Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-two inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including The Legacy of Longdale Manor, No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, and the Edwardian Brides Series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Library Journal and ChristianBook.com.
In this interview, Carrie talks with us about her latest novel, A Token of Love.
FF: Your new book, A Token of Love, is releasing in September 2024. Talk to us about what this story is about.
A Token of Love is a heartfelt dual-time novel set in London during the Victorian era and contemporary time. The historical heroine teams up with an investigative journalist to search for her young niece who has gone missing from the Foundling Hospital. With only a few clues and the gold token left to identify her, the two set off through the dark streets of London intent on rescuing the girl and exposing those who abducted her. The contemporary heroine steps in as the temporary director of the Foundling Museum and is caught in a quandary when the man they’ve hired to make a film about the Foundling Hospital’s history discovers secrets that could damage the museum’s reputation and ability to raise much needed support.
FF: One of the main threads that presents itself in the novel is the issue of human trafficking. What inspired you to include this focus on the safety of women and girls?
Human trafficking is a serious issue, and not one I would usually choose to tackle in a book, but in my research, I came across the biography of Josephine Butler. She was a woman of strong faith who was not afraid to speak out about the need to change laws to protect women and girls. She held public meetings and often wrote articles and pamphlets in support of this cause. She faced tremendous opposition and showed great courage. Her faith and dedication tugged at my heart, and I knew she would be a wonderful inspiration for a heroine who would bring these issues to light and encourage readers to consider how we can help women and girls today.
FF: The book takes place in London in two different time periods—present day and also 1855. What is your approach to research before writing a novel like this one? Do you visit the places you write about?
Visiting the places where my novels are set is the best way to capture the sense of time and place, but that’s not always an option. I did most of my research for A Token of Love online and through reading several books about life in Victorian England. But I was delighted to be able to visit London and tour the Foundling Museum earlier this year. Seeing the tokens on display there as well as the paintings and artifacts from the Foundling Hospital was a wonderful experience! The Foundling Hospital has a fascinating history! If you travel to London, I encourage you to visit the Foundling Museum!
FF: Which of the two time periods was more difficult for you to write in and why?
Stepping back in time to 1885 London was the most challenging for me. The last several novels I’ve written have been set in the early 1900s. Though A Token of Love is set only twenty to thirty years earlier, it’s one generation back, so that changes several practical things from clothing styles to transportation. It took some extra research to be sure I had those details correct. Using the Foundling Museum as a central focus in the contemporary plot was also a challenge. I wanted to portray it correctly and do justice to their wonderful work and also honor the history of the Foundling Hospital. When you’re featuring real people and places, that’s always a bit more challenging, but it makes the story even more meaningful.
FF: Many of your books are set in England. What sparked your fascination with this geographical setting and its history?
This is my ninth book set in England, and I’ve loved learning about the people and history, as well as different areas of the country. Some of my favorite novels, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, are set in England, and that also played a part in motivating me to write novels set there. Back in 2012, the popularity of Downton Abbey sparked my interest in life in England in the Edwardian era. As I dove into the research, I was captivated and inspired by the customs, dress, lifestyle, and Christians who were making a difference then. Ideas for stories filled my heart and mind, and I took off in that direction.
FF: What lessons do you hope readers of A Token of Love come away with at the end?
I hope readers will feel like they have been transported back to 1885 London and as though they can join the characters on their journeys. I hope they will think about the issue of human trafficking and what they can do to protect women and girls. The story also emphasizes the loving bond between sisters and commitment to family. Both heroines learn more about trusting the Lord to carry them through challenging times and not allowing pain from the past to steal the blessings the Lord wants to give them in the present. I hope readers will take those themes to heart and they will inspire and strengthen their faith.
FF: Can you share with our audience what you might be working on next?
I’m working on a new English historical romance series titled The Lost Treasures of Yorkshire, featuring three sisters who inherit an old estate and crumbling manor house in rural Yorkshire in 1912. In the first book, Echoes Across the Moors, the sisters find an old photograph they believe features the Brontë Sisters, but detractors insist it’s someone else. The research has been so interesting! I’ve never set a book in Yorkshire, so I’ve enjoyed learning about a new area of England. It’s been great fun weaving in details about the Brontë Sisters who wrote some amazing novels in the early Victorian era, including Jane Eyre.
A Token of Love
A Victorian London Split-Time Christian Historical Romance Novel
Carrie Turansky
Bethany House
Genres: Historical Romance, Split-Time Romance
Release Date: September 3, 2024
ISBN-10: 0764241060
ISBN-13: 978-0764241062
Book Summary:
Separated by centuries, the lives of two women intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice.
In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister’s plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice’s disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.
In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum’s history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum’s reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.
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