A Baker’s Perspective Podcast

On today's episode of A Baker's Perspective Podcast, Author Megan Schaulis shares her unique approach to reimagining biblical stories through speculative fiction, exploring how her faith influences her storytelling, and offering insights into writing from different perspectives. Discover how her books serve as a bridge to the gospel and inspire believers and non-believers alike.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Megan Schaulis and Her Work

02:00 Reimagining Biblical Stories in Fiction

05:47 The Role of Fiction in Pointing to the Gospel

08:20 The Power of Speculative Fiction

10:18 Subtlety in Sharing the Gospel Through Literature

11:47 The Impact of Allegorical Stories

14:59 Crafting Unique Narratives from Familiar Tales

22:02 Standalone vs. Series: Reading Megan's Books

26:06 Writing from a Male Perspective

28:47 Exploring Male Perspectives in Literature

30:06 The Heart of the Story: God's Goodness

33:32 Conversations with God: A Personal Connection

36:14 Future Directions: The Susa Chronicles

38:46 The Creative Process: Capturing Ideas

43:44 Hobbies and Passions: Beyond Writing

47:27 The Impact of Childhood Reading

50:20 The Impact of Christian Fiction

56:30 Discovering New Genres

01:01:24 The Joy of Ballroom Dancing

01:04:59 The Influence of Reading on Thought

01:07:08 Connecting with Readers Online

Connect with Megan:⁠⁠

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live)

On today's episode, I explore biblical fiction with author Jill Eileen Smith, delving into her research process, storytelling approach, and insights into biblical truths. Discover how she brings ancient stories to life while staying true to scripture and learn about her upcoming projects.

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live)

I’ve known Deena in the reading world for years, and I was delighted to chat with her about her transition to becoming a published author! We chat about her debut novel, Stronger than the Storm, faith, and everything in between!

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live)

In this episode, Best Selling Author Heidi McCahan discusses her contemporary romance novel The Other Side of Goodbye, the appeal of Alaska as a setting, and the emotional depth of her characters, including widows and their children. She shares insights into writing faith-based romance, the importance of hope and redemption, and her upcoming series projects.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Heidi McCahan

01:50 Exploring the Widow Trope in Christian Fiction

06:10 Setting the Scene: Alaska as a Character

09:25 The Emotional Landscape of Loss

12:06 The Dynamics of Instant Attraction

14:26 Faith Elements in 'The Other Side of Goodbye

16:16 Upcoming Works and Series Expansion

22:13 Fun Questions and Personal Insights

Connect with me

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).

In this podcast episode, we dive into Keeper of My Heart and the beloved Discerning God’s Best series by Heidi Gray McGill. Set in a close-knit frontier community, this Christian historical romance explores what it truly means to trust God’s direction in love, identity, and life’s hardest choices.We also discuss the heart behind the series, why each book can stand alone, and a surprising truth about the author.

✨ This episode is perfect for readers who love:

• Christian historical romance set in the Wild West

• Faith-centered fiction with strong spiritual themes

• Emotionally rich, slow-burn romance with redemption arcs

Connect with Heidi:⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Heidi's YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Heidi Gray McGill

02:08 Exploring the Discerning God's Best Series

08:30 Character Development: Cecilia's Journey

12:10 Tomboys as Heroines

16:29 Realistic Characters in Fiction

17:54 Researching Historical Context

23:49 The Unique Structure of the Series

28:41 Discerning God's Best: The Series Theme

32:57 Discovering God's Best

36:05 The Role of Silence in Prayer

38:53 Discussion Guides for Book Clubs

41:57 Upcoming Works and New Series

43:42 Favorite Romance Tropes

50:39 Unique Eating Experiences

55:51 Encouraging New Authors

59:18 Connecting with Readers Online

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).

I am delighted to have Chelsea Bobulski on the podcast today! She has joined the Haven imprint, and recently released historical romance book A Deal with a Debutante (highly recommend by the way). We had such a wonderful chat about the importance of clean reads, how book covers no longer signal a book is closed door, and things to look for on a book cover that kind of give it away.

Join us for this informative and much needed conversation.

Connect with Chelsea:⁠⁠⁠

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Key topics

• The rise of no-spice romance in publishing
• How cover art influences reader perception
• The enemies to lovers trope and character dynamics
• The need for clear book rating systems for parents
• Researching historical titles and social customs

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Chelsea Bobulski and Her Work

01:41 The Importance of No-Spice Romance

06:46 Navigating Historical Titles and Social Etiquette

10:24 Enemies to Lovers: Crafting Chemistry in Romance

18:17 Life Lessons from Calliope and Edward's Journey

19:16 What's Next in the Series

25:42 Fun Facts and Closing Thoughts

Connect with me:

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).

I am blessed to not only have read all of Crystal Caudill's books, but to also have chatted with her in the online world for a couple of years. She is such a sweetheart and her books are some of my favorites! Her recent historical novel, Sung in the Shadows was so well written that it actually made me want to go to an opera (which I don't care for lol).

Today we're talking about the importance of exploring mental health in fiction. Crystal has some difficult topics in Sung in the Shadows - with a character suffering from suicidal thoughts even as a Christian, a character suffering from paranoia, and both of these characters also happen to be in an asylum. This conversation was such an eye opener, and a blessing for me.

Connect with Crystal:⁠⁠⁠

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).

Today I'm pleased to introduce you to NY Times Best Selling Author Dana Mentink! Dana writes a little bit of everything, but my favorites are her romantic suspense and cozy mystery books! We had fun chatting about suspense, the part that a setting can play in a novel, and our shared love of The Wizard of Oz!

Connect with Dana:⁠⁠⁠

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).

I am totally fangirling over today's guest - Romantic Suspense Author Lynn H. Blackburn! Prior to the interview I had just finished the last book in her Gossamer Falls Series, Last To Fall, and wow was it worth the wait. Mo and Bronwyn have my heart! I loved chatting with Lynn about the book, the series, and what's coming next!

Connect with Lynn:⁠⁠⁠

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).

Today I'm delighted to chat with Romantic Suspense Author Elizabeth Goddard about what elements make a good romantic suspense novel, writing a series, and weaving hope into the stories she writes. Her latest release, Deadly Currents, is a must read!

Connect with Elizabeth:⁠⁠⁠

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Show notes are available at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.abakersperspective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (within a week of the episode going live).