Spotlight: Donna Wichelman

Hello, I'm Donna Wichelman, and I'm thrilled to give you an up-close and personal look into my writing life and what led me to become an author. Thank you for joining me.

My appreciation for history and geography developed in childhood since my parents traveled by car from Ohio across the United States and Canada almost every summer to visit family in Washington State. As an only child on those road trips, our travels sparked my imagination. I developed stories of great adventures crossing the prairie in a covered wagon, charting our course in the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, walking the beaches along the Oregon coast where I'd meet my true love, and scaling the mountains near Banff or Jasper National Park in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Or perhaps we would be attacked by bears in Yellowstone National Park—a true story, by the way—and needed rescuing from the terrifying creatures hounding us.

In my last two years of high school, a unique opportunity allowed me to attend the United World College of the Atlantic—an international boarding school in Wales. While most of the students lived in dormitories on the “hill,” I lived in a two-room, ten-girl dorm inside the 13th- to 14th-century St. Donat’s Castle outside Llantwit Major, Wales, on the Bristol Channel. Though the castle has none of Hogwarts’ magic, it does have a legendary ghost, Lady Anne, who roams the halls. Living with international students and having the chance to travel throughout Europe further engaged my interest in history, literature, and culture.

St.Donat's Castle, Llantwit Major, Wales: Donna's Gallery 1975

As I headed into my adult years, I loved developing stories from learning about the history and culture of various settings. My first attempt at writing a historical romance was the first book in a series titled the Long White Cloud based on Captain James Cook's arrival in New Zealand in the late eighteenth century. Agent Steve Laube sent it to committee at Bethany House Publishers, but they rejected it, and the manuscript still sits on my computer. The experience taught me, however, that I needed to develop my craft and hone my writing skills.

My next project wasn't historical fiction, but it had a huge historical and spiritual component as a contemporary romantic suspense novel set in the Waldensian Valleys of the French and Italian Alps. I had become fascinated by this ancient Christian sect that endured centuries of persecution similar to the Huguenots. Some say these courageous men and women of faith banded together in 1170 A.D under Peter Waldo. Others say they hail from the first-century church fathers. In Light Out of Darkness, I wanted to create a story that explored the idea of an older origin. So in the book, A prestigious art exhibition turns into a horrific spectacle when a murder sends an art curator and professor on a hunt for a highly sought-after painting. At stake is a two-thousand-year-old drama unfolding in the contemporary world of the Italian Alps. 

The sequel, Undaunted Valor, continues the story as Professor Alessandro Marianni's grandmother is kidnapped, and he and Jamie Holbrooke must follow the trail of the Waldensians' Glorious Return from exile in Switzerland back to their home valleys. As they do, they will have to weather a rainstorm on a mountain trail, negotiate a dangerous waterfall, outmaneuver a car chase, and defy an assassin's gun with undaunted valor to find Lucianna Marianni.

By the time I wrote my Angel Book Award-winning novel, A Song of Deliverance, I knew I wanted to remain in the historical fiction genre. So when, on a family vacation, I stood on a crest overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland, I imagined a poor woman in nineteenth-century Ireland destined to emigrate to America. At that point, it was only a small leap to develop a story set in the nineteenth-century community of Georgetown, Colorado, which still retains its Victorian ambiance dating back to its history steeped in the gold and silver mining industry. Thus, a story was born about a poor Irish woman whose hopes for a better life in Colorado crumble after a mining disaster, and she must find the faith and courage to create a new life for herself. As she does, Anna Sullivan helps the mine’s owner uncover the nefarious deeds of his nemesis and falls in love with the mining mogul.

In Rhythms of the Heart, Book 2 in the Singing Silver Mine Series, Life as Cassie Munro knew it ended the day her husband and children were ripped away in a deadly train disaster. Will she ever find happiness again living with her parents in the community of Georgetown, Colorado? It will take one doctor with his own ill-fated past to help her mend a broken heart.

My current work in progress, Power of the Thorn, is a World War Two slip-time novel, meaning dual timelines, set in 1940s occupied France and some parts of the contemporary timeline in Denver, Colorado. The war has fascinated me since I was a child, listening to my parents talk about living through some of the darkest days in the history of the United States and the world. Much has been written about the war over the last eighty-six years. My hope is to bring a fresh perspective on those times.

