Available Today! Madi’s Secret by Susan M. Baganz

Welcome Susan! Tell us about your new release, Madi's Secret. What books have most influenced your life? The Bible would be the first and continual book to influence me. The book of Psalms has been a lifeline during traumatic times. Proverbs has been a source of wisdom. The entire…

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What books have most influenced your life?
The Bible would be the first and continual book to influence me. The book of Psalms has been a lifeline during traumatic times. Proverbs has been a source of wisdom. The entire book is so filled with history, adventure, and the greatest love story and romance of all times between God and those he’s chosen to be His.

What do you do when you're not writing?
I spend time with my husband. I have also learned to drive a skid-loader and have moved a lot of dirt doing landscaping on our property. I’ve warned my husband he should be careful. I know how to dig holes and bury things. There was a lot of heavy chunks of concrete from past farm buildings that I needed to get rid of in just that way. I’ve planted tons of wildflowers on our property: sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias and more! I look forward to the beauty that will come later. During Covid I re-ignite my love of crewel embroidery and tried a new project with candlewicking I’d never tried before. I’ve been making my own designs and enjoy working thm for gifts or for our home. I also enjoy making cards with rubber stamps. Creativity marks my life from writing, embroidery, cards and growing flowers.

What does your family think of your writing?
My kids are entirely unimpressed. My husband isn’t a reader but is supportive and proud of me. He is my sherpa when I go to serve on faculty at writing conferences. He often sits in my classes and plays on his phone. I'm that impressive!

What is your next project?
I’m working on the third book in this Homegrown Heroes series. Finnian’s Rescue is about a soldier who had been missing in action, presumed dead. He’d been captured in Afghanistan. His return to civilian life brings back ghosts from his past and he’s not sure who is out to kill him or why. Piper is a sweet young woman he meets who gets embroiled in his journey. After that I have a military romantic suspense to work on that I am co-authoring a dear friend, DeeDee Lake. A new series called Romance Corps. Too many ideas, not enough time.

What is the hardest part about writing?
I write by the seat of my pants and with every full-length novel there comes a point where I feel like I’ve written myself into a corner. I am bored with the story. The book is horrible, no one will want to read it, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever written. I’ve come to recognize that the real issue is fear and once I write myself past that I’m fine. It has happened with every novel but if you asked me where it was in any of the stories, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. With all that negativity it is surprising that I didn’t delete anything before or after that point to take the story in a different direction. In the end I love the stories God has given me to write and I need to remind myself that I have an enemy who does not want the truth of God’s love and mercy to be read and understood in the pages of fiction… Persevering is trusting Him for the outcome.

In no more than Ten (10) words, what is the spiritual takeaway for your reader? God redeems our deepest hurts.
Is there anything edgy/possibly controversial in your book? If so tell us what that is in Twenty (20) words or fewer. Human trafficking is brutal and even the mention of those abuses could be disturbing.
What is your hero's main character flaw? He gave up too quickly the last time.
What is your heroine's main character flaw? She doesn’t trust herself or others.
What can readers learn from your villain? Sin will not go unpunished.
What makes your hero heroic? He stays the course.
what makes your heroine heroic? She is willing to risk her life to save someone else’s.

Let's meeet Madi.

Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself I'm Madi. I’ve been running scared for years. Being a single mom was hard and not what I’d hoped for in my life. I began to worry that no one would ever be able to love me. Would it be safe for me to fall in love? I feared the past…but I’m free now.
Where do you live, and why do you choose to live there? I had been in the Chicago area for years but believed God was telling me to come back to Menomonee Falls, WI. After much prayer I decided I needed to obey, in spite of my fears.
What obstacles did you overcome in order to reach your happily-ever-after? I had to finally face my past. I wasn’t even sure what it was all about and it terrified me for so long. Thankfully I had help to unravel it all and came out the other end of it – alive. I wasn’t too sure I would. Having Parker back in my life was a temptation I couldn’t give in to…I didn’t want him hurt. Thankfully he didn’t give up on me. You’ll have to read the book to understand the obstacles.
Tell us about your special romantic interest. What makes them so special? Parker was always the one. Charming, handsome. That he still remembered and loved me after all those years surprised me.
The first time you saw your special person, what did you think? Was it love at first sight or did they have to grow on you? We met in high school. He was cute. I think I always loved him.

Available Today! Madi’s Secret by Susan M. Baganz

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