Q: Susan, your latest novel, Irish Rose Orphans Christmas: Prequel to Irish Rose Orphans: A Thousand Islands Gilded Age Series, is set in 1876 in a Brooklyn orphanage. What drew you to this fascinating historical time and place as the backdrop for your story?
Susan G. Mathis: I’ve always been captivated by the resilience and courage of children who lived through such difficult times. The 1870s were a period of great change in America—industrialization, immigration, and social reform were reshaping the country. Brooklyn, especially, was home to many Irish immigrants who had fled famine and hardship, only to face new struggles in crowded, impoverished neighborhoods. I wanted to shine a light on the orphans of that era—children who often had no one to stand up for them—and explore how love, faith, and hope could transform even the bleakest circumstances.
What inspired you to write Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas?
I grew up with about a third of my classmates coming from a nearby orphanage, so I saw firsthand how deeply they longed for family and belonging. Their stories, resilience, and quiet hopes stayed with me through the years. When I began writing Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas, I wanted to honor those children—to capture both the struggles they faced and the strength and love that could still blossom in their lives. The story is a tribute to the enduring human spirit, the healing power of love, and the beautiful truth that family isn’t always defined by blood, but by the heart.
Q: That’s incredibly touching. How much of the story is based on real events?
Susan: Much of it is inspired by real history. I researched the orphanages of the time. While the characters themselves are fictional, their experiences reflect the very real struggles and triumphs of countless children, especially young girls ages thirteen to sixteen going into service. I also drew from letters, journals, and newspaper accounts to bring authenticity to their voices and daily lives. The facts gave me the framework—but the emotion, the faith, and the heart of the story are what truly bring it to life.
Q: Tell us about the seven orphan girls, the heroines of your novel.
Susan: Each girl has her own story, her own heartbreak, and her own spark of hope. They come from different backgrounds, but they’ve become sisters in every way that matters. Warm-hearted and impulsive, Annie is eager to please but often avoids conflict, unlike her twin sister, Taryn who is walled off by bitterness and distrust. Quiet and fiercely independent, Fiona observes more than she speaks. Outspoken and brave, Vivian leads the girls with humor and courage. Poised and private, Isabel commands respect with her calm confidence, while her younger sister, Gloria is sensitive and intuitive. Studious and disciplined, Cassie approaches life like a ledger. Each teaches about courage, forgiveness, and faith. Together, they face injustice, loss, and uncertainty—but they also discover that love and belonging can be found in unexpected places. Through them, I wanted to show the beauty of found family and the healing power of grace.
About Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas:
Get ready to fall in love with seven girls and their unforgettable stories! This heartwarming prequel sets the stage for the upcoming Irish Rose Orphans: A Thousand Islands Gilded Age Series, where seven spirited young women serve the islands’ elite!—author Donna Schlachter
Brooklyn, 1876
At the Irish Rose Orphan Asylum for Girls, seven young women are about to experience a Christmas that will change everything—their last one together before stepping into lives of service among strangers in the Gilded Age. United by trials and an unbreakable bond, they’ve pledged to remain “forever sisters.” But as the season of parting approaches, buried wounds rise to the surface.
Twin sisters Annie and Taryn remain divided by a silent rift. Fiona grapples with the ache of abandonment. Vivian hides her fear of being left behind beneath a cheerful façade. Cassie, ever the want-to-be teacher, tries to steady the group as Isabel and Gloria struggle with the agony of separation.
When Sister Rose invites the girls to prepare their hearts during Advent for a deeper calling, each young woman must face the truth of her past and the hope of her future. A final gift—tin lockets adorned with the Irish Rose—become tokens of hope, courage, and an everlasting sisterhood. This Christmas, seven orphans will discover that no matter where life leads them, love and faith will go with them.
Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has sixteen in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, A Summer at Thousand Island House, Libby’s Lighthouse, Julia’s Joy, Emma’s Engagement, Madison’s Mission, and Irish Rose Orphans’ Christmas. She is also a winner of more than two dozen book awards, and she’s a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, a dozen stories in compilation books, and hundreds of published articles. Find out more at www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction