Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Sherry Shindelar!

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Sherry Shindelar!

I'm pleased to be visiting with Sherry Shindlar today. Learn more about this fascinating author and her books.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I have been in love with stories since I was a child. I’d swing for hours on my swing set, pumping my legs back and forth, dreaming up stories in my head. Even then, I had a flair for romance, creating new love interests and episodes for Star Trek’s Captain Kirk.

My favorite possession at age nine was a set of author playing cards (a matching game with photos of famous authors). I wanted to be an author when I grew up and bring stories to life on the written page, stories that would impact my readers.

What does your writing space look like?

During the winter months, I find odd and end places in the house to write. Moving to different spots helps energize my thought processes. But in the late spring through early fall, I love to write outside. My deck and backyard work well, but my favorite spot is in a park by the lake about a five minute drive my house.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

While researching for Texas Divided, I discovered that the part of Texas where my story is set had a

castle. Robert Robson, a Scot who immigrated to Texas, built a concrete castle in the 1850’s in Colorado County. Robson’s Castle had a moat, a drawbridge, a garden on the roof, and indoor plumbing (pumps drew the water from the nearby river). Guests traveled from faraway communities to enjoy lavish champagne dinners, card parties, and balls. Unfortunately, the foundation was destroyed by a flood in 1869

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

I read several books on the Civil War in Texas. Until I started Texas Divided, I didn’t know the Yankees ever invaded Texas. I also did a lot of online research on the cotton industry. One of the best moves I made was to contact the Nesbitt Library in Columbus, TX. The librarian connected me with old newspaper articles, letters, and other materials written in the 19th century about the area. However, my favorite type of research is traveling to historic places. The garden scene in Texas Divided is based upon my visit to Carnton House in Franklin, Tennessee for example. I visited three different early to mid-nineteenth century homes in Tennessee to gain information for LeBeau’s plantation in the book. However, my visit to Oklahoma and Texas was the highlight of my research. A couple of the museums had life size models of Western towns. Several of the buildings found their way into the book. I can’t wait to visit Texas again.

Tell us about your road to publication.

A visit to a historic home in the Shenandoah Valley, when my husband and I were newly married, spurred my love for history and planted the seed for a story. A few years later, I wrote the novel, then buried it in a box in my closet when it didn’t get published right away. I returned to college to earn a degree in creative writing and eventually a PhD in literature, wondering if I’d ever reconnect with the stories in my head, the ones buried deep in my heart. 

 Then, in the summer of 2019, the Lord opened my heart to fall in love with writing all over again. And it has been my daily passion ever since. I pulled out the box and unburied the past. My new writing life was born. I rewrote my first novel from scratch, then I wrote another novel, Texas Forsaken, as I waited for a YES from an agent or editor/publisher. After no’s from several of the biggest publishers (no’s because it wasn’t the right timing for a Civil War story or an Indian captive story), I felt like I was moving toward my goals at turtle speed. But God had a plan. In His perfect timing, He threw open the doors for me to receive my first book contract in June 2023, four years from the time I fell in love with writing all over again. And when it finally happened, the Lord answered my prayers beyond my expectations!

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I write Christian historical romance because I want to be able to weave my faith into my writing, I am captivated by history, and I love romance.

How do you celebrate when you finish a manuscript?

I go out to eat with my husband in one of my favorite restaurants.

What writers or books have influenced you?

Laura Frantz: Her books inspired me to fall in love with writing again and to start writing Christian historical romance. Lori Benton: Her Mountain Laurel and Shiloh books inspired me to write a story of redemption, second chances, and great love.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

Laura Frantz’s Indigo Heiress, Jamie Ogle’s As Sure as the Sea, and Gabrielle Meyers’s The Fur Trader’s Lady.

What is your next project?

I’m currently working on the third book of my Lone Star Redemption series, Texas Reclaimed. The story takes place on the Texas Frontier in 1866. After the Civil War, Ben McKenzie, a Yankee soldier with soul-deep scars, travels to Texas to make good on a promise he made to his friend who died in Andersonville at his side. After years of war and a father who wasn’t much count, Cora Scott has lost everything, except for her family’s abandoned ranch and her little brother who is half Comanche. She is determined to hold onto her ranch at all costs unless it means falling for the man whose wounds might be deeper than she can heal.

About Texas Divided:

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn't the villain she thinks he is.