Thank you for stopping by and letting me share a little bit of me with you. I hope knowing my history gives you a little flavor of who I am as an author and the kinds of books I like to write. I'd love to hear about what you do and the kinds of books you love to read. I'll be giving away one of my books of your choice to a lucky person who comments on this blog.

Website: Donna Wichelman.com

Instagram: Instagram, Facebook, BookBub, Amazon

Mid-Month Madness!

 

We really appreciate you coming by!

We will be giving away books so be sure to pay attention about how to enter. To enter for a chance to win, you MUST leave a comment WITH your EMAIL and you MUST ask one or more of the authors a question you’d like to know about them, their writing, or their books.

We are looking forward to getting to know you better and hope you’ll get to know us better, too!

Be sure to drop by the Facebook Party for a chance to mingle with the authors and nab even more great giveaways!

The party is today from 5:00 to 6:30 PM Eastern Time.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1770933813056488

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for family, faith, facts and fiction. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest." She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and two boys. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association.

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII.

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She loves history and finds herself contemplating how it was to live in the 1800’s. Only sitting still when reading a book, watching movies with her family, or taking in the latest musical theater show, Denise resides in Southern California where she enjoys date nights with her husband at their happy place. Every year Denise chooses a word to focus on. She loves to share her learnings about that word throughout the year on her blog and social media.

Camy Tang writes Christian Regency romantic suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camille Elliot and Christian contemporary romantic suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camy Tang. She grew up in Hawaii, where she started reading Regency romances when she was thirteen years old. Now she lives in northern California with her engineer husband. She was a staff worker for her church youth group for over 20 years and used to lead one of the Sunday worship teams. She loves to knit antique knitting patterns and is learning Japanese.

The Healer’s Touch

Aaliyah's last chance at winning her husband's love is destroyed when she is banished from her home as an 'unclean' sinner. Her husband has branded her as an adulteress and threatens to kill her if she comes near the town. Struggling to survive in a leper colony, she would give anything just to see her son again. When rumors of a Healer from Nazareth reach the colony, Aaliyah wonders if this man could really heal her. It is now that Aaliyah must make the most difficult decision of her life: risk her life to appear in public, or die a leper. 

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Shetland Sunset

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again?

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When Plans Go Awry:

She planned on independence. He vowed never to love. God had other ideas.

Olivia Carmichael flees her past to become the schoolmarm in the small ranching town of Washton, determined to live quietly and never depend on anyone again. Luke Taylor chose a mail-order bride to help care for his sisters. He didn’t plan to have to guard his heart—or the beautiful new teacher who unsettles his carefully laid plans. As Olivia’s resolve is tested and Luke’s expectations unravel, the meddling town—and its infamous rooster—may help them discover that God’s plans are far better than their own.

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Lady Wynwood's Spies, Volume 1: Archer

A year ago, Michael Coulton-Jones retired as a spy for the Foreign Office in order to track down his brother’s killer. But when spinster Phoebe Sauber, distraught over her selfish father’s plans to throw her out of her home, nearly shoots Michael with her arrow in an accident, it sets in motion a chain of events—the murderer Michael is tracking down has secret ties to Phoebe’s family. To protect their loved ones, they must race to find the madman, who has a dark secret of his own that could turn the tides in the war against Napoleon.

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How Silver Plume Became a Nineteenth-Century Gem In the Colorado Rockies

By Donna Wichelman

Readers of my blogs over the last year and a half know I've written on topics related to my Gilded Age historical romance series, the Singing Silver Mine series, which is based on characters who settled in Georgetown, Colorado, during its silver-mining heyday of the late nineteenth century. Known as the Silver Queen of the Rocky Mountains, Georgetown gained its fame from the abundant ores the surrounding mountains yielded to early miners who settled there. Yet, while Georgetown has received most of the glory over the years, its neighbor to the west, Silver Plume, has often been neglected, overshadowed by Georgetown's reputation.

