I want to introduce Susan G Mathis, an international award-winning author, and her tenth Thousand Island Gilded Age novel, Mary’s Moment. Have fun learning about Susan and her new book which is set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in Upstate NY.
What inspired you to write Mary’s Moment?
My mother, Mary, inspired this story. When she was a young woman, she spent two summers serving her aunts in the Thousand Islands Park. Every summer she’d take me there for an ice cream at the Guzzle and tell me stories of her time in the Park. So, it was always my desire to write about it. When I began researching and discovered the tragedy of the three 1912 fires that nearly destroyed the Park, I had my story, especially because my mom nearly lost her father in a barn fire when she was just fourteen.
What kind of research did you do for Mary’s Moment?
I began researching online, in books, and with interviews. By greatest resource, was the very thorough book, Thousand Island Park: One Hundred Years, and Then Some: a Centennial Year History by Jr. Helen P. Jacox and Eugene B. Kleinhans. In it, the authors detail first-hand accounts of the Park and fires. With these details, I wove a story that is visceral, interesting, and I think, memorable.
Tell us about Thousand Islands Park on Wellesley Island.
The Rev. John Ferdinand Dayan founded The Thousand Island Park Camp Meeting Association in 1875 as a Methodist summer camp with regular meetings, sermons, and public services. They leased spots for tents or cottages and provided most of the conveniences of city living but without its vices. TI Park was called, “The Chautauqua of the North.” By 1894, 500 to 600 cottages plus hotels created a full summer community that included a library, yacht club, golf course, roque courts, annual tennis tournaments, daily concerts, an art school, its own printer, a needlecraft shop, fishing guides and boats, a book shop, a photographer…and Sunday services. In 1912, three major fires nearly destroyed the Park, but the community quickly rebuilt. Today, it’s still a lovely summer community full of gingerbread Victorians and friendly people.
What message do you hope readers take away from Mary’s Moment?
All eleven of my Thousand Islands’ stories have hope as the central theme.
- Hope for a better future.
- Hope for love.
- Hope for healing.
Mary’s Moment also focuses on healing broken hearts, forgiving those who hurt you, and embracing God’s redemption.
ABOUT MARY’S MOMENT:
Mathis’s attention to detail and rich history is classic Mathis, and no one does it better. —Margaret Brownley, N.Y. Times bestselling author
Summer 1912
Thousand Island Park’s switchboard operator Mary Flynn’s quick action saves dozens of homes from a terrible fire. Less than a month later, another disastrous fire rages through the Park. Mary loses her memory as she risks her life in a neighbor’s burning cottage. Will she remember the truth of who she is or be deceived by a treacherous scoundrel?
Widowed fireman George Flannigan is enamored by the brave raven-haired lass and takes every opportunity to connect with Mary. But he has hidden griefs of his own that cause him great heartache. When George can’t stop the destructive Columbian Hotel fire from eradicating more than a hundred businesses and homes, he is distraught. Yet George’s greater concern is Mary. Will she remember their budding relationship or be forever lost to him?
Readers of Christian historical romance will enjoy this exciting tale set in 1912 Thousand Island Park, NY.
I welcome your comments here.
ABOUT SUSAN:
Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has more than twenty-five publications including full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has ten in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Peyton’s Promise, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Rachel’s Reunion, and Mary’s Moment. Her book awards include two Illumination Book Awards, three American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and four Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs. She enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.
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Meet Susan G. Mathis and her new book, Mary's Moment, which is set in the beautiful Thousand Islands in Upstate NY. @SusanGMathis #newBook Click To TweetWe participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This doesn’t add any cost to the purchase.
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Hmm…I love reading stories that give me hope. I’ll have to check this out. Thanks for sharing this interview. I feel like I want to visit where Mary lived. 🙂
Hope you love it, Lux. All ten of my stories are messages of hope. Smiles, Susan
oh this looks to be a really compelling read, Debbie and Susan. thank you for this conversation!
Thank you, Linda.
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for sharing, Debbie. God bless!
It does sound good. I enjoy books where I’m introduced to new places. Thanks, Nancy.
This sounds like a fascinating book. I love to learn about history and when I can unearth tidbits through fiction that’s even better. Thanks for sharing this interview.
Me too, Barbara. Thanks for reading.
I’m a total history buff, and this sounds like a fascinating read. I always love learning about history through fiction, and this book seems to have some juicy tidbits to uncover. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to add it to my reading list! #Christianhistoricalromance #learningthroughreading #bookworm
Thanks, Jimmie. Fiction is a fun way to learn history.
That sounds amazing!
Peaked my interest. Thanks, Ann.
This sounds like a lovely read. Having a historical context is always a plus for me.
Me too, Donna. Thanks so much for dropping by!
I love historical fiction. Thanks for sharing about this book, Debbie!
Thanks for reading, Annie.
With summer approaching, I plan to add this to my reading list. Thanks for sharing about the book and Susan.
Yvonne, I too enjoy reading this type of book in the summer. I’m glad you enjoyed learning about it.
How fun to see two people I enjoy intersect right here! Debbie, thank. you for interviewing Susan about her book. This story sounds wonderful! My grandfather built a cottage in the Thousand Islands that I visited a few times in my growing up years. Such a beautiful place! Now, I want to go back and see how it is today!
Wow, Jeanne. Now I want to visit too!
I enjoyed learning about Thousand Island Park–such an interesting history–and about Susan G. Mathis. I need to check out her books. Thank you for sharing, Debbie.
I enjoyed learning about it too, Katherine. Thanks so much for reading.