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she'll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle's house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Divided-Sherry-Shindelar/dp/1963212134

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/texas-divided-sherry-shindelar/1146107552

Instagram: sherryshindelarauthor https://www.instagram.com/sherryshindelarauthor/

FB Author: https://www.facebook.com/historylitgirl/ Sherry Shindelar Author

Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47340890.Sherry_Shindelar

Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sherry-shindelar

Photo credits:

Robson's Castle Marker: Gregory Walker

Wooden Texas Flag: Pixabay/coopmunster

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Paula Peckham!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Paula Peckham!

My most recent book came out 10-24-2023 and is titled Accepted. It’s the third book in my historical San Antonio series (although each can be read as a standalone). The idea came when I learned a fact about Texas history that I did NOT learn in school (although I think I should have). I appreciated learning this fact, which led to the idea that others may also, so the story was built around it.

I love doing the research for my books (both historical and contemporary). For Accepted, my husband and I made a road trip to San Antonio and visited several museums along the way. I spoke with many people, which is always fun because you learn things you didn’t expect. I also read several books about the time period. The author of one of them spoke at the University of Texas in Arlington (UTA), my alma mater, and I was lucky enough to attend. I spoke with her, Alice Baumgartner, for several minutes afterward, and she ended up writing an endorsement for the novel, which was really cool.

Accepted is book three in my series. Once I started writing the first book, Protected, I knew I would follow it up with a book about each of the characters introduced. There are eight other children, ranging in ages from fifteen to four, besides Abby (the main character in book one). Each could conceivably get their own story, although I only have ideas floating around for three more at this point. So the San Antonio series will probably stop at book six.

I fell in love with the kids from book one, and couldn’t bear to say goodbye to them just yet, so as

Pixabay/desmarsol

ideas cropped up for their continuing story, I tucked them away in a file. My readers have asked me to tell the stories of Yaideli (introduced in book one) and Mrs. Lancaster (first appears in book three) because they want to know how their stories end. Maybe those will be novellas. We’ll see.

As a fifth-generation Texan, the cowboy life and persona have always been a part of the landscape for me. The 1860s was an exciting time for Texas, and the cowboys played a huge role in helping to settle the frontier. It’s an easy setting to research and fun to write about.

I use a modified outline process to plot out the main turning points in my books. I learned the process from a video class produced by Michael Hague. It’s called The Hero’s Journey and is available on Udemy.com. Best $20 I ever spent. It helps me stay focused on the main points in the story and avoid that sagging middle all authors dread. I don’t plan each detail before I start writing—those come as the story progresses—but I know where I’m headed.

My job prior to writing was teaching Geometry to 10th-graders. Teaching math didn’t help me in preparing me to be an author, but the nineteen years in the classroom has provided plenty of material for ideas!

Photo: Pixabay/Mabel Amber

I think the best thing a fledgling writer can do is find a critique group to join. They’ll help you hone your craft and will be an endless source of encouragement.

My next project is a contemporary romance. I’m pushing the pause button on the San Antonio series to write a story about a musician. It’s tentatively titled Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. I love music, and it’s been a blast doing the research and writing the characters of my band. If it turns out the way I envision, it’ll be funny, sweet, and poignant. We’ll see if I can pull it off.

About Accepted

Against the backdrop of the Civil War, spirited Quenby Martin despises the monotony and restrictions imposed on women. Then San Antonio’s most respectable widow befriends her. Unbeknownst to Quenby, her genteel companion harbors a life-risking secret.

Soon after, Quenby meets Jonathan Campbell, a Texan farmer struggling to make ends meet, and eagerly offers her help. Despite Jonathan’s reservations about trusting his future livelihood to the pretty young know-it-all, he accepts. As their relationship develops, Quenby’s confidence and knowledge lures Jonathan in.

Quen draws the attention of a bounty hunter, whose charms cannot hide his evil intentions. Danger puts Quen’s wavering belief in God to the test. With the hunter on her heels, she embarks on an important mission that inadvertently involves Jonathan in a web of kidnapping and murder. His efforts to keep her safe expose his growing feelings.

