrigue set in the dying days of WWII. Perfect for readers who love Sarah Sundin and Roseanna White. Coming March 2025.

————

About the Author

Award-winning Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan sometimes feels like she was born in the wrong era. So she writes romantic historical fiction set in the 1940s, against the backdrop of WWII and its aftermath. Her romances are full of sweet romance, wartime drama, imperfect faith and characters that feel like friends. She lives in Canberra with her family and a wonky-eared West Highland terrier. 

A Chat with Charlotte Thatcher from A Heart’s Charade by Jill Ann Mai

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Welcome Charlotte. Tell us a little about yourself. Where and when are you from?

Well, to start, I was born and raised on a farm in Falmouth, Massachusetts. But I’m told my home has long since changed from my timeline in 1776. I believe it’s now a part of Portland, Maine if I’m correct.

How would you describe your family life?

My father is a surveyor in the colonies and owns a family farm where I grew up. Unfortunately, my mother died last year after the first year of the war. With two older siblings and two younger, I suppose I would be considered the middle child. However, I’m hardly the peacemaker of the family. In fact, I tend to bring on more conflict than any of my other siblings. Thankfully, I have an aunt who is not only a Godsend when it comes to taking care of my family and the challenges the war has brought on but has also served as an encouragement to me.

You’re from the colonies, but your story takes place in France. Am I missing something?

No, you’re correct. My older sister’s story takes place more in the colonies, but mine takes a different turn. I’ve been traveling with my sister, Abigail, where we ended up in Paris, France. The city was a stop on our way to London, but I’ve received urgent news from home that has detained me here until I can change things in hopes of bettering my family’s current dilemma.

How do you feel about those challenges you’re currently facing?

I’m not a woman who minds a good challenge or one to give in easily when the matter becomes difficult. Nevertheless, I know people are counting on me to be successful and that creates a lot pressure, especially when it’s not just my own life effected.

Is there anything or anyone you fear while you’re trying to accomplish your goals in Paris?

Yes, actually. Dying before really living my life.

Tell us something about Nicholas. How did you two meet?

You mean that captain of the Royal Navy under King George III? When I first met him, he was a lieutenant and fired cannons upon my town during the onset of the war last year in my sister’s story. Truly, the man is annoyingly upright in every way and follows orders to the exact degree. But since our first run-in, we’ve had plenty of opportunity together, some good, some not. And if you were worried on my part about my town’s destruction, don’t be. I’ve been able to get even in my own way.

Since we’re on the subject of Nicholas, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Let’s just say it occurs at the Seine River in Paris and you wouldn’t believe what happens even if I told you.

Thank you, Charlotte. Before we end our interview, I have one more question for you. If you had one last chance to say something to someone important, what would it be? 

(swallow) 

I’d tell my mother I miss her dearly and I’m so sorry for what I did.

About A Heart’s Charade

She’d left home to escape the war, only to find herself having to face her past again.

It’s 1776. There might be a war going on back home in the colonies, but Charlotte Thatcher is perfectly fine to stay out of it. While touring Paris, France her aunt sends news from home that leaves little choice but to seek out a French noble’s help or stand by while the war ruins her family. Driven by her aunt’s plea and a chance to fully appreciate Paris’ charm, she grabs at the opportunity. But will she be able to secure a partnership with the very man she has outrightly offended?

Captain Nicholas J. Edwards was born to serve the Royal Navy, at least that’s what his father would say. With a perfect reputation and expectations he’s always managed to live up to, Nicholas has been assigned a secret mission in Paris by the king of England. But when his mission in the French city turns out to be a failure, will there be more to his consequences than just his tarnished record? And what happens when the woman whose been a thorn in his side ends up becoming a rose?

About Jill Ann Mai

As an ongoing student of both literature and the Word of God, it is Jill’s privilege to write fiction set in the past, that she prays, points her readers to the hope found in Christ. Apart from writing, Jill spends most of her time with her amazing husband and two daughters who are full of life in Paducah, KY. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and having a good conversation over an equally good cup of coffee. A Heart’s Charade is the second book she’s authored behind Love Beyond the Ashes.

