Meet author Whitney O’Halek
Whitney O’Halek is a travel writer, author, and tourism entrepreneur. Her faith and travels have inspired much of her writing, both in her articles on halffullpassport.com and in all nine of her books. She lives in the D.C. area and travels the world with her daughter, Iris.
Tell us about your newest book.
Paradise Lost and Found is a solo female travel-inspired clean read about Sadie, a 20-something workaholic who’s never taken a day’s vacation. When her editing firm is acquired by a large corporation, she is forced to take all 480 hours that have accumulated in her years as a working professional. She takes her first trip ever to the island of Kaua’i, where she begins to find her courage, her independence, and herself, and she gets to do it all in paradise. This is the first in a seven-book series that follows Sadie’s journey from workaholic to traveler.
What inspired you to write your story?
I felt like there was a tremendous gap where the “clean, new adult” genre should be. I thought, why don’t I write what I would want to read? One of my favorite quotes is from Benjamin Franklin who said, “Either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.” This has always inspired my writing, and it inspired Sadie’s story as well.
What genre do you focus on. Why?
I focus on clean reads. I love a good story, but so many of them have bad language and questionable moral themes, especially in the new adult genre. When I was younger, I wanted to write historical Christian fiction, but eventually, I realized I could be a positive influence on non-Christians if I wrote general fiction instead. My goal is always to point people to Christ, and writing good, interesting, clean fiction is a way that I believe God can use me.
Why do you write?
I write because I love it. Writing has been an instrumental part of my life since kindergarten. As long as I can remember, I have used writing to clear my mind, help me make sense of the world around me, process my life experiences, and show my husband that I loved him when he was alive. Writing is a huge part of my life.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Sadie is the main character, and I chose the name because I love it! I’ve always liked “old” names, and I’ve always thought Sadie was a cute name. I was excited to write a story about a young woman for whom “Sadie” fit so well.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Now that I’m a single mom, the hardest part is organizing my time to write. My daughter is very young, so she requires lots of my time and attention, and I love giving her those aspects of my life. But it’s hard to balance my time well in the ways I did before I became a mom.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Seeing my work in hardcopy. Getting that first proof copy of my books in the mail is one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. I love the first time I get to see and touch a new book that I worked so hard to write well.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
I love to read. Since having my daughter and becoming a widow, however, I’ve largely switched to audiobooks, which has been pretty life-changing. Books have always been an important part of my life, but my time to read is much more limited these days. I used to think audiobooks were inferior, because I truly enjoy reading a paper book. But in this season of life, audiobooks are the way I get to “read” while I do the other things that demand my time.
What is your favorite pastime?
Travel! Travel allowed me to become the person I am today, I met my husband while traveling, and now I’ve made travel my “work,” although it doesn’t feel like work at all.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Yes! I’ve written nine books to date. In the Lost and Found series, in addition to Paradise Lost and Found, I’ve also written Summer Lost and Found, American Lost and Found, Grace Lost and Found, Friendship Lost and Found, Confidence Lost and Found, and Home Lost and Found. My foray into spy fiction produced Secret Agent Girl, a book about a travel blogger-turned spy. And for Christian girls, I’ve written a devotional called Princess Culture, all about how young women are daughters of God, our King.
Website: https://quickwhittravel.com/lost-and-found-series/
Link to book: Whitney O’Halek Books
Social media links:
Instagram.com/halffullpassport
Meet author Donna Jo Stone
Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning, multi-genre author. She writes historical fiction, contemporary young adult, and southern fiction. Many of her novels are about tough issues, but she always ends her stories on a note of hope. Finding the faith to carry on through hard battles is a common theme in her books. When she’s not writing, reading, or talking about writing or reading, she loves spending time with her family and friends or creating art.
Tell us about your newest book.
Della’s Song is part of a multi-author series, Apron Strings Tea Tales. Each book is set in a different region or country, but all feature the same fictional cookbook, Mrs. Canfield’s Cookery Book, and all feature a tearoom. These stories take place in the interbellum years (1918-1939).
What inspired you to write your story?
My first published book was part of the Apron Strings Series, so when the opportunity came up to participate in a second Apron Strings Series I was all in. Della’s Song, like all my stories, deals with relationships. Inspired by the sibling devotion and sacrifice in The Six Swans, Della’s Song draws on elements in the fairytale but is a non-magical story. Beyond the basic outline, the gospel angle is what really helped me find direction for the story. Music and music instruction played a huge part in the church of my youth. I loved learning all about music and singing, but didn’t know how that culture came about. Researching gospel music of the 1930s, the radio programs, and the traveling music schools really gave me an appreciation for the music education I received and got me excited about my story.
