Christian romance author Cecelia Dowdy is back with another installment of her Romance Brides series. I recently spoke with her about The Blacksmith’s Bride.
Tell me about your latest book.
The Blacksmith’s Bride is about three characters–Benjamin, Esther, and Francine. Esther is Benjamin’s daughter, and she’s mute. Since she witnessed a double murder, she’s not been able to speak. Benjamin is a blacksmith. Since his daughter no longer speaks, he wants to rectify that. He opts to relocate from New York to Philadelphia to make a fresh start. He’s hoping that a new environment will enable his daughter to speak again.
Francine used to be a socialite. She was part of the Black upper class in Philadelphia. Since her husband’s death, she’s lost all of her wealth. She can’t afford to feed herself, so relies on the kindness of friends in order to survive.
The story has a bit of suspense and mystery as the characters try to overcome evil while they trust in God.
Why did you decide to write it?
Francine, the heroine in The Blacksmith’s Bride, was the villain in The Baker’s Bride (Book 1 in the Romance Bride Series). I wanted to vindicate her so, I made her the main character in The Blacksmith’s Bride. I wanted to show why she was so unlikeable in the first book, and to show how much she’d changed.
Who is your favorite character and why?
I suppose Esther, the 12-year-old girl, is my favorite. I believe it’s because she doesn’t realize how strong she actually is. To give more context to my response, you must read the book to find out to what I’m referring!
When did you fall in love with the written word?
When I was a child. Reading has always been a passion for me.
If you could pick another profession, what would it be and why?
I’d probably be a chef or a baker. Most of my stories center around food since I enjoy making food and eating it!
What author would you fangirl over?
I don’t really have a “fangirl” author. Since I’ve been reading since I was a kid, nothing really sticks to my mind as far as a “fangirl” author. There are so many great authors out there—to pick just one would be too hard. My mind is literally overloaded with wonderful fiction that I’ve been reading my entire life!
What books have you read lately and loved?
I recently read The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden. I loved this book partially because it had a great foodie vibe! I also read The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller. This book was deep. It’s a book that everyone should read because it shows the racism that African-Americans have endured.
What books are you most excited to read next?
The next book on my TBR pile is non-fiction—107 Days by Kamala Harris.
What’s next for you?
I think that I might start a romance/mystery series where the couples are senior citizens. I was thinking of setting these stories in a retirement community.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
Most of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited! I also sell paperbacks via my online store! You can see ceceliadowdy.com/books to see all of my titles!
Use the Black Fiction Addiction affiliate link to purchase your copy of The Blacksmith’s Bride by Cecelia Dowdy.
To learn more about Christian romance author Cecelia Dowdy, visit her website or connect with her on social media.
Website: https://ceceliadowdy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CeceliaDowdyAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dowdycecelia/