Connect with Jill at

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Meet Johnny Cruel from Mark Mustain’s Boy With Wings

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What does it mean to be different?

Johnny Cruel is born with strange appendages on his back, frightening his neighbors and leaving him struggling to find a home. He ends up in a “freak show” traveling the 1930s South, where he bares his back to onlookers who come to gape and fawn. Is he a horror or an angel? Should he hide himself to live his life?

Johnny’s travails in the Depression-era U.S. shine a spotlight on the era, where traveling shows provided entertainment and the odd could bring a thrill to grueling lives. Ideal for fans of Water for Elephants and Weyward, Boy With Wings brings the sideshow performer’s plight to life, surrounded by menace but also adulation, fraud, love and an undeniable magic.

Boy With Wings details Johnny’s life from a small child to a young adult. The following is an interview from his teen years, when he’s the star of the “Alexander’s Traveling Oddities” show that patrons pay extra to see.      

Johnny, what was it like when you first appeared on the show?

I was scared. I didn’t know what it would be like, or even what I was supposed to do. They told me—Tot and Sheila—to just go out there and let them look, but I didn’t want to do it. They made me wear this cape-like thing, and there were all these people staring from behind a rope. But when I took off the cape and showed them, well, it was okay.

Do you like it now, being the star?

I guess. I’ve gotten used to it, and in a way, I suppose I like it some. I listen more to the crowd now, to what they’re saying and their other reactions. People faint sometimes. I get heckled now and then. I sign photos of myself after the shows, which can get a bit tiresome. And I feel bad in some ways because others here work so hard, performing multiple times a day, while I just go out and show the patrons my back. I wish I could sing or dance or do something more, but I haven’t come up with anything yet to add to my act.

What are the other acts like?

Oh, they’re really great! We have Zorat the sword-swallower who also breathes fire—he’s one of my favorites. There’s Sheila the tattooed lady, and Boris who throws knives, and Alfred who has this wooden dummy named Cletus who talks all on his own. There are others more like me—the true freaks, they call us: Otto, who’s a pinhead, Kenneth the Dog-Faced Man, and Tot, the tiny lady who runs the show. There are also these minstrel singers, who have voices that are amazing! We had girls who danced, too, but they had to leave.

What was your life like before the show?

I’d rather not talk about that.

What are the patrons like at your shows?

They’re mostly men: farmers and workers. Sometime women, and occasionally children, too. I see some of the men drinking from bottles—that’s hooch, or so Winifred tells me. Tot made the decision to allow Negros into the shows, and that has made some people mad.

Who is Winifred?

She’s this girl, my friend. She’s the only other kid on the show, though she’s not a performer. She’s Tot’s daughter. She’s. . .  Well, I guess she’s my girlfriend.

Are you religious?

Sure. I study with Zorat—his real name is Robert. We read the Bible, and he tells me of things that he’s learned. I don’t understand lots of it. I wish I could know more.

What do you think the future holds?

I’m not sure. I saw someone from my past recently, and it brought back this big, dark cloud. My mother is dead, but I’d like to find my father, or at least I think that’s what I want. Winifred and I have that in common—she’s looking for her father, too. Who knows what could be out there for us? I’d like to have a regular job, a regular life, but for now I’m okay being on the show. We’re like a big family, you know? Or at least this is the family I’ve got.

Are they really wings?

I think so. I don’t know. I have to turn on my side to sleep.   

[©Cyndi Chambers Sports / 2024]

MARK MUSTIAN is the author of the novels “The Return” and “The Gendarme,” the latter an international bestseller that has been published in eleven languages. He was a finalist for the Dayton International Literary Peace Prize, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Award for Writing, and the winner of the Florida Gold Book Award for fiction. He is the founder and president of the Word of South Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee, Florida, now in its tenth year. A former elected official and an attorney, he lives in Florida and Michigan with his wife and elderly dog. Learn more at: www.markmustian.com

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