Lynn Austin has sold nearly two and a half million copies of her books worldwide. She has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction and was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. Lynn and her husband have three grown children and four grandchildren. They are avid bicyclists and make their home in western Michigan, where they love exploring its many trails. Visit her online and sign up for her monthly newsletter at lynnaustin.org.
FF: What first sparked the idea for this dual-timeline story set in Michigan’s lumber era?
I live in Michigan, which is well-known for its lakes and parks and natural beauty. I happened to see a photograph of the devastation left behind after millions of acres of trees, hundreds of years old, were chopped down during the state’s lumbering boom in the 1870s. I wanted to learn more about this era of greed in my state’s history. I thought it would be fun to compare the lumber barons, who destroyed so much land, with modern-day conservationists who work to preserve and restore it.
FF: You’ve written across many historical periods. What drew you to this particular frontier setting?
The setting in a Michigan lumbering town is based on a real city on Lake Michigan that prospered during this era, when much of the state was still a wilderness. I was fascinated by the contrast between thriving cities like New York, where Hannah and her husband came from, and the still-primitive conditions in parts of the United States where people were settling.
FF: Hannah and Ashley live in very different worlds, yet their stories echo each other in powerful ways. What connects them at the heart level?
Much is different between Hannah’s life in 1873 and Ashley’s in the present day, but the things they care about are still the same. They are both learning about marriage, and love, and the compromises that marriage entails. Both have made the move to Michigan because of their husband’s work, and are trying to adjust to their new, altered life. The importance of friendship also connects them, especially as they wrestle with matters of faith. And home unites them and is important to them. They live in the same house but 150 years apart from each other.
FF: Many of your novels feature women finding strength through faith and friendship. How do those themes evolve in this book?
Both Hannah and Ashley wrestle with difficult events in their lives, and their faith is challenged. Through their friendships—Ashley with Freida, and Hannah with Kate—they grow in faith, and are helped in making their very complex decisions.
FF: Your novels often explore how faith anchors people in times of upheaval. How do Hannah and Ashley each experience that in their journeys?
Hannah is wrestling with disappointment with God, and she feels estranged from Him. Through the difficult events and challenges that she faces, she will be forced to re-examine her beliefs and decide if she can trust God. Ashley is not a believer, initially. She also faces challenges, and through her friendship with Freida, a Christian, she begins to see faith in God in new ways.
FF: How do you hope this story speaks to readers?
First, I always hope to give readers a satisfying story that makes them laugh, makes them cry, and makes them think. These are qualities that I enjoy in the books I read. After that, I hope it will speak to readers about the partnerships and sacrifices in marriage. In a good marriage, each spouse encourages the other to grow and to pursue their God-given purpose. I also hope readers will reflect on the sanctity of life, and on the God who created us and loves us.
FF: What did you like most about writing your novel, and why?
Because I usually write historical fiction, I really enjoyed writing the present-day storyline. It was a new challenge for me. And I loved looking for ways to tie the present day and historical storylines together.
FF: Can you give us a glimpse into what story or historical period is next for you?
I’m currently working on a story about three women who enlist in the US Army Signal Corps during World War I and are sent to France as telephone switchboard operators. They end up in some dangerous situations close to the front lines—and it’s based on a true story!
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