While in Burundi, East Africa visiting family last summer, my sister-in-law Joy taught me how to screen print!
I’m not sure if Burundi has screen printing shops (I imagine they exist, but probably not many), but this undertaking is an example of the ingenuity embodied by expats (and immigrants) around the world who want to recreate things from their home countries.
The table was built from scratch for the purpose of screen printing, and the other tools were ordered online and brought over by friends. We brought the shirts and the ink in our suitcases, and I’m glad the ink didn’t explode all over our clothes in the plane! At least it’s washable before it sets…
Joy’s vision was to create matching t-shirts for our huge Johnson family reunion, which would take place in Tanzania soon after. So she created a custom t-shirt design and, along with me, her three boys, and some of her employees, spent a couple of days printing about 35 shirts.
I need to stop taking on new hobbies, but this was really fun. I’m resisting the urge to get my own screen printing stuff.
We also ended up tie-dying the white shirts once everyone was together, but that is another fun and messy story for another day.
Please don’t ask me why we look like we’re waiting to be gathered up by a galactic starship in a sci fi B movie
Today I am watching for the mail truck, awaiting the delivery of an Irish romance book I’ve been eagerly anticipating: The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel.
Not only does the heroine share my name (although spelled Brianna… sigh), but the book comes out the day after birthday, February 21!
While waiting for my copy to come in the mail (and while you’re waiting for yours!), I had the chance to interview Jennifer about her upcoming release.
1. The Maid of Ballymacool is set in 1930s Ireland. What is your favorite aspect of this setting?
It might be easier for me to say what I don’t love!
Seriously, though, I love just about everything involving a historical Irish setting.
One thing I enjoy about the 1930’s is that it’s not a time many people write about when it comes to Ireland. We tend to focus on the Great Hunger and the Irish War of Independence—and rightly so.
However, exploring more unfamiliar time periods really gets my imagination going—especially because rural Ireland was so much slower to get the more modern conveniences, so 1930 in County Donegal was more like the 1910’s were everywhere else in the world.
The Maid of Ballymacool is the featured novel in my March 2023 book box!
2. As a romance writer, you are a queen of love stories! What’s your own love story in a nutshell?
Awww, thank you! My love story began my freshman year of college, when I met my now-husband.
Though, really, it started much earlier in our lives, as both our parents had prayed for each of our future spouses. In fact, when we got engaged, my husband’s grandmother gave me a garter to wear on our wedding day that she had bought right after Seth was born. And then she’d prayed over me—even though she had no idea who I would end up being—every day.
But, once we met, it would be two more years before our romance really began to bloom. If we were a romance trope, it would be friends to lovers.
3. Each of your books shares vocabulary from the Irish tongue–your second language! What’s one of your favorite Irish terms or phrases?
Oh, there are so many! And I’ve added almost all my favorites in my books already. But there’s one that always makes me smile. When we were in our langauge class, we were talking about a specific area of County Clare called The Burren, and we were describing it.
I asked our teacher how to say “It’s unique.” He thought for a moment, and then answered: Níl a mhac a samhail in aon ait. It means, “There’s not the likes of it to be found anywhere.”
4. What do you hope readers will come away with after reading The Maid of Ballymacool?
My prayer for this book is that anyone who feels—or has ever felt—unseen, overlooked, or stuck in a seemingly impossible circumstance, would realize just how seen and loved they really are. And that they would turn to God to find it. And for those who are secure in who they are and how much they’re loved to reach out to those around them who don’t know.
If you’re putting The Maid of Ballymacool on your To Be Read list, here’s a tip– preorder before February 21 from Baker Book House and you’ll get 40% off and free shipping.
That’s just an economic measure, of course. It’s not a measure of natural resources, happiness, overall wellbeing, social health, satisfaction with one’s life, etc. Money’s not everything. But it does impact access to healthcare as well as the ability of people to pursue higher education that would lead to more nationals becoming healthcare professionals.
The long drive across Burundi
With a lack of access to healthcare, particularly in rural regions, many people suffer devastation from easily-treated diseases like malaria.
We’ve seen this happen even to our own family members, who, as expats with cars and insurance for medical evacuation, have far more access to medical treatment.
If you’ve been following our story for a while, you may have read about Ben’s near-death experiences growing up in sub-Saharan Africa.
Part of the reason for our trip to Africa was to tour hospitals and visit with doctors–both expat and national– to ask questions and see where Ben might be able to fit in the future, when we’ve paid off the student loans and are in a position to do medical ministry overseas.
Playing on a African hospital’s compound. In the background, Ben meeting with doctors from this hospital.
Planning to move overseas is complicated.
Hoping to do medical work is even more so. There are a lot of questions to consider.
