What inspired you to write Cupcakes & Crumbs?

A premade cover from Marisa-Rose from Cover Me Darling inspired me to write this book. One look and I fell in love with it! The only problem? I didn’t have a story to go with the cover. I started brainstorming and came up with what a loose plot about a small town cupcake shop and a group of friends. I thought I could make it work, so I messaged the cover designer and asked if she could make four more covers to match the premade, and she said yes, so I bought it.

If you could sum the book up in one sentence, what would you say?

This is a story about friends who lost touch over the years, but reunite and realize they are stronger together than apart.

What challenged you about writing this story?

I’ve only written two points of view in my sweet romances. Women’s Fiction is a new genre for me so I decided to try writing multiple POVs—six total—and I found that challenging at first. It got easier as I got into the story more.

Which character do you most relate to and why?

Oh, this is a tough question. I can see bits and pieces of me in each. If I had to pick one, I would say Nell because she’s a hard worker and a caretaker, always looking out for others and trying to help as best she can in any situation.

What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read it?

I hope readers will feel like they made new friends they want to know them better, want to eat a cupcake, and plan a visit to Berry Lake, Washington.

What is something about you that is unique or we may not know?

I enjoy baking, but I take pride in my fudge. I won a blue ribbon at the Arizona State Fair when I was in my early twenties. I just wish I could find the recipe. It’s somewhere in the house, but I can’t remember where! 

Greetings, readers! Welcome to the Prism book tour for Dreaming of Tomorrow. It just released last week, so I am happy to share it with you. 

This book is the third one in my Tomorrow series. In the first book of the series, we meet the hero, Logan De Witt, and the heroine, Karen Millerson. Logan must return to his family’s farm after his father’s death and care for his mother and sister. They decide to offer room and board to the schoolteacher, so Karen comes to live with them. She and Logan develop a relationship which continues to grow through the challenges and struggles of the second book, Promise for Tomorrow.

In Dreaming of Tomorrow, Logan and Karen are engaged and looking forward to their wedding as the start of their marriage. Throughout the story, you will find a small town on the Iowa prairie inhabited by folks who immigrated from Holland. Be sure to check out the list of characters in the back of the book to become acquainted with the mayor, the doctor, the newspaper editor, the pastor, and the baker. You will also see members of the heroine's family in Chicago on that list as well as people from Silver Grove that we met in the previous books in the series.

After months of waiting for its release, I'm so happy to finally share this book with you. It has all of my favorite things in it, including marriage to a special man, old houses, and the congregation of the Body of Christ. Enjoy reading the book reviews and author interviews, and be sure to enter the drawing for a giveaway.

Thank you for joining me on this tour. It will be fun as we get to know each other and learn more about the book.

Grace and peace,
Michelle

What inspired you to write SPRINKLED WITH SABOTAGE?

I said this about the first book in the series, and it’s still true for this one. All these books seem to have stemmed from an empty stomach. I love snacks and I love small towns. It was inevitable that I would combine the two.

If you could sum the book up in one sentence, what would you say?

Her high school sweetheart says he’s there to help, but she’s not so sure, and now, all the endless questions and regrets are clouding her judgment and preventing her from seeing the dangerous saboteur closing in.

What challenged you about writing this story?

I am not a summer person. Like, at all. In fact, I cannot stress enough just how much I prefer winter over summer. And I am aware of how weird that makes me. This story happens to be set in the winter, but I was writing it in warm weather. It was hard to push out all my irritation from sweating and sunburns so that I could get myself in the mindset of snow and scarves.

Which character do you most relate to and why?

It may seem strange, but I think I’m most like Lizzy’s assistant, Grace. She always feels like the small fish in a big sea and it sometimes makes her hesitant. And yet she keeps bumbling along, refusing to give up.

What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read it?

I hope this story will make you think and yet still be an escape. Because, tbh, 2020 just sucks. And we all know it. We all need a bit of a break. A blip in the constant chaos. And I want to help my readers find that. And because my faith is the foundation of my character, it’s always between the lines and I hope it can be a comfort to the readers as well. Like it is to me.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

Reading, or more accurately listening. I’m totally addicted to audiobooks. On occasion, I will mow the lawn before my husband can just so I can listen to one while I do.

Have you ever made a huge mistake that led to something wonderful? In An Alaskan Family Christmas, Natalie is just trying to help her friend, but after a case of mistaken identity and a hasty decision, she finds herself stranded. In rural Alaska. A few days before Christmas. But it just might turn out to be the best decisions of her life. For a dose of romance, humor, and a mischievous malamute, why not escape to Alaska this Christmas?

Welcome to the An Alaskan Family Christmas tour. We’ve got some great blogs this week, with excerpts and reviews and a fun Christmas giveaway. Hope you can make all the stops, and that your holiday season is filled with joy, laughter, and wonderful stories.

What inspired you to write TIME TO SHINE?

Research has shown that faith is a key protective factor for children and young people in today’s challenging world. I was fortunate enough to learn about God in Sunday School and my faith helped me navigate those tricky teen years, but I realise that this is not everyone’s experience. The History Village books were a tangible opportunity for me to remind kids that the God of the Bible is real, and that He loves them. I particularly wanted to impress upon troubled teens that they can turn to God with any problem, whether its pressure to get a good grade at school, or failing to meet other people’s expectations. From my experience, He can be trusted with both the big and small dramas of life.

If you could sum the book up in one sentence, what would you say?

Even people with the most ordinary skills or average abilities can make an extraordinary contribution to society and leave an indelible imprint for future generations!

What challenged you about writing this story?

“History Village Time to Shine” is set in ancient Damascus, a civilisation which was completely unfamiliar to me. In addition to having to research the geography, language, culture and food pertaining to this historic city, I decided to increase the degree of difficulty (!) by writing from the perspective of adult male characters. I wanted the authenticity of the story to be beyond doubt, as it pertained to actual historical figures recorded in the Bible.

Which character do you most relate to and why?

There are relatable qualities in most of my characters: Ally’s obsession to determine her future career while still quite young (I spent many a lunchtime at my school’s Career Counselling Center); Josh’s compulsion to do well academically; Ananias’ concern for his friends’ welfare; Judas’ need for material security; and the innate resistance to authority exhibited by most of my characters.

What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read it?

Herman Melville said “To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.” My mighty theme is the enduring transformation that God produces in people’s lives. I hope the reader will remember the personal encounters between God and these characters and the way He seeks to speak directly into people’s lives.

What is something about you that is unique or we may not know.

I have visited Lago di Como in Italy five times. (Covid prevented me from making it six times!)