Edwina Kiernan is a multi-award-winning Christian author. She is a committed follower of Jesus (the Living Word), and endeavors to use her pen to point others to Him. When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist. Sign up for her weekly newsletter and get a free Victorian romance novel: https://edwinakiernan.com/freebook.
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The Library
How can someone keep the peace when there’s never been any peace to keep? England, 1850. Bookworm Irene Denton lives with a painful secret. The citizens of Lindenfell think of her mother as a kind, generous lady—but behind closed doors, she's a cruel tyrant who controls her household with vitriol and violence. Stories have always provided refuge for Irene, so when the possibility arises that Lindenfell could have a library of its own, she’s hopeful she’ll soon have a safe place to escape her mother’s merciless grasp. Solomon Shaw enjoys helping his widowed father run Lindenfell's chemist shop and longs to pluck up the courage to win Irene's affections. But a shameful secret—and the guilt it burdens him with daily—has convinced him she can never be his. When the figure from his past he hoped he’d never see again arrives back in town, Solomon fears their presence will soon shatter his warm, steady relationship with his father by exposing his secret. Amidst untold devastations and mounting pressures, Irene and Solomon kindle hope for a future together, though meddling interlopers and long-buried truths soon signal the end of their story. But is the book entirely closed on the hope they once had? Or can a new chapter of peace—and love—still be written? Edwina says, “sometimes, in order to move forward, we need to take a step back. Back… in time. Are you ready to experience a safe shelter from the pressures of modern life, amidst pages …”
- ISBN: B0CMDBQ5Y2
- Publisher: Moliant Publishing
Interview with Edwina Kiernan
What message do you hope readers take away from this book?
It is my earnest desire that readers take away a sense of peace about the good that can ultimately come from their own difficult experiences, and a sense of hope for their future. As Irene discovered, God was with her in her darkest moments, and He can use even the terrible things that happen to us to weave together a story of hope and healing for our own lives and for others. I pray that readers who may not know Him will seek Him, and that those who do know Him will draw closer to Him.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
An absolute plotter! Oh, how I love to plot, lol. I do always leave the possibility open as I’m writing for better ideas or unforeseen turns to arise, in which case I can tweak some of the plot, but I won’t start writing until I’ve plotted out all the story beats and have nailed down the main conflicts and trajectories of the characters and story.
Reflecting back, what do you see as most significant to your publication journey?
I’m not sure if I can pinpoint one significant thing... It has been a journey, and a lifelong desire to write novels, but I suppose the thing that really gave me the jolt I needed to actually commit to doing something about it was when I had pneumonia in 2020. I remember sitting in the hospital, wondering if my time on earth was up, and aside from thoughts of my son and husband, the one thing that circled in my mind was, “I don’t want to die without publishing a book.” I fully believe that writing and publishing novels is what God has given me to do for Him, and the thought of leaving this earth before actually doing that was horrid. So, once I started to recover, I dug out the novel I’d been playing around with for years and set my mind to finishing it. That novel became my award-winning debut, Ruby’s Redemption.
What’s your biggest challenge in balancing writing time with your other responsibilities?
The biggest challenge is trying to get a good balance. I’m a wife and homeschooling mama, and I’m an author. Plus I live with chronic illness. Ensuring that sufficient time and energy is given to each of my roles and duties can sometimes be tough, but I can only operate in God’s strength and grace and He is my help and my sustainer.
How do your faith and spiritual life play into the picture and affect your storytelling?
In a huge way. As I mentioned previously, I fully believe that the reason God created me was to write for Him. So, I write everything (1) to glorify Him, and (2) to point others to Him, because He is our only hope—in this life, and the next.
Who/What spurs you to write? Where do your story and character ideas come from?
Honestly, the Lord is the reason I write. He has placed within me an incessant desire to write and create stories that often deal with tough topics yet convey the truth and hope of the gospel for everyone, no matter what you’ve done or what has been done to you. God has rescued and redeemed me, and I want to use my pen to point others to Him, so they can experience the same love, mercy and freedom that I have found in Him.
