Carla's Book Crush

A Slight Change of Plans by Denise M. Colby
Series: Best-Laid Plans – Book 2
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date:  May 27, 2025
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance

She believes she doesn’t matter.

Jenny Millard’s hopes for security and stability as a schoolmarm out west are dashed when her schoolhouse closes, and no positions are available nearby. With only enough money for a one-way train fare, Jenny heads to her friend’s home uncertain of her next step.

His scars have made him an unlovable outcast.

Newcomer Ren Lyman prefers to keep to himself, hiding in the back of the blacksmith shop to avoid the stares at the scars left by a childhood accident. When he comes across a lost stranger, he’s surprised when she doesn’t recoil at his appearance, and even more so at his eagerness to assist her.

As Jenny settles into the welcoming, but small, town of Washton, she can’t help but come across Ren, especially since his daily constitutional takes him along the same path. It doesn’t take long for them to form a connection that breaks down the walls erected by years of hurt. But when strange occurrences unsettle the townspeople, it seems their chance at happiness might be at risk.

Will Jenny and Ren discover that they’re enough—for God, and each other?

PURCHASE LINKS:
Goodreads | Scrivenings Press
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

More In This Series

About the Author

Passionate about all types of stories—whether they are from songs, theatre, movies, or novels—Denise M. Colby loves history and constantly finds herself contemplating how it was to live in the 1800s.

An avid journal writer, Denise usually can be found with a pen and notepad whenever she’s reading God’s word. Each year, Denise chooses a word to focus on. She shares her learnings about that word throughout the year on the two blogs she writes for.

A wife for thirty years and mother to three boys and a daughter-in-love, Denise loves to read, watch movies with her family, sing 80s and musical songs, dance, and spend date nights with her husband.

Writing Historical Christian Romance novels combines her love of learning about history and reading. Visit Denise’s website to sign up for her newsletter or connect with her on her social media.

Author Q&A

CB: Denise, thank you so much for your time answering my question. I look forward to sharing more about you, your writing, and your latest release A Slight Change of Plans. 

I love that your books are faith-based. How are you able to weave faith into fiction without straying from the true Word of God? 

Colby: I don’t have anything fancy. It’s more about the desire to share God’s word with others. I spend time with God daily. Pray when I’m writing. Sometimes it’s asking God what he wants this story to be? What’s the message He wants me to convey? I love to reference scripture and then write it like a devotional. I have a critique group as well, who are the perfect sounding board, and will hold me accountable if something isn’t correct. 

CB: I did take some time to read your blog and peruse your website in preparation for this interview. You wrote that you always have a journal and a pen nearby when you’re reading the Bible—how does time in the Word inspire your stories? 

Colby: Thank you for looking at my website! And I love your question. Time in the word helps my writing a lot. I’m constantly coming across a passage of scripture that hits me, and I want to share how it’s helping me have a deeper understanding of the Word with everyone. If not writing in a journal, I’m using 4×6 index cards with the scripture at the top to help me keep key verses in front of me. I see if there’s a way to fit it in. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t. It has to fit naturally with the story in order to work. 

CB: Was there a particular Bible verse that anchored you while writing A Slight Change of Plans?

Colby: I just wrote a new blog post about this. My friend had gifted me with a mason jar filled with verses. When I was writing the first draft, I pulled out one slip, then another, and another. I liked the idea of that and was trying to figure out how to utilize it in the story. I ended up having it be a list that Ren’s mother sends with him when he leaves home. The verses I chose had to work together to help Ren through the story. The story and verses needed to fit together in a way naturally. These verses anchored me as I wrote the book. 

CB: You wrote, ” Denise M. Colby loves history and constantly finds herself contemplating how it was to live in the 1800’s.” I can appreciate the lack of cell phone interruptions but is there anything else that draws you to this period in time?  

Colby: I think reading and watching Little House on the Prairie and Jeanette Oke’s Love Comes Softly series had a lot of influence on me when I was a girl. Even though life was hard and challenging during this time (and it definitely was), people had to be creative with what little they had. We have so much now that’s different. It’s that difference that interests me. On a side note, I love reading historical romances because they are different than my current life, and they take me out of my own everyday stresses when I read them.

CB:  What inspired the town of Washton, and how did you go about building that sense of place? 

Colby: When I was initially planning out a fictional town for When Plans Go Awry, I wanted to include the historical facts about the floods in Sacramento that caused the city to basically rebuild on top of itself to make it higher. Across the river from Sacramento was a town called Washington. There’s not too much history about this town and what I could find was a little sad, so I decided to place Washton there – and give it a different ending (with a shortened version of the name). Ironically there’s a newer Washington, CA located north of Sacramento. But that’s not related to where I’ve placed Washton. Also, I grew up going to Old Town Sacramento all the time and it has the feel and vibe of that era with its cobblestone streets, high boardwalks, and tall doors. That’s where the one-room schoolhouse that first inspired my story was located.

CB:  Jenny and Ren are both carrying emotional and spiritual scars, and in the case of Ren, visible ones. How did you approach writing their healing journeys? 

Colby: I’m really excited with how it all came together. They are a perfect match for each other. I’m not sure how I went about it. They each needed to be shown love, which is some of the fun in writing a romance. When we find our people, it’s someone who sees all of us, and loves all of us. I think also the faith pieces are so relevant. By focusing on the healing power of Jesus, and the community with others who believe, both Jenny and Ren have the room to accept God’s love and love from others. When we grow in faith, we heal and grow within ourselves as well. 

CB:  If readers could walk away from A Slight Change of Plans with one feeling or message tucked in their hearts, what would you want that to be? 

Colby: This is so hard. I have so many things I want to pack in, but I’m learning that with writing, less is more. When I have elements like Ren’s Bible verse list and many great scriptures, there can be a lesson in every single one that I put into the book. Same for Pastor Will’s messages or the songs sung out of the hymnbook during the church scenes. There’s also a message between Olivia and Jenny about not worrying about tomorrow. To trust God through the good and the bad. But the main one would be related to the series title, Best-laid Plans. We all make plans. Sort them in our heads, analyze the outcomes. But things happen, people don’t behave the way we expected, or the door closes on the original opportunity we thought would be perfect for us. I chose Jeremiah 29:11 for the main verse for this book. ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ If we allow God to have His way, he has great plans for us. Sometimes we have to go through the tough parts to get to all he has planned for us. 

CB: I’m excited to share your responses with my readers, Denise. I wish you the best in your writing ministry!  

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card, fun swag (Bert the rooster keychain, stickers, bookmark), and a signed copy of book 1, When Plans Go Awry (now an ACFW Carol Award finalist)!

(1) winner will receive a Bert the Rooster pack including a Rooster Squishmellow, keychain, and stickers!

(1) winner will receive a bundle of book-related swag!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 9, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 16, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!