Kelly Goshorn

Romancing History

Category: Character Interview

Character Interview with Mary Flynn

By

On March 23, 2023

In Character Interview, Historical Romance Fiction

I’m thrilled to welcome Susan G. Mathis back to Romancing History today. Susan writes delightful historical romances set near her childhood home in the beautiful Thousand Islands region of upstate New York. And she’s here today to introduce us to, Mary Flynn, the main character of her latest release, Mary’s Moment.

Be sure to stop by the Giveaway section below to enter to win a Kindle copy of Mary’s Moment.

Meet the Character

My name is Mary Flynn. At twenty-six, folks are beginning to see me as an old maid. My papa died last year, so I came to live with my two aunts and am spending my summer of 1912 as a telephone switchboard operator and telegrapher for the Thousand Island Park on Wellesley Island. I love my work, especially translating all the dots and dashes for the telegrams.

Fast Five

RH: My readers and I would like know a bit more about you, Mary. Be dear and humor us with a few more details about yourself.
MF: Well, some of my favorite things are:

  1. A nice cup of tea in a fine china teacup
  2. Summer, definitely
  3. Reading, of course.
  4. The Bible
  5. The Telegrapher’s Handbook

Q&A

RH: What two words best describe you?
MF: Joyful and friendly

RH: What is your greatest fear? What keeps you up at night?
MF: It used to be the fear of being alone in this world, but now it’s the fear of fire, and for good reason. I nearly died in the Great Fire of 1912.

RH: Are you a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty kind of person?
MF: That’s easy. I always look on the bright side of things, except when I smell smoke.

RH: What is your biggest pet peeve?
MF: People manipulating others. This scoundrel, Archibald Richmond, took advantage of me when I was hurt and nearly destroyed my life.

RH: What is your greatest achievement?
MF: Becoming a skilled telegrapher. Though the telephone switchboard is more and more in demand as the telephone lines go up, I love the dots and dashes of the telegraph.

RH: What is your biggest secret?
MF: I hope to be Robbie’s mom one day. Shhh…don’t tell George.

RH: What is your most treasured possession?
MF: My papa’s Scofield Bible.

RH: It’s been fun chatting with you, Mary. You are utterly delightful.

ABOUT MARY’S MOMENT

Summer 1912

Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator ​Mary Flynn is christened the community heroine for her quick action that saves dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, when another disastrous fire rages through the Park, Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor’s burning cottage. Will she remember the truth of who she is or be deceived by a treacherous scoundrel?

Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?

Readers of Christian historical romance will enjoy this exciting tale set in 1912 Thousand Island Park, NY.

About the Author

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 twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has ten in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion, and Mary’s Moment. Her book awards include two Illumination Book Awards, three American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. 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 Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction to learn more about Susan and her books.

Connect with Susan: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Blog | Goodreads l Instagram| Book Bub

Giveaway*

In the interview above, Mary tells us her pet peeve is people who manipulate others. To enter the giveaway for a free eBook copy of Mary’s Moment, tell us one of your pet peeves?

Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 29, 11:59 pm, EDT.

Character Interview with Lord Henry Sedgwick

By

On November 3, 2022

In British History, Character Interview, Historical Romance Fiction, Regency

I’m so excited to introduce everyone to Hannah Linder. Hannah is a debut Regency Suspense author with Barbour Publishing. I had the privilege of meeting Hannah at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference last spring and knew I wanted to host this promising young author on Romancing History to help spread the word about Beneath His Silence.

Hannah is going to introduce us to the hero of Beneath His Silence, Lord Henry Sedgwick

Be sure to visit the Giveaway section at the bottom of the post to learn how you can enter to win a print copy of this intriguing debut.

Meet the Character

My name is Lord Henry Sedgwick of Wyckhorn Manor. I pray you have not heard whispers of me, though it is far more likely you have. Has not everyone? That is why I must remain in my manor, far from the rumormongers of the village, where I might raise my son without the torture of their speculations. But tortures reign here, too. The manor is cursed with silence. My son is motherless. Bloody shirtsleeves are hidden in my upstairs bedchamber, a painful reminder of all I must keep buried, even from the new and charming governess. That, however, may be harder than I realized. Especially when she begins unwinding my heart.

Fast Five

Lord Segwick, please tell us five things about yourself.

I Like . . .

  1. Brushing down and stabling my own horse, Miss Staverley
  2. Playing along the beach with my five-year-old son
  3. Avoiding balls and social obligations
  4. Assisting my tenants, especially those who are old or poor
  5. Accepting apologies from my son’s amusing governess

Character Q & A

RH: What is your greatest fear? What keeps you up at night?