What is your writing routine? Any quirky habits or must-have snacks?
Mornings are my scheduled time to homeschool my son, so my scheduled writing time is always in the afternoon. I don’t really have any quirky habits, and I never eat whilst working (except for the occasional square of chocolate here and there!). Sometimes, though, I’ll put some essential oils in my oil diffuser to help clear my head as I write, and I always have a cup of tea at hand!
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you as an author?
I can’t think of anything specific, but I always have a good laugh with my author buddies when we meet up on Zoom!
What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
I believe every author has a unique voice, plus each author’s life experiences and worldview influences their work in a unique way. So, really, I think my style is a blend of my voice, my background, my worldview and my passions. I believe the same is true for each author. But because we all have different voices, experiences and passions--because God created each one of us to be unique--then no two styles of storytelling will ever be the same. We’re all unique, because we’re all created that way. In terms of my experience and background, I know what it is to live with chronic pain, which has taught me endurance and perseverance. I’ve experienced a lot of negative things, and a lot of positive things, and both have given me gratitude that God is with me and that nothing is impossible for Him. I think I bring some of those beliefs to everything I write, and always underpin my stories (no matter how difficult and dramatic the events therein) with hope.
What led you to choose the genre in which you write (Christian historical romance)?
I absolutely love history, especially the Victorian era in the UK (and especially mid-Victorian within that). I do enjoy (and have written about) other time periods and locations, and there are others I’d like to explore in the future. But Victorian was just a natural fit for me, as most of my favourite books and authors are Victorian, and I’ve always had a love for the era. I always cheer when people (or characters) get together, and I believe romance points us to a greater truth: that we’re created for relationship. Why Christian historical romance? Because the relationship we’re created for is with our Creator, and because only Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without Him, there’s no point to historical romance, or anything else. He is why I live and breathe and write.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
Anything creative. I love to make things. I love to read and watch movies and play board games with my husband and son, and we all love to play MarioKart together on the Wii, too! Plus there’s a gorgeous park nearby where we love to go for walks and my little guy loves to mingle with other kids in the playpark area.
What books are on your nightstand right now?
I don’t have any on my nightstand, but I have plenty in my TBR stack, in all formats, lol. I’m looking forward to reading Jaime Jo Wright’s new novel - it already released in the US but doesn’t release over here until November. But knowing her writing, it’ll be worth the wait!
Finish this statement: If I were not an author, I would be ____________.
Miserable, lol! Honestly? I don’t know. It’s who I am, and who I was made to be. Hmmm... If I had to give an answer, though, then I’d probably be doing some other creative kind of job in the world of publishing and writing stories on the side!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kathy McKinsey lives in Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband Murray and the oldest of their five children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille drawing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with their rambunctious cat. https://www.kathymckinsey.com
It is my earnest desire that readers take away a sense of peace about the good that can ultimately come from their own difficult experiences, and a sense of hope for their future. As Irene discovered, God was with her in her darkest moments, and He can use even the terrible things that happen to us to weave together a story of hope and healing for our own lives and for others. I pray that readers who may not know Him will seek Him, and that those who do know Him will draw closer to Him.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
An absolute plotter! Oh, how I love to plot, lol. I do always leave the possibility open as I’m writing for better ideas or unforeseen turns to arise, in which case I can tweak some of the plot, but I won’t start writing until I’ve plotted out all the story beats and have nailed down the main conflicts and trajectories of the characters and story.
Reflecting back, what do you see as most significant to your publication journey?
I’m not sure if I can pinpoint one significant thing... It has been a journey, and a lifelong desire to write novels, but I suppose the thing that really gave me the jolt I needed to actually commit to doing something about it was when I had pneumonia in 2020. I remember sitting in the hospital, wondering if my time on earth was up, and aside from thoughts of my son and husband, the one thing that circled in my mind was, “I don’t want to die without publishing a book.” I fully believe that writing and publishing novels is what God has given me to do for Him, and the thought of leaving this earth before actually doing that was horrid. So, once I started to recover, I dug out the novel I’d been playing around with for years and set my mind to finishing it. That novel became my award-winning debut, Ruby’s Redemption.
