Amy: First, tell us a bit about yourself.

Savannah: I’m the third born in an amazing family of seven children and was homeschooled all the way through. I live with my family in beautiful western Montana. Some of my favorite things are writing, reading, studying history, drawing and painting, enjoying the outdoors with my family, my puppy, Brielle, and our other Bernese Mountain Dogs, getting together with old friends and meeting new ones, singing worship songs, making pottery, and cups of hot tea. 

Most importantly, I’m a follower of Jesus. He has changed my life, and my desire is to shine His light and share the hope I have in Him through everything I do.

Amy: When did you start writing?

Savannah: Well, I’ve loved writing ever since I learned how. I would write stories as gifts for my parents, and my mother would have me journal about my life for a scrapbook as part of my homeschool, which I loved doing. But I also loved art, and I always thought I would illustrate books, not write books, when I grew up. It’s funny–I never thought I would write a book until I was about 13. When I was 13, a friend told me she was writing a book, and that gave me the idea to write another story. That story grew, and when I was 14, I wrote my first full-length novel. I knew from then on writing was what I wanted to do! I’m 24 now, so I’ve been writing seriously for 10+ years! 

Amy: Why did you choose historical fiction?

Savannah: History was always one of my favorite subjects in school! I love to read stories of how ordinary people displayed extraordinary courage and heroism in the midst of dark times in history.

I actually started out writing fantasy, but as I grew in my writing skills, I fell more in love with history. It truly is His story. My passion in my writing is to share the hope that Jesus gives, no matter how dark the circumstances and encourage others to live out their faith courageously. To quote Betsie ten Boom, I hope to show that “Jesus’ light is stronger than the deepest darkness.” I also love to give my readers a gripping, page-turning adventure and infuse my stories with beauty. I’ve found historical fiction is the genre that works best for me to accomplish my goals. 

I also love writing true stories from history, but what I like about historical fiction is that I can have more freedom to be creative than if I was writing a strictly factual story. I think it’s important, though, to have notes in the back for my readers, telling what parts of the story are true and what is fictional. Historical accuracy is very important to me, and when I’m planning a new story, I build my plot around the real historical events. And while I’m certainly not opposed to marriage or all romance, I think there is far too much romance in Christian historical fiction. So my books have very little romance in them! 

Amy: Tell us about some of the books you’ve published.

Savannah: My historical fiction series is called A Torch in the Empire Series. It’s a three book series set in the first-century Roman Empire when the early Christians faced severe persecution under Emperor Nero. The story follows a Jewish brother and sister, Jesse and Abigail, who are captured and taken from their home in Jerusalem to Rome, and a young Roman soldier named Lucas. 

My nonfiction book is called Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly and is about needs in our world such as modern day slavery, abortion, and orphans, and how young people can shine the light of Jesus and help others. (I’m actually getting ready to release a newly revised and expanded edition of this book!)

I’ve also published a medieval fantasy book with Christian themes called The Invisible Guide. It’s about a young girl who, after a startling revelation about who she really is, takes her younger siblings on a dangerous journey across a desert to try to rescue her family and accidentally wakes up an evil that has long been asleep. 

And my mother and I together wrote a children’s book about my younger sister Sadie and her journey with epilepsy and how everyone is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) in God’s image. It’s called The Girl With the Big Blue Eyes. 

Amy: You’re working on a new book, aren’t you? What’s it about?

Savannah: Yes! My work-in-progress is the first book in a historical fiction series set in the Netherlands during World War II. It will be a three-book series covering the entire war and how it affected the ordinary Dutch citizens, the Jews, and the Germans and the choices all had to make. 

Amy: What inspired you to write it?

Savannah: This book is inspired by true stories of those who lived during World War II, especially members of the Dutch Resistance such as Corrie ten Boom, Diet Eman, and Hans Poley. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was also another huge inspiration. While the main characters in this book are fictional, nearly every event is based after or inspired by something that really happened. 

It was after watching the movie Return to the Hiding Place that I knew I had to write this book. I was already familiar with Corrie ten Boom, but that movie was my first introduction to other members of the Dutch Resistance. It tells the true story of Hans Poley and other Dutch students who resisted the Nazis. Their allegiance was to the kingdom of heaven, and they would rather face prison, concentration camp, even death, than pledge their allegiance to the Nazis and their kingdom on earth. Through watching that movie and then reading lots of other books about the Dutch Resistance, I was inspired by their resistance against evil, how they pursued light in the darkness, their commitment to following Jesus no matter the cost, how they had faith when they could not see, and clung to the hope of the kingdom of heaven. Those are the messages I hope to share in this book! 

You can subscribe to my email list for a monthly newsletter with the latest updates! 

Amy: What are some of your favourite historical fiction books?

Savannah: My top two favorites are probably Journey Through the Night by Anne DeVries (set in the Netherlands during WWII) and Twice Freed by Patricia St. John (biblical fiction about the slave Onesimus and the Apostle Paul). I also enjoy Douglas Bond’s historical fiction, especially Hand of Vengeance and The Resistance. And your book, Amy, Among the Great, is definitely on my favorites list! 

Honestly, though, I read a lot more biographies and autobiographies than historical fiction. A few of my favorite biographies and autobiographies are The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, Things We Couldn’t Say by Diet Eman, and Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. 

Amy: Where can we find out more about you and your writing?

Savannah: You can head over to my blog, History Redeemed. On this blog, I share stories of people from history, life lessons from history, reviews of history-related books and movies, travel logs of my visits to historic sites, writing and research tips, and occasionally, updates about my books and devotionals. You can also contact me and subscribe to my email list! 

Amy: Where can we buy your books?

Savannah: If you’re in the United States, you can order signed copies from my family’s online store. My books are also available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback formats. An audiobook edition of The Fire and the Trial (A Torch in the Empire Series Book One) is also in production!

Savannah is currently working on a new novel set in the Netherlands during World War II. Sign up to her email newsletter so that you know as soon as it’s released.