We sat down with author Michelle Griep to chat about her latest book, Of Gold and Shadows. In Of Gold and Shadows, Michelle Griep introduces us to the fascinating world of Victorian England through the eyes of a determined Egyptologist. From her Netflix-inspired story ideas to the quirks of her writing routine, Michelle shares valuable insights into her creative process and the messages she hopes to convey through her work.

Could you give readers a glimpse into the world of Of Gold and Shadows? What themes and characters can they expect to encounter when delving into your story?

Ami Dalton is an Egyptologist struggling for recognition in the manly world of Victorian England. She is fiercely independent, determined, and yet inside her still lives the little girl who longs for her father’s affection. It takes the insights, respect, and true adoration by England’s most eligible bachelor to help her realize her value doesn’t depend on her performance or intelligence, but on the fact that she is a worthy creation of God just as she is.

How did you bring your story to life? Please tell us about the inspiration behind Of Gold and Shadows.

Okay, I’ll admit it. One of my favorite ways to procrastinate is to binge on Netflix, which has its pros and cons. One day I did a double-header with Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Mummy. Talk about archeological inspiration! I simply mixed that with the Egyptology rage that held in England in its grip in the late 1800s and voila. Instant story.

Reflecting on your journey as an author, what motivated you to pursue storytelling?

Besides the fact I’ve been writing ever since I discovered Crayolas and blank wall space, one of my favorite pastimes as a young child was to sit beneath the dining room table and hold extensive conversations with Daniel Boone. Which naturally worried my mother. She took me to a pediatrician, thinking something wasn’t right in my head, to which he laughed and said that I simply had an overactive imagination…and there ya go.

Can you share a little bit about your writing routine? Are there particular habits that helped you draw inspiration?

I write in the mornings usually until early afternoon. Well, mostly. I do pop over to Facebook and Instagram way too many times during that period. My general habits are to sip on a bottle of mango kombucha and burn incense, which makes me sound like a raging hippy, but honestly I just love the taste and the smell—and psychologically it’s my “on” switch to get busy penning a story.

Navigating the early stages of writing can be challenging for many aspiring authors. What valuable advice would you offer to those looking to embark on their own writing journey?

Finish what you start. Don’t keep going back and polishing that first chapter over and over again. Just push ahead until you get to “The End.” The biggest secret of success to become a published author is simply to keep on writing no matter what.

Within Of Gold and Shadows, is there a particular scene or moment that resonates deeply with you? If so, what makes it special?

A recurring motif in many scenes is Ami’s quirky sense of fashion. Always preoccupied with other thoughts, she often ends up with mismatched outfits. Our intrepid hero, Edmund, finds this endearing and loves her all the more for it. This is a great reminder that this is how God views us—not by our outward appearance but by our inward heart.

Speaking of the story, what underlying message or messages do you hope readers take away from the pages of Of Gold and Shadows?

To be vulnerable is not weakness, but neither is weakness a detriment—for in weakness we are forced to trust God.

Looking ahead, are you working on any future releases that we can anticipate? If so, our readers would love to hear an exclusive sneak peek!

I’m always working on something! Currently I’m in the editing stages of the second book in this series, Of Silver and Secrets. It features Bram Webb, a character you’ve already met in book one. He’s a professor of Roman archeology at Cambridge University, but far from being stuffy, he’s quite the handsome rogue. Heroine Eva Inman discovers this when Bram and his team conduct a dig on her property. She hopes the dig will provide the funds she desperately needs to pay taxes. Unfortunately, she begins to doubt this hope when she learns Bram has been accused of stealing relics in the past.

You can find Michelle’s books here. If you want to read other author interviews, check out the interview with Simone Warren or Anne van Zwieten