Author Interview – Janyre Tromp – historical fiction
Guide to Categories : Author Interview – an interview with an author, if there is no review from me, I have not read the book and cannot speak to its appropriateness for a school library
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Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Darkness Calls the Tiger: A Novel of World War II Burma
Author: Janyre Tromp
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japan devours the southern portion of Burma, intent on taking over mainland Asia. Unaware of the coming darkness, Kailyn Moran drifts in her role as the only daughter of a widowed missionary.
As whispers of war snake through the Kachin mountains, Kai’s father is convinced God will protect the mission. He entrusts the village to her and the kind yet inexperienced new missionary, Ryan McDonough, while he makes routine visits to neighboring villages.
War descends like a tempest upon the mountain peaks, and an unbreakable bond forms between Kailyn and Ryan as they unite to provide solace to both villagers and the flood of refugees. Despite their tireless efforts, a brutal enemy shatters almost everything they love, pushing Kailyn to embark on a path of unrestrained vengeance.
Afraid he’s losing the woman he loves, Ryan fights to protect Kai from the deadly consequences of her choices. But in the face of destruction, can he convince her of the power and freedom of forgiveness?
“Evocative and transportive, filled with nuance and spiked with the violence of war, Darkness Calls the Tiger is a story of redemption in the midst of hopelessness.” –Tosca Lee, New York Times best-selling author
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub
About the Author – Janyre Tromp
Janyre Tromp is a developmental book editor who has worked in the publishing industry for more than twenty years, spending time in both marketing and editorial. She’s the author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and contributor to It’s a Wonderful Christmas, a Christmas novella collection with other award-winning authors, including Julie Cantrell and Lynne Gentry. When she isn’t writing, she’s a Bible study leader, writers conference speaker, ACFW member, wife, and mom of two kids and their menagerie of slightly eccentric pets.
Connect with Janyre at janyretromp.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Author Interview – Janyre Tromp
When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
My mom says I always told stories, but I don’t ever remember dreaming of being an author. Maybe it’s because I didn’t feel worthy of holding that title. But I was a voracious reader from the get-go. I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in first grade and then proceeded to plow through any book I could get my hands on. I adored science though and started college as a Chemistry major hoping to be able to get into research and explore all the nooks and crannies I was fascinated with. I got straight A’s, but hated it. When I called my mom to figure out what to do, she told me to “do what you love.” I, in all my seventeen-year-old wisdom said, “No one gets paid to read, Mom!” We’ll pause here to say—pay attention to your mom, kids. They really do know what they’re talking about. Also, being snarky with your wise, loving parent will make you look a bit foolish in the long run. Anyway, I ended up declaring an English major and minored in public relations and marketing. It wasn’t until I’d been working in publishing for almost a decade (getting paid to read) that someone told me I should try my hand at writing. I did and the rest, as they say, is history.
I can relate to being a voracious reader, and wanting to read a a profession – I guess that’s why I became a book reviewer and a school librarian. When you are not writing, what other hats do you wear? What do you do for fun?
I’m an award-winning book editor by trade. I’m often asked how many hours a day I read. I only half-jokingly say, “If my eyes are open, I’m reading.” But I’m also a wife, a mom of two fantastic teens, and wrangler of two cats and a slightly eccentric rescued dog. I’m also a dabbler in a variety of art. I love walking and photographing anything that catches my attention. People who take walks with me know I spend half the time crawling into weird place to get a picture of “that cool piece of broken cement.” My kids find it weird, but my Instagram following loves it. I’ve been known to play with watercolors and with Darkness Calls the Tiger, I’m officially a published cartographer—check out the map in the front of the book.
What is your favorite genre to read? What about that genre draws you?
I am 100% a nerd. I love to learn cool facts and crazy truths—especially when it comes to history and science. So I love to read anything about real history and, if an author throws in a bit of suspense or mystery, I’m a happy girl! Somehow layer in science too, and I’m a goner. The mystery/suspense elements actually help me relax. I think the twists engage the back of my brain so that I’m not distracted by what’s going on in my life. But then the stories help me learn how to better walk through my own life as well. Win-win.
What is your favorite thing about this time of year?
I am a diehard fan of spring. I live in Michigan where winters are dark and typically cold. But come spring, the flowers are amazing. I have hundreds of daffodils that pop up and give me glimpses of sunshine even when the actual sun doesn’t cooperate.
I grew up in Michigan so I can relate to the amazing spring flowers. What historical figure do you admire and why?
This is a little bit like picking a favorite child. I love history, remember? Right now, I think I’ll go with Father James Stuart. He was an Irish missionary in WWII Burma and was partly the inspiration behind the male protagonist in Darkness Calls the Tiger, Ryan McDonough. Father Stuart was funny, kind, gentle, wise, and fiercely loyal to his people. There are stories of him standing, unarmed, in the middle of the street and chatting with the Japanese soldiers to convince them to turn around and leave the Kachin villages alone. Meanwhile, he was sneaking refugees through the Himalayan mountains to safety.
How does your faith play out in your writing?
An early reviewer called my books heart-shatteringly hope-filled, and I think that is a perfect description for what I hope to bring to folks. I believe strongly in the power of story to help us work through questions in a relatively safe space. All of my books explore the hard realities of life but with the realization that light is often strongest in those dark, hard places . . . if we take time to look for it. Darkness Calls the Tiger is ultimately an exploration of forgiveness versus revenge and how we can forgive, even when the darkness feels overwhelming.
As a former K-12 school librarian (and since this blog is geared toward school librarians) I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?
I am a huge C.S. Lewis fan—both fiction and nonfiction. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is my favorite from when I was a kid. I identify deeply with the outsider feelings of Lucy. But I also love Elephant and Piggy books by Mo Willems. These were new for my kids, and I cherish the memories of curling up with them and laughing our heads off at Piggy’s antics and Gerald’s calm, somewhat bewildered responses
Young Author’s Days were an important part of my work as a school librarian. What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?
First of all – Practice. And read. And then read and then practice. Reading gives you the tools you need to write well. It shows you tricks and techniques, rules and ways to rebel, introduces words and ideas. And then practice helps you discover how to make it all work for you. I often suggest new writers start with short stories. You can play with all the basic parts of story—plot, character, voice, etc.—without the commitment of a full-length manuscript. Use prompts to give you ideas and just free write. I adore the book PoemCrazy by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge for prompt ideas. Answer her fun and quirky prompts as yourself or try it as a character. You’ll find a goldmine of interesting ways to describe the either your real-world or the one you make up in your head.
Secondly, Reach out to authors you respect and ask questions. Find ways to meet fellow authors and don’t be afraid to be a fan. Connections and community are of immense importance to modern authors.
Thanks for joining me today at Library Lady’s Kid Lit. It is always fun to make connections with authors.
Views expressed in this interview/guest post do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog host.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will win a signed copy of Darkness Calls the Tiger, a bookmark, and other book-themed goodies!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 13, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2024. Winner 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.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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Start planning for next school year with this planner from my printables shop on Etsy
nice interview! thanks for being on the tour 🙂
Always enjoy interacting with the authors.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for the great interview.
Thanks for sharing the informative interview. This sounds like a really good read.
Great interview. This looks really interesting.
Great interview. This looks really good. Thanks for sharing.