THE BLIZZARD BRIDE - Susanne Dietze - One Free Book

Welcome, Susanne. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I think there’s always a little bit of myself in each of my heroes and heroines, even though they’re going through far different experiences than I have. In fact, some of my heroines have been my polar opposite. However, emotions and our need for God are universal, so many of my characters’ emotional struggles, doubts, or fears are ones I’ve gone through, myself.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’m sort of a quirky-odd person by nature, so there are a lot of possibilities here! I never hesitate to dress up in costume or make up a song, but here’s an example. A few years ago my family visited Washington, D.C. and environs. My son is a history buff and admirer of Abraham Lincoln. At the Lincoln Memorial, we bought an Abraham Lincoln finger puppet that ended up “photo bombing” a lot of our pictures. Abe the puppet has since photo-bombed other pictures, too. He’s got a magnet in his top hat and he currently lives attached to our fridge.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Like so many of us, I’ve been in love with books since early childhood, and I’ve always liked creating stories for things, whether it was to narrate my walks to school or transport me back in time while watching the passing landscape on car trips. When one of my friends complained that when we played Barbies or horses, my plots were too dramatic, I realized not everyone does this! I’m grateful for my parents and teachers who encouraged my writing from an early age.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I read numerous types of books: contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, cozy mystery, and the occasional Young Adult. I think it’s important to read in the genre you write, but also enjoy and learn from authors who write different types of stories than I do.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I’m not sure I do keep my sanity very well! My kids are both in college this year and I thought life would slow down, but it’s been just as busy, if not more so, in some ways. I’m an introvert and need to recharge periodically. If I don’t pay respect to my boundaries, I tend to get sick (which happened after Christmas), so I have to be mindful of my body’s limitations. I’ve had to learn how to seek God’s discernment for when to say “no,” even to some good things. I’m also aware for my need for spiritual retreat and self-care, but I haven’t been good at implementing those lately.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

The answer varies. Sometimes the names come to me; other times I hear a name and think how great it would be to use it. Up until now, I’ve only written historicals, so I often consult historical sources for inspiration, such as old censuses and family documents. I’m writing a contemporary now, however, and it’s a different world when it comes to naming characters!

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m most proud of raising my kids. They are Jesus-loving, big-hearted, funny people, and I’m amazed God made me their mother.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I took three online quizzes to help me answer this question, and two of them came back as a wolf! This surprised me, since I’ve always considered wolves to be a little scary, but I can see a few similarities between us. We like to be around our families, in groups. We’re loyal. I prefer deep, long-lasting relationships to temporary connections. And while I am generally mild and don’t like confrontation, I do have teeth, and I defend those I love, especially my kids.

What is your favorite food?

Oh my, I have too many to list, but if I have to pick one it might be potatoes—any style of potatoes. Mashed, baked, salad, fries, au gratin, soup… Yum. Generally, I enjoy savories more than sweets, although anything with fresh whipped cream is a winner to me.

I made a pot of potato soup this week. It’s a wonderful winter meal. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I would say my greatest issue has been finding balance. For a while, I really struggled with how to structure my day so it included Bible study, exercise, housework, errands, and work, and I didn’t do well. I ended up frustrated and not exercising, or resenting exercising, and so forth. It took trial and error, but I found when I schedule my writing hours, I tend to do better. I think each of us have to be realistic about our family’s needs, health and wellness (spiritual too), and our body’s rhythms, and work with those things rather than fight against them.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Blizzard Bride is Book #11 in Barbour Publishing’s Daughters of the Mayflower series, but it stands alone.

A Blizzard Changes Everything

Abigail Bracey arrives in Nebraska in January 1888 to teach school…and to execute a task for the government: to identify a student as the hidden son of a murderous counterfeiter—the man who killed her father.

Agent Dashiell Lassiter doesn’t want his childhood sweetheart Abby on this dangerous job, especially when he learns the counterfeiter is now searching for his son, too, and he’ll destroy anyone in his way. Now Dash must follow Abby to Nebraska to protect her…if she’ll let him within two feet of her. She’s still angry he didn’t fight to marry her six years ago, and he never told her the real reason he left her.

All Dash wants is to protect Abby, but when a horrifying blizzard sweeps over them, can Abby and Dash set aside the pain from their pasts and work together to catch a counterfeiter and protect his son—if they survive the storm?

Please give us the first page of the book.

“Forgive my cryptic invitation to lunch, Miss Bracey, but I dared not go into detail on the chance your post was intercepted.”

Abigail Bracey was not the sort of person whose mail was intercepted. No one showed the least bit of interest in her monotonous life, but Mr. Welch, the balding gentleman seated across the white-draped table from her, was probably accustomed to others attempting to intercept his correspondence. She made a sympathetic noise and closed her menu. She’d scarcely looked at it. Despite going out for a late lunch, food was the farthest thing from her mind.

“I was pleased to hear from you after so long, Mr. Welch. Have you news about my father’s mur—”

Mr. Welch fl inched. “Miss Bracey, we are in public.”

She clamped her mouth shut. They had to be careful in public, and they couldn’t exactly meet in private, could they? Mr. Welch might be several years her senior, but his calling on her, a maiden who lived alone in a rented room, would certainly give her landlady something to talk about. Meeting for lunch in a public restaurant was his way of protecting her reputation. For that, she was grateful.

But she was also impatient.

“Forgive me, but I am eager for any scrap of news, and I do not think we can be overheard.” Abby glanced at the only other patrons, an elderly couple several tables away, and three women in fur-trimmed mantles sipping tea at the window table. None of them had given Abby and Mr. Welch a second glance.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.susannedietze.com

www.facebook.com/SusanneDietzeBooks

https://www.amazon.com/Susanne-Dietze/e/B00O3MR63A/

Twitter, Pinterest, Book Bub, and Instagram: Susanne Dietze

Thank you, Susanne, for sharing this new book with us. I’ve read a number of the Daughters of the Mayflower novels. I’m eager to read this one as well.

Readers, here are links to the book.

The Blizzard Bride - Christianbook.com
The Blizzard Bride: DAUGHTERS OF THE MAYFLOWER 11 - Amazon paperback
The Blizzard Bride: DAUGHTERS OF THE MAYFLOWER 11 - Kindle

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