Madeline Island is a hidden treasure tucked up north in the western end of Lake Superior. It’s the biggest of the 22 Apostle Islands, reachable by a twenty-minute ferry ride from Bayfield, Wisconsin (estimated 6474 yearly ferry trips). Cars allowed.
With numerous beaches and trails transversing its fourteen-by-three-mile space, Madeline Island offers plenty to do: swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, sailing, fishing, hiking, biking, and golfing. Plus, arts and crafts flourish there. In 2011, Budget Travel voted the island’s main town, La Pointe, as one of the coolest small towns in the U.S.
Madeline Island is the only year-round inhabited island with fewer than 300 year-round residents (2016). For centuries it was home to the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and other native peoples. Currently, bilingual signs are in English and Ojibwe.
This delightful island is a place people go for rest and recreation, sunshine and solace, nature and nurturing. Here’s the visitor’s guide.
In Cynthia Ruchti’s novel, As Waters Gone By, Emmalyn Ross comes for refuge, renovation, and rumination. She’s not only rehabbing an old cottage she and her husband bought years prior, but she has to contemplate the future of her marriage, if it’s even possible to rehabilitate this relationship.
Blurb
Emmalyn Ross never thought a person could feel this alone. Sustaining a marriage with a man who’s not by her side is no easy task, especially since her husband currently resides behind impenetrable prison walls. His actions stole her heart’s desire and gave their relationship a court-mandated five-year time-out. What didn’t fall apart that night fell apart in the intervening years. Now, on a self-imposed exile to Madeline Island—one of the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior—Emmalyn starts rehabbing an old hunting cottage they’d purchased when life made sense. Restoring it may put a roof over her head, but a home needs more than a roof and walls, just as a marriage needs more than vows and a license. With only a handful of months before her husband is released, Emmalyn must figure out if and how they can ever be a couple again. And his silence isn’t helping.
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My Thoughts
Reading this novel is an immersive experience. Cynthia is a painter of words—not just sensory descriptions, but beautiful metaphors capturing Emmalynn’s inner world. Scattered throughout are pearls of wisdom.
Emmalynn has lost nearly everything but this cabin on Madeline Island. Actually, it’s more like a shack resembling the leftovers of her long emotional journey during the five years of her husband’s incarceration.
She definitely lost her dream of having a family. With Max’s silence, she may have lost him, too. Even if she hasn’t, she has no clue how to go forward.
There is reality in Emmalyn’s struggle to live with Max’s choices. Not a typical criminal, he made a mistake and is paying for it. So is Emmalynn as she daily bears the brunt of those consequences.
On the island, Emmalynn is surrounded by new friends—Boozie, Pirate Joe, Cora, Comfort, Nick . . . They each have sorrows of their own. And unique personalities.
As deep, tumultuous waters come to the surface, Emmalynn counts on the vital support of friends. As she restores the cottage, they come alongside her, restoring her heart, her faith.
Faith strong enough to take on a new challenge she never saw coming. A decision wrought with more confusion and another flammable mix of emotions.
Eccentric twenty-four-year-old Boozie, the inn and cafe owner, has her own hard-luck story and spouts the wisdom of someone at least ten years her senior (a bit surprising). Two or three incidents were told in retrospect rather than real time. Considering the emotional weight and dramatic potential, I wanted them to be full-fledged scenes. This speaks to the emotional investment I’d put into the story as a reader. I was fully engaged and wanted to experience the protagonist’s ups and downs alongside her, not hear about them afterward.
But none of these are reasons to avoid this book. If you want an engaging read with a strong faith thread, give it a try. Especially if you lean literary. This story is worth your while.
Join me for some Q & A with author Cynthia Ruchti.
Questions about As Waters Gone By:
What was your inspiration for writing this story about a wife whose husband is in prison?
Having an incarcerated loved one—whether short-term or long-term—is the experience of more people than we might realize. In our family’s case, it was my sister’s husband who spent time in prison.
Remarkably their marriage was stronger after his incarceration. That rarely happens, but they were intentional about it and committed to making sure God got the “win” out of their situation. They so inspired me. Their circumstances aren’t mirrored in As Waters Gone By, but they spurred my imagination.
This story was also inspired by a singular verse I stumbled over in the book of Job. Its truth and comfort would not leave me. In some ways, the novel sprang from the verse, which I hope will comfort others as it did me: Job 11:16 NIV— “You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.”
What is your personal connection to the setting of Madeline Island?
I have vacationed several times in the area and have a dear friend who owns a bed-and-breakfast not far from Madeline Island. My husband and I spent a lovely fall getaway in nearby Bayfield. I’ve ridden that ferry multiple times.
