About the Book

Book: A Hundred Magical Reasons

Author: Laura DeNooyer

Genre: Biographical historical fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Most fairy tales have happy endings, but is it too late for this one? After all, Mrs. Charlotte Rose Gordon, the disgruntled town recluse, is eighty-eight and has grown weary of fighting the dragons of her past—including the desire to clear her husband’s name of a 1918 crime.

Dragons of a different kind pursue Carrie Kruisselbrink.

During 1980, the summer of her private rebellion, Carrie defies parental expectations and pursues her café dream. While waiting for funding, she takes a job with Mrs. Gordon.

As Mrs. Gordon unfolds the story of her oppressive childhood and delightful friendship with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum, Carrie never expects to encounter her own fears and soul-searching.

In this modern-day fairy tale that weaves between 1980 and the early 1900s, Mr. Baum’s influence impacts each woman’s personal quests on a hero’s journey neither anticipates. Can Carrie and Mrs. Gordon find common ground in battling their respective dragons?

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About the Author

Laura DeNooyer thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and an award-winning author of heart-warming historical and contemporary fiction. Her novels are perfect for fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Erin Bartels, or Amanda Cox. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.

More from Laura

Smitten!

That was me—smitten—after reading a biography about L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). Baum was an innovative, larger-than-life personality—no surprise there, given that he created the Land of Oz.

He was also a family man with a keen understanding of children and a high regard for women. (His mother-in-law was a suffragist!) His humor and creativity gave him the capacity to bounce back from failure many times.

Having always wanted to write a novel set in the turn of the century, Baum fit perfectly into my plans.

Fun fact: The Baum family summered at the same lake where our family vacations yearly. Though we were at opposite ends of Lake Macatawa near Holland, Michigan—and opposite ends of the century—I felt a connection.

Unstoppable Imagination meets Doubt & Fear

Imagination plays a huge role in the story. My main character Janie is at odds with her rigid parents who have no use for fiction, fantasy, or fairy tales. She is only allowed to read The New England Primer, The Pilgrim’s Progress, and the Bible. Then eight-year-old Janie meets the inimitable L. Frank Baum who stretches her imagination in every way possible. This is a major tension throughout the story.

This ties to 1980, where my protagonist Carrie wants to run a literary-themed café against her parents’ wishes. They have their own goals for her. As grown-up Janie (now eighty-eight-year-old Mrs. Gordon) unveils her childhood troubles to Carrie, they both make startling discoveries.

Bonded by stories and baking Oz-inspired recipes, Carrie and Mrs. Gordon’s intergenerational friendship gradually grows and deepens—one facing fears about her future, the other living with regrets about her past.

Brains, Heart, & Courage

Whether you’re an Oz fan or not, I believe you’ll enjoy getting to know L. Frank Baum. Besides getting the facts straight, I wanted to create his essence on the page so readers experience what it was like to sit on the Baums’ Macatawa porch with him, whether running a printing press or drinking lemonade.

Baum’s stories are all about stirring the child’s imagination, and that’s a key element of my novel. Since we’re all made in the Creator’s image, everybody is creative in their own way. I hope this story inspires readers to use their own imagination to pursue dreams.

But dreams only grow in the soil of confidence. As Mrs. Gordon challenges Carrie, “Do you want to live by your passions or by your fears?” One of those fears is being yourself vs. wearing a mask.

Join the journey of two women who are hugely impacted by the wisdom, heart, and courage of the creator of Oz.

Interview with the Author

What inspired this book?

While reading a biography about L. Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz, I was smitten. Baum was such an innovative, larger-than-life personality—no surprise there, given that he created the Land of Oz. He was also a family man with a keen understanding of children and a high regard for women. (His mother-in-law was a suffragist!) His humor and creativity gave him the capacity to bounce back from failure many times.

The turn of the century was a time of great innovation with new inventions and growing technology. Baum was fascinated by these things; his creativity bubbled up alongside it all. Some of his stories foreshadow future technology.

I wanted his imagination to play a huge role in this novel. My main character Janie is at odds with her very rigid parents who have no use for fun, frivolity, fiction, fantasy, or fairy tales. She is only allowed to read The New England Primer, The Pilgrim’s Progress, and the Bible. Then . . . eight-year-old Janie meets L. Frank Baum who stretches her imagination in every way possible. This is a major tension throughout the story.

This ties to 1980, where my protagonist Carrie wants to run a literary-themed café against her parents’ wishes. They have their own goals for her. As grown-up Janie (now 88-year-old Mrs. Gordon) unveils her childhood troubles to Carrie, they both find common ground.

Which character did you connect to best in this book?

Carrie is 22 in 1980 and just happened to attend the same college I did, have the same major, and finish the same year! We even had some of the same insecurities. So, writing her seemed natural at times. Even so, we’re also quite different from each other. She’s a great cook and spurned a teaching career, while I pursued an education degree and rarely find success in the kitchen. 🙂

Which part of the book was the most difficult to write?

The most challenging part of this story was capturing L. Frank Baum’s personality. I did a ton of research to learn as much as possible about him and the early 1900s.

But this was more than getting the facts straight. This was about creating his essence on the page so readers would experience what it was like to be with him—to sit on the Baums’ Macatawa porch together, whether running a printing press or drinking lemonade.

As a storyteller, actor, filmmaker, and author, Baum was constantly creating ways to tell new stories and engage children. I wanted to show how he would draw out Janie’s imagination. Which activities would they do together? What was life like around the dinner table at the Baum household? We know a bit about that from biographies, but I wanted to present Baum through the eyes of a girl who visits from year to year.

Whether readers are Oz fans or not, I think they will enjoy getting to know L. Frank Baum.

What does success as an author look like to you?

There are many landmarks and steppingstones along the writing and publishing path, but the most meaningful one for me is getting feedback from readers. Whenever a reader takes time to reach out and tell me how my story has impacted her in some way, I feel like I’ve accomplished one of my key purposes as an author. I’ve used my storytelling voice to touch someone at the heart level. That’s a huge reward.

What is your vacation spot?

For years, my family has gathered for a week every summer in Holland, Michigan, on Lake Macatawa. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Baum family lived on this same lake!

From 1898 to 1910, Baum, his wife Maud, and their four sons spent summers at Macatawa Resort—between Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa.

Though we were at opposite ends of Lake Macatawa—and opposite ends of the century—I felt a connection. Thus, I chose to focus my novel on the summers Baum spent at Macatawa.

Furthermore, I grew up in southwest Michigan not far from this setting, so I understand the Dutch culture and other things that might have impacted Baum.