Welcome Michelle De Bruin to today’s blog!

Michelle De Bruin is.a writer of Christian historical fiction. She has graciously agreed to answer my questions about her book and writing. Set in 1910 in a farming community, a young pastor returns home to help his mother and sister with the family’s dairy farm following his father’s unexpected death. As he deals with his family’s financial difficulties, his own internal struggles, and the hardships of daily life on the farm, he meets a young teacher from Chicago whose own life has taken an unexpected turn. The attraction is strong, but they have obstacles in their relationship. I have read this book and enjoyed it very much. To learn more about Michelle, her writing process, and her book, read on!

Tell us a little about yourself. I am Michelle De Bruin. I lead worship on Sundays, and am the spiritual services provider for an organization that offers services for people with mental and physical disabilities. I’m married to my husband Tom, and we have two teenage sons.

When did you first become interested in writing? I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, going to writer’s conferences for grade schoolers and keeping journals.

Was there a particular author who influenced you? Yes. Fiction writers: Janette Oke and Karen Wittemeyer. Non-fiction writers include Anne Graham Lotz, Timothy Keller, and Dallas Willard. 

What genres do you write? Historical fiction

What book(s) have you written? One book so far, with the title Hope for Tomorrow.

Describe your writing process. First, I make a basic outline with everything that I would like to have happen in the story. This helps me get a sense of the motivations, the goals, and the conflicts of the characters. Next, I decide the spiritual truths the story will communicate and further develop the characters. Third, I construct a timeline and solidify the story structure. Next, I write everything out in pencil on lined 5 ½ by 8 ½ paper scene by scene, until I’ve completed an entire chapter. Then I type it into my ongoing manuscript on Microsoft word. I self-edit as I go and then will do a complete read through before submitting it to the publisher.

What personal interests or hobbies do you have that find their way into your writing?

I enjoy studying Scripture as part of my spiritual services position. I also play piano and provide music for Sunday morning services. I like flowers, garden produce, and good cooking even though I’m not that great at any of those things.

What resources to you use when researching for a project? Books about vintage clothing, memoirs of people who lived on farms in the early 20^th century, and local history books.

Which of your books do you want us to know more about? Tell us about it. Since I only have one book published to date, I will tell you about that one. It is the one I mentioned earlier, Hope for Tomorrow. It is set in 1910 in a farming community. My own family history inspired me to choose the era and develop the characters. Whispers of my Dutch heritage are present in the book through the names I chose for some of the characters, and in the hero’s occupations, theology, and values. Hope for Tomorrow is the first in a series, so the following books go deeper into the hero’s background, bringing more of that heritage into the story.

We’d like to know more about you. Tell us your favorites in movies, music, vacation spots, food, books, etc. Anything you’d like.

My favorite movies are the three in the Despicable Me series. Hilarious! The little yellow minions are charming, and I love the idea of a bad guy who is too much of a softy to be a true villain. 

Music: Jim Brickman piano music

Vacation spot: Michigan Great Lakes

Food: Pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls, and anything lemon flavored

Books: Historical fiction and non-fiction books on leadership

Life is very busy for most of us. How do you handle all the “busy-ness” in today’s society? Or is it an issue for you? I rely on resources like Ruth Haley Barton’s Sacred Rhythms book, and Richard Foster’s Celebration of the Disciplines to help me. I’ve found that if I have some spiritual practices in place, I can better pay attention to my need for rest and stay aware of who and what I love most. I set my priorities from there.

What advice do you have for anyone interested in becoming a writer? 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.

How can we find you and your books on social media and the internet?

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hope-for-tomorrow-michelle-de-bruin/1129589055?ean=9781945094583

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Tomorrow-Michelle-Bruin/dp/1945094583?keywords=Michelle+De+Bruin&qid=1539824352&sr=8-1-fkmrnull&ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1

Michelle’s website: https://michelledebruin.com/

Michelle on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDeBruinsAuthorPage/

Michelle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleDAuthor

Thank you for participating in my blog! Is there anything you would like to add?

Thanks for having me, Pam!