Beauty from Ashes in Life and Fiction: Diving Deep with Liz Tolsma

With her passion for life, history, and story, Liz Tolsma is the author of several novels ranging from World War II to Amish fiction. While she thought she’d write one book and be done, her debut novel was a finalist for two awards. Now she’s a full-time author and editor, and she has never looked back. She joins us today to share about topics close to her heart, and to introduce her latest release, When the Sky Burned.

A Word of Inspiration

Liz Tolzma’s writing journey began much like other authors—at a young age with a vivid imagination and an innate knack for storytelling. Dubbed “Sarah Bernhardt” by her parents due to her flair for drama, Liz was encouraged by a supportive fifth-grade teacher who instilled the dream of becoming a published author.

Adoption: A Theme Close to the Heart

A big passion for Liz centers around the theme of international adoption. She and her husband have welcomed three children into their family from different corners of the world, embedding rich experiences and diverse cultures into their lives. Liz speaks passionately about how adoption mirrors God’s unconditional love and adoption of us, reflecting how it has shaped her as both a mother and a writer.

Overlooked History Brought to Life

“When the Sky Burned,” Liz’s latest novel, captures the essence of historical fiction by intertwining real events with an inspiring story. Set against the backdrop of the lesser-known Peshtigo Fire of 1871, Liz carefully balances historical accuracy with the fictional journeys of her characters. Mariah Randolph embodies resilience as she transitions from an artist to a survivor of blindness. Inspired by real stories of blind painters, Liz weaves a narrative that highlights resilience, transformation, and justice.

What’s Next for Liz Tolsma?

Continuing with her theme of stories based on real-life events, Liz is excited to be writing a fictionalized version of a reader’s family history from World War II. Readers can connect with her through her website, newsletter, GoodReads, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, X, and her own podcast.

Enjoy a series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Promising painter Mariah Randolph longs to have her canvases displayed in the world’s best museums, and Hollis Stanford, the heir of a railroad tycoon, is her ticket to success. The railroad’s bookkeeper, Jay Franklin, discovers discrepancies and is convinced that Hollis is stealing from the company. But any proof of his dirty dealings go up in smoke when fire utterly destroys the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, October 8, 1871.

The fire leaves Mariah blind, but Jay befriends her and even helps her to start painting again. But a trip to Chicago to return Hollis’s daughter to him could put both Mariah and Jay in more danger than even the fire that devastated the town and their lives.

Other Historical Bookworm episodes with Liz Tolsma include a Pinch of the Past and a Bookchat about A Picture of Hope

Bookworm Review

Today’s bookworm review is brought to you by author Angela Bell

Today’s Bookworm Review is bought to you by Angela Bell. “The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender solidifies  KyLee Woodley as a veritable sharpshooter of a storyteller!

In her second Outlaw Hearts novel, Woodley skillfully corrals the tension of a showdown at high noon, complex characters, fastidious historical research, and a mystery with all the twists of a gnarled tumbleweed into a tale sure to whisk readers away on a wild ride into a hope-filled sunset.

If you’re drawn to the rugged romance of the old west, consider The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender your next most wanted read!”

~ Angela Bell, author of A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure

A Bookchat about The All-American with Susie Finkbeiner & a Review of Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark

Susie Finkbeiner joins us for a chat about her beloved state of Michigan, what draws her to write stories set in the 50s and 60s, and her latest release The All-American. Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of this great book! Widow Minerva Jenkins has lived alone in her small mountain home for 40 years where she has guarded her husband’s deathbed request. When a young reporter comes calling and inquires about a rumored box of gold on her property, an unlikely friendship forms. Will she go to her grave with her husband’s secret, or will the weight of it be the death of her?

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Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 63: A Bookchat about The All-American with Susie Finkbeiner & a Review of Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark

THE BOOK

Alice runs a New Orleans flower shop alongside her aunt, but thoughts of her mother, who went missing during Hurricane Katrina, are never far from her mind. After getting off on the wrong foot with a handsome yet irritating man who comes to her shop, Alice soon realizes their worlds overlap—and the answers they both seek can be found in the same place.

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Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 62: A Bookchat about Code Name Edelweiss with Stephanie Landsem & a Review of Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White.

THE BOOK

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same–until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie’s inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling’s injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he’s tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

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The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 61: A Bookchat about The Sound of Light with Sarah Sundin & a Review of The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep.

THE BOOK

Constable Jackson Forge intends to make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. But that’s Kit Turner’s domain, a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the old-fashioned way—conning the rich to give to the poor. When a local cab driver goes missing, Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do that is by enlisting Kit’s help. If Jackson doesn’t find the cabby, he’ll be fired. If Kit doesn’t help Jackson, he’ll arrest her for thievery. Yet neither of them realize those are the least of their problems.

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The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright

The audio version of this review was first shared in A Bookchat about Forged in Love with Mary Connealy & a Review of Premonition at Withers Farm by Jamie Jo Wright

THE BOOK

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn’t help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.

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The Mobster’s Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 51: A Bookchat about His Delightful Lady Delia with Grace Hitchcock & a Review of The Mobster’s Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel.

THE BOOK

The one man who could help her, must never know her name.

If Kate Chamberlin can’t reveal her true identity to the world, she must settle for sharing only her talent. Hired as a musician for KDKA radio, Kate plays everything from sponsors’ jingles to complex sonatas. As long as the whispers around the broadcasting room refer to her as “Killjoy Kate” and not “Catarina the crime boss’s daughter,” then her life is safe from danger. Or so she thinks.

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Paint and Nectar by Ashley Clark       

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 47: A Bookchat about Caesar’s Lord with Bryan Litfin & a Review of Paint and Nectar by Ashley Clark

THE BOOK

In 1929, a spark forms between Eliza, a talented watercolorist, and William, a charming young man with a secret that could ruin her career. Their families forbid their romance because of a long-standing feud over missing heirloom silver. Still, Eliza and William’s passion grows despite the barriers, causing William to deeply regret the secret he’s keeping . . . but setting things right will come at a cost.

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Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 45: A Bookchat about A Daughter’s Courage with Misty M. Beller & a Review of Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd

THE BOOK

Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.

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Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel

THE BOOK

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 44: A Bookchat about The Premonition at Withers Farm with Jaime Jo Wright & a Review of Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel

After losing the love of her life to a big city journalism job, Elissa Tillman pours herself into the suffragette movement and her secretarial work helping keep her father’s Pittsburgh newspaper afloat. 

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