Main Street, Silver Plume, Colorado: Donna's Gallery, June 2019

ID 394784059 | Colorado Silver Plume © Mkopka | Dreamstime.com

Though a meager amount of gold was discovered in the Territory of Colorado as early as 1850 by a group of Georgian prospectors heading west during the California Gold Rush, it wasn't until 1859, when George Jackson followed the Clear Creek gorge and found a significant amount of gold, that the rush was on in Colorado. Thousands from all over the world flocked to the Rocky Mountains to find their fortunes.

All seemed to point to a thriving region until the gold bubble burst in 1864, and the investment capital necessary to keep going never paid off in revenues. Many other investors pulled out.

Then, in the fall of 1864, three prospectors—Robert Steele, James Huff, and Robert Taylor—discovered an extremely rich silver lode called the Gus Belmont Lode eight miles south of Georgetown on Mount McClellan at 13,200 feet. They headed to Central City to have their samples assayed, discovering a preliminary value of $200 to $500 per ton. The silver boom was on.

ID 199624040 | Silver © Roberto Junior | Dreamstime.com

Once again, prospectors from every corner of the globe flocked to the region, and by September 1866, Clear Creek County was declared “indisputably” rich in ores by Central City’s Weekly Miners’ Register. Georgetown flourished, as clapboard buildings, housing, banks and business enterprises sprang up in a growing business district. Mining camps popped up everywhere--Bakerville, Brownville, Simplem, Silver Dale, and others. 

Historic Business District, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery, December 2024

Finally, in 1869, two men, Charles A. Kimberlin and Col. Ambrose H. Bartlett from Doniphon County, Kansas, decided to establish a town in a small, wide spot in a valley half a mile east of the mines and buildings in Brownville and three miles west of Georgetown.

Things started slowly in Silver Plume, with Kimberlin constructing only one or two buildings in 1869, though one reporter was impressed by the completed work on a school building before finishing his own residence. (The original schoolhouse was a simple wood-frame structure that remained in use until the brick building we see today on Main Street was built in 1874.)

"View from Silver Plume, looking up." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1850 - 1930.NY Digital Library

Only a handful of buildings were built in 1870, but by the fall of 1870, they started to talk of building a hotel, and the town became known as Silver Plume.

By 1872, the town was up and running with a tightly packed commercial district, fifty to sixty residences, four to five hundred residents, and plans for a town government. In that same year, Silver Plume was incorporated.* See note below.

By the 1880s, the town grew quickly as silver mines proliferated in the mountains surrounding Silver Plume. Georgetown may have been the commercial center of Clear Creek County, but Silver Plume was also a cosmopolitan, multicultural, multilingual town comprising working-class miners and their families, a few merchants, and other entrepreneurs. At its peak, the population grew to well over two thousand people.

Original Road to the 7:30 Mine Trail: "Laden with ore from "Seven-thirty" mine, Silver Plume, Colorado." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 

Integral to the town's growth and importance to Clear Creek County's silver mining industry was the Silver Plume-Georgetown Loop Railroad. It enabled miners to efficiently move their silver nuggets to smelters and markets.

Completed in 1884 by the Colorado Central Railroad, the three-foot narrow-gauge railroad was one of the American West's greatest engineering feats, with a 640-foot elevation gain between Silver Plume and Georgetown. The railroad used loops, switchbacks, and a high bridge, called the Devil's Gate High Bridge, to gradually accomplish the elevation gain.

"Great loop of the Silver Plume, Colorado." The New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Unfortunately, the entire world fell into deep economic depression in 1893, and silver was devalued. Neither Silver Plume nor Georgetown recovered from the devaluation, and only a handful of mines survived.

Today, tourism keeps the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic District alive. Visitors can take a step back in history and ride the narrow-gauge train between Georgetown and Silver Plume, stopping to tour a mine on the Georgetown Loop, or walk the historic streets of Silver Plume and buy coffee in the old saloon. For the adventurous at heart, one can hike one of several trails up the surrounding mountains and view numerous ruined mines in the area. One of the most popular is the 7:30 Mine Trail, which is 3.5-mile round-trip trail to the restored 7:30 Mine. 

*Note: Silver Plume disincorporated in 1874, when they realized they weren't ready for self-rule, but incorporated again on August 19, 1880.

