Welcome to my second (?) nearest Christian Historical Fiction writing neighbor, fellow Kansan, Kim Vogel Sawyer. (Amanda Wen lives closer. :)) Kim doesn’t know this, but I went to my very first writing conference because she was the keynote speaker. I recognized her name, so I figured she would know things I needed to know. I can’t really remember much from that far back, but I do remember learning how much she liked purple, and so I found it endearing that she answered the Index interview questions in purple. Very Kim.
Since that conference, I’ve done several signing events with her, and frankly, I’m happy to sign up for signing events if she’s involved because lots of people come to her events since she’s one of the nicest people and she has lots of connections in Kansas and they’re loyal and come to see her. Makes for busy signings. 🙂 Anyway, without subjecting you to more of my rambling, welcome to the Index, Kim!
 Colorado , 1910s , 1914-1918 (US WWI) , Guide, Scientist , Mental Problems , Sawyer-Kim Vogel |
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Since an accident left her father unable to work, Jennie Ward has taken on the demanding task of inspecting the isolated seven-mile wooden pipeline that supplies water to Cañon City, Colorado. Despite her responsibilities, Jennie harbors dreams of going back to school and longs for something even simpler: a friend. One day, in a moment of impulsive and seemingly hopeless prayer, she asks God for companionship. Her prayer is answered almost immediately with the arrival of Leo Day, a paleontology student searching for ancient bones buried along the ridges of the wild Arkansas River. Despite her long workdays, Jennie agrees to guide Leo in his quest. As Jennie navigates her burgeoning friendship with Leo and her unwavering loyalty to her father, she finds herself torn. Leo, who longs for his own father’s approval, could change all Jennie knows. It’s undeniable that God has intertwined their paths, but to what end? With so much at stake, what does He truly intend for the preacher’s son and the linewalker’s daughter to uncover? |
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Questions about Kim’s Story
What inspired this story?
My husband took me on an historical train ride along the Arkansas River for our 35th anniversary. When I spotted remnants of a battered, wooden pipeline, I broke out in story bumps—I had to know what that unusual pipe was all about. Research provided the answers, and a story took form in my imagination.
Is there anything in this book that is inspired by/modeled after something in your own life or someone you know in real life?
Actually, there are two: 1) One of my daughters suffers from seasonal depression, so the winter months are hard on her. In the valley where the characters lived, sunlight only penetrated their home two hours of the day! Knowing how hard that would be on my daughter influenced Claude’s character. 2) My dad teaches how science and the Bible actually align rather than conflict; some of his teachings worked their way into the story through Leo’s character.
Did you stumble upon anything in your research for this book that made you sad?
The mindset toward and treatments for mental illnesses at the turn of the century were very disheartening. We’ve come a long way in treatments; we still need progress in mindset toward people who suffer from mental illness.
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Questions about Kim’s Reading
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What other Christian Historical Novels are similar to yours in setting or storyline? The titles in Kimberly Woodhouse’s Treasures of the Earth Series are probably the most similar to my story.
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What Christian Historical Novel taught you something about the craft of writing because it was so well done? Tell us a bit about what it taught you. When I read Winter Birds by Jamie Langston Turner, I was so taken I ended up reading it three times in a row in an attempt to understand why it so captured me. The characterization—deep and authentic—let me relate completely to Sophia even though we had nothing in common. The storyline flowed forward seamlessly even with Sophia’s internal forays into the past. Although some of the problems weren’t solved, I was still completely satisfied at the story’s end. It truly inspired me to go deeper with my characters and seek a satisfying closing rather than one tied up in a neat (and perhaps unrealistic) bow.
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What was the last Christian Historical Novel that you read that taught you something you didn’t know? What did you learn? I’m a World War II buff and am fairly knowledgeable about the time period, but the inclusion of a facility for children with Down Syndrome included in Liz Tolsma’s A Picture of Hope took me by surprise. I was aware that Hitler sought to eradicate more than the Jewish people; he also targeted any he considered “inferior.” Sadly, people with disabilities were included on his list, but I hadn’t realized there were facilities specifically for people with Down Syndrome. Since I have a heart for people with the syndrome (my first contracted novel included a man with Down Syndrome), I was both intrigued and touched by that aspect of the well-written story.
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Kim is giving away either a paperback (USA Only). Enter the Rafflecopter below!
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