Welcome to the Blog Tour for A Father’s Dream by Heidi Ennis, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

CB: Hello, Heidi! I’m so grateful you could join me on the blog for this interview. I love getting the chance to peek behind the scenes with authors and learn what inspires their stories. Today, we get to chat about A Father’s Dream, and I’m excited to dive in. 

HE: Thank YOU for having me! 😊 

CB: What part of the writing process brings you the most joy as an author, and why? 

HE: Holding the proof copy in my hands for the first time still amazes me. It brings more than joy—it’s hard to explain, a mix of joy and apprehension, even a little fear. A story that once lived only in my head, filled with characters I’ve come to love and worry about, is now something I can hold in my hands. A lot went into bringing it to life, and each book carries something deeply personal with it. 

CB: How does your faith influence your writing? 

HE: Writing isn’t lonely because my head is filled with people I love, but it’s also not healthy for me to live there too long. 😊 

A few years ago, I invited the Lord to be my business partner in my writing. We meet weekly to talk story, direction, and planning. He is my Father, Friend, and Savior—and yes, my business partner too. 

I often pray Psalm 19:14 over my writing, my social media posts, and everything I do: 

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” 

I don’t get it right every time, but thankfully, He lets me start fresh every morning. 

CB: You mentioned that God redirected your path from education and counseling to storytelling. What did that shift look like for you personally? 

HE: There came a point in my life when I realized I simply couldn’t do it all—be a wife, a mother, and a full-time middle school guidance counselor. By the time I got home each day, I had nothing left to give my family, and I carried a quiet sense of failure everywhere I went. 

In 2009, I finally whispered a prayer from a very tired place: “God, I can’t do this anymore. I’ll do whatever You ask.” I’ve learned to be careful with prayers like that, because when your heart truly surrenders, God responds. Whew. 

The following spring, I left education to stay home and write, or at least that was the plan. But within a year, we were homeschooling our children, and life shifted in ways I never could have predicted. That season stretched and humbled us, but it also saved my marriage and strengthened our family. Looking back now, I can see God’s hand woven through every step. 

Writing came slowly after that, in the margins of everyday life. Now, I tell stories set in the past with people facing real life challenges, weaving God’s promises into each one. I want readers to know they are not alone, and I’m deeply grateful for the way God reminded me of that promise and lovingly redirected my path. 

CB: How do your counseling and education backgrounds influence your characters or themes? 

HE: My background has given me a deeper understanding of pain, trauma, and loss. I’ve seen these realities up close and the lasting impact they can have on individuals and families, especially teenagers. 

When I write, I try to create characters who face similar challenges and find a way forward, reflecting the truth that God sees everything we walk through. I often include an author’s note with resources or encouragement because too often we either remain stuck in a victim mindset or bury our pain altogether. 

My hope is that my stories gently remind readers that God doesn’t desire either of those paths for us. He doesn’t want us to remain in harmful situations, and He doesn’t want our hearts trapped in past trauma. He walks with us, strengthens us, and invites us to heal so that we can help others along the way. 

CB: Did your background or training play a role in shaping this story? 

HE: Absolutely. Johanna’s story is loosely based on my family’s journey to the Pacific Northwest, but John’s story connects to a long-standing passion of mine: working with Native communities and understanding the struggles of tribal teens. While I didn’t end up working in tribal schools like I thought I would, my background shaped how I portrayed these communities and the challenges they faced historically. I wanted to tell their story with honesty, showing both the long lasting, generational pain inflicted and the humanity of people who tried to help, the good and the bad. 

CB: What was the spark or inspiration for Johanna and John’s story? 

HE: Johanna’s story comes from my family, but as I wrote her, I realized her faith, strength, and joy reflect my daughter. Funny how that happens! Psalm 23 and Jehovah-Rohi, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” were in my heart throughout her story. 

John’s story is about the complex history of abuse in Indian boarding schools, and the people involved, good and bad. His journey as an adult wrestling with understanding God after experiencing both harm and kindness in His name is a difficult story, but an important one to tell. One that sadly still impacts lives today. 

CB: Johanna undertakes a dangerous journey. What do you admire most about her character? 

HE: Johanna reminds me so much of my daughter—the courage to keep going when it feels impossible, to face challenges even alone, and to laugh through struggles while keeping her eyes on the Lord. That’s the kind of person I aspire to be. Sometimes that kind of faith and optimism is dismissed as blind or simplistic, but as you read Johanna’s story, you’ll see her faith is real, and it’s inspiring. 😊 

CB: John is a man running from shame. What made you want to explore that emotional and spiritual struggle? 

HE: I often think about questions like: Who was the creator in Native stories? How does God redeem cultures that had never heard His name? In the mid-1800s, Christianity and Native cultures collided and not in a good way. Not because of God, but because of people. God was present long before European contact, speaking to people in ways they could understand, through stories of creation, floods, and more. John’s struggle to understand the faith of his people alongside the faith of Father Simon and Johanna reflects that tension and brought up shame, fear, and anger. Exploring these feelings and John’s spiritual wrestling allowed me to show how God meets us amid confusion, pain, and even in the collision of cultures. God is not confused about any of this, nor did He hide Himself from cultures in the past. I love thinking about that. Our God is amazing. 

CB: Courage, forgiveness, and second chances are core themes. Did you discover those as you wrote, or were they intentional from the start? 

HE: Johanna’s struggle for courage was intentional. I knew she would cross the country alone and have a faith that sustained her day by day and step by step. Her character was clear to me from the very beginning. John’s story of redemption and forgiveness, on the other hand, unfolded as I wrote. I’m not much of an outliner. I usually know the ending, but the path to get there comes in pieces, and the story develops as I go. That’s often how the themes reveal themselves along the way.  

CB: What do you hope readers carry with them after finishing A Father’s Dream?    

HE: I love history, especially the history of the Pacific Northwest, and keeping it alive is really important to me. I hope readers gain a greater appreciation for what our ancestors went through. So many of the comforts we enjoy today came at great cost, and it’s easy to take that for granted. 

But above all, I hope Johanna’s story reminds readers of Jehovah-Rohi, the Lord is my Shepherd. We never walk this road alone if we’ve chosen to walk it with Him. Both stories deal with difficult experiences, but my hope is that they leave readers with a sense of overcoming and the assurance that God sees us through every circumstance. No matter our background, our struggles, or even our doubts. He is not overwhelmed by our pain, nor frustrated by our lack of faith. He walks with us—day by day, moment by moment. 

CB: Thank you, Heidi, for taking the time to share more about you and A Father’s Dream. Have a wonderful and joyous Christmas! 

HE: Thank YOU! xoxo