Palmetto Publishing releases a delightful new addition to a Midwest pioneer fiction series, promising love, redemption, and warmth all around

Charleston, SC, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Author John W. Vander Velden returns with the fourth installment of his heartfelt Misty Creek Saga—this time in a journey that spans the continent, from the fabled small town of Misty Creek to the nation’s Midwest. Set in the rugged beauty of 1890s America, When Light Comes Unexpected is an inspirational novel with a distinctly Christian heartbeat. Get ready for another extraordinary tale about the redemptive power of community. 

Readers of Misty Creek have fallen in love with the Sonnefelts, who have long accepted that they will never have children of their own. Now, Matthew and Elizabeth must embark on an adventure they never before thought possible, as they receive a letter calling them to travel to Illinois in order to reach three orphans looking for a home. 

Meanwhile, young Nick Coulter is left to manage the Misty Creek mill. His coming-of-age story is marked by new challenges, including vandalism, a personal rivalry, and a woman displaced from her home. Fans of the series will know—Nick understands the struggles of homelessness, and he will do anything in his power to help someone who faces them.

As the Sonnefelts face legal complications with adopting the children, the oldest child, Lester, yearns to search for his father in Idaho, unconvinced that the man was truly lost in a mining accident. Can the new pair of parents use lessons learned from the hard years of Matthew’s youth and Elizabeth’s teaching experience to guide Lester and his sisters toward a bright future?

Vander Velden’s writing lends a signature style that is rich with period details, emotional depth, and an undercurrent of faith and spiritual reflection. For fans of the Little House books and similar frontier America stories, it is the perfect read for middle-aged readers who want a safe, relaxing story free of explicit scenes or coarse language. When Light Comes Unexpected can be enjoyed with the previous books in the saga, but it functions equally well as a jumping-in point for new readers. Don’t miss this deep and meaningful exploration of what it takes for light to emerge in the darkest corners of our lives.

When Light Comes Unexpected: Book Four of the Misty Creek Series is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information about the author, please visit any of his social media platforms.

Facebook: John W. Vander Velden: Author (https://www.facebook.com/JohnWVanderVelden.Author/)

Instagram: @john.vandervelden

About the Author:

John W. Vander Velden graduated from Purdue University and spent a long, rewarding career as a farmer. An avid reader and a lifelong storyteller, John is the author the Misty Creek series of novels and a literary blog, Ramblings . . . Essays and Such . . . He is an active member of the Plymouth Area Writer’s Workshop and has attended the Antioch Writer’s Workshop. John approaches life with open eyes, hearing ears, and a heart willing to feel, striving to reach deep within others with his words. He currently resides with his beloved wife in northern Indiana. To keep up with the latest on John’s projects, visit him online at johnvandervelden.com. 

Available for interviews: Author, John W. Vander Velden

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• WHEN LIGHT COMES UNEXPECTED

CONTACT: Leah Joseph
Palmetto Publishing
publicity@palmettopublishing.com