What genre do you focus on.
I write primarily Southern Christian women’s fiction and young adult fiction, but even my suspense carries the same southern feel.
Why do you write?
I think it all comes back around to the desire to help people understand that they are not alone, and there is always hope. I strive to point my readers toward that hope. I write about a family that, in ways, is like my own. People on the spectrum process emotion and stress in ways that can look different than the neurotypcial. I wanted readers to connect with my characters and hoped to foster understanding. Unlike my other stories, at the time I was writing Promise Me Tomorrow, I wasn’t sure I could finish the book and do it justice. It often felt too big for me, but the story wouldn’t let me go until it was done.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
My main character in Della’s Song is Della Avis Swan, the only female member of her family’s gospel singing group. Originally, I was just trying to get a handle on the story, and drafted the first synopsis for Della’s Song with a decidedly German fairytale flavor. But the Swan family lives in North Louisiana, so I had to change her name. Della Avis Swan popped into my head. Unlike most of my stories, where I switch out the names of nearly every person, Della has kept her entire name, although in most of the book, she is simply known as Della.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
When I’m writing a novel, I’m the slow and steady type rather than a sprinter. I come up with a basic plot first. Ideas will continue to pop into my mind at the oddest moments, and I add those if they fit. Once I have an outline of sorts, I rest for a week if I can bear to wait that long before starting. Then I begin to write. Most days I work on the draft for about eight hours but take frequent breaks. I use a combination of dictation into my phone and typing at the computer, depending on how I’m doing and what else is going on in my life at that moment. My last book took longer than I expected due to some “extra” life circumstances and my tendency to get sidetracked with historical research.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
The horrible feeling that I will disappoint my readers. Unfortunately, you can’t please everyone all the time, and shouldn’t try, at least that’s what I tell myself. I know why I write and who I’m writing for, yet often have to remind myself. I think the pressure of our current culture adds an extra layer of stress. This is my least favorite part, the pressure to be performative. I’d much rather show up in my comfy jeans with a plate of muffins and time to chat.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Connecting with people. As a voracious reader myself and life-long lover of books, readers are my people. Hearing how one of my stories touched them, or helped them to see things in a new way, or made them feel understood, that is a priceless gift. I’ve always loved writing and it’s very fulfilling to get to share my stories. Hopefully, they ease the reader’s burdens a little, whether by giving encouragement, drawing out a smile, or just providing a moment of entertainment to make the day better.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
Even though I tend to obsess about getting everything right in my own work, in the end I care more about honesty than perfection. If a story has heart and makes me smile, laugh, cry, or think, I come away satisfied. Those are the books I like to read and the kind I want to write.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
Rewriting my first novel repeatedly after getting feedback was a wonderful lesson in what I needed to work on, as was returning to it time and time again after taking much instruction and writing a few more novels. All together, these processes took over a decade. I didn’t save the first draft, but I can guarantee the final result was a definite improvement!
What is your favorite pastime?
Visiting with people, talking, and laughing. It doesn’t matter what we are doing, I just like company.
Besides sharing stories and visiting with people, I enjoy watercolor and quilting. I was the kid with doodles in the margins of all my math worksheets, and I’ve been told I started sewing around the age of four. One of my favorite places is my craft room, where I keep my collection of projects I suspect may never get finished. If anyone in the family needs a snip of fabric, ribbon, or a paintbrush, they usually don’t have to go to the store. Whatever it is, it might be in the craft room.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
When the Wildflowers Bloom Again
Promise Me Tomorrow
Joann Apron Strings Book Five
The Key Collector’s Promise
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m dividing my novel writing time between my dual timeline women’s fiction and editing my young adult novel that comes after Promise Me Tomorrow in the Wishes and Dreams series.
Website: https://donnajostone.com/
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQXMRVKD
Social media links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnajostone/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556916105499
Visit Boldt Castle this summer
Boldt Castle is one of the most romantic and famous landmarks in New York State. Located on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands, the castle was once an extravagant and heartfelt gesture of love from hotel magnate George C. Boldt to his wife Louise. When tragedy turned that dream into a haunting ruin, it sat empty and in decay for decades until a remarkable restoration brought it back to life. The Boldt Castle renovation is more than just a story of architecture—it’s a rebirth of history, passion, and purpose.
