In a Grove of Maples Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

In a Grove of Maples JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for In a Grove of Maples by Jenny Knipfer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: In a Grove of Maples
Series: Sheltering Trees #1
Author: Jenny Knipfer
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: July 1, 2021
Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction

In 1897 newly married Beryl and Edward Massart travel more than one thousand miles from Quebec to farm a plot of land in Wisconsin that they bought sight-unseen. An almost magical grove of maples on their property inspires them to dream of a real home built within the grove, not the tiny log cabin they’ve come to live in.

Misunderstandings and tempers get the better of them when difficulties and troubles arise. Just months after they wed, Edward leaves pregnant Beryl in the midst of the coming winter to tend the farm and animals while he goes to be a teamster at a northern Wisconsin logging camp.

Will Beryl and Edward walk into the future together to build their house of dreams in the grove of maples, or will their plans topple like a house of sticks when the winds of misunderstanding and disaster strike?

Readers of Christian historical fiction, Historical fiction, Women’s fiction, and Christian historical romance will be endeared to this slice of late 19th-century farm life.

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

Jenny Knipfer lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken, and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling.

Spending many years as a librarian in a local public library, Jenny recently switched to using her skills as a floral designer in a retail flower shop. She is now retired from work due to disability. Her education background stems from psychology, music, and cultural missions.

Jenny’s favorite place to relax is by the western shore of Lake Superior, where her novel series, By The Light of the Moon, is set.

She deems a cup of tea and a good book an essential part of every day. When not writing, Jenny can be found reading, tending to her many houseplants, or piecing quilt blocks at her sewing machine.

Her new historical fiction, four-part series entitled, Sheltering Trees, is set in the area Jenny grew up in, where she currently lives, and places along Minnesota’s Northern Shore, where she loves to visit. She is currently writing a four-part novella series entitled: Botanical Seasons.

CONNECT WITH JENNY: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Faith and Fiction: The Importance of Keeping God at the Center
by Jenny Knipfer

The thought of writing a novel that didn’t center on God sounds impossible for me. It’s an integral part of who I am as a person, to always be pointing to Someone greater than myself. God has helped me through my darkest days and enlightened my path, and I can’t fathom living one day without Him. In whatever I do in life, I always want to be exalting God for all He’s done for me and helping others see how He longs to come alongside them.

As a teen, reading the novels of George MacDonald and Grace Livingston Hill led me to see how pairing fiction with spiritual truth can result in an enjoyable read but also one that means more than mere entertainment. If I wrote only to entertain my readers, I wouldn’t be writing. For me, writing my novels is about the larger message of hope found in deep valleys, overcoming difficult circumstances, or finding God in the midst of trials.

With wisdom Jesus often taught in story form, and I think that truth is more palatable and relatable in a story. To weave this truth in, I first define my main character, what the character wants or needs, and what or who keeps them from it. I determine how they will grow in the process and how God will be actively moving in their story to reveal Himself to the main characters. That’s not to say I have it all planned out before I start writing, but I have a premise and a direction.

As I write, the story morphs and changes somewhat and can often surprise me but stays true to the center point of the main character coming to faith and/or growing in it. And though I center my novels on spiritual growth, I can be subtle. My books are not what some might call “preachy.” I desire my books to be the kind of books that open a window into what a richer spiritual life might look like and ones that any reader of historical fiction might choose. My goal: for readers to be thinking about the characters’ choices and spiritual growth, long after they turn the last page.

It’s my hope that my stories will leave readers more blessed than when they began reading and perhaps, see God’s involvement in our lives in a way they haven’t before. Nothing could be more important in my writing than to keep God firmly at the center of each story.

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight August 16, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 23, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!