What hospital/clinic has needs we can fill?
What sending organization do we go with?
Where will our family fit in?
Do we work for an international NGO or a local-run institution?
How much change can we handle right off the bat?
Will our kids be OK here? (This is the one that really weighs on my mind)
Expat doctors live and work on this compound
We came away with a lot of great options. Still, we have a lot of unanswered questions. That’s OK, because we have a lot of unpaid debt, too, so we have some time to figure out the best fit for us when we’re able to go overseas.
We haven’t taken meaningful steps toward moving yet, and James 4:14-15 is always in the back of my head when I talk about our hopes for the future.
Still, we get asked all the time: Why? Why would you want to give up your life in America and move somewhere like Burundi?
The surface-level answer is that Ben is from there. It is home. It was the plan all along and the only reason that Ben had any interest in slogging through eleven years of medical training.
The deeper answer is that Jesus is worth it.
I’ve discovered that answer is a great testimony to our faith and God’s glory. People can argue with your apologetics. But not with your personal experience of Jesus’ worthiness and your willingness to press into that with your own life decisions.
Why struggle on with a difficult season in marriage? Jesus is worth it. Why become a foster parent? Jesus is worth it. Why forgive the family member who hurt you deeply? Jesus is worth it. Why choose a career walking alongside hurting people? Jesus is worth it.
Friends, I don’t know what choices you’re making or what seasons you’re walking through. But I pray that wherever you’re choosing obedience to Christ, you’ll have the chance to give his name glory by telling others that Jesus is worth it.
If you’re a historical fiction fan, then you’ll love the Timeless books by Gabrielle Meyer. These split-time Christian romance novels take place in TWO or THREE historic eras–not just one!
After devouring book one, When the Day Comes, I was lucky enough to get to interview Gabrielle Meyer about book two, In This Moment, which releases in May of 2023.
In both When the Day Comes and In This Moment, the main characters are time crossers–individuals who have lives in more than one time period at a time. If you were a time-crosser, what other era would you like to live in?
I’ve thought about this question, and because I love several historical eras, it’s always hard for me to choose.
I think the one that is most appealing is the Gilded Age, from about 1880-1910. I love the industrial boom, the rise in recreational activities, traveling, and entertainment, and I love the clothing from that era.
Gilded Age fashion as depicted by Mary Cassatt
All in all, it was a prosperous and happy time for many Americans. They were between wars and starting to enjoy some of the modern conveniences we use today, like telephones, automobiles, and electricity.
In In This Moment, Maggie lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. If you could have dinner with anyone from any of these eras, who would you choose and why?
I would definitely say Abraham Lincoln, in 1861. He’s often touted as one of the greatest American presidents, but for good reason.
Everyone needs a photo with half their face and this book cover.
I loved researching this time period and learning more about him and Mary Todd Lincoln (most of it didn’t even appear in the book). I can’t imagine Lincoln’s job—he is truly a remarkable man that endured incredible hardship and heartbreak as an American president. I’d love to have dinner with him and Mary in the White House.
Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I write, because I feel like I did have dinner with them through my character, Maggie.
The first of your Timeless series, When the Day Comes, carries rich themes of surrendering self for others and surrendering to God’s plans. What spiritual message do you hope readers will take away from In This Moment?
I wanted the themes to be quite different between the two books, so in In This Moment, Maggie deals a lot with the idea that God hasn’t revealed His plan to her, so she’ll need to take several steps of faith.
Often, there are no clear cut right or wrong answers in life. This is true for Maggie. She loves each of her paths equally and doesn’t know which ones to give up. She does a lot of soul-searching, asks a lot of questions, but, in the end, she has to trust that she’s making the right choice.
I think this happens a lot in life—at least for me—and it was fun to explore this theme with Maggie.
Thanks for talking with me, Gabrielle! Can’t wait to read In This Moment.
If your interest is piqued, good news–preorders for In This Moment are currently 40% off, and you’ll get not only a bookplate signed by Gabrielle but also free shipping and a bookmark!
It’s that time of year! Yes, Christmas time–but also book giveaway time! You can enter the annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway here between today and December 12. And entries roll over, so the earlier you enter, the more days you’ll be entered to win!
This fall, I had the chance to meet and get to know Carmen Schober, contemporary Christian romance author of After She Fallsand Pretty Little Pieces, releasing in December!
Carmen writes gritty, edgy romance with Cuban-American characters–stories you are not going to want to miss!
I asked Carmen to share a little bit about her writing process for Pretty Little Pieces.
1. The protagonist of Pretty Little Pieces was called the next Joanna Gaines. I’m curious how much HGTV-watching went into the research of this book…and which shows are your favorite?
