PROMISE FOR TOMORROW - Michelle De Bruin - One Free Book

BioL Michelle De Bruin lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She has a bachelor’s degree in Religion with a Christian Ministry emphasis, and in Music. Michelle is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with mental and physical disabilities. She has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2015. Michelle writes inspirational historical romance about people who live in rural communities. Characters that bring to life the delights of farm and small-town living, whispers of Dutch heritage, and Christian faith make Michelle’s stories distinct. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always on the lookout for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story.

Her first book, Hope for Tomorrow, released in 2018. The sequel, Promise for Tomorrow, released November 2019. The third book in the series, Dreaming of Tomorrow, releases November 2020.

 

Welcome back, Michelle. Why do you write the kind of books you do? 

I write Christian fiction because I want to illustrate how God works in a person’s life healing and restoring. I write historical fiction because I enjoy history. I like learning about beginnings and why things are the way they are. I write fiction because story communicates to us in ways that make possible the understanding of truth, similar to the parables Jesus used in the New Testament to help listeners understand the deep truths of what the Kingdom of God was like. I write romance because the church’s relationship to the Lord is a love story. Seeing it play out in a wholesome way between a hero and heroine helps us understand God’s passionate, unending, faithful love for us.

 

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

 

I can’t narrow it down to one. I have four happiest days of my life. The first one was my wedding day. The second one was the birth of my first son. The third one was the birth of my second son. The fourth was the day I graduated from college.

 

How has being published changed your life?

 

Good, question, Lena. The changes that result from publication aren’t sudden. They sort of sneak up on you like a shift in the weather or a change of season. You don’t notice it day to day, but at some point you look around and realize that the swimsuits are put away, school has started, the leaves have fallen off the trees, and snow is predicted for overnight. How did that happen?

 

I would say that the biggest way my life has changed is in becoming more conscientious of how I use words, both on and off the page. What am I posting on social media? How do I sound in conversation with a friend? What is the tone of my blog posts? Do I share truth in my role of teaching Bible studies and leading retreats? I don’t want to squander the opportunity an author is handed to influence others for good. Publication has offered me this and I want to make the most of it in a way that glorifies the Lord.

 

What are you reading right now?

 

I review books for Celebrate Lit. I love doing this because I get to sample good books from so many talented authors, and then help support them by sharing their work with others. I just finished reading To Love a Prince by Rachel Hauck. This week I received the Net Galley copies for An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen, and To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano. I will start on both of these books soon.

 

What is your current work in progress?

 

My current work in progress is my fourth book. It will be the first book in a new series called the Coming Home series. The working title of this work in progress is Coming Home to Mercy. In this story, we will get to know the mother of the heroine in the book we are featuring today. Her name is Margaret. She meets the doctor of the small town she visits in the story. His name is Dr. Matthew Kaldenberg.

 

What would be your dream vacation?

 

Oh, wow. I dream of going to Europe to tour cathedrals and country estate homes in England, see the grounds where David Austin roses are grown, take tea in London, and then hop over to Holland and hunt up the provinces and towns my ancestors immigrated from.

 

How do you choose your settings for each book?

 

This is an easy part of drafting a story. I choose locations that I love. Open country with rolling hills of crops or pastureland, small towns with brick buildings along the main street, and places where still waters of quiet and rest can be found.

 

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

 

I would really love to have a conversation with Tim Keller sometime. He is an excellent preacher, and I appreciate his writing. I’d want to ask him all about doing ministry in a large city, which is much different from my context, so I’m sure there is much I could learn from him.

 

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

 

My hobbies include gardening and playing the piano.

 

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

 

The most difficult obstacle is finding credible resources to use for research of historic eras, the inventions and progress made during the era, and the perspectives and world views of people during those times. I overcome this obstacle by visiting living history farms whenever I can, reading biographies, and finding instruction manuals for certain inventions. So interesting!