Georgetown Loop Railroad, Silver Plume: Donna's Gallery, Summer 1995

Donna Hiking the 7:30 Mine Trail and Stopping at an Old Abandoned Mine: Donna's Gallery, June 2019

Donna is an Angel-award-winning author of Historical fiction for A Song of Deliverance. Book Two in the Silver Singing Mine series, Rhythms of the Heart, was released in November 2025. Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before becoming a full-time writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. 

Donna and her husband of forty-one years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

Mid-Month Madness!

 

We really appreciate you coming by!

We will be giving away books so be sure to pay attention about how to enter. To enter for a chance to win, you MUST leave a comment WITH your EMAIL and you MUST ask one or more of the authors a question you’d like to know about them, their writing, or their books.

We are looking forward to getting to know you better and hope you’ll get to know us better, too!

Be sure to drop by the Facebook Party for a chance to mingle with the authors 

and nab even more great giveaways!

The party is today from 5:00 to 6:30 PM Eastern Time.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1770933813056488

A hybrid author, Donna Schlachter writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She loves history and finds herself contemplating how it was to live in the 1800’s. Only sitting still when reading a book, watching movies with her family, or taking in the latest musical theater show, Denise resides in Southern California where she enjoys date nights with her husband at their happy place. Every year Denise chooses a word to focus on. She loves to share her learnings about that word throughout the year on her blog and social media.

 

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII.

 

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who seeks to encourage and inspire through story. With over 15 years in ministry, he brings a unique perspective on people and Biblical history. He holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, focusing on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship. Married with three children who bring him joy and inspiration, Matthew treasures sharing stories they can learn from. In his writing, he aspires to minister with love, equip with encouragement, and use his God-given gift to help readers encounter HIM in real and meaningful ways.

Cactus Lil and the City Slicker: 

A rough-and-tumble cowgirl, “Cactus” Lil Duncan longs for true love, but is afraid to let down her prickly exterior when a city slicker from New York City, with less-than-honorable intentions, tries to win her trust and her hand.

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When Plans Go Awry: 

She planned on independence. He vowed never to love. God had other ideas.

 

Olivia Carmichael flees her past to become the schoolmarm in the small ranching town of Washton, determined to live quietly and never depend on anyone again. Luke Taylor chose a mail-order bride to help care for his sisters. He didn’t plan to have to guard his heart—or the beautiful new teacher who unsettles his carefully laid plans. As Olivia’s resolve is tested and Luke’s expectations unravel, the meddling town—and its infamous rooster—may help them discover that God’s plans are far better than their own.

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Love’s Rescue

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp? Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods.

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The Cyprus Journal

One Young Man. His Significant Story. A Witness of the Early Church.

Many knew him as the young cousin to Barnabas the Encourager, the son of Mary who offered her home to honor the Savior and those who followed Him, or even the man who abandoned Paul on his First Missionary Journey, but there is more to his story. His story is one of new beginnings, a promise fulfilled, and a man who overcame fear of the unknown.

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How An Average Nineteenth-Century Man from France Built One of the Most Renown Hotels in America

By Donna Wichelman

Rated among the fifteen most favorite local art businesses in the United States of America, the nineteenth-century Hotel De Paris in Georgetown, Colorado, has always maintained a first-class reputation. Though it has been owned and operated as a museum by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America since 1954, the Hotel De Paris remains one of the best-preserved nineteenth-century hotels in the United States.

Hotel De Paris, Georgetown Colorado: Donna's Gallery, December 2019

But how did the hotel rise from the site of the Delmonico Bakery in October 1875 to become a first-class hotel and restaurant in this gold and silver mining town of 1879? To understand the origins of the Hotel de Paris, we must develop a picture of the man known to Georgetown residents as Louis Dupuy, who conceived it.

Born Adolphe Francois Gerard in October 1844 in Alencon, France, Adolphe came from parents of average means who operated an inn. After his father's death, his mother encouraged Adolphe to enter a Catholic seminary at age fifteen. However, the priesthood didn't suit him, and by age twenty, he left the seminary at Sées and headed to Paris.

