I am always excited to read a new standalone historical novel by Judith Miller, primarily because she takes fascinating but obscure snippets of history and weaves a captivating story around them. From a girl who paints carousel horses to a father and daughter who travel the country preaching the gospel from a chapel train car, Judith’s stories always promise to teach readers little-known history while simultaneously entertaining them with a wonderful story. It’s a win-win all around! Judith Miller’s newest story from Bethany House Publishers is “The Lady of Tarpon Springs”, which is set in 1905 Florida and centers around the sponge trade… yep, you read that correctly! This is a story of how trained divers (from Greece) arrived in Florida to harvest sponges from deep beneath the surface of the ocean. Although the characters are all fictitious, the details of the sponge business are well-researched and true to history. Continue reading →