Interview with Susan G. Mathis & a Giveaway

Enjoy this interview with Susan G. Mathis, best-selling inspirational historical fiction author, and learn about her new release, Emma’s Engagement.

Be sure to leave a comment below by February 4 for a chance to win an ebook of Libby’s Lighthouse, the first book in her Love at a Lighthouse series.

Welcome, Susan. Let’s jump in with you sharing what made you decide to be a writer.

I taught Language Arts to middle schoolers for nine years, wrote curriculum for ACSI for five years, then became editor/editorial director at Focus on the Family for nearly a dozen years. So, I’ve had over 1,000 articles and fifteen non-fiction books published. I guess I’ve always had that desire, but when I started writing fiction, I was hooked!

Yes, fiction is a completely different style of writing, isn’t it? I love it too. Congratulations on recently releasing Emma’s Engagement, the third novel of a three-book series! Give us a quick snapshot of this series, then we’ll talk more about the latest book.

Throughout the Love at a Lighthouse series, we join the Row-family women, Libby, Julia, and Emma, as they navigate the isolation, danger, and hope for lasting love at three different Thousand Island lighthouses in the St. Lawrence River. [Note: The books can be read in any order.]

Sounds intriguing! What inspired you to write Emma’s Engagement?

I have visited Rock Island Lighthouse a number of times, and it’s a beautiful lighthouse. It’s along the main shipping channel and it’s a New York State Park accessible by boat, so it’s a great place to visit. When I was asked to write a lighthouse series, I just had to write about it!

Why did you write about the Diepolder’s being a stepfamily?

The Diepolder’s story is true, though I had to imagine some of the details. Not only did I grow up in a stepfamily and became a stepfamily when I married Dale, but my late husband and I wrote, The Remarriage Adventure, a premarital book for couples getting ready for remarriage. So, I had lots of fodder to explore the challenges of stepparenting.

What was your hardest scene to write? 

It’s always hard to inflict pain on the characters you’ve grown to love, so having Emma in so much pain from Ada’s rejection and the adjustment to a new marriage and stepparenting was difficult. As readers journey with her, they witness the challenges and the adjustments necessary. Her trials not only reveal Emma’s character but also influence her decisions and relationships throughout the story.

I’ve learned firsthand how trials have a way of revealing character! Very relatable. Why do you write about the Thousand Islands?

I grew up just twenty minutes from the Thousand Islands—the setting for all my stories—in upstate New York. Actually, half of the 1,864 islands are in NY and the other half in Ontario, Canada. So, I spent every summer and more exploring the beautiful region. I’ve stayed on several of the islands and camped and rented cottages there. So, after I wrote my debut novel about the largest island, Wolfe Island, I was hooked. There are so many fascinating stories to tell.

Now, I take an annual Thousand Islands Book Tour to the islands where I meet with fans, friends, and family. I’ve stayed in Singer Castle, Casa Blanca, and other places that are the settings of my book. I’ve talked with the owners of the islands, local historians, and researched in the Thousand Islands archives. 

All my novels are based on a specific place in the Thousand Islands and are the true stories of the owners of that island. So, my plot is generally true. Then I overlay the storyline of the fictional servants to create the story. This makes my stories a bit more challenging, but I love a good challenge.

Speaking of challenges. What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

Because I write about real places and people, I want to be as accurate as possible, so I have a Thousand Islands historian who reads my story for accuracy. I also like to incorporate as many historic details to make sure my details were correct, and this one took a lot of research since it’s now a privately owned island and lighthouse. Though it’s extra work, it always helps to check with the experts. 

I don’t write historical fiction, but I know accurate research is essential, and it’s a lot of work. What is the most difficult challenge with writing at this time in your career? 

Marketing. It’s an endless task but oh so necessary. If only I could jump into my story world and hang out with my characters all the time, it’d be heavenly. But…as we know…heaven comes later. 

There are so many more hats an author wears than just writing, but it’s all worth it when our stories encourage and bless others. What message do you hope readers take away from Emma’s Engagement?

All fourteen of my Thousand Islands’ stories have hope as the central theme. Hope for a better future. Hope for love. Hope for healing. Emma’s Engagement also focuses on a stepfamily family, healing broken hearts, forgiving those who hurt you, and embracing God’s redemption. 

Thanks so much for sharing with us this week, Susan. I wish you the best with your newest book and with all those yet to be written and published!

Join the conversation. Are you a historical fiction fan? Does a book following the challenges of navigating life as a stepfamily resonate with you? What questions or comments do you have for Susan?

Be sure to comment below by February 4 for a chance to win an ebook copy of the first book in Susan’s series, Libby’s Lighthouse. Learn more about the giveaway book HERE.

Emma’s Engagement by Susan G. Mathis

Click the book cover for purchase link

A lighthouse. A new wife. A jealous daughter. Can love shine through the darkness?

Emma Row yearns for a fresh start and a chance to build a loving family. But as she steps into her role as the Rock Island Lightkeeper’s wife, she finds herself navigating the treacherous waters of isolation and the bitter rejection of her new stepdaughter, Ada.

Michael Diepolder, the widowed lightkeeper, had hoped securing a companion would brighten his life and be a needed mother figure to his eleven-year-old daughter. Yet, as Emma struggles to adapt to the challenges of her new life, Michael realizes that the path to happiness is far more turbulent than he ever anticipated.

As a storm brews on the horizon, Emma and Michael must confront the tempestuous waves of doubt, jealousy, and isolation that threaten to extinguish the light of their love. Can they weather the storm and find the strength to keep their family together, or will the darkness consume them all?

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has thirteen in her Thousand Islands fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House, Libby’s Lighthouse, and Julia’s Joy, and Emma’s Engagement. 

Connect with Susan: Website | Author Central |  Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram| Goodreads l BookBub| Pinterest | 

Please share Susan’s interview on social media to help spread the word about her new release!

If you missed Jayna Breigh’s interview last week about her debut novel, The Hunted Heir, you can FIND IT HERE.