When researching for the book, I booked my friend’s B&B for an extended stay and invited her to come with me as we explored Madeline Island’s charm. The fall when my husband and I biked the paved roads of Madeline Island, we stopped for a short rest at the bend in the road that is written into the story—the spot where beyond the luminescent yellow leaves of the maple beckoned to the pebbled shore beyond. That scene is so etched in my memory that I set the cottage in the story in that spot.
Out of all the books you’ve written, why did you name this 2015 title as the best introduction to you and your novels?
For a few reasons, I think it’s a good place to start because it encompasses much of what I try to do with my novels—fascinating or easily recognizable location, intriguing but identifiable crisis/crises, and characters that I hope jump off the page.
In As Waters Gone By, readers soon learn that Bougie Unfortunate, who most locals call Boozie, is a one-in-a-million character who lives and breathes Jesus and gives readers a much clearer picture of what Jesus is like than many sermons do! Yet, she’s adorable and fun and down-to-earth, but there’s no one like her.
The story itself is an emotional journey, as all my novels are, and it shows hope for broken relationships and heartbroken people.
How did you decide on the specific circumstances of your heroine Emmalyn Ross? Did she hijack the story or did you have full rein? Also, did Boozie try to hijack the story? She is definitely a take-charge kind of woman!
All my characters always hijack the story. I have little glimpses and ideas and then they take off to “act” the way they want to and they get themselves into trouble. That wasn’t me!
What would Emmalyn and Boozie have to say about you?
I often say when asked that I am probably more like Emmalyn but aspire to be more like Boozie. Both taught me a great deal about life and love and putting the needs of others above your own pain.
What would they say ABOUT me? I think Emmalyn would say, “Thank you for giving me such a great band of friends and that gorgeous spot for a cottage.” I think Boozie would say to me, “Thanks for letting me dance in the pages and be the real me.”
How do you want this story to resonate with readers?
My prayer is that readers will walk away with hope for whatever their seemingly hopeless circumstances, and that they’ll have discovered that heroes come in all different forms, usually the most unlikely.
What’s the most unusual thing you had to do, learn, or research to create this story?
Maybe not all that unusual, but after I watched an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the Food Network, I knew I had to work in one of the diners mentioned on the show, and their olive hamburger.
What have you been focusing on more lately, and what’s next for you as an author?
These days, my focus is devoted to the author clients I represent as a literary agent. But I’m still writing. I have a devotional collection coming out this year, devotions in Mornings with Jesus 2025 and 2026, a novel with Guideposts releasing in 2025 (or sooner), and a nonfiction Advent book with Baker Publishing Group in 2026. Other projects are, as they say, in the works.
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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . .
If you like small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my re-launched novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.
All That Is Hidden awards:
- Winner of the Artisan Book Reviews Book Excellence Award
- Semifinalist in Serious Writer’s Book of the Decade contest
If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy my novel, A Hundred Magical Reasons. This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. The story won a Scrivenings Press novel contest last fall and will be published by them in January 2025!
I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you a free gift: www.StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com
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Cynthia Ruchti Bio
Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in hope through award-winning novels, novellas, devotionals, nonfiction, and through speaking events for women and writers. She makes potato corn chowder for her husband of more than four decades and loves on her three kids and six grandchildren. Cynthia spent 33 years writing and producing a daily radio broadcast called THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME. She is past president of American Christian Fiction Writers, and now serves as ACFW’s Professional Relations Liaison, all while working on more book projects in addition to the more than 40 already on the shelves. Her books have been honored with Selah Awards, Christian Retailing’s BEST Awards, and Book of the Year awards from Golden Scrolls, as well as finalist or top honors in awards programs such as ACFW’s Carol Awards, ForeWord Book Reviews Book of the Year, RT Reviews Book of the Year, Family Fiction’s Book of the Year, Cascade Awards Book of the Year, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and the Christy Award, among others. You can connect with her on her website, on Facebook, or in the kitchen, brewing herself another cup of tea.
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Join me next time for a visit with author Janine Rosche.
Meanwhile, have you read As Waters Gone By or any others by Cynthia Ruchti? Do you have any contemporary character-driven favorites? Answer in the comments below.
Ever reading,
Laura
Sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive the prequel for All That Is Hidden: www.StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com
Thanks so much, Laura! And keep your eyes open for a future book that DOES dive into Boozie’s back story! 🙂
I’m looking forward to that! Thanks so much for your participation, Cynthia.
This is my favorite book by this author. So much hope and truth here.
Thanks for your comment, Katie. You’re right–so much hope and truth in this story.
Oh, bless you, Katie! It continues to speak to me, even after other books have been written. Facing the Dawn and Afraid of the Light have remained in my heart as well…for different reasons.
I’m interested in reading this book especially because the setting is Madeline Island. My in-laws used to own the Apostle View Motel in Bayfield on Lake Superior and our family has great memories of exploring the lake front and the islands in the 1980s. Thanks for the review!