LS: My greatest fear is that the lies will be uncovered and people will know the truth—that my son will know the truth.

RH: What is your biggest pet peeve?

LS: I detest coy, conniving, maidenly smiles that only mean to entrap me. I shall not be fooled again.

RH: What is your greatest achievement?

LS: Raising Peter, my son.

RH: What is your biggest secret?

LS: The bloody shirtsleeves hidden in my bedchamber. I pray to heaven no one ever knows what I have done.

RH: What book are you reading right now?

LS: The Bible. I have placed one outside Miss Woodhart’s bedchamber door, but I hardly know if she will read the book. I cannot help wondering why it should matter to me so much if she does.

RH: What does perfect happiness look like to you?

LS: A manor with no curse and no silence. A mother for my son. A heart that does not writhe in guilt. A woman, perhaps like Miss Woodhart, who could be true to me and love me and smile at me without pretense. But I do not know if such a woman exists. I do not know if I deserve her if she does.

About the Book

Will Seeking Justice Lead to Her Own Demise?

A Gothic-Style Regency Romance from a Promising Young Author

Second daughter of a baron—and a little on the mischievous side—Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretense is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wyckhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.

Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies, but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son—and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.

Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him—just as her dead sister?

Amazon     Barbour    B&N

About the Author

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In way of career, Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, National, and International bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

Newsletter      Facebook     Instagram     Goodreads     Bookbub     Amazon Author Page

Giveaway*

This giveaway is now CLOSED!

Congratulations to our winner, Cherie J.!!!

To enter the giveaway for a print copy of Beneath His Silence, let us know what era of history you’d like to visit if you could step into a time machine.

*Giveaway ends at midnight EDT, Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

Character Interview with Jenny Thatcher and 3 Giveaways

By

On July 21, 2022

In Character Interview, Historical Romance Fiction, Western Fiction

I’m excited to welcome back friend and fellow author, Kathleen Bailey, to Romancing History! We have a special treat for you today, my very first Character Interview on Romancing History. I’m chatting with Jenny Thatcher, the heroine of Kathy’s latest novel, Redemption’s Hope, which releases tomorrow, Friday, July 22. Redemption’s Hope is the third and final installment in the “Westward Dreams” series. Jenny is what some might call a “colorful character,” so I’m gonna have my hands full.

I was honored to give Kathy an endorsement for Redemption’s Hope, and you can read my review on Bookbub. You can find the link toward the end of my interview with Jenny.

And, don’t forget to visit the Giveaway section below. Kathy is has three separate prizes for lucky Romancing History readers.

About the Book

Two distinct sets of villains. Two orphaned children. A man without a country and a woman with too much past…All in a rambunctious young country where anything goes, especially in the West. Seriously. What can go wrong?

In this latest installment of the best-selling series, “Western Dreams,” join Jenny and White Bear as they cross the historic West in an epic story peppered with grit, guns, and glory.

You can purchase Redemption’s Hope on Amazon.

Other books in the Western Dreams series are Westward Hope (Book #1) and Settler’s Hope (Book #2)

Meet Jenny Thatcher

Howdy, I’m Jenny Thatcher and I reckon I’m the subject of Kathy Bailey’s new book. I’ve been in everybody else’s books, so it’s about time. I first showed up in Westward Hope, as a saloon girl who ran away from St. Joseph on a stolen horse to tell my friend, Michael, two Irish thugs were after him. I stayed on as a wagon train scout, and made it to Oregon Country with Michael, and some friends I made along the way—Caroline O’Leary and Pace Williams. I also turned up in the sequel, Settler’s Hope, as a hotel cook. Kathy had me moonin’ over Pace for a brief spell, but as it turned out, Pace’s true love was Oona Moriarty. Don’t worry though, I didn’t hold no grudges against him (or Kathy for that matter). Turns out, Kathy made a good decision as I’d really never stopped thinkin’ about White Bear, the Cheyenne brave I met on my first trip across the country. On the pretext of paying his family back for taking care of me when I was mighty sick, I rode off on my stallion, Rebel, to find him again. But Kathy, like most authors I’m told, got me into a heap of trouble I hadn’t anticipated including two orphaned children and one menacing varmit who had a mind to harm me and the kids. If ya wanna know more, you’re gonna have to read my story. Just know that through all the trials, I gained a deeper walk with God.

Fast Five

Ok, Jenny, give us 5 fast and fun facts about yourself.

