What is the title of your latest release?
DEVOTED TO LOVE, book 3 in A Minnesota Legacy series by Tracie Peterson
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
In 1916 Minneapolis, Leah Garrison has a great compassion for unwed mothers, especially upper society women who are abandoned by their families and shunned, as her dear friend Susanna was. Having died in childbirth alone and hidden away, Susanna will ever stand as a symbol to Leah of the cruelty of men who use women and then leave them behind. Dr. Erik Sjolander works closely with Leah’s physician grandfather with plans to take over his business when he retires. Erik has no interest in marriage, but Leah gets his attention with her plans. Enter a bite of espionage as America faces the possibility of war, as well as the deception of others, and Leah and Erik find they have to join forces to overcome adversity. Adversity that will help them become devoted to God, to each other and love.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
This is part of a three-book series all set in Minneapolis, so it was necessary to continue to write about this wonderful city. The original desire to set the series in Minneapolis came about because of research that showed what a wonderful heart this town had for charity works. Early on there was a charity hospital, a home for unwed mothers and many other helps for orphans and the friendless. I wanted to show that abundance of charity that this town continues to encourage.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
I would hang out with Leah Garrison anytime. She had faced trials and heartbreak but was determined to overcome and do something of value with her life. She struggled with God, but never gave up on Him, even though she was afraid to trust Him. I liked that she was a very determined young woman with a heart for others who were suffering. I would have been happy to help her with her home for unwed society mothers.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Cautious, determined and loyal
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned about the heart of real-life historical characters in Minneapolis who wanted to see unwed mothers cared for and encouraged. Their goal wasn’t just to provide a place for these women to go while expecting their babies, but they also offered training for the future and direction for how to care for themselves and their child afterwards.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I go and again when I’m totally done. I go over what I wrote the day before and then start into writing fresh material. At about the halfway point of my book, I stop writing and read it from start to finish, editing again and fleshing out anything that was overlooked. Then I start writing again and when I get to the end, I go back and do the same for the second half. After that, I start at the beginning and read through the entire piece and make changes and additions. Then I put it aside for about a week, sometimes two, and finally go back to it and read it again and start to finish making any necessary changes.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Lately, it’s been candy corn – probably because it’s fall and very available
Describe your writing space/office!
I have a lovely little office where I share my space with quilting supplies and Bible study materials as well as shelves full of research books.
Who is an author you admire?
It’s hard to name just one, but I love Catherine Marshall.
Is there a book that changed your life?
A better question is, Is there a book that hasn’t changed my life? The answer is no. Everything I read touches me with influence and change.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
That first call happened over 150 books ago and yet it still feels like yesterday. I was working full time for the State of Kansas and got the call at work. The editor said yes to what started as an unsolicited manuscript for a brand-new line called Heartsong Presents.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
At present it’s historical nonfiction for content that stirs up story ideas. I love history.
What’s your favorite movie?
This week it’s The Philadelphia Story with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. We just watched it so I’m still smiling over certain scenes.
What is your favorite season?
Fall. I love the passing away of the heat (I’m not a hot weather girl) and the crisp freshness of the cooling temperatures. Around here we get the heady scent of the pines and just a wonderful sense of change as the autumn colors come on and the mountains get snowcapped.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Quietly with a few friends and family or not at all.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Kimberley Woodhouse’s A SONG IN THE DARK
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Today it’s Americana home cooking that my mom used to make. Meatloaf, corn on the cob, fresh tomatoes and cucumber salad, cherry pie.
What do you do when you have free time?
Very rarely, but when I do I like to get away and play BINGO with my church ladies.
What can readers expect from you next?
A brand-new series set in Roslyn, Washington. It’s a three-book series dealing with three young women who are dealing with the tragedies and troubles of living in a coal mining town in 1892. There will be action and adventure as well as romance and Biblical hope. The series is titled Brides of the Cascades and book one, WHAT TIME IS GIVEN, releases in March 2027.
Minnesota Legacy #3
Christian Historical Romance of Faith and Redemption Set in Early 20th Century Minnesota
Leah Garrison knows firsthand the cruelty society inflicts on unwed mothers. After her dear friend Susanna dies alone in childbirth, abandoned by the child's father, Leah vows never to care for a man outside her family‑‑and to ensure no woman suffers Susanna's fate. With her grandparents' blessing, she transforms the old family mansion into a refuge for women facing motherhood without marriage.
Working alongside Leah's grandfather and planning to take over his practice, Dr. Erik Sjolander believes Leah is in over her head with her philanthropy endeavor. His own mother's abandonment taught him that women can't be trusted to keep their commitments, and he's not about to trust Leah.
But both their hearts are tested as America edges toward World War I and dark secrets come to light. Leah and Erik must confront the anger they harbor toward God and the walls they've built around their hearts. Will faith and love be the remedy they need?
In this series finale, bestselling and award‑winning author Tracie Peterson brings to light the hardships of life and God's enduring faithfulness.
Romance | Christian Historical [ Bethany House Publishers, On Sale: November 3, 2026, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780764244308 / eISBN: 9781493455430 ]
Often called the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction,” Tracie Peterson is an ECPA, CBA and USA Today best-selling author of more than 110 books, most of those historical. Her work in historical fiction earned her the Best Western Romance Author of 2013 award from True West magazine and the USA Best Books 2011 Award for best Religious Fiction for Embers of Love. She was given the Life Time Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers in 2011 and the Career Achievement Award in 2007 from Romantic Times, as well as multiple best book awards.Tracie received her first book contract in November 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership’s vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row. Eventually, Tracie also managed Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents book line—overseeing the production of 52 books a year.
In December 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers/Baker Publishing Group. She has co-written with a variety of authors including Judith Pella, Judith Miller, James Scott Bell, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Tracie’s daughter Jennifer.
Tracie, a Kansas native, now makes her home with her husband, Jim, in the mountains of Montana.
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