Jan Cline on the dust bowl
Jan’s first novel was published in 2016, a product of her love for history and research. She is a former writer’s conference director and speaks at writer’s groups and conferences. Jan lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and her impertinent dog, Cooper. When she’s not writing she enjoys golf, crafting, and time with grandchildren.
Tell us about your newest book.
Heaven’s Sky is the first in a series of three books that center on the strong women who lived through our nation’s most difficult times. Heaven’s Sky’s main character, Clarissa, is struggling to stay on the farm she and her husband established on the Kansas plains during the 1930s dust bowl. A surprise visit from her estranged sister from New York only adds to the conflict and turmoil that happens while Clarissa’s husband is off looking for work. A kind drifter comes along, endearing himself to the family and encouraging them in their faith. A near tragedy brings all the characters to discover the truly important things in life.
What genre do you focus on and why?
I came from a non-fiction background, but once I started writing fiction, I was hooked. My father instilled a love for history at an early age and I naturally leaned that way when I decided to write fiction full time.
Why do you write? What drives you?
Who can explain the pull to do something you have a love/hate relationship with? Writing is not an easy pursuit, but I’m mostly driven by the desire to tell stories from the past and let our youth know where they came from and about the people who paved the way for them. It’s probably the same reason many writers are compelled to write – to tell a story that’s in you to tell.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Clarissa Wilding is a name I pulled out of the air, but I like it. The name describes her well – dainty and feminine, yet willing to brave the hardness of life in the dust bowl. She is vulnerable yet with inner strength she herself doesn’t realize. She is likely very similar in character to many of the women who survived those days.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
Unlike many of my writer friends, I like to write at my desk at home. I usually start in the mornings when my brain cells are freshly rested, and almost always with my earphones on, listening to movie scores. I only write an hour or less at a time, unless I’m on a good roll. Taking breaks helps me focus.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
Marketing, coming up with great new stories, marketing, finding time to write, marketing, and marketing. In that order.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
When someone tells you that your story touched them. It’s the reason most writers keep going. We all like occasional confirmation that we are on the right path.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
Researching for book three of this series, which is based on the true story of my mother and her first husband who are both deceased, I found and met with a long lost relative of his who had been at their wedding when she was just a baby. It took me many months to find her, but we had a nice visit. It was strange to talk to the only living person who was at my mother’s wedding.
What are you most proud of?
Finishing and published a novel. It wouldn’t matter what novel it was – just that I finished it and put forth the effort to publish it.
What is your favorite pastime?
That would be a toss-up between traveling in our RV and crafting. They are both addicting. Golf would be a third.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I have been published traditionally in non-fiction with devotionals with Barbour Publishing. Most of them are soon to be out of print. I Indie published a devotional and women’s self-help book, and then I published my first novel, Emancipated Heart in 2016. It’s a story about a Japanese American family living in an internment camp during WWII.
What are you working on now?
My series. Book two should be out this summer and book three out in late fall. Then it’s on to more 1930s & 40s story research. I’m also busy occasionally working on workshops for writer’s conferences.
Website: https://jancline.net
Link to book:
Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/JanClineAuthor/
https://www.pinterest.com/JanClineAuthor/
J’nell Ciesielski on WWII drama
Believing she was born in the wrong era, J’nell Ciesielski spends her days writing heart-stopping heroes, brave heroines, and adventurous exploits in times gone by.
Born a Florida girl, she now calls Virginia home, along with her very understanding husband, young daughter, and one very lazy beagle.
Tell us about your newest book.
The idea for Songbird came to me after watching a movie with a British soldier who posed as a Nazi to spy for the Allies. One of his rendezvous happened in this little French bar, and I though aha! Now that would be interesting. Could a woman fall in love with the enemy and what would that look like? The story would be ripe for drama!
What genre do you focus on and why?
I’ve always loved the WWII mainly for the clothes and music. The US was heavily involved in this war and its history surrounds us. I was completely drawn to the way citizens pulled together in the name patriotism to overcome horrific circumstances. WWI and Scotland are also huge interests to me.