  1. Favorite Food: ANYTHING I ate in New Orleans.
  2. Favorite place: My home in Hall’s Mill, Oregon.
  3. Favorite hobby: Ain’t got time for anything like that.
  4. Favorite time of day: After the kids are in bed, and White Bear, my man, and I can talk.
  5. Favorite Bible verse: Romans 8:28. All things work together for good. They sure did for me

Character Q & A

RH: Let’s start off with an easy question, Jenny. Tell us about your childhood. Where did you grow up? Who is your closest family member? Who would you like to disown?

JT: I  loved living on the farm in Arkansas. I helped my pa with lambing, calving and foaling, and I learned to ride and shoot as good as my brothers. We had fields, woods and a creek. My ma taught me to cook and sew, and I used to read the Bible to her by the fire. Wish I could have stayed on. My childhood ended when my weasel of a brother, Zack, sold the farm out from under us, and I had to make my own way in the world.

RH: That sounds like a wonderful place to grow up. Looking back at your life so far, what is your greatest regret?

JT: Going into the saloon business at fourteen.

RH:  You poor thing. I can’t even imagine. You must have been so frightened. What is your biggest secret?

JT: How unworthy I feel on account of my past.

RH: I think we all have things we regret in our past, things we’d like to keep hidden. I know I’m thankful for the blood of the cross so I can stand redeemed and I don’t have to hide in the darkness where the enemy can use my shame against me. I bet that’s why Kathy wrote your story. So other’s won’t stay hidden in the darkness, too. Thank you for being brave enough to  share your story. I hope you don’t find me a bit too nosy, but my readers and I would like to learn more about your romantic interest in Redemption’s Hope?

JT: My romantic interest? That’s mighty fancy talk. Are you askin’ about my fella? That’d have to be White Bear. I didn’t have no use for romance when I was in the saloons. Men were just a way to make money. When I was riding after Michael and I got lost and sick, White Bear’s family took me in. I never met no one like him, before or since. He knows what I was and he don’t care. But he was a Christian, and I didn’t want none of that at the time. We lost track of each other for three years, and then we found each other again in New Orleans. By then I was a believer, so there was nothing to keep us apart. Except for two thugs that were after him and two thugs who were after me. It ain’t never easy.

RH: That is so true, Jenny—even in the 21st century. Now that Kathy has bared your soul on the written page, what message would you like readers to gain from your story?

JT: Hmm, that’s a mighty good question. I suppose, that nobody is beyond the reach of His love. Not the thief on the Cross, not the woman taken in adultery, not even Jenny Thatcher.

RH: Amen to that, Jenny! Amen to that!

JT: Is it all right for me to ask you a question? Or is that against the rules? I don’t want to get Kathy in any trouble.

RH: Nope, fire away!

JT: Did you happen to read my story?

RH: I sure did, Jenny. Here’s a link to my review on BookBub.

About Author

Kathleen Bailey is a journalist and novelist with 40 years’ experience in the nonfiction, newspaper and inspirational fields. Born in 1951, she was a child in the 50s, a teen in the 60s, a young adult in the 70s and a young mom in the 80s. It’s been a turbulent, colorful time to grow up, and she’s enjoyed every minute of it and written about most of it.

Bailey’s work includes both historical and contemporary fiction, with an underlying thread of men and women finding their way home, to Christ and each other. Her first Pelican book, ‘‘Westward Hope,” was published in September 2019. Her second full-length novel, “Settler’s Hope,” was released July 17, 2020. She published two Western Dreams novellas, “The Logger’s Christmas Bride” in December 2019 and “The Widow’s Christmas Miracle” in December 2020, both as part of Pelican’s Christmas Extravaganza. “Redemption’s Hope,” the third Western Dreams novel, was published July 22, 2022.

She lives in New Hampshire with her husband David. They have two grown daughters.

For more information, contact her at ampie86@comcast.net, her website, or @piechick1 on Twitter, or Kathleen D. Bailey on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Giveaway*

*This giveaway is now closed.

Congratulations to our winners!

Redemption’s Hope (eBook): Rhonda M.
Westward Hope (Print): Pam L.
New England Gift Basket: Beverly D.

Kathy is generously offering three prizes to 3 different Romancing History readers.

Prize #1 — an eBook copy of Redemption’s Hope (print copies not available yet)
Prize #2 — a print copy of Westward Hope (Western Dreams, Book #1)**
Prize #3 — a New England gift pack**

Character interviews are a fun way to find out about a novel. To enter the giveaway, what question would you have asked if you were interviewing Jenny (or any character from a Redemption’s Hope)?

*Giveaway ends midnight, Wednesday, July 27.*
**Sorry, these prizes are available to U.S. residents only.**

 

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