When Louise Boldt died unexpectedly in 1904, George Boldt was devastated, and construction on the castle immediately ceased. Workers were told to leave the island, and George never returned. The castle, exposed to the harsh Northern New York winters, vandals, and the slow decay of time, was left to the elements for more than seven decades.
Windows shattered, floors rotted, mold crept in, and ivy climbed over what was meant to be a castle of love. For decades, it stood as a haunting reminder of what might have been—a romantic corpse that captured imaginations but seemed destined to crumble.
In 1977, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority (TIBA) acquired Heart Island and the unfinished castle for just one dollar on the condition that all proceeds from admission and tourism had to go directly back into restoring and preserving the property.
Now, the decades-long labor of love is not unlike George Boldt’s original vision. The restoration of Boldt Castle has been one of New York’s most ambitious historic preservation projects to date. The TIBA and hundreds of craftsmen, historians, and artisans have carefully worked to preserve the castle’s original design, all the while making it accessible and safe for visitors.
So far, restoration is finished on:
The First and Second Floors are fully renovated and furnished to reflect the early 1900s, giving visitors a wonderful glimpse into what life in the castle might have been like.
The Grand Staircase & Entry Hall, that was once open to the sky and weather-worn, is now beautifully restored, with intricate woodwork and a stained-glass dome.
The Power House has been reconstructed to house exhibits on how electricity and water were brought to the island.
The Gardens and Grounds have been painstakingly landscaped with colorful blooms, marble walkways, and fountains that mirror the castle’s original plans and has become a prized venue for weddings.
The Boldt Yacht House on nearby Wellesley Island has been preserved, displaying antique boats and Boldt family memorabilia.
Alster Tower, known as the “Playhouse,” was used by the Boldts while the Castle was being built. Its whimsical structure, with intentionally slanted walls, is being restored to show the creative personality of George Boldt and his love for entertaining.
And there’s more to come!
What makes the Boldt Castle renovation so special is that it’s meant to both preserve history and continue a love story. The entire island a tribute to the vision George Boldt had for his wife Louise—a vision that, though interrupted, has finally been honored.
The restoration continues to this day, so every year I visit the castle and Heart Island to experience its new and exciting developments. As new rooms are opened and old ones are improved, the goal is not to complete the castle in the traditional sense, but to tell its story—to let visitors walk through love, loss, and legacy.
Today, Boldt Castle welcomes nearly a quarter million visitors annually. Couples wed. Family frolic, history lovers learn. And romantics come to Heart Island to not only admire a castle, but to feel the love through a story that never truly ended. Boldt Castle is a living monument—a place where craftsmanship, dedication, and memory meet on the shores of the St. Lawrence River.
Boldt Castle is accessible seasonally from mid-May to mid-October by ferry or tour boat from various locations, including Alexandria Bay, NY, Clayton, NY, and Gananoque, Ontario. Private boaters can also dock at Heart Island. As the island is a U.S. port of entry, visitors arriving from Canada must present appropriate identification for customs processing. For more information on planning your visit, including hours of operation and admission fees, visit the official Boldt Castle website: https://www.boldtcastle.com/visitorinfo
About Madison’s Mission:
Step into the captivating world of Boldt Castle in 1903, where dreams are forged in the fires of adversity and love.
Madison Murray, the devoted maid to the legendary Louise Boldt, harbors a singular mission—to care for her ailing mistress while hiding her own painful past. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Emmett O’Connor, the distinguished foreman overseeing Boldt Castle’s extravagant construction. Their connection sparks with promise, yet the chasm of class difference and hidden secrets loom large.
Just as their budding romance begins to flourish, tragedy strikes, shattering their world. A deadly accident leaves Emmett wrestling with guilt and at the center of an investigation that could unravel everything he holds dear. Then Madison finds herself ensnared in a dangerous coverup that threatens her very life.
When Mrs. Boldt passes away, Madison is left reeling—jobless and burdened by the weight of her perceived failures. In a world filled with uncertainty, can she summon the strength to move forward and confront her past? Will Emmett rise above his challenges to forge a future alongside the woman who has captured his heart?
Meet author Cate Touryan
Cate Touryan’s storytelling is deeply rooted in coasts—from the Mediterranean coast of her birth to the Central California coast, where she lives near the beach that inspired her first novel. With a career in education and editing, she brings a lyrical, literary voice to her work. When she’s not writing, she enjoys walking seaside trails, reading old classics and discovering new ones, conjuring joy with loved ones, and looking for stars to put in her pocket. Both her fiction and creative nonfiction are marked by rich atmosphere, compassion for conflicted characters, and a faith that sees the invisible.