Why do you write? What drives you?
I write because I have to write. It’s really that simple. Writing is how I express myself, and if I keep it all inside I’ll explode. I love telling stories and bringing to life characters in situations that I find fascinating and will continue to do just that for as long as I can.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Claire Baudin is my heroine. I wanted a name that was American and French sounding, plus I just think it’s pretty. My hero Michael Reiner has a more interesting tale. He’s named after Michael Fassbender who played a British solider posing as a Nazi in the movie that inspired this whole story. I felt it appropriate to honor him.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
I’m a stay at home mom so most of my day revolves around keeping a little person alive. Around 1 pm she heads into her room for quiet time and that’s when my writing begins. I get about 2 ½ hours to put words on paper before she comes breezing out again. At night time I’ll try to go over the pages I wrote earlier or do some reading.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
Time management. I’m a very organized person, but when a bunch of to-dos start piling up I get overwhelmed and then shut down. So finding time to get it all done without completely ignoring my family can be difficult.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
Creating stories. I just love imaging new and different things, things I would never be able to do in my own life, but I get to experience via these characters and circumstances.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
I don’t know if this is crazy, but I still find it mind blowing that people want my autograph. Autographs are supposed to be for famous people!
What are you most proud of?
Hanging in there and not giving up. There are days when I question if it’s worth it, am I good enough, but I forge ahead simply because I cannot stop writing. It’s who I am, and blessedly, I’ve found readers who want to read my stories. That’s pretty amazing.
What is your favorite pastime?
Reading and eating. If together even better!
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
My debut novel Among the Poppies came out last year. It’s about a female ambulance driver who falls in love with an army captain on the frontlines of WWI.
What are you working on now?
I just wrote a novella for a collection coming out this fall. Night Fox takes readers to 1716 at the end of Jacobite rebellion where the weary hero is returning home from war only to discover a thief creating chaos on his lands. But this thief isn’t like any others. When she set out to steal jewels to repay her family debts, never did our heroine imagine snagging the laird’s heart.
Website: http://www.jnellciesielski.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1946016799/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/jnellciesielski
https://twitter.com/JnellCiesielski
https://www.pinterest.com/jnellciesielski/https://www.goodreads.com/jnellciesielski
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-nell-ciesielski
Tammy Kirby on the Victorian Age
Tammy Kirby holds an Associate Degree in Registered Nursing, a cosmetology license, and the title author. She uses her writing to reveal God’s love and forgiveness through characters from hundreds of years in the past, who face the same problems people face today. Taking broken heroes and heroines and showing them this truth is her mission. Tammy lives with her husband Roger in Northeast Louisiana.
Tell us about your newest book.
Joy to the Earl is the second of a five book series on sex trafficking in Victorian England. Abbigail Thorne thinks she has everything in hand until she is betrayed by the two people she loves most. She must decide to forgive or lose everything she holds dear. Chase Montclair, Earl of Waverly, is thrown into a tailspin when his past rises to confront him. He is forced to choose between the wife he loves and the child who needs him, all while battling an addiction to alcohol.
What genre do you focus on and why?
Inspirational Historical Romance. I love all eras but my favorites are Medieval Scotland/England and Regency/Victorian. Why? Because I am an old soul who believes there is something magical about the past. If time travel were truly possible, I have no doubt I could be dropped into the past and thrive.
Why do you write? What drives you?