Louis Dupuy (a.k.a. Adolphe Francois Gerard: Photo on the Wall of the Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

In Paris, Adolphe served as an apprentice chef at a large hotel and learned how to prepare fine French cuisine. However, seeking to improve his English fluency, he left France for London, England, where he worked at a newspaper, translating reviews.

But as a free spirit will be, Adolphe moved on to New York City in 1866 and worked for another newspaper. However, caught selling an article he didn't write, Adolphe enlisted in the Army in disgrace, and in August 1868 was assigned to the cavalry at Fort Russell (now Warren Air Force Base) near Cheyenne, Wyoming. By now, we can anticipate Adolphe's pattern of moving on and deserting, and indeed, he went AWOL from the cavalry on April 1, 1869, finding his way to Denver, where he called himself Louis Dupuy to hide from the government.

Yet Louis's (a.k.a. Adolphe) passion for research and writing hadn't waned, and he wrote an in-depth article about a political controversy in France that caught the attention of W.N. Byers of the Rocky Mountain Newspaper. Byers liked Louis so well that he assigned him to report on the new mining districts across Colorado. For more than a year, Louis rode a mule throughout the region until he came to Georgetown, a city of five thousand people.

Unlike the other mining towns Louis had visited, Georgetown was a bustling metropolis of homes and businesses with an international flair. This appealed to him, and he took a job as a miner at a mine near Silver Plume. But on March 6, 1873, a delayed reaction of dynamite caused an explosion in the mine. Louis saved his partner by pushing him away, taking the brunt of the explosion.

News of what Louis had done spread throughout the community, and people treated him as a hero. It was during his convalescence that Louis finally found his mission in life. "In this land of gold and silver, we should live like princes. We should have a great hostelry and the best of wines. While we cannot have the masterpieces of Michelangelo and Cellini, we can at least have the reproductions. I would have a library, and the thoughts of the best authors of the Old World would be upon its shelves."

Therefore, when an advertisement appeared in the Colorado Miner soliciting help from his fellow citizens to pay the rent on the building that housed the former Delmonico Bakery, everyone gathered around to support Louis's proposal for a first-class hotel.

Luxury Hotel Room, Hotel De Paris, Georgetown Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

State of the Art Kitchen, Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Collection

Thus began a project that took shape in stages over the next four years in which Louis added onto the original building, initially doing all the work himself, remodeling and improving and paving the way for one of the finest hotels and restaurants in the region, evoking a picture of the inns one might find in Louis' home in Normandy, France. Indeed, he had been known to say, "Show them this little souvenir of Alencon which I built in America, and they will understand.


Louis's dream was realized over the years until his death from pneumonia on October 13, 1900. He built his library with books by the best authors from around the world on his shelves. He also continued to invest in the hotel, providing state-of-the-art rooms with all the accoutrements and serving the restaurant's patrons from a state-of-the-art kitchen, offering the finest French and Western wines and cuisine available in the New World, and the most elegant crystal and china one could buy.

Library at Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

After Louis died, the hotel passed to Sophie Gally, who died only four months after Dupuy. It went to her nieces, and then was first rented, then sold, to the Burkholder family, who ran the hotel until 1949 when it closed. The hotel fell into disrepair until the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Colorado bought the hotel and restored it to the excellently kept museum it is today. The Hotel De Paris is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It contains ninety percent of its original furnishings.

Dining Room Hutch with Fine Crystal, Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery 2018

Donna is an Angel-award-winning author of Historical fiction for A Song of Deliverance. Book Two in the Silver Singing Mine series, Rhythms of the Heart, was released in November 2025. Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before becoming a full-time writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. 

Donna and her husband of forty-one years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

Mid-Month Madness!

We really appreciate you coming by!

We will be giving away books so be sure to pay attention about how to enter. To enter for a chance to win, you MUST leave a comment WITH your EMAIL and you MUST ask one or more of the authors a question you’d like to know about them, their writing, or their books.

We are looking forward to getting to know you better and hope you’ll get to know us better, too!

Be sure to drop by the Facebook Party for a chance to mingle with the authors and 

nab even more great giveaways!