Tell us about your newest book.
Turning Toward Eden is my debut coming-of-age novel, a historical mystery. Set in Harford Beach, California, the story unfolds during the summer of 1971 when a rash of petty crimes escalates to bloodshed on the beach and suspicion falls on a strange girl with a Soviet past. It’s a summer infused with Cold War intrigue, both in the small coastal town and in Eden’s family, newly displaced from the South.
What inspired you to write your story?
While not autobiographical, Eden’s story does draw from my own. I grew up on California’s central coast in the 70s, the Cold War casting a chill over summer fun. Like Eden’s parents, my father was a university professor, my mother a nurse. Harford Beach is modeled on Avila Beach, a ten-minute drive from my home, though I reshaped the geography to create the shantytown of Gulch Run and the estates of Vintage Heights. Both Raven and Dex are spun from actual people, Raven from a mysterious high school classmate, Dex from my disabled half-brother, to whom I dedicate the novel. Though rooted in the real, their stories took on lives of their own. In certain ways, I wanted to right the wrongs they suffered through story.
What genre do you focus on?
Although it took me three decades to complete my first novel, I wrote continually over the years, submitting a historical novella as my master’s thesis in English. I especially like the challenge of flash fiction and enjoy writing short stories and creative nonfiction essays.
My stories rarely arise from plot ideas. Instead, they arise from characters and the choices they make. It’s people I love to write, and if I do that well, these characters will write the plot. They need to—I haven’t nearly the imagination I’d like. But I do have an endless fascination with the intricacies of the human heart. To encourage reflection, Turning Toward Eden includes discussion questions for parents, teachers, and book clubs.
Why do you write?
No matter the format, I write to discover—and share—the Story beyond the story. My writing motto stems from Colossians 1:17: for in Him all stories hold together. Sometimes I write to make sense of the world. Sometimes to make sense of others, of their worlds. Other times to make sense of myself.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
The settling into hours without time or care, the immersing into a quiet that is a special kind of creative communion with the Lord. Writing is almost a sacred act—apart from the frequent temper tantrum, cries of despair, and wringing of hands. It’s my happy place, where I can leave myself behind and invite discovery and creativity, like a child before a sprawl of butcher paper and fingerpaints. The second-best part is engaging with readers, learning their stories, sharing mine, and encouraging them toward something deeper, that Story beyond the story.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
I live in a house made of glass. I mean that both metaphorically and literally. When we bought our 1950s house, we remodeled it, adding an upstairs with more windows than walls so that the sun would pour in by day and the moon by night. I live for light. When I write, I shine a light on it all—the truth of the human experience, the good, the bad, and the ugly. For without seeing ourselves as we truly are—that’s the bad and the ugly—we have no hope of seeing the Good.
What is your favorite pastime?
Playing Scrabble on the ScrabbleGO app with my younger daughter who lives in Austria, a 9-hour time difference. Though we can’t do daily life together, we can reach out across the globe with a Scrabble word, anticipate the return play, reply with another (and usually unknown) word, the letters a kind of bridge between us throughout the week. She started me on it about five years ago, saying, “I will not allow you to get Alzheimer’s.” She’s trying to keep my brain sharp, but it’s our hearts that are connected.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Not yet. But I do have many short stories and essays available to subscribers on my website, including “The Gulch Run Gangster,” which tells the story of Anna and Jake as children.
What are you working on now?
The novel I’m shaping in my head (and on scraps of paper littering my desk) is another historical mystery, set in the 1960s. The novel I’m writing on my computer is an adult coming-of-age retrospective, with a precocious narrator (much like Eden), blending humor and self-acceptance. Then there’s the creative nonfiction piece in which I rail against the third-party intruder now present in every interaction with my mother: dementia. It may have the last earthly word, but the Story beyond the story promises an ending redeemed.
Website: https://catetouryan.com/
Link to book: https://a.co/d/046hDiBI
Social media links: https://www.facebook.com/CateTouryan
https://x.com/CateTouryan
https://www.instagram.com/catetouryan/
Julia’s Joy is out! Book 2 of the Love at a Lighthouse series
Julia’s Joy is book 2 of the Love at a Lighthouse series, and this book is set on Sister Island in the Thousand Islands. Check out the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq7XLUohjrA
In Julia’s Joy, the emotional landscape is profoundly shaped by Julia Collins’s experiences of loss. As readers journey with her, they witness the deep scars left by her parents’ deaths and the subsequent passing of my grandmother. This backdrop of grief not only defines Julia’s character but also influences her decisions and relationships throughout the story.