It is my ministry. I write because I want to get His stories out there for those who need to hear about His grace and mercy. I am driven by the desire to accomplish His will while there is still time.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Abbigail Thorne is the heroine. She is named after one of my granddaughters. Chase Montclair, Earl of Waverly, is the hero. I don’t remember from where he evolved. He is a secondary character in the first book of the series.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
I work twelve hour shifts, so I am not one who writes daily. On my days off I may write eight to ten hours in my office or if the weather is pretty, on my front porch.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
The hardest part I guess would be writing something I think is really brilliant and having my editor tell me they didn’t use that word until 200 years after the time period I’m writing in. Trying to find a word that matches in the correct era can take hours to research which pulls away from my writing time. Alas, it is a necessary evil.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
Hearing my books kept my readers awake and when they tell me it changed them somehow. Why? Because it gives me a sense of completion that only comes from a job well done. It lets me know my obedience and hard work is not in vain.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
This series is a bit controversial as it deals with sex trafficking and death. In the beginning, I faced a lot of adversity from editors and publishers. Several wanted me to change it, white wash it, if you will. But God wouldn’t let me. Self-publishing as a new author was a scary thought, but once I stepped out, He led the way.
What are you most proud of?
I guess that would have to be seeing what God downloaded into me in print in spite of the enemy’s attempt to stop it.
What is your favorite pastime?
That would be writing and reading.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I do. His Grace Forgiven is the first book of the Haven House series and I have a medieval time travel short story Saving the McKinnon.
What are you working on now?
I’m having a ball working on the third book in Haven House, Vengeance is Mine Saith Mi’Lord. This is Nick’s story. You meet him in Joy To The Earl. As you probably have already guessed from the title, he’s having a little difficulty forgiving. I am also doing another time travel short story, Three Crowns of Dunstaffnage. It’s a little different in that it is the second half of a short story I am writing with Carole Lehr Johnson. Two friends time travel from the same place in Scotland at different times.
Website: tammykirbyauthor.com
Link to book:https: //www.amazon.com/dp/1731187270
Social media links: https://www.facebook.com/tammy.kirby.311
A Grandparent’s Love
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grandparents, released yesterday. In it I tell a story about grandparent love.
When I was growing up my grandma lived with us, and she was my best friend. There were no senior citizens or adult communities. There were few nursing homes, but grandparents usually lived with their children and grandchildren. The grandparents gave the children time and wisdom, and the children gave the grandparents a sense of joy and lasting youth.
In my day, older folks sat on front porches and welcomed us kids to stop by and visit. I remember going from house to house, chatting with several retirees. I would visit my neighbors and happily listen to their tales of earlier days. Sometimes they pulled a book off the shelf and read it to me, including an encyclopedia.
Since then, too often the generations have become segregated, and I think that’s been detrimental to our society. The older generation is separated into senior living subdivisions, housing, and senior care homes, far from the joy and exuberance of little ones. Little ones miss out on quality time and wisdom the older generation can offer. And the parents are caught in the middle trying to find babysitters to manage their busy schedules. All generations have lost in such a system.
Until last year, my grandchildren were halfway around the world, in South Africa. Now they’re in California but still quite a distance to travel. So my daughter and I make a point of connecting us grandparents with our grandchildren on a regular basis and everyone is blessed! The grandchildren enjoy story time, jokes, games, and conversation filled with love and care. We grandparents get I love buckets filled to the brim and sometimes overflowing with joy, laughter, and happiness. And the parents get a few moments of peace and quiet… sometimes.
We also have the blessing of a few friends and neighbors who share their little ones with us. Their grandparents live in another part of the country, so they’ve “adopted” us and we them. We get together often for meals or movies or reading books or just hanging out together, and we are all blessed because of it. We are grateful these young families include us in their lives, and I believe God would be pleased.
We are determined to bridge the gap, create a lifetime link of love and lasting memories, and have many deep inter-generational relationships. I hope you will too. If you’re a parent, reach out to the older generation and invite them into your a busy family life. If you are a grandparent, reach out to a young family and become a part of their lives. Will be glad you did.
To read my story and a hundred other inspiring stories, get Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grandparents.
Moms Know Best!
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best, releases today. In it I tell a story about my wonderful mom.
My mom went to heaven just three weeks short of her 95th birthday, and I miss her every day. Especially on special days when I always received a card in the mail. She should have been a major investor in Hallmark cards, and in a way, she was. She gave cards for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and even when we had something special happen, like the birth of a grandchild.