What’s your biggest challenge in balancing writing time with your other responsibilities?
The biggest challenge is trying to get a good balance. I’m a wife and homeschooling mama, and I’m an author. Plus I live with chronic illness. Ensuring that sufficient time and energy is given to each of my roles and duties can sometimes be tough, but I can only operate in God’s strength and grace and He is my help and my sustainer.
How do your faith and spiritual life play into the picture and affect your storytelling?
In a huge way. As I mentioned previously, I fully believe that the reason God created me was to write for Him. So, I write everything (1) to glorify Him, and (2) to point others to Him, because He is our only hope—in this life, and the next.
Who/What spurs you to write? Where do your story and character ideas come from?
Honestly, the Lord is the reason I write. He has placed within me an incessant desire to write and create stories that often deal with tough topics yet convey the truth and hope of the gospel for everyone, no matter what you’ve done or what has been done to you. God has rescued and redeemed me, and I want to use my pen to point others to Him, so they can experience the same love, mercy and freedom that I have found in Him.
What is your writing routine? Any quirky habits or must-have snacks?
Mornings are my scheduled time to homeschool my son, so my scheduled writing time is always in the afternoon. I don’t really have any quirky habits, and I never eat whilst working (except for the occasional square of chocolate here and there!). Sometimes, though, I’ll put some essential oils in my oil diffuser to help clear my head as I write, and I always have a cup of tea at hand!
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you as an author?
I can’t think of anything specific, but I always have a good laugh with my author buddies when we meet up on Zoom!
What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
I believe every author has a unique voice, plus each author’s life experiences and worldview influences their work in a unique way. So, really, I think my style is a blend of my voice, my background, my worldview and my passions. I believe the same is true for each author. But because we all have different voices, experiences and passions--because God created each one of us to be unique--then no two styles of storytelling will ever be the same. We’re all unique, because we’re all created that way. In terms of my experience and background, I know what it is to live with chronic pain, which has taught me endurance and perseverance. I’ve experienced a lot of negative things, and a lot of positive things, and both have given me gratitude that God is with me and that nothing is impossible for Him. I think I bring some of those beliefs to everything I write, and always underpin my stories (no matter how difficult and dramatic the events therein) with hope.
What led you to choose the genre in which you write (Christian historical romance)?
I absolutely love history, especially the Victorian era in the UK (and especially mid-Victorian within that). I do enjoy (and have written about) other time periods and locations, and there are others I’d like to explore in the future. But Victorian was just a natural fit for me, as most of my favourite books and authors are Victorian, and I’ve always had a love for the era. I always cheer when people (or characters) get together, and I believe romance points us to a greater truth: that we’re created for relationship. Why Christian historical romance? Because the relationship we’re created for is with our Creator, and because only Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without Him, there’s no point to historical romance, or anything else. He is why I live and breathe and write.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
Anything creative. I love to make things. I love to read and watch movies and play board games with my husband and son, and we all love to play MarioKart together on the Wii, too! Plus there’s a gorgeous park nearby where we love to go for walks and my little guy loves to mingle with other kids in the playpark area.
What books are on your nightstand right now?
I don’t have any on my nightstand, but I have plenty in my TBR stack, in all formats, lol. I’m looking forward to reading Jaime Jo Wright’s new novel - it already released in the US but doesn’t release over here until November. But knowing her writing, it’ll be worth the wait!
Finish this statement: If I were not an author, I would be ____________.
Miserable, lol! Honestly? I don’t know. It’s who I am, and who I was made to be. Hmmm... If I had to give an answer, though, then I’d probably be doing some other creative kind of job in the world of publishing and writing stories on the side!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kathy McKinsey lives in Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband Murray and the oldest of their five children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille drawing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with their rambunctious cat. https://www.kathymckinsey.com
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