DREAMING OF TOMORROW - Michelle De Bruin - One Free Book

Welcome back Michelle. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon? I am working on a new series about people who choose to live in the small town of Oswell City and end up finding a home there because of the love of a special person in their lives, healing that takes place, or refuge from dangers.

 

Tell us a little about your family. My family is my husband, Tom, and my two sons, Mark and John. Mark is a college student, and John is a junior in high school.

 

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how? Writing requires me to have a website, and my website has a blog, so I use it to post book reviews. This means that I read with the goal of my own enjoyment of a story added to the wish to provide helpful information to my blog readers. Before I started writing, I read only for my own enjoyment.

 

What are you working on right now? 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 outside interests do you have? I garden and play the piano. 

 

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 historical person, who would it be and why? I would want to spend an evening at dinner with George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon. I’d want to know their thoughts and feelings about the Revolutionary War, the beginnings of our nation, the other world leaders of the era, and the ins and outs of running a plantation.

 

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels? I wish I would have known more about cover design. I didn’t know a thing about color schemes, fonts, or photo stock. One book cover turned out exactly as I envisioned, another turned out close to what I envisioned, and another turned out nothing as I envisioned. The covers all look great, but at the same time, I wish I would have known how to contribute more to the process. 

 

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now? He is teaching me to trust my ability to hear him accurately. I know that God is faithful in his communication to my heart and that his word to me is trustworthy. The question is if my obedience is faithful and my interpretations of his word are trustworthy. 

 

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful? 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. 

Along those lines, know who you are. Your voice comes out of that to give integrity to your writing. Do the work of discovering your own unique identity in Jesus and the calling he has given you. Then when the days of silent waiting and rejection come, you’ll look in the right place for affirmation. 

Last, be a friend. Writing is relational. Invest in people around you locally. Invest in people on your professional journey. The friendships come first. Sales and interest in your work will follow. That’s been true in my experience in leadership doing ministry, and I’m finding that it is also true in the writing world. Love. Give. Serve. You’ll never go wrong doing that.

 

Tell us about the featured book. Dreaming of Tomorrow is the third and last book of the Tomorrow series. It is set in the fictional town of Oswell City on the Iowa farmland during the years of 1912-13.

Here is the summary from the back cover:

Popular and eligible, Logan De Witt must convince the women in town that he is engaged to be married. A quiet, simple ceremony is what he has in mind for his wedding day, but when the date and time of his bride’s arrival is published in the newspaper, the whole town joins in the celebration proving to Logan and his new wife their sincere friendship and support. Added to the excitement of Logan’s marriage is the question of what the congregation should do with the unexpected donation of an orchard. 

Karen Millerson is counting the days until her long-distance engagement comes to an end and she may travel to Oswell City to marry Logan. More than anything, she wants to share in his life as a help and support, but keeping a house and finding her place in the community requires much more work than she ever expected. 

Learn, laugh, and love with Karen and Logan as they start a new marriage and work together ministering to the citizens of their small town.

 

Please give us the first page of the book. 

“You must wear these at all times.” Dr. Kaldenberg tucked the curved ends of a new pair of spectacles around Logan De Witt’s ears.

The world came into sharp focus. Each vial on the shelf behind the doctor stood out in stark relief. Logan could even read the fine print on the labels.

Dr. Kaldenberg scooted away to jot a few notes in a folder. “Give these new glasses a try for a month and then come back for a follow-up appointment.”

Dizziness swarmed around Logan when he stood. His new and refined depth perception would take some getting used to.

The doctor handed him a slip of paper. “Your new spectacles will help you with reading and also with seeing objects in the distance.”

Both of those activities had grown more challenging since his return to Oswell City.  No longer would he need to squint to make out the faces of those seated in the back pews on Sunday morning. Enjoyment should also return to his study time. He’d sure appreciate the change if it meant he no longer had to crouch over his books to make out the words.

“Thank you, Doctor.” He shook hands with the doctor and headed out into the summer day.

Oswell City’s main street bustled with activity as Logan followed the sidewalk to the church. He waved at Alex Zahn who placed a supply of pastries in his bakery’s display window. A whiff of sweet dough fresh from the oven carried into the street.

Walter Brinks swept the wide steps of his father’s hotel. “Hey, Pastor Logan! Nice glasses,” he called when Logan walked by.

“Good  afternoon.” Artie Goud leaned against the second story of his jewelry store from the top rungs of a ladder where he worked to fasten a red, white, and blue striped bunting to the brick wall. “Fourth of July sales begin tomorrow. Stop in if you need a special gift.”

Logan smiled up at the man. He’d already spent an impressive sum of money in Mr. Goud’s store last Christmas when he bought Karen’s engagement ring. The businessmen downtown knew their pastor would do anything to support them, but a man also had to keep a little something in his savings. Mr. Goud would have to wait awhile before he saw Logan in his store again.

Passing the bank and the Koelman Law Firm, Logan turned the corner onto Fifth Street. The change in direction affected his balance, making one of his legs feel shorter than the other. The rounded curb of the asphalted street was all it took for him to trip and fall. Catching himself on a tree trunk, Logan barely prevented a sprawl on the ground.

He stood still for a moment and sucked in a deep breath. Wearing these new spectacles every minute of the day would require his full attention for simple tasks he’d never given thought to in the past. Straightening his tie, Logan dared to take another step. He managed to place one foot in front of the other as he crossed the lawn and entered the church. The door of his study hung open. He never left the door open when gone from the building. Maybe someone in need of their pastor was in there looking for him. He hastened down the hall.

Someone for sure had come looking for him, but she didn’t look one bit in need of a pastor. Her blue dress clung to her figure and the neckline scooped quite low. The day was warm, but no one needed to expose that much skin to stay cool. Dark brown hair smoothed away from her fair forehead and full red lips pouted at him. His restored vision was working far too well at the moment.

“Florence Mae Hesslinga.” The sight of this young woman in his study opened the gate on a store of memories from seminary days. “What are you doing here?” He couldn’t decide if he should celebrate the reunion or let his nerves take over at the way she strutted in front of him with her fingertip trailing across his chest.

“I need your help.” The invitation lingering in her words made his heart pound.

 

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! 

And thank you, Michelle, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I know we will all love it. 

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3lkmzOe 

https://amzn.to/3kfzorT

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