Author Interview and Giveaway: Michelle De Bruin

Hello friends, I am so excited you have joined me during my first interview for the Diamond Mine. Come on in and have a seat in my tea parlor. I'm a bit of a tea snob, but if you prefer coffee or hot chocolate, I am always prepared. While you get comfortable, here is a plate of scones with clotted cream and jam. 

Comfortable now? Great! For my first interview, I am excited to introduce to you Michelle De Bruin, debut author and friend. I met Michelle a couple of years ago through a writing critique group and have the privilege of getting to say "I knew her and her work before she was published." 

Michelle lives in Iowa with her husband and two teenage sons. She is the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with physical and mental disabilities. In this role, she offers grief care, teaches Bible studies, leads retreats, and writes devotionals. Michelle is also a worship leader on Sunday mornings directing the choir, playing piano, or singing. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always on the lookout for glimpses of God’s love through the window of a good story.

Michelle is kindly giving away a print copy of her book Hope for Tomorrow.

Crystal: Thank you so much for joining me this winter morning, Michelle. I just have a few questions to help our readers get to know you. First things first, why did you choose to write historical fiction?

Michelle: The historical fiction genre is a venue where I can share conservative values on issues like morality, family, and Scripture interpretation. It also gives me a reason to go back into my own family heritage and honor the people who have gone before me.

Crystal: Historical fiction is my favorite genre for a lot of those reasons. We first met in 2016, I believe, and over the course of two years this story has grown and changed. I imagine you have as well. What has God taught you along your publication journey?

Michelle: God has taught me that He is bigger than the scope of my dreams, and that He still performs miracles.

Crystal: Amen. How exciting that He has taken your dream and exploded it into something bigger than we dared hope in the beginning. Does writing energize or exhaust you?  

Michelle: Writing energizes me. I have to do it. Writing helps me examine my life and heart, and it helps me apply truth to my ordinary existence.

Crystal: God has definitely created writing as a part of who you are. Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? 

Michelle: I didn’t consider a pseudonym, but I did toy with the idea of hyphenating my name when I realized my writing might actually amount to something. My married name, De Bruin, is a Dutch surname comprised of two words. My maiden name, Van Zante, is also Dutch and includes two words. I decided a hyphenation was too confusing and expected too much from my readers when trying to figure out pronunciation or finding me on-line.

Crystal: I can see that being a problem. Everything has to be so exact anymore. Last question and it has to do with your debut novel, Hope for Tomorrow. Which character was the most fun to create? What makes them fun? 

Michelle: Reverend Logan De Witt was the most fun to create because of his sense of humor. He also gets nervous around pretty girls. This makes him stutter and get his words all mixed up at times when he needs to communicate important messages, like during his sermons and convincing someone to go out with him.

Crystal: That description endears him to me. What a sweet hero for the heroine. Michelle, thank you so much for taking a bit of time out of your day to come and visit us. 

Readers, I hope you will take another minute or so and check out Michelle's debut novel, Hope for Tomorrow at Amazon. To be entered to win a print copy of her book, please, enter your email address in the comments below. 

When Logan De Witt learns of his father’s sudden death, he returns home to the family’s dairy farm. During his stay, he discovers his mother’s struggle with finances and his younger sister’s struggle with grief. Concern for his family presses Logan to make the difficult decision to leave his career as a pastor and stay on the farm. As a way to make some extra money, he agrees to board the teacher for their local school.

Karen Millerson arrives from Chicago ready to teach high school but her position is eliminated so she accepts the role of country school teacher. Eager to put her family’s ugly past behind her, Karen begins a new career to replace the trust she lost in her own father who had been in ministry when she was a child.

Logan and Karen both sense a call from the Lord to serve him, but neither of them expected that one day they would do it together.

Can Karen learn to trust again? Will Logan lay aside his grief in exchange for God’s purpose for his life?