I used to live on HGTV-style shows! I don’t watch much TV anymore (looking at you, kids) but those shows are perfect for days when you just want something in the background, but you can also get super engrossed and have cozy day-in marathon.
I had a brief Fixer Upper phase, but my absolute favorites are Rehab Addict and While You Were Out (with the OG cast, not the new one.)
2. Naming novel characters (like naming kids) is HARD. You chose really cool names in Pretty Little Pieces. What’s your process? For novel characters and for kids, too!
They honestly just sort of come to me.
But I am a pretty avid Pinterest user and online shopper, so that gives me some good ideas (brands these days often name their products after women) but I usually start with a name that inspires me and then I use Nameberry to find names that sound like they belong in the same world.
Cassidy and Georgina from Pretty Little Pieces
3. Cara Putman’s review on Goodreads called Pretty Little Pieces “A story I kept coming back to because I cared about the characters.” Which character in the story do you love the most, and why?
I really do love Cassidy and Georgina individually and as a couple. Poppy was a joy to write too, and I so relate to Savannah in some ways, but Cass and Georgie stole the show…and my little hopeful romantic heart.
Pretty Little Pieces is the featured novel in my December Wings of the Morning book box. Get yours here! Use coupon BLACKFRIDAY for $5 off all weekend.
Mama Violette crafts these baskets using what my 11-year-old niece calls “goat rope” (rope made of fibers processed from sisal, a yucca-like plant), grass that grows near the river, and the plastic fiber from coffee sacks.
I asked Mama Violette where she learned to make these baskets. I expected a heartwarming answer about sitting long afternoons with her grandmother. However, she told me that she learned during her time in a refugee camp while Burundi was suffering through a civil war.
She takes apart the sacks and straightens the fibers. Most of them are white, but colorful plastic is also available for designs. The durable, waterproof plastic replaces traditional organic materials in most baskets I saw.
Recycling at its finest!
Mama Debo helped teach us to weave the baskets.
The basket starts with an inch or so of wrapping the plastic around the rope and grass. Coil the plastic-wrapped rope, thread the plastic through a needle, and stich the coil in place.
The rest of the basket is pretty simple–keep wrapping, putting a stitch through the last round each time. I noticed that Mama Debo and Mama Violette placed one stich evenly though each wrap on the coil below.
Making a basket takes a lot of time–a full day even for someone experienced. Later during our trip, I purchased a few small baskets from a roadside stand.
Can you guess how much one costs?
Two dollars. That’s all these women make from a day of hard work. That’s a typical wage for people in rural Burundi.
Mine wasn’t quite so neat, but it looked a lot better than my first attempt at a coil basket, which I tried to make with agave fibers from a plant in my yard. If you want to take a peek and laugh, visit this post.
One of my nieces added some color to her basket. I was endlessly impressed by her creativity and knack for crafting. Aside from her new skill of basketry, she actually processes “goat rope” from sisal herself, dyes it using natural pigments she makes from nature, and weaves them into bracelets.
Making a full basket would take a beginner like me days–even this little bit was the result of a couple of hours of work. So I decided to stop and turn it into a keychain.
Mama Violette helped me finish it off.
She and Mama Debo inspected my work, saying “Ni sawa.” I thought that meant I had not a fantastic job, but apparently it means. “That’s alright.” Hey, for a first attempt, I’ll take it!
Now, I carry around this little souvenir on my keys wherever I go!
However, my main takeaway from this project wasn’t a physical item, or even a new skill.
Even though I couldn’t have a conversation with Mama Debo or Mama Violette, they were content to sit on the porch with me and communicate however we needed to, patiently helping me learn each step of basketmaking. Despite the many differences in our lifestyles, experiences, and backgrounds, they did not make me feel like an outsider.
Instead, we enjoyed a project together, connecting over a shared interest.
No matter the differences between us, we have more in common than we might think.
Who knew you could meet an author in an elevator and end up being a huge fan of their books? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me when I ran into Ashley Clark at the ACFW conference this year.
I read her book Where the Last Rose Blooms in a single sitting. It was that good.
So I thought I’d invite Ashley to do an interview here so we can share this book with you and talk about some of the little-known historical facts behind its plot and characters!
Did you notice that her dress matches the dress on the book cover??
Hi Ashley! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions.
Thank you so much for having me, Breana! It was such fun to meet you at the ACFW Conference. I’m looking forward to chatting on the blog today.
I learned a lot about the messages of various flowers in Where the Last Rose Blooms. I had no idea a bouquet can actually be a secret code–which is exactly what ends up happening in your story!
What is your favorite flower, and what is the meaning behind it?
