About the Book

Book: Slashed Canvas

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Historical Mystery, Fairytale

Release date: February 1, 2022

Held prisoner by all she’s lost, Katarina’s about to lose all she has.

Grand Duchess Katarina Volstova barely escaped the Russian revolution, arriving in Paris just before the birth of her twin daughters. With her heart still captive in her homeland, she haunts the Louvre each day, spending hours gazing at one painting, lost in her pain.

Not the man he once was, Timothy Smythe never returned home to England after the Great War. Instead, he hides himself away doing maintenance in the Louvre and watching the beautiful woman whose pain seems riveted on one painting.

When Katarina returns home to find her daughters and their nanny missing, the loss opens her eyes to all she has to lose now.

Frantic to find her girls, her distress causes Timothy to offer his assistance. Together they put together clues to a puzzle they must complete before the kidnapper ensures Katarina and her daughters are never reunited.

Slashed Canvas offers a retelling of The Lost Princess that mingles self-centered grief, spoiled little girls, and proof that nothing will stop a mother from saving her children.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at http://www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

How Slashed Canvas Came to Be

It was the last evening of the SoCal Christian Writer’s Conference three years ago. A group of us decided that frozen yogurt sounded good, so we walked the few blocks from the university where the conference was being held to the local fro-yo shop.

On the way back, I was walking alongside fellow author Chautona Havig. We were chatting about various projects we had underway, and she mentioned that she and Sandy Barela from Celebrate Lit had come up with an idea for a boxed set. This involved taking a fairy-tale and turning it into a 1920s mystery. Would I be interested?

You don’t have to ask me twice if I’d like to be in a set with Chautona that’s put out by Sandy. Before I knew what was happening, I was agreeing to it. Then we got talking about what fairy tales I might use. As soon as she said The Lost Princess, an idea sparked in my brain. It really was that instant. 1920s. Princess. Russia. Exile.

This might come as a surprise to both Chautona and Sandy, but I really didn’t know the story of The Lost Princess. Not at all. When I was working up the idea, I had to read the story and figure out how to make my idea mesh with the fairy tale. Thankfully, the story did work well with what I intended to do with Slashed Canvas.

And that title? Well, that was quite difficult. At the time, my niece was staying with us and interning for me. One night, we sat and ran through idea after idea until we came up with “Something” Canvas. I wanted a strong adjective and we offered and rejected many until we came up with Slashed Canvas. I hadn’t written a word of the book, but I managed to work a slashed canvas into the story.

And what about the painting in Slashed Canvas? I knew I wanted it to be by a Russian artist and hang in the Louvre, but there weren’t (and aren’t) many paintings like that in the Louvre. Russia has been loath to allow any of its art to leave the country. So what was I going to do? I really was going crazy.

Then I spoke on the phone to Kristy Cambron. Not only is she a fabulous author, but she also has a degree in art history. It was her idea to make up my own painting. That way, I could make it work however I needed it to for the story. What a relief. I did just that, and the story flowed from there.

And the clues to the mystery? Those were my dad’s ideas. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything!

So that’s how Slashed Canvas came to be. It was the work of so many different people. Authors, much as we hide behind our computers, never work in a vacuum. Very often, there are many fingers in the pie to make the finished product.

Interview with Liz

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I hate ham. I never like it much to begin with, but now I really just can’t stand it. I know it’s something most people like, but I cannot do it.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Loyal, shy, fun-loving

What book is currently on your bedside table?

Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark. So good!

What has been your favorite part of the publishing journey? 

All of the wonderful people I have met along the way and all of the connections I’ve made. I now have so many writer friends and, to a person, they are the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.

Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?

A nemesis of Katarina’s shows up along the way (I’m trying not to give anything away here), and he messes with Katarina’s head and tries to get her to believe things that aren’t true.

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

I do love Katarina. She’s very flawed in the beginning and struggling with life, but I love the resolve she shows when her girls go missing. The readers will see how much she truly loves her daughters and the lengths she’ll go to get them back. I also really love Georges. He’s also broken and working on healing. He just has a good heart right from the start.

What were the highlight or key challenges you faced when writing this book?

I had never written a mystery before, though I’ve written suspenses. Trying to figure out who the kidnapper was, how to drop clues, how to drop red herrings was hard. My dad, who is big into mysteries, helped me so much. That part of the book is from him.

What is the key theme and/or message in the book?

Despite tragedies, God is always good, and He gives us a hope and a future.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

You can visit my website at liztolsma.com. That’s the best place to find me. While you’re there, sign up for my newsletter. I promise not to spam, but we have fun with giveaways, recipes, and lots of bookish news.

Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

I have two books coming out with Barbour Publishing this year. The first one is my first dual time novel (always have to give myself a challenge), and it releases May 1^st. It’s set in San Antonio in 1836, the time of the Alamo, and in 2019. A ring links the two women separated by almost 200 years, but will either of them live to see the ring’s promise fulfilled?

The other one is also dual time, but this one is WWII. It takes place in Thessaloniki, Greece (readers might know it better as Thessalonica from the Bible) and is about a Jewish woman who runs a small newspaper. When she finds herself in the ghetto with a new baby, she has some difficult decisions to make. In 2019, a college student gets a puzzling DNA test result and travels to Thessaloniki to discover who she really is. We have a title, but I’m waiting to reveal it! Keep watching for that. My newsletter subscribers will find out first!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 7

Texas Book-aholic, March 8

For the Love of Literature, March 8

Inklings and notions, March 9

Christian Bookaholic, March 9

For Him and My Family, March 10

Elly Gilbert, March 10

deb’s Book Review, March 11

By the Book, March 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 12

Blossoms and Blessings, March 12

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 13

Paula’s Persuasion, March 13

Connie’s History Classroom, March 14

Genesis 5020, March 14

Babbling Becky L’ s Book Impressions, March 15

Older & Smarter?, March 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 16 (Spotlight)

Blogging With Carol, March 16

Simple Harvest Reads, March 16 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 17

Maureen’s Musings, March 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 18

Connect in Fiction, March 18

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 19 (Author Interview)

Back Porch Reads, March 19

Mary Hake, March 19

Through the Fire Blogs, March 20

The Book Club Network, March 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1b4c3/slashed-canvas-celebration-tour-giveaway