Seeing the Light by Christine Johnson

Lighthouses that is. These structures hold a special place in my heart. I grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan and would look for the light of the offshore lighthouse when it came on after dark. There’s something comforting about that reliable light warning ships and boats away from danger as well as guiding them to safe harbor.

During my sailing days when I was much younger, a lighthouse was a fixed point by which I could measure progress. Each one passed was a milestone. Others indicated where safe harbor could be found.

So when this Labor Day weekend our bicycle ride ended up at a lighthouse, I was overjoyed! We didn’t realize the bike path ended there, so it was a double treat. It was also a lighthouse that I had not visited yet. This one is located on the shores of Lake Huron. 

Forty Mile Point Lighthouse was built in 1896 and, to my delight, still has the foghorn building, bunkhouse, and oil house onsite. The lighthouse is now a museum and open to the public.

Note the foghorns above the door

Lighthouses are often a symbol of the Lord’s guidance and one symbol that I treasure. When life’s storms hit, we need that Light to guide us to safety. His Truth held me above the waves during recent battles with depression and anxiety. I would have been lost and broken apart on the rocks without His presence and guidance. 

I love to include lighthouses in my stories, so I'm thrilled that the real-life location for my Boom Town Brides series had a lighthouse. Actually, it had more than one over time. The first lighthouse collapsed when the sand eroded. The second lighthouse was built farther from the water atop a dune and is the one that existed at the time of my stories. See this article for a picture of it. 

http://www.lakeeffectliving.com/Feb11/Lighthouses-Saugatuck.html

I mention the lighthouse throughout the series, but look for it to play a larger role in the third and fourth books of the series. Book 3 is currently slated to be released in June of 2017.

Have you ever visited a lighthouse? Which is your favorite?

Christine Johnson

Mail Order Mommy (Nov. 2016)

Honor Redeemed  (Revell, July 2016)

Mail Order Mix-Up (April 2016)

http://christineelizabethjohnson.com

Letting Story Ideas Bubble and Simmer

With my sixth Boardinghouse Betrothal book, A Nanny for Keeps, out this month, I've been thinking

about how this series began. When 9/11 happened, my heart went out to the people in New York City as I'm sure was the case with most people in our country. As I watched them help each other while grieving over what had happened, I became more and more interested in the city and the history there.

As a writer I kind of knew I wanted to set a story there but it took years for the idea to expand into what the series has become. We lived down south at the time and after Katrina, when my husband retired in 2006, our family moved to Oklahoma. It was there that the story ideas began to bubble to the surface. Here and there, in bits and pieces. A character here, a plot there. A profession added in, then a backstory--or the other way around.

One thing I knew for sure was that I wanted these stories set at the turn of the century when women were coming to New York City from all over to join the workforce, but I wasn't sure just how to connect them.  And then in 2010, I saw a book advertised in Victorian Home magazine. It was called A New Light on Tiffany- Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls, and I quickly ordered it.  Among so many other things, I learned that Clara lived in a boardinghouse and even met her husband there. The book and the photographs in it gave me such a feel for the city at that time--ideas for all kinds of work women could be doing began to simmer and I knew a series was in the making. I'd have a Tiffany girl in one for sure--and I did, but she didn't stay there long. She and Clara showed up in A Place of Refuge, book 2 of the series.
But at that time, I still wasn't sure just how to connect the stories.

And then, as most writers can relate to, just before I fell asleep or woke up--I can't remember which--only that I was in bed, it was as if the Lord was nudging me, telling me what should have been obvious by now. The connection was with the boarding house!
Oh my, I can't tell you how thrilled I was to have those pieces fall in place and I couldn't wait to get started! And I did, writing with joy and enthusiasm I hadn't experienced for a while!

I've so loved writing this series and although my editors have decided that they'd like me to move on  to something else and the Love Inspired Historical series stops with this book, the series will continue on. Instead of Boardinghouse Betrothals, they will now be called Heaton House and I'll be able to 'link' them to the LIH series. I hope my readers will be glad to know that the series will continue as long as there are stories to tell. Next up is Julia's story. It's about time, don't you think? I have ideas for more, of course, but if you have any ideas for more Heaton House stories you'd like to read, I'd love to hear them!

And for those writers out there who have an idea that hasn't come together yet, but just thinking about excites you, don't put it away--just let it keep simmering until it does!

Oh, and I could use some ideas for new LIH proposals as I haven't come up with anything that excites me just yet. Anywhere you'd like to see a new series set?  City life, out west or where? Time period? Late 1800s, early 1900s, or something else? I'd love to hear those, too!

Until next time,

Janet Lee Barton

Spotting That New Release

• Hi Everyone,

I was so excited to see my newest release, A DAUGHTER'S RETURN, in my local Wal-mart along with the other LIH's that came out this month! I think that's as exciting as receiving the first copies of my book. I'll be looking at the other two Wal-marts I sometimes go to this week to see if they are on the selves there, too. And I'd love to know if you've seen it in your area.

This story was special to me because we've known about Rebecca since the beginning, and wondered what happened to her. Even after she was found, we didn't know everything and this is a new beginning for her.

I love writing the Bordinghouse Betrothal series for LIH! And I so enjoy doing research for them. I just turned in the next story in this series (no title just yet) but it will be a November release. I was thrilled to write Christmas into it and much of my research revolved around Macy's. I loved finding out that they were doing their Christmas windows long before my story which takes place in 1897. They had a Santa Clause in their store before then, too. And they were very good to their employees. One of them, Emily, lives at Heaton House and I think she may have to have her own story one of these days.  Do you think a window dresser would be an interesting occupation? I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions for occupations you'd like to see represented in this series!

Until next time,
Janet Lee Barton