Meet author Donna Wichelman

Jen – I’m so happy to have Donna Wichelman on my blog! So, Donna, tell me about yourself.

Donna – My first sixteen years as an only child, born and raised near Cleveland, Ohio, I drifted through the ordinary routines of life, though looking back on them, I was destined to write. From my days in grammar school, writing for the school newspaper, I knew I loved the written word and telling stories. That theme runs through most of my life.

In high school, a unique opportunity crossed my path that allowed me to attend the United World College of the Atlantic—an international school that has multiplied into at least sixteen satellite schools worldwide. While most of the students lived in dormitories on the “hill,” I lived in a two-room, ten-girl dorm inside St. Donat’s Castle outside Llantwit Major, Wales on the Bristol Channel. Though the castle has none of Hogwart’s magic, it does have a legendary ghost, Lady Anne, who roams the halls. I’m still in touch with some of my classmates and go to reunions.

Jen – That is exciting! What an experience that must have been! Why did you start writing?

Donna – My passion for writing fiction dawned at the UWC of the Atlantic, where I focused on English Literature and discovered my love of the classics. Their works awakened a desire to delve into the issues that touch the heart and write plots that show how God’s love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. I hoped to reflect the hunger in all of us for love, forgiveness, and belonging in a world that often withholds second chances. 

One of my most extraordinary adventures occurred while researching Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and visiting the Brontë parsonage in Haworth, England. While walking the moors on a drizzly day, I happened upon an old man with a cap and a cane whose ancestors knew the Brontës. He delighted me with his stories and captivated my imagination with his words. 

Jen – What a beautiful picture, and again, such a neat experience! Tell me about what genre you write.

Donna – Like many writers, it took time to tease out the genre that best fits me as an author. Even when I wrote and indie-published the first two books in the Waldensian Series—my contemporary Christian romantic suspense novels—the plots unfolded because centuries earlier, the Waldensians were part of a movement of Protestants persecuted by the Roman Church. Their story of faith and valor touched me, and I believed their story needed to be told. 

It took James Rubart’s branding course to help me seize upon the component that seemed to drive every story I wrote—history. I could finally verbalize my tagline: Weaving History and Faith into Tales of Intrigue and Redemption.

Jen– I love that. Finding that tagline can help authors brand themselves and narrow in on what they really want to write.

What do you like to read?

Donna – Since I found my tagline, I’ve voraciously read numerous historical fiction authors—Tamera Alexander, Melanie Dobson, Francine Rivers, Kate Breslin, and Sarah Sundin. Their books weave the stories that engage me and help me hone my skills in the genre. 

Tales from people throughout my travels over the years, like the man I met on the moors, have sparked the stories that come to life on the page. A slip-time work in progress (dual timelines) set during World War II in France and contemporary America began with our travel to Southern France in 2023. Later in the year, I returned to Libourne to interview historians and people alive during the war. 

My Gilded Age historical romance, A Song of Deliverance, will be released by Scrivenings Press on December 3, 2024. It sprung to life during a family vacation in Ireland.  

We were standing on a crest overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the Dingle Peninsula, and I imagined a woman of poverty in nineteenth-century Ireland destined to emigrate to America. Eventually, the concept morphed into the story as it exists today. When a poor Irish woman’s hopes for a better life in Colorado crumble after a mining disaster, she must find the faith and courage to create a new life for herself. In the process, Anna Sullivan helps the mine’s owner, Stefan Maier, uncover the nefarious deeds of his nemesis and falls in love with the mining mogul. 

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Jen – You are a busy woman! What else are you up to?

Donna – In addition to my historical novels, I’m a contributing writer for the Heroes, Heroines, and History Blog. My blogs appear every fourth of the month. If you appreciate history, you’ll enjoy the compelling stories, intriguing events, and fascinating trivia from the history of the world. You can read my June blog here. Sign up at www.hhhistory.com to receive the daily blogs by different authors on the site. 

Interested readers can visit my website at  www.donnawichelman.com to sign up for my newsletter. You’ll receive up-to-date information on A Song of Deliverance—including when pre-orders will be available in November—discover my latest historical blogs posted on the Heroes, Heroines, and History Blog, learn about monthly Giveaways, and get recommendations for books and authors such as Chateau of Secrets, a World War II slip-time novel by Melanie Dobson or books by other Scrivenings Press authors. 

If you’re a reader and want to read one of my novels now, you can find Light Out of Darkness, Book One and Undaunted Valor, Book Two of the Waldensian Series on Amazon. If you’re a writer and would like more resources to help develop your writing skills, I invite you to visit my website at www.donnawichelman.com/for-writers under the Extras tab. 

Donna’s bio:

Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna’s love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending the United World College of the Atlantic—an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys exploring the peoples and cultures of the world and developing plots that show how God’s love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness in a world that often withholds second chances. 

Donna received her master’s degree in mass communications/journalism from San Jose State University and became a communications professional before writing full-time. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published Christian romantic suspense novels in her Waldensian Series, and her Gilded Age historical romance, A Song of Deliverance, will be released in December 2024  

Donna and her husband of forty years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak and travel whenever possible. 

Connect with Donna: 

• Website: www.donnawichelman.com 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaWichelmanAuthor  
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donna.wichelman/  
• X: www.x.com/DonnaWichelman  
• Goodreads: Donna Wichelman (Author of Light Out of Darkness) | Goodreads

I’m so glad to have Donna on my blog! Check out her links. She’ll be back on when her book releases in December!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for over 37 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)