Inflicting pain on beloved characters is always a delicate endeavor for writers. Julia’s sorrow is palpable; her parents’ untimely deaths left her with a void that’s hard to fill. This loss manifests in various ways—through her reluctance to connect with others and her initial determination to leave Sister Island after claiming my inheritance. Her journey is not just about physical relocation but a deeper emotional struggle to reconcile her past with her present.
Julia’s confusion following her grandmother’s death adds another layer to her character. She arrives on Sister Island intending to lay claim to my inheritance, but she quickly finds herself grappling with questions of identity and belonging. The island represents both a sanctuary and a reminder of her losses, creating a tension that is difficult for her to navigate.
William Dodge, the lighthouse keeper, becomes a pivotal figure in Julia’s healing process. His own past betrayal mirrors Julia’s struggles, allowing them to connect on a deeper level. As Julia begins to open up to him, the walls he has built around his heart start to crumble. This vulnerability is both a relief and a source of pain as it forces both of them to confront their unresolved grief.
The journey toward healing is rarely linear, and Julia’s path is fraught with setbacks. As she starts to embrace the peaceful, faith-filled environment of Sister Island, she is faced with moments of profound joy and deep sorrow. This duality reflects the complexity of grief—how moments of happiness can coexist with lingering pain. Julia’s internal conflict amplifies the emotional stakes of the narrative and keeps readers invested in my journey.
Ultimately, Julia’s pain and growth are central to the story’s emotional core. By exploring her struggles with loss, confusion, and the possibility of love, Julia’s Joy invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with grief and healing. It’s a poignant reminder that even in our darkest moments, the potential for hope and connection exists, often in the most unexpected places.
Buy links: Amazon | Barnes&Nobles | Wild Heart Books
About Julia’s Joy:
She came to claim her inheritance, but the mysterious scarred lighthouse keeper makes her question all her plans.
When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her wealthy grandmother’s will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the peaceful, faith-filled island life, and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents’ deaths.
William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, harbors a heart hardened by a past betrayal. Between that and his chronic pleurisy, he wants nothing to do with love. But when Julia arrives on the island bursting with vitality and unconventional notions, William’s world is turned upside down. As she chips away at the walls William has built for himself, he finds his reluctance waning.
But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?
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 been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has thirteen in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House, Libby’s Lighthouse, and Julia’s Joy, the second in her three-book lighthouse series. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, three Indie Excellence Book Awards, five Literary Titan Book Awards, two Golden Scroll Awards, and a Selah Award.
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 Northern Virginia and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands.
The Irish Rose Girls Step Into Service
In the Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas, the girls of the Irish Rose Asylum prepare to say goodbye and discover the truest meaning of service—not servitude, but strength born of love and faith.
In Brooklyn, 1876, the snow falls softly on the roof of the Irish Rose Orphan Asylum for Girls, where seven young women prepare for their final Christmas together. Soon, each will leave the only home they’ve ever known to enter service among the elite families of the Thousand Islands.
For these seven spirited young women—Annie, Taryn, Fiona, Vivian, Cassie, Isabel, and Gloria—the future glitters with promise and uncertainty. In the Gilded Age, service is often the only path open to orphaned girls, yet it is also a doorway to independence, adventure, and perhaps redemption.
Each assignment will test them in new ways. Annie and Taryn, twin sisters once inseparable, must confront their silent rift as they are sent to different households. Fiona, whose heart still aches from abandonment, wonders if she will ever belong anywhere. Vivian hides her fear behind a bright smile, determined to make the best of whatever comes. Cassie, the would-be teacher, strives to be the steady anchor for them all. Isabel and Gloria cling to one another as the reality of separation looms.
Stepping into service means more than scrubbing floors or polishing silver—it means entering a new social order where one’s worth is often measured by obedience and grace. The girls will serve the very people who dine under chandeliers and sail gilded yachts, glimpsing a life of luxury from the other side of the parlor door.
Before they part, Sister Rose gathers them for one final Advent reflection. She reminds them that service, when done with love, becomes a calling rather than a burden. Each girl receives a small tin locket adorned with the Irish Rose, a symbol of hope and belonging—a promise that no matter how far they travel, they are never truly alone.
This prequel to Irish Rose Orphans: A Thousand Islands Gilded Age Series is more than a tale of historical fiction—it’s a celebration of resilience, sisterhood, and the quiet heroism of those who serve. As these seven young women take their first steps into a world defined by class and elegance, readers will be drawn into their courage and grace.