Erica Vetsch’s new book is a combo pack 3-in-1--three
short novels that comprise the book North
Star Brides (Barbour Publishing). Erica talked with us about the inspiration behind
this new Historical Romance.
Your novel is about some mismatched matchmaking.
What inspired this interesting plot?
I visited Duluth, the setting for
these stories, and was intrigued by the story of the shipwreck of the Mataafa.
I wondered what it must've been like to stand on shore, watching the ship, just
out of reach of rescue, being beaten apart by the waves, knowing there were
still men on board who were alive, praying they would be all right until the
storm blew out. That became the basis for the first of the stories, and the
next two grew out of that.
How does your faith influence your writing?
I tend to incorporate the faith
issues I've faced into my fiction. My characters tend to learn the lessons I've
either learned or am currently learning. My faith saturates my life and my worldview;
so naturally, it spills over into my writing.
What is the main theme of this book?
Since it is three novels in one,
each has its own theme, but the overarching theme, I believe, is the
Sovereignty of God. Other themes that appear are forgiveness, surrender, and
obedience.
Where do you get your best ideas?
Definitely from museums and history
books. I love touring museums and learning new things, and I love reading
history books, biographies, old newspapers and magazines. I often get story
ideas from a single object in a museum or tidbit from a newspaper article
written a hundred years ago.
What projects do you have in the works?
I have several projects out with
editors at the moment, and several more that I will be pitching at an upcoming
conference, and I'm currently working on a historical romance set in a
Victorian Tea Shop in St. Paul, MN. I'm trying to keep a lot of irons in the
fire as I wait on what direction God will have for my writing in the future.