 

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

 

Take the time to discover and develop your own voice. You don’t have to sound like anyone else. There is a time and purpose for each one of us who has a message to share, and we must be ready when our turn comes to speak.

 

That is so true. Tell us about the featured book.

 

Promise for Tomorrow is the second book in the Tomorrow series. These books are inspirational, historical fiction set in an Iowa farming community in the year 1910.

 

This book continues the story of Logan De Witt, the pastor who took time off to work his family’s dairy farm, and Karen Millerson, the teacher from Chicago who is boarding with Logan and his family.

 

Here is the summary from the book’s back cover: 

Karen Millerson dreamed of teaching high school but now finds herself boarding with a farm family and teaching country school. She is engaged to marry Logan De Witt and is getting prepared to share in ministry with him. But when she gets blamed for the tragic fire at the school, Karen’s future grows uncertain.

 

Logan De Witt is working to clear his family’s name with the bank. But when he breaks his leg, hindering his ability to work the farm, Logan is faced with life-changing decisions. When his best friend can’t offer the help he requested, can Logan find a way to care for his family and court Karen at the same time before his love for her destroys all of them?

 

Please give us the first page of the book.

 “You know I’d do anything to help you.” Pete’s words rang with the brand of loyalty found in friendships that deepened over time and encouraged through the darkest of days.

A grin spread across Logan De Witt’s mouth.

“But I can’t. Not this time. Sorry, buddy.”

“Wh . . . what?” Logan stifled a groan. Stuttering again. That irritating stutter had left him alone for months. He sure didn’t want it returning now. Not when his fiancée needed a place to stay, and fast. He’d barely survived these three days following his Christmas proposal. Gulping, he tried again. “What do you mean?” Much better. He drew in a slow breath.

A smile burst onto Pete’s face. “Anna is expecting a baby. Due in July.”

“Wow. Congratulations.” Pete’s news blew air into Logan and sucked it out of him all at the same time. His friend was going to be a father. How terrific for Pete and Anna. And yet Logan still waited for his turn. It would come someday, someday soon now that Karen had agreed to marry him.

“We’re making preparations for our extra room to get remodeled.”

Logan glanced through the shadowed doorway of the Silver Grove parsonage’s spare bedroom. A ladder filled one corner of the room.

“The bed and one chair will need to go back to Anna’s mother so we can make space for a cradle.” Pete’s grin threatened to split his face. He turned serious as he refilled his cup with coffee. “Why do you want Karen to move out of your house?”

He should’ve known Pete would ask. If he hadn’t been so distracted caring for a sick cow this morning, he may have come up with a decent answer. “I . . . uh . . . well.” If he could just lose that ridiculous stutter once and for all. He cleared his throat. “Boarding the teacher hasn’t worked out . . . uh, like I thought.”

The statement might sound a little vague, but at least it was true. Boarding the teacher hadn’t gone at all as he expected. Miss Karen Millerson lived at the De Witt farm so his grieving sister could have a friend. But what happened instead? Tillie fought with Karen while Logan fell in love with her. The girls had since made up and were pretty good friends, but Logan’s heart hadn’t improved one bit. And now he had a mammoth problem on his hands.

 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

 

They are welcome to visit my website where I post devotional writings and book reviews to my blog. On my website is more information about all of my books, a place to subscribe to my newsletter, and a place to join Michelle’s Boek Vrienden, which is my street team. In English, it translates to Michelle’s Book Friends.

Website:  https://michelledebruin.com/ 

Readers are also welcome to follow me on social media. These links are below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDeBruinsAuthorPage/ 

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/MichelleDB40/boards/ 

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18522892.Michelle_DeBruin 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MichelleDAuthor 

Book Bub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/michelle-de-bruin

 

Thanks for hosting me today, Lena. It has been such a good time!

 

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your book with my blog readers and me.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/33ICIqx

https://amzn.to/34GfWin

 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

 

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

 

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

 

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com