Susie Finkbeiner’s fourth historical novel is garnering just as much praise as her acclaimed Pearl Spence novels which began with A Cup of Dust. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, this family drama has all the signature angst, heartache, and hope readers have come to love about Susie’s storytelling. I love the insights Susie shares in this bookchat and I hope you do too.

Be sure to enter the giveaway below, thanks to the fabulous folk at Revell Books. Over to you, Susie…

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Please share a little about the characters who make up the Jacobson family

The Jacobsons are a close-knit family that relies on one another quite a bit. They’ve had to, really, since their husband/father Frank left when the kids were young. Gloria — the strong and determined mom — keeps everything together for her kids Mike, Annie, and Joel. I really tried to capture the “family next door” when writing them.

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

Relatable, comfortable, welcoming, emotional, hopeful

What did you research about the Vietnam war reveal that surprised you?

One of the most helpful books I read during my research was Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam, edited by Bernard Edelman. I was surprised by the candor with which the service men and women wrote, the details they were allowed to share. I tried to imagine being the mother, sister, wife, girlfriend who received such letters and how difficult that must have been.

Something else that I hadn’t realized before was the extensive involvement the United States had in Vietnam for years before the “conflict” even began. A great resource to learn more about that is the Ken Burns and Lynn Novak documentary which released in 2017.

What appeals to you about writing family dramas?

Families are messy, complex, beautiful collections of people. I’m intrigued by the dynamics of different families, interested in how people can keep the ties bound even through difficulty. When a family endures hardship together and is able to survive with even stronger faith, hope, and love, well, that’s a story I think is well worth telling.

What are the major themes in this story?

As I wrote, I tried to focus on what it looks like to hold grief and hope in the same hand. How is it that people can endure so much and still believe that God is, indeed, good? That’s the tension I wanted to capture with this story.

Also, I worked to write in a theme of not hiding from what could go wrong, because if we do we miss out on all the really great things around us. When we duck and cover, we neglect to see that God is sovereign and that he cares. We don’t acknowledge that all shall be well. Maybe not right that very moment, but eventually.

In 1967,Mike, Annie’s older Brother, enlists as an Army medic in Vietnam. He mails Annie a paper with information regarding their long-estranged father. “If anything should happen to me,” he says, “let him know.”

While Mike is overseas, their father returns to face tragedy at home. Annie and her family will struggle with tensions of holding onto grief and hope, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds.

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

Oh boy. This is always a hard question to answer. Can I say three characters?

I so enjoyed writing the relationship between Annie and her brothers Mike and Joel. Their dynamic was a lot of fun. They teased and grumped at each other, but when it all came down to it, they knew how much they needed one another. Writing a close sibling group was such a joy.

Which character gave you the most grief?

Without a doubt, Walt Vanderlaan. This arrogant, self-obsessed boy annoyed me to no end (partially because I’ve known so many people like him). But then, in the middle of writing the novel, Walt comes around and decides to show how wounded and vulnerable he is.

What a loop that took me on!

What emotions did you experience while writing this story?

I’m an emotional writer. What that means is that I always keep a box of tissues handy and a bit of chocolate tucked away for emergencies.

I’m not sure that this story caused me to experience different emotions than any other I’ve written. Grief, hope, joy, frustration are all part of the process for every novel I write. All of those emotions end up making me cry.

What parts of the writing process become easier with each new story? What becomes more challenging?

Easier? Oh, I don’t know that any of it is easier. I will say that I better know what to expect in the process, which is a handy bit of information.

Just to be completely honest, I’ve found that with each book I’ve struggled more and more with perfectionism…and not the kind that makes my house clean. My motto of late has been, “It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be done eventually”.

What is in your writing pipeline now?

I’m working on a novel which releases in 2020 which is still untitled. Betty Sweet is my protagonist and I absolutely love her. I hope you all will too.

Thanks Susie 😊

Thank YOU, Rel! Such a joy to have the opportunity to share on your site!

Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the state. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.

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Visit Susie’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: All Manner of Things or Koorong

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