The party is today from 5:00 to 6:30 PM Eastern Time.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1770933813056488

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who seeks to encourage and inspire through story. With over 15 years in ministry, he brings a unique perspective on people and Biblical history. He holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, focusing on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship. Married with three children who bring him joy and inspiration, Matthew treasures sharing stories they can learn from. In his writing, he aspires to minister with love, equip with encouragement, and use his God-given gift to help readers encounter HIM in real and meaningful ways.

 A hybrid author, Donna Schlachter writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.

 Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII.

 Liisa Eyerly’s books are a cross between Agatha Christie and Francine Rivers. Her mystery novel, Obedient Unto Death, won the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for a debut novel and first place in Spiritual Fiction. Fortunes of Death, continues the Secrets of Ephesus series, weaving Christian twists into the historical mystery genre of the first-century Roman Empire. Liisa’s travels to Turkey, Greece, and Italy have enriched her stories with vivid depictions of New Testament culture, history, and people. She’s been a teacher and librarian. She and her husband live in northern Wisconsin, where the long winters are conducive to writing.

For over 40 years, Tom Goodman has served as a pastor in Louisiana, the Cayman Islands, and Texas. His Spur Award-winning debut novel is called The Last Man. It is closely based on a true crime from 1927 that the press called “The Santa Claus Bank Robbery.” Tom is the author of several nonfiction books and articles, including over 50 entries in the Lifeway men’s devotional magazine called Stand Firm.

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for family, faith, facts and fiction. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest." She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and two boys. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her website and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

Hope of Inheritance

Silas, Luke, John-Mark, and Timothy, all knew Peter and Paul and the message God spoke through them. The time for these four individuals to stand in the gap between faith and reality has finally come. Will they complete this mysterious letter before they are all killed just like those who came before them? This story is the epic journey these four brothers in Christ, and their scribe, experienced as God prepared their hearts to write that Letter and how HE led them through it. Are you ready for the 

Journey? The Hope of your Inheritance is waiting for you.

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A Pink Lady Thanksgiving

Kate and Tom McBride, along with their newborn, settle into life in Oregon City, Oregon in November 1879. Kate enjoys being a wife, mother, and homemaker, but she still remembers her fanciful dreams: to solve mysteries. Her first case is to find the missing fiancée of a local banker. Tom, however, isn’t sure this is a good idea, particularly when somebody throws a fiery bomb into their home. They learn that their pasts may not be as far behind them as they’d hoped. Can they solve these mysteries and get on with their lives?

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Love and Chocolate

Ilsa Krause’s father left massive debt behind upon his death. To pay off the creditors, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised. To make matters worse, her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who dumped her. Can life get any more difficult?

Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates and plans to climb the ladder of success. Then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. She makes it clear she has no interest in a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

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Obedient unto Death

The award-winning Secrets of Ephesus series unveils gripping mysteries set in the perilous world of ancient Rome. In Obedient unto Death, a scribe is murdered during an illicit Christian gathering. Sabina, a fearless believer, navigates a treacherous world of deceit and betrayal to discover the killer. In Fortunes of Death, our sleuth returns—risking everything to expose murder, magic, and corruption beneath the empire’s glittering surface. Reviewer Deborah Anne raves: “Murder mystery—Intrigue—Love—Fellowship through Christ. This series has it all! Eyerly is wonderful! If you’re tired of boring—read this series! I love a good mystery!” Prepare to be hooked!

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The Last Man

When Santa Claus enters a Texas bank just before Christmas in 1927, no one expects him to pull a gun. His fake beard hides his identity while he and three other bandits take everything. Escaping with hostages, they soon have the whole Lone Star state on their trail. Closely based on a true story, the Spur Award-winning novel, The Last Man is a gritty Prohibition-era Western novel filled with flawed characters and second chances.

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The Swaddling Clothes

Through the ages, men have told many stories about Mary, Joseph, and the birth of the Messiah. Stories of shepherds and sheep, kings, angels, and stables. But one story no one has ever told. One story hidden in the fabric of time. The story of The Swaddling Clothes. Mentioned not once, but several times in the Scriptural text, what is the significance of these special cloths? And how did they make their way into a stable in Bethlehem? Reviewers call it "A surprisingly sweet treasure that deftly weaves fiction and Scripture." It's a Christmas adventure you won't want to miss.

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