I had a great time researching flowers for Where the Last Rose Blooms, and I have to confess… I even bought my own flower dictionary!
Honestly, I love all flowers, but if forced to pick a favorite I’d probably choose peonies. I think their intricate petals are so stunning. They typically symbolize love, romance, and beauty, which makes them the perfect flower for weddings! Alice in Where the Last Rose Blooms probably sells a lot of them. 🙂
You named one of your characters “Ashley,” which was very Jane Austen of you. What’s the story behind giving a character the same name as yourself?
I am so glad you asked about Ashley’s character because there is a story behind this one!
Rose and Ashley are actually based on real people, who were named… you guessed it… Rose and Ashley!
History has left us very little information about their stories, but we do know a bit from the Ashley’s Sack artifact which was discovered at a flea market and is now on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C. I hope to see it in person someday!
Ashley’s cutting of the Peggy Martin Rose, which survived being underwater during Hurricane Katrina and plays a role in Where the Last Rose Blooms
I enjoy a good fictional romance, but it’s also fun to hear the love stories of real-life couples! Would you share yours?
My husband and I met in college at our campus ministry. He invited me to Starbucks after a prayer event, and I initially told him no because I needed to study… on a Saturday.
Y’all, I was such a nerd back then!
Okay, I’m still a nerd, but I digress… needless to say, he talked me into the shindig, and I remember calling my mom that night and telling her one of the “cool guys” had invited me to coffee. Ha!
He bravely learned to swing dance in the weeks that followed because he knew I used to dance every Friday night, but the real kicker was one rainy night at Steak and Shake… he pulled his car up close to the door so I wouldn’t get wet, and “coincidentally” had Switchfoot playing on his car radio. I think his great taste in music sealed the deal for me. Hahaha!
We’ve now been married thirteen years and have a seven year old son, as well as a senior cocker spaniel.
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Ashley as much as I did! If you want to know more about her books and flowers, you can follow her on Instagram or visit her website.
While we were having fun feeding goats and pigs, dozens of people were hard at work building bricks for the livestock project’s new building. The method used is basically the same as what you’d see in the Middle East or in pueblo ruins near my home in Arizona.
Making mudbricks at home in Arizona
I’ve made mudbricks before. The materials are cheap, but the labor is hard.
Here’s how to make mudbricks Africa style:
Saturate the dirt and mix it (usually with feet or a hoe) until it’s the right consistency.
Fill brick molds with mud and smooth it.
Wait for it to dry (a long, long time! I’ve heard it can take months).
Stack the bricks into a kiln and fire them.
Construct a building.
School was out for the summer, so there were a lot of kids helping. Summer vacation is not time for play in East Africa.
You might see women carrying bricks on their heads…I can’t imagine having that kind of strength!
There’s a story missionaries like to tell about a doctor whose patient had thrown out his back. “How did it happen?” the doctor asked. “Oh, I was helping my wife get a load on her head,” the patient replied.
I don’t know if it’s true, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Burundi’s culture celebrates work ethic, and you don’t have to look far to see people who embody that value.
Did you know that former Disneyland cast member Sara Ella, who played Alice, just released a retelling of Alice in Wonderland? Yes, that’s right! Alice herself wrote a book about Wonderland! Author Sara Ella was kind enough to answer a few questions about The Wonderland Trials:
Other than Alice, who’s your favorite character in The Wonderland Trials?
I feel like it’s no longer a spoiler to say Chess Shire, but to be safe I won’t say why. 😉
I’ll also say Madi Hatter because she’s the opposite of me and reminds me of one of my dear friends who always makes me feel bold and brave when she’s around.
And then I have to mention Charlotte. As a mom, I relate a lot to her character.
I guess that’s more than one, haha. I love them all!
Sara as Alice at Disneyland
You used to be Alice at Disneyland. How did your experience in that role shape the Alice character in The Wonderland Trials?
I’ve always had a love for Alice’s character and curiosity. I think the biggest similarity between Disney’s Alice and mine is that they are both no-nonsense characters.
My time at Disney feels like another lifetime now. I guess part of me missed being in that world and I wanted to create one of my own. And thus The Wonderland Trials was born.
Enjoying my copy of The Wonderland Trials
It’s obvious from reading your first four books that you write the goal of impacting readers—not just entertaining them. What do you hope your readers will gain from your book?
Wow. That means the world to me. Thank you.
With this book I hope those readers who may feel alone or have trouble making friends will feel seen. I hope they find their own version of “found family” like Alice does in the book.
Most of all, I hope this book inspires readers to believe in impossible, unseen things.
Thanks for talking, Sara! I loved reading The Wonderland Trials and can’t wait for my next trip to Wonderland.
Breana Johnson 