Blog Tour, Double-Interview & Giveaway: Something Borrowed by Rachel Scott McDaniel, Allison Pittman, and Susie Finkbeiner

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Something Borrowed by Rachel Scott McDaniel, Allison Pittman, and Susie Finkbeiner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Something Borrowed
Authors: Rachel Scott McDaniel, Allison Pittman & Susie Finkbeiner
Publisher: Kregel
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Romance Collection

One Perfect Dress--three different Love stories 

In this brand-new novella collection, three renowned Christian historical fiction authors trace generations of wartime romances through a special wedding dress with love sewn into its seams.

 "A Heart in Disguise" by Rachel Scott McDaniel Clara Westlake loves her job as a seamstress in the US "Camouflage Corps," sewing suits for snipers and contributing to the war effort. But when she overhears a threat against her beloved New York City, the Great War comes too close to home--except no one believes her forewarning. She must recruit Marcus Reeves, a childhood friend searching for his purpose after suffering a devastating war injury. As they search for answers together, they may also uncover a love that lasts.  

"A Letter to Eli" by Allison Pittman Bette and Alice are lifelong friends, trying to make a good life for themselves in New York City while World War II rages. It's never far away from their thoughts--not with Alice's fiancé serving at sea, in danger every minute. That's a worry Bette doesn't envy. Then a secret letter reunites her with her soldier ex-boyfriend, now wounded and back in the States. But can the innocent love these two had before the war be rekindled in the face of tragedy?  

"A Daffodil in the Dress" by Susie Finkbeiner Kate Becker and Ike Finch have worked together at his family's bookstore since Kate's husband died in the early days of the Vietnam War. She has her daughter, Eloise, to take care of and bills to pay, and this job was a godsend. A second love is not in the cards, especially not with the world still teetering on the edge of insanity. But when Ike brings little Eloise special flowers one spring day, Kate begins to look at him as more than an employer. Is falling in love again worth the risk?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop

 

Interview with Authors Rachel Scott McDaniel & Susie Finkbeiner

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 

Rachel: Basically, I’m a stay-at-home mom with a vivid imagination. So while I’m folding laundry or dicing vegetables, I’m usually dreaming up a story. 

Susie: Sure! I live with my husband and our three kids (plus our one cat) in West Michigan. I’m the author of novels like The All-American, All Manner of Things, The Nature of Small Birds, and Stories That Bind Us. Something Borrowed is my tenth book!

What do you do besides writing?

 

Rachel: I love to read. I no doubt read more than I write. I’m also a huge outdoorsy person. I love to spend as much time as I can outside. Give me a book and sunshine, and I’m one happy lady.

 
Susie: These days I spend a lot of time in the car, transporting teens to their various activities. But, honestly, I love being a cross country/track/drama/soccer/basketball mom.

When I’m not on taxi duty, I enjoy acting in plays at my local community theatre (shout out to Master Arts Theatre!). I also sing on the worship team at church, enjoy lunch dates with my husband, and reading here and there throughout the day.

What was your favorite part of researching for this book?

Rachel: I absolutely loved learning about the early days of camouflage. When I landed on a website featuring the U.S. Women’s Camouflage Corps, I knew I wanted to write my story revolving around these brave seamstresses who designed rock suits for snipers overseas.

 

Susie: Writing this novella was an interesting experience. For one, I’ve researched the 1960s for the better part of a decade, so I was already up to speed about the history and pop culture of the time. For two, this was my very first time writing a romance. Honestly, I found myself researching how to write kissing scenes and learning the various tropes and the meaning of HEA (happily ever after, I found out). My favorite part of research was picking Bethany Turner’s brain for how to do all things smoochie.

Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?

Rachel: Hmm…the answer to this question changes with each story. For “A Heart in Disguise,” I couldn’t find any stock photos or celebrity that matched the picture of my characters in my head. Because I focus a lot on the emotional aspect of the characters in this story, I felt I didn’t need a physical image constantly before me. Again, this changes with each story, so maybe for the next book I’ll find a visual representation that inspires my creativity.

 

Susie: I actually don’t use images when I’m developing my characters. I just sort of picture them in my mind. To tell you the truth, I am so picky that if I tried to scour the internet for pictures of what my characters would look like, I’d spend far more time than I should trying to find just the right photo.

What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your novella?

Rachel: I listen to a lot of instrumental music while I’m writing, because lyrics tend to distract me. I have a perpetual bad habit of singing along to my faves, and so that renders me unproductive in writing LOL. But for this story, I listened to the Netflix Persuasion soundtrack on repeat.

 

Susie: Oh, this is always my favorite question to answer! I, as you may suspect, listened to lots of 1960s music while writing. Of course that includes Aretha Franklin, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, The Supremes, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez…the list could go on forever!

What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from your novella?

Rachel: My hope is for readers to grasp the importance of following your heart, even when it’s inconvenient or unpopular. It sounds like a cliché but often we let our own reasoning and other people’s opinions to sway us from our heart’s directive. It’s important to be true to yourself.

 

Susie: At one point in my story Katie—my protagonist—says, “New things deserve the chance to grow.” For Kate, that ends up being a new love that deserves the chance to thrive, as scary as that can be. For someone else, that might mean letting a new passion have time to develop or a new friendship the chance to deepen.

New things are scary. But often, if we let them grow, we can see that they’re a chance that God gives us to have a more beautiful life.

What can we look forward to coming from you in the future?

Rachel: My next novel The Dreams We Knew releases in February 2025. This is the second story from the Roaring 20s duology, and I’m super excited about this book!

 

Susie: I usually have a great answer for this question. But at the moment the only answer I have is this: I don’t know! For the first time in eleven years I don’t have a contract which is both freeing and terrifying. So, I’m doing some research and early writing for a project that I’ve wanted to write for years. I’m also doing my best to trust that God has a purpose for this new story and a place for it to live.

---

About the Authors

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis and the RWA Touched by Love awards, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. She enjoys life in Ohio with her husband and two kids.

Connect with Rachel at rachelmcdaniel.net to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Allison Pittman is the author of multiple award-winning books, including The Seamstress and For Time and Eternity. She is also copresident of a Christian writers group in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas.

Connect with Allison at allisonkpittman.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Susie Finkbeiner is the author of The All-American and All Manner of Things which were both selected as Michigan Notable Books. Her other novels include Stories That Bind Us, The Nature of Small Birds, and the Pearl Spence series. Susie and her husband live in West Michigan with their three children.

Connect with Susie at susiefinkbeiner.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

---

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed print copy of Something Borrowed and some book-related goodies!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 12, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 19, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Book will be signed by at least one of the authors. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!