Familiarity with the setting can definitely enhance the reading experience! How wonderful that you have great memories of being on Madeline Island.
Oh, my goodness, Nancy! The Apostle View Motel??? How wonderful. I think my husband and I may have stayed there years ago on one of our getaways! Did it have lots of wonderful flower gardens around it? I may be thinking of a different place, but it sounds familiar.
Yes, it had lots of flowers. My mother- and father-in-law ran it by themselves for several years. It only had 8 units at that time, I believe. They even made one of the rooms into a honeymoon suite which was quite a departure from the original hunter’s motel! I’mlooking forward to reading your book!
Oh, Nancy!!!!! How fun that I may have stayed at your inlaws’ resort! I may have even written there! Before I wrote novels, I wrote for a radio broadcast. So that may well have been one of the writing getaway spots. It was a memorable, small but charming place.
I met Cynthia years ago when she spoke to our writers’ group! It was a fun experience and my first meeting with a real author 🙂
I read “They Almost Always Come Home” and “Door County Christmas” and heard great things about “Afraid of the Light” but haven’t tackled it yet.
Coming up with book titles is the bane of my existence. Her discovery of the Job verse for this title is inspiring!
I can vouch for Afraid of the Light! How fortunate that your writers group got to hear Cynthia speak. She has a lot to offer.
Thank you, Laura. So do you!
Who knew, Anita, that such a treasure of a verse was buried there in the Book of Job? Good to reconnect, Anita.
Sounds like an inspiring book, especially with the plot weaving around a husband in prison and struggling marriage. Another great book review, Laura. Thank you!
Glad you could drop by, Gretchen!
Yes, Laura did a great job encapsulating her thoughts about the book!
This sounds like a beautiful book. I have known a few people who have had a spouse, or other family member, make a foolish decision and experience serving time, as a result. There can be a lot of shame involved. It is good to see Cynthia Ruchti have this take place in her book. I think it will be a comfort to those who have experienced this in Christian circles. The Madeline Island setting is intriguing too. I’ve placed this book on my GoodReads want-to-read list!
Yes, it definitely helps to read about characters in tough situations. Even if we haven’t experienced those things ourselves, it creates empathy for those who have.
So important. The empathy and compassion.
Excellent, Mary! Let me know what you think of the story after you’ve read it!
I loved this book! The images, descriptions, metaphors were so rich and used to create emotion. Although I read it years ago, I can still remember the first line about the razor wire of the waves…and what a powerful connection that was to the story.
As a bona fide fan, I love all Cynthia’s books. My personal favorite is A Fragile Hope. So good!
I’m so glad to know you loved this book, Ruth! Your memory of the metaphor speaks to its power.
Thank you so much, Ruth! I value your perspective!
Can’t wait to read this one–it’s next on my TBR pile, but first, I’m enjoying Cynthia’s They Almost Always Come Home. Her characters always struggle with so much heartache (oh my goodness, Facing the Dawn!) that it’s hard to see how they can survive–and somehow each time, Cynthia redeems the story in a way that gives the reader hope and God the glory. And it’s all done in words that sing on the page. Love her books! (I’ll have to come back and comment again after I read this one.)
And Laura, as you describe the island, it ALMOST makes me want to visit! But I’m guessing I need to find the hottest day of the year? So far north, it has to be frigid most of the time???
Glad this one’s on your TBR pile! Actually, they have hot days up north too! I’ve spent time in the North Woods of Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula, so I speak from experience. Summertime is your best bet if you worry about being cold. 🙂
Summer and fall are truly lovely up north! Thanks for your lovely words, Elizabeth!
I gravitate toward books written in the Midwest and that are set in places where I’ve been. My family vacationed in Madeline Island, biked the main path, and spent time on the pebbled shores. I’m interested in reading this novel because of the setting, but also because of the storyline. The character names are also amazing and creative.
Thanks for featuring this book on the blog.
Biked the main path—me too!
Sounds like you’ve enjoyed Madeline Island quite a bit. I agree–it’s enjoyable to read about familiar settings.
There’s a spot on the island that when I first saw it, I had an irrepressible desire to BUY that spot of land! The view! Oh, the view! It was an impossibility, financially, but when my husband and I biked back to town, he said, “Why don’t we visit the Real Estate office and just see?” I never dreamed those words would come from his mouth. The plot of land was for sale, but the real estate office was closed and the price on the sign in the window made it even more impossible. But it was a sweet moment to dream about a piece of the island like that. So instead, I put Emmalyn’s cottage there in As Waters Gone By! 🙂
I love the way you were still able to “own” that property by putting it in your story! Now it’s a part of you in a different way. And your readers benefit from the vicarious experience of being there too.