This past New Years I took some time to read many of those cards and letters. Words that touched my heart. Some were sweet. Some were funny. All of them were perfect for that season of my life. The cards became landmarks of my years, history of my days, and touch points of love.
In her later years, I spent hours and hours in the card aisle with her looking for just the right card. She’d plop down on her walker and I’d help her by handing one and then another and another for some special occasion—a birthday, wedding, get well, holiday, to cheer someone up or to welcome a baby. We’d be there for a long time while she rejected many I picked so that she could chose just the right one.
That’s who Mom was. Someone who cared. Someone who loved people. Someone whose life touched ours in a special way. I think that Hallmark lags way behind my mom in the caring, touching, loving category. In my book, she is number one. So every time I pass the greeting card aisle or get a birthday card, a Christmas card, or any card at all, I remember my mom and thank God that she touched my life.
This is just part of the eulogy I gave her. The rest of it is in the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul: Moms Know Best, a complilation of 101 stories about Moms. Check it out here!
New Release: Katelyn’s Choice
The Gilded Age comes to life in this first installment of the Thousand Islands Series!
Katelyn Kavanagh’s mother dreamed her daughter would one day escape the oppressive environment of their Upstate New York farm for service in the enchanting Thousand Islands, home to Gilded Age millionaires. But when her wish comes true, Katelyn finds herself in the service of none other than the famous George Pullman, and the transition proves anything but easy.
Thomas O’Neill, brother of her best friend, is all grown up and also working on Pullman Island. Despite Thomas’ efforts to help the irresistible Katelyn adjust to the intricacies of her new world, she just can’t seem to tame her gossiping tongue—even when the information she’s privy to could endanger her job, the 1872 re-election of Pullman guest President Ulysses S. Grant, and the love of the man of her dreams.
Here’s an excerpt from Katelyn’s Choice, the first in the Thousand Island Gilded Age series. It releases this Friday, March 15th! Soon, you’ll get to read the entire story.
Katelyn got up and ran to her room to watch the storm from the safety of her window. A quick, torrential shower followed. It only lasted a quarter of an hour and left as quickly as it had come. Before long, the sun burst through the dissolving clouds, so she took her place again on the cool, breezy veranda.
She watched as fish broke the water, seeming to play tag in a joyful game. It reminded her of her childhood, of her friends. If she were a fish, she would surely be a wide-mouth bass, ugly and always fighting the desire to jabber, never able to keep her prattling mouth closed. She wished she were a rainbow trout, beautiful and desirable. But no, she was a bass, ever fighting and flapping her jaws.
The steady beat of the waves along the shore assured her that a divine heartbeat pulsed through this beautiful world that she was a part of. She had the power to choose. Right or wrong, she had to choose. It was terrifying to think of such power on the tip of her tongue. She could choose to speak life. She could choose to spread gossip and birth a deadly virus that could bring pain and hurt to many. She had the freedom to love others enough to hold
her tongue or the freedom to hate and bring death. She even had the power to stay silent when faced with unfair accusations, as Jesus had done. Her choices might be terrible right now, but they were hers alone.
A wave of guilt threatened to engulf her. “Help me, Lord. I’ve been drowning in a sea of words I can’t take back, in prattle that has poisoned, in gossip full of guile. And now, in false accusations because of my errant ways. Change me, Creator! Make me a new creation lest I die in the weeds of my own making. Take my tongue, my words, my thoughts, and my deeds, and make them Yours. Please.”
Tears stung her eyes, and she allowed the dam to burst. Alone on the veranda. Alone with God. With only the river as her witness, Katelyn wept as she’d never wept before. For the loss of her mother. For the abuse of her brothers and her father. But most of all for her wretched tongue. The tongue that hurt others. That abused others with gossip, tales, and prattle that were untrue, half-true, or outright lies. Oh how she wished she could take them all back, rewind time, and make it all right.
To read the entire story of Katelyn’s choice to grow and change and overcome her challenges, click here!