Greetings from Marti Pieper in summery Mount Dora, Florida. I’m using the writerly summery as opposed to steamy or sweltering, of course. I do appreciate the daily offerings of sunshine and blue sky!
Marti Pieper
Today, I’m delighted to host author and editor Roseanna M. White on our CAN blog. She has lots of exciting news to share, so let’s get right to her interview.
Welcome, Roseanna! Could you please give us a brief introduction to your latest book?
Roseanna M. White
Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages during the Great War. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.
Sounds fascinating! And what is the book’s primary focus?
The Number of Love contains what each book in the series will—war and spies and mayhem, and secret codes to boot. But what really sets this book apart is the heroine, Margot, who is a mathematician in an age where women simply didn’t seek professions in math or science very often. I loved showcasing a mathematical mind like hers. . . and challenging her to look inside her heart, not just her intellect, for answers.
The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White
That’s such a unique idea (and perfect for this month as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day). What surprised you the most during the research or writing of your book?
I couldn’t believe how vast England’s intelligence network was during the Great War! Admiral Blinker Hall, director of the Intelligence Division, is thought to have had thousands of agents in the field around the world, in addition to the hundreds employed in Room 40 and untold numbers of contacts throughout England. He is said to have had every piece of mail leaving the country inspected and certainly intercepted every wireless communication sent during the war. I can’t imagine how he set up the network he did, but it was staggering to read about!
Let’s move from the book to you. What would be your ideal writing place? And. . . what’s your actual writing place like?
I’m not too picky on the actual location, but it would be solitary and quiet. My real writing space, on the other hand, is the kitchen table. In the house where I homeschool my kids and my husband and I both work from home. So. . . yeah. “Solitary and quiet” are just dreams, LOL.
I spent years writing and homeschooling, so I get that. Enjoy the chaos! Why do you write historical romance?
I’ve always enjoyed history! When learning about it school, I would frequently jot down notes—not on the material, but on how I could use it for a story, LOL. (Strangely, I don’t think my teachers ever caught on to this. . . ). Though I’ve written a few contemporaries that are still sitting in my digital drawer, I loved that it was a historical that first got me big break, because that’s where my heart has always been. Through history, we can shed light on society today by showcasing both the similarities and differences in previous eras. And I have long believed that there’s a reason Jesus uses parables about marriage so often—our romantic love is meant to be a reflection of God’s love for us, and I love showing that true, God-inspired commitment in my stories.
What talents do you have aside from storytelling?
Most of my life revolves around the written word. =) In addition to writing, I’m also an editor for WhiteFire Publishing, a book cover designer, and I homeschool my kids. I’m also the pianist at my church, I sing (confidently if not breathtakingly), and I have a relatively new love of knitting. When time permits, I also enjoy baking.
I’m not sure how you fit anything else in, but what do you read for pleasure? What are you reading right now?
I’m willing to try pretty much any genre! Most of it is Christian, but my audio selections are often general market, as those are easier to find in my library. 😉 At the moment, I’m reading Half Finished by Lauraine Snelling, listening to The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah, and I have a borrowed copy of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens waiting to read and returned as soon as I can get to it. I’m also rereading The Screwtape Letters with a highlighter in hand as my devotional at the moment. I listened to an audio version not long ago and decided I needed one I could mark up—so many brilliant observations!
Everyone struggles with time management in our 24/7 world. How do you stay disciplined and meet your deadlines?
Thankfully, discipline has always come pretty easy to me—maybe thanks to the farm family blood in my veins? LOL. I get up early (5:30) and spend my morning working before it’s time to start school. I’ll set goals and tasks for myself, promising rewards when I accomplish them. But mostly, I’m just driven to accomplish things, so I’m not usually willing to let that word count or project goal slip by me! Of course, it helps that I’m blessed to be doing things I love, and which I consider a ministry.
Amen! No, please tell us about your next project.
Next from me is the second book in the Codebreakers Series, On Wings of Devotion. We’ll follow another codebreaker—a former pilot grounded and accused of a crime he didn’t commit—and an unassuming nurse into mystery and danger as a Central Power agent seeks to use them in a terrible plot.
Thanks so much for sharing your words and your life with us, Roseanna. Have a wonderful summer!
To learn more about Roseanna M. White, visit Roseanna’s website and Roseanna’s blog.
For His glory,
Marti Pieper
