About the Book

Book: Loving Lydia

Author: Susan Pope Sloan

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: April 25, 2023

Two Southerners thrown together by the Union army. He’s on a quest for vengeance. She’s determined to preserve her family.

Lydia Gibson’s life is overturned when the Union Army invades her hometown and burns down the cotton mill where she and her stepdaughter worked. Even worse, she and the other workers are arrested and sent to Marietta, where they wait for the army to send them north.

Confederate Sergeant Seth Morgan finally reaches Marietta to check on his family, but the last thing he expects is to meet a woman who sparks attraction he thought he’d never feel again. Unfortunately, she’s a Yankee prisoner and being sent north to Louisville, Kentucky.

Seth is forced to return to his unit in Virginia, and he never anticipated their next meeting would be when he’s taken to Louisville as a prisoner. While Seth searches the Confederate ranks for the man who murdered his wife, Lydia implores him to ask after her missing nephew. Neither one expects just how far the search will take them, or what they’ll discover along the way.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Born into a family of storytellers, Susan Pope Sloan published her first articles in high school and continued writing sporadically for decades. Retirement provided the time to focus on writing and indulge her avid interest in history. Her Civil War series begins (and ultimately ends) in her home state of Georgia with references to lesser-known events of that period. She and husband Ricky live near Columbus where she participates in Word Weavers, ACFW, and Toastmasters

More from Susan

As a “pantser” when it comes to writing, I never know how the story will develop or which characters will demand more “stage” time. Lydia Gibson was always destined to be a main character, but I had no idea who would be her leading man. When Seth Morgan appeared in Rescuing Rose, I saw him only as an object to create tension between Rose and Noah. Then I learned how his wife died and knew he had to be rescued from his grief and anger. At first, I thought he might match up with Celeste, but it made more sense for him to be drawn to Lydia, who was a war widow. He was a fun protagonist as he loudly proclaimed his lack of interest in marrying again but always went out of his way to assist the women he met. Seth liked to create the illusion of being a tough fighter, but what he really wanted was someone to love and share his life. As Lydia struggled to overcome her poor self-image, Seth discovered his strength in following the path of peace.

Interview with Susan

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I was born into a family of singers and started singing in church at age three. My dad was a songwriter, and for years we traveled around the state, singing in churches on the weekend. There are so many stories from those years that I’ve started writing a memoir for my grandchildren.

What has been your favorite part of the publishing journey? 

I love connecting with other people who are passionate about historical fiction and other genres of Christian fiction—both readers and writers. I’ve also enjoyed giving and receiving critiques from my fellow authors.

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

Seth was a character who sneaked into Rescuing Rose and soon worked his way into a prominent place. He was so much fun to watch develop in Loving Lydia. I see him as an average (but scrappy) fellow who fights for his family; however, he often surprises us with his actions and witty comments.

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

Trying to figure out occupations for the men, apart from being soldiers, was a challenge. Everyone couldn’t be a doctor or a farmer. Having Seth follow in his father’s footsteps as a furniture builder meant I had to find out about wood and tools that I’ve never used. Thank goodness, my husband used to do some woodworking as a hobby.

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

Book #3 is going through the edit and proofreading process, and it’s the story of Lydia’s stepdaughter Millie. It actually begins a few months before the Union invasion and extends into the summer of 1865. I’m also working on a story for another of Lydia’s relatives that picks up in 1865 and one more that’s a prequel set twenty years earlier. I plan to poll my readers as to which characters they’d like to see a story for.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, April 19

Karen Baney Reviews, April 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 22 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 22

Connie’s History Classroom, April 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 25

For Him and My Family, April 26

Betti Mace, April 27

Holly’s Book Corner, April 28

Blossoms and Blessings , April 29

Pause for Tales, April 30

Simple Harvest Reads, May 1

Cover Lover Book Review, May 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/258b0/loving-lydia-celebration-tour-giveaway