Author Spotlight + Giveaway: Lynne Tagawa -- The Root of the Matter

This week I have thrilled to have Lynne Tagawa on my blog for an author spotlight!

Lynne B. Tagawa is married, the mother of four sons, and grandma to six. The Tagawas live in Texas where she writes fiction and mentors homeschool moms.

She is especially inspired by the lives of great men and women of faith, and her historical fiction is filled with theological themes.

First off, welcome to my blog. It’s so great to have you here!

Thank you for the opportunity!

What first sparked your passion for storytelling, and how has your journey as a writer evolved over time?

I have always loved to read. But I was bit by the writing bug late in life. I was asked to find a Texas history curriculum at the school where I once taught, and long story short, I wrote it myself. What I saw out there was boring. Written by committee. So I wrote something in narrative style, and I asked myself, could I write true fiction?

What unique aspects of your faith influence your storytelling style or the themes you explore?

As a Christian, I slowly became more theologically minded, even more “confessional,” as I began to study those who went before. My characters often wrestle with theological issues. For example, in A Fallen Sparrow, Ruth Haynes wonders if it is biblical to disobey the king even if he is wrong.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or passage that has guided your writing or life journey?

Isaiah 41:10 has strengthened me numerous times. In fact, Isaiah’s twin themes of the goodness of God and His sovereignty, described by Spurgeon as the “pillow” for a Christian’s head, have helped me.

Who are some of your favorite Christian authors, and how have they influenced your work?

Some of my favorites are Charles Martin, Chris Fabry, Laura Frantz, and Lori Benton. The last two write in my genre, but I esteem any writer who can spin a good story using good prose and lift the heart with scriptural truth.

If you could collaborate with any Christian author, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

I would carry water for Charles Martin. Or do the research. Or whatever. 

What’s your favorite scene or moment in the book, and why does it hold special meaning for you?

In The Root of the Matter, there is a turning point in the book, a place where my characters are sitting on a riverbank fishing. Turns out Peter has a secret. Geneva learns it. Now, she’s faced with a choice—does she keep his secret? The setting is the near future (they travel back in time to investigate history), and obviously, time travel hasn’t been invented yet. So, I had to invent an entire near-future world which turned out to be dystopian. Some of these details are hidden at first. I love stories where you make discoveries as you go.

Are there any surprising lessons or revelations you discovered about yourself or your faith through the writing process?

I learn from history. The Root of the Matter is set during a time when so-called Puritans were trying to reclaim the gospel and “purify” it from adulteration. Many of these godly men left behind sermons and writings which are reprinted even today to edify new generations. Reading excerpts of these real men’s diaries or sermons can be staggering. My faith seems shallow by comparison.

How do you incorporate prayer or spiritual reflection into your writing routine?

I ought to pray all the time, but typically what happens is I’ll pray when I get stuck. What comes next, Lord? 

What do you enjoy most about connecting with readers, and what feedback has resonated deeply with you?

I love hearing from readers. So many of their comments are positive, and they want the next book! It helps me keep writing in sluggish times.

What’s one thing you wish readers knew about the process of writing Christian fiction?

It’s laborious, and if you compare the hours spent to the income I make, well, it’s more a hobby than a job. Reviews help—and not just because of marketing. It’s an encouragement.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting out?

Join a writer’s group. I’m part of two, and it’s rewarding in so many ways. Getting other’s eyes on your writing is invaluable. 

Lastly, before you go…Can you talk about any upcoming projects or books you’re working on?

I’m working on book two of The American Puritans series. What will happen to Geneva and Peter next? Another project is an anthology of short stories to celebrate our semi-quincentennial, our 250Th birthday as a nation! A few other writers are joining me in that, and I’m excited.

Now for her book, The Root of the Matter.

She’s terrified.

Time travel. The North Atlantic in winter. Which is worse?

Geneva Fielding is a researcher in the Archives of the Applied History department, prepping time travelers for their destinations. She loves the smell of old paper and chocolate croissants.

One day, a Traveler fails an important test and cannot go. Instead of canceling the Trip, the dean appoints Geneva and her friend Peter Donatelli, a physicist, to take his place. They have three days to prepare to Travel to 1630s New England.

Geneva’s always wanted to know more about John Winthrop. Maybe she can even get a dissertation topic from the Trip. But the truth is, she’s scared stiff. No one knows her private struggles. And she’s not about to tell.

Geneva and Peter are dumped into an early, struggling Massachusetts, the Puritan inhabitants having escaped the persecution of the Crown only to face a howling wilderness. Roger Williams’s arrival sends shockwaves through the frail colony.

Can the Bay Colony afford to allow a critic of the king to dwell among them?

And what will Geneva do when she discovers Peter’s secret?

And Lynne has teased us with a snippet from her book:

Gasping, I squeezed Peter’s hand. Did we lose power?

Cold brushed my cheek. It was a damp cold, not unusual for New England, but there were no windows in the Launch Room.

Then I smelled the sea. Salty, mucky, even oily. Familiar. When the wind blew from the east, I could smell this from my apartment window. The briny estuary odor of the Mystic River.

A strange creaking sound startled me. I couldn’t see, and I gulped for air. Peter’s warm presence slipped around me, and he laid his hands gently on my upper arms.

It was night. We’d come before dawn. That’s why I was blind.

“We’re here,” he murmured, his tone half calm, half nervous, half—excited?

My heart beat a nervous tattoo, and I took a slow, deep breath. The Bristol docks. I’d seen the location on a map of the western part of Britain. I forced myself to focus, to think. Bristol was a major port. Easy to get lost in the shuffle here. 

But I also knew some Puritans fled more discreetly. Going to out-of-the-way docks or beaches. Some were even disguised. Because at some point, the king’s policies had shifted. From inconsistent harassment to hauling-folks-before-the-Star-Chamber persecution.

William Laud had something to do with this, but I hadn’t studied him. My ignorance closed in on me like the cold, damp air around me.

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a paperback copy!

(Giveaway runs for one week. Winner will be contacted by author.)