It’s a privilege today to welcome author Tricia Goyer back to Mom 2 Mom Connection.

You may remember Tricia was here back in January giving us the scoop on how she finds time to write so much and still homeschool her three children!

Tricia is the author of five novels, two nonfiction books, and one children’s book. In 2005, her novel Night Song won ACFW’s Book of the Year for Long Historical Romance.

She’s also a passionate writing instructor on the topic of researching historical fiction. Her latest novel, Valley of Betrayal, is hot off the press from Moody Publishers, book one in her Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series.

Welcome back, Tricia! How in the world did you get interested in writing a book about the Spanish Civil War?

When I was researching for my novel, Arms of Deliverance, one of the autobiographies I read was from a man who was a B-17 bomber pilot over Europe — but before that he was an American volunteer for The Spanish Civil War.

I had never heard of this war before, which happened right before WWII in Spain. I started researching and I was soon fascinated. Some people call it “the first battle of WWII” because it’s where the Nazis first tried their hand at modern warfare.

Wow. I’ve never heard of that. So how did your research develop into a full-fledged novel?

I started by researching this time in history, briefly, then I started thinking of unique characters that had an impact during that time.

For example, characters from my other novels have been medics, war correspondents, artists, prisoners, etc. To me, it’s the people that make the story (and history) come alive.

For this series, I dove into the lives of an American artist, a few international volunteers, a Basque priest, and a German pilot. I research the real people first, and then the plot for my novel builds. Soon, I have to make myself stop researching to start writing. Research can be addictive!

That sounds amazing — I wish my history professors had used novels to bring our dry textbooks to life. You make this time period sound so fascinating! What themes exist in Valley of Betrayal that you hope the reader sees?

The main theme is one of “God’s Providence.” We think we’re doing something for one reason, but then later we discover that God’s plan was even bigger! There are no coincidences with God.

Also, there’s a theme of “discovered strength.” I love the verse that talks about, “In my weakness God’s strength is complete.” Only when we are weak can God’s strength truly shine through us.

That’s true — and only when we go through a trying experience do we allow ourselves to see God’s strength. Did you find there were any difficult parts to write?

The most difficult parts are those dealing with the political climates of that time. One of my characters, Deion, is part of the Communist party. Today’s reader has one view of what that means, but in the 1930s there was hope found there. In a country that was still segregated, the idea of “equality of men” was a huge draw, especially for African Americans.

Did you have a favorite part of the writing?

Yes, I really liked researching the Spanish culture — the bullfights and the flamenco dancing. The attitudes and the beliefs. It’s fascinating.

Oh, and I love getting swept away with my characters. They always surprise me!

In fact, at the beginning of the book, I added a minor character because my girl, Sophie, needed a ride across the border. As it turns out her driver ends up being one of the major players in the book. Who knew?

Oh, you make the writing sound like so much fun! Tricia, your previous novels focus on World War II, but A Valley of Betrayal highlights a lesser known period of history. What do you think your high school history teacher would say about where the Lord has brought you in your writing projects?

I think my high school English teacher would be shocked. I wrote lots of notes in class, but they were to pass to my friends . . . not notes of what he was teaching! Unfortunately, my history teacher stressed boring dates and stuff. I think he’d be proud of how I bring history to life within the pages of a novel.

I agree. I think historical fiction would be great for high school students to read. A LOVE STORY, like yours, would have made history come to life for us dreamy romantics! Was there anything that intimidated you about writing this novel?

This book was very challenging because I knew nothing about The Spanish Civil War before I started. Yet, I felt sure that God was leading me to write these books, and God (again) taught me to trust Him.

When He gives me an idea for a novel it is so BIG. I mean there is so much to pull together. Yet, God has shown me time and time again that He is faithful. He gives me ideas, leads me to the right research books, and even brings people into my life to help me!

Can you give us any specific examples?

While I was researching this book, a man named Norm Goyer contacted me because he was working on his family tree and he wanted to know if we were related. We weren’t related, but Norm ended up being an airplane expert and consultant for movies.

Norm ended up helping me with research on my German pilot in Spain. I think it was an awesome gift from God! This again shows me that whatever God brings before me, He also has the power to help me succeed.

Tricia, that is such a neat story! You make historical fiction sound like such fun to write. I wish you the best as you work on the rest of this trilogy!

Thanks! 🙂

Tricia Goyer loves hearing from her readers! You can get in touch with her through her main website, Tricia’s Loft. Thanks to Amy Lathrop for helping to coordinate this interview.