Today I share Susan Mathis and her final installment in our series of three blog posts about Julia's Joy.

About Julia’s Joy:

When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her wealthy grandmother's will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the peaceful, faith-filled island life, and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents' deaths.

William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, harbors a heart hardened by a past betrayal. Between that and his chronic pleurisy, he wants nothing to do with love. But when Julia arrives on the island bursting with vitality and unconventional notions, William's world is turned upside down. As she chips away at the walls William has built for himself, he finds his reluctance waning.

But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?

Here’s an excerpt from Julia’s Joy:

As William scanned the lamp room, it smelled of dampness and kerosene, scents ingrained in the very fabric of the lighthouse. The rain continued to patter incessantly on the ten-sided glass room, a staccato call to be at attention, though he doubted many would traverse the river in such weather, save the oceangoing salties or perhaps a laker or two already en route to port. Still, after the recent crash on that foggy night, he had to remain vigilant.

He approached the massive lamp, that giant sentinel in the center of the room, and lit it. The wick flickered, a dim flame yearning for attention. He sighed. Much like the lamp, there were aspects of his heart that also needed tending.

He carefully fine-tuned the wick, coaxing it to life with a gentle adjustment. The flame responded, dancing with renewed vigor.

William polished the brass components of the lamp until they gleamed, each stroke a subtle swish of reflection. The windows of the lamp room also caught his attention. With a determined resolve, he set about cleaning them, but the view beyond the glass was obscured, much like the uncertainty that clouded his tomorrows.

As he wiped away the residue, he appraised Julia’s inner storm and the book that held the answers to her battle. Though she hadn’t mentioned the many notes and comments his father and mother had added to their family heirloom, he knew many of them by heart. Indeed, he had added a few of his own over the years.

He wouldn’t force Julia to share her revelations. No, he had to let her come to him when she was ready. In the meantime, he would pray for her.

He set about puttering, as he often did when deep in thought. The clang of metal against metal resounded through the lamp room as he tinkered with the brass workings of the massive apparatus. He smiled as the beam of light from the lighthouse swept across the stormy river, cutting through the thick mist that clung to the island and beyond, just as it should.

About Susan:

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has thirteen in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House, Libby’s Lighthouse, and Julia’s Joy, the second in her three-book lighthouse series. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, three Indie Excellence Book Awards, five Literary Titan Book Awards, two Golden Scroll Awards, and a Selah Award. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Northern Virginia and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Where can people find you online?

Susan’s website: https://www.susangmathis.com/fiction-books

Buy links: Amazon | Barnes&Nobles | Wild Heart Books

Social media links: Website |Author Central |  Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram| Goodreads l Book Bub| Pinterest | 

Julia’s Joy book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq7XLUohjrA