Lynn Austin, the bestselling author of many Christian Historical Fiction books, has launched a new novel called Chasing Shadows. She has been honored with eight Christy awards and is a Christy Award Hall of Fame inductee. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was even adapted into a movie by the Hallmark Channel. In this article, Lynn Austin shares insights about her latest inspirational novel, her love for Dutch art, her favorite artist Vincent van Gogh, and his faith and struggles.
Over her thirty years of writing, Lynn has learned that nurturing creativity is essential. She finds that experiencing great artwork is one way to keep her writing fresh. By visiting art museums like the Mauritshuis in The Hague and the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, she draws much-needed inspiration from the masterpieces of the Dutch masters. The serene landscapes and deeply emotional portraits she encounters there fuel her creativity.
Lynn’s new novel, Chasing Shadows, is set in the Netherlands during World War II. Despite their neutrality, the Dutch were invaded by the Nazis, which turned the lives of her main characters—Lena, Miriam, and Ans—upside down. Rembrandt’s emotional depth in his portraits, like Return of the Prodigal Son, inspires Lynn to capture the grief and fear her characters experience. For her research, she delves into personal accounts and vivid details to bring the story to life.
Johannes Vermeer, another artist who inspires Lynn, painted everyday scenes with intricate details, as seen in Girl with a Pearl Earring. This attention to detail helps Lynn enrich her characters and settings. Like the Dutch people during the war, her characters are portrayed as people of faith, using it as their foundation to endure adversity.
Peter Paul Rubens also influences Lynn’s work. His painting Old Woman and Boy with Candles symbolizes hope and faith illuminating the darkest circumstances, a theme Lynn aims to portray in her novel. Vincent van Gogh, whose works like Sunflowers and Starry Night are filled with vibrant color and emotion, is Lynn’s favorite Dutch artist. Besides his well-known struggles with mental illness, van Gogh had a deep Christian faith that motivated his compassionate approach to art and life.
In Chasing Shadows, Lynn explores the dynamics of three women’s lives as they navigate the challenges brought by the Nazi invasion. Lena, a farmer’s wife with strong faith; her daughter Ans, who gets involved in Resistance work; and Miriam, a Jewish violinist seeking safety in Holland, face life-altering decisions. Their intertwined stories highlight the resilience of the human spirit and the power of faith and love.
ABOUT LYNN AUSTIN
Lynn Austin is a former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time. She has sold over one and a half million copies of her books worldwide and has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. She was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame, and her novel Hidden Places was adapted into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. She lives with her husband in western Michigan and has three grown children.