Will Quenby have enough courage to face the perils of standing up for what she believes in? And at what cost?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/474xxhY

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A fifth-generation Texan, Paula Peckham graduated from the University of Texas in Arlington and taught math at Burleson High School for 19 years. She and her husband, John, divide their time between their home in Burleson and their casita in Rio Bravo, Mexico. They built their home in the colonia where they’ve served with their church, Pathway, for the past ten years. Paula leads a team of volunteers from Pathway on two trips each year, one at spring break, and one at Thanksgiving.

Her debut novel, Protected, was an ACFW Genesis semi-finalist in 2020. Book two in the series, A Father’s Gift, placed third in the 2023 Selah Award contest. Book three, Accepted, came out in October 2023. Several articles have appeared in The Journal and The Guide magazines. She has contributions in the 2021 releases Christmas Love Through the Ages and Texas Heirloom Ornament.

For more about Paula and her books, follow her at http://www.paulapeckham.com.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulaPeckham
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulajopeckham/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulapeckham?lang=en
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ppeckham/books/
Website: https://paulapeckham.com

Traveling Tuesday: Sweetwater, Texas

Traveling Tuesday: Sweetwater, Texas

Located forty miles west of Abilene, Texas and almost “smack-dab” in the center of the state, Sweetwater, Texas became a hub in aviation only eight years after the industry began. According to a paper I found on the University of North Texas website, by the 1920s, the tiny town was regularly visited by many famous aviators. In 1928, seeing potential, local businessmen raised money to construct a municipal airport. Funds came quickly, and the airport was finished and dedicated in August 1929.

In 1940, the town was notified that Sweetwater was being considered for use in the government’s expansion of defense efforts. Receiving nearly $200,000, the town purchased additional acreage and improved the facilities. The first trainees were fifty Canadian cadets headed for England’s RAF. In 1942, over 800 Americans arrived for training and graduated the following year.

Jacqueline Cochran, a world-renowned pilot, had been working for months to create a women’s

National WWII Museum

program similar to that of Britain’s Air Transport Auxiliary. She initially tried to use Hughes Air Field in Houston, but for many reasons was unable to develop a school that met her requirements. Finding Sweetwater, she quickly made arrangements, and by February 1943 Avenger Field was an all-female installation except for a few male instructors and other officers.

Slightly more than eleven square miles, Sweetwater is considered semi-arid, which is to say it’s a dry area, but not as dry as the desert. Average annual rainfall is thirty-five to forty days. Winter average temperatures are in the 60s, and summers are scorching with June, July, and August typically seeing temperatures in the mid- to high-nineties! I would imagine that many of the women who arrived had never experienced this kind of weather.

Thanks to the railroad and airfield, Sweetwater’s population exploded from just over 4,000 in the 1920 census to almost eleven thousand by the 1930 census. The women who arrived came from all walks of life. Some would be disappointed at the “small” size of the town, while others would be overwhelmed by its stretch of land and five-figure population. Of the 25,000 women who applied for flight training, 1,830 were accepted, 1,075 of whom earned their wings, which meant 756 women trudged to the train station and boarded a train for home, leaving the dusty town behind.

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Love at First Flight

Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love?

Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training...the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson.

Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3JoYNX

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Paula Peckham

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Paula Peckham!

Linda: Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on the release of your first full-length novel, Protected. Where did you get the inspiration for the story and its characters? 

Paula: I wanted to tell a story that people would enjoy and that showed a view of God that felt real. The world gets an image of God from our churches and leaders that can make it seem like Christians are perfect and judgmental. Often—sadly—that view is correct. But those of us who call ourselves “Jesus followers” instead of Christians know that is not what life with Christ is like. We’re just as flawed as the rest of the world, and we don’t always turn to God when we should. I want my stories to show those real people and, more importantly, show that God never leaves us despite ourselves. 

To form the actual story of Protected, I thought about my favorite books and cherry-picked the bits I really liked, then mashed them all together. The manuscript was pretty messy when I first typed “The End,” coming to its weighty and cumbersome end with 145K words. (Did I mention I had no idea what I was doing?) After a lot of critiquing and smoothing, the finished product is 75K, lean and mean. 

LM: In addition to Protected, you’ve been part of two novella collections. How is writing a novel different than a novella? The same? 

Paula: Due to the limited length, there is less freedom to meander. Both of my novellas are romances, so the relationship has to move along fairly quickly. In one of them, In All Things Charity, included in Texas Heirloom Ornament, the characters already know each other, but don’t have romantic feelings in the beginning. I didn’t write a love-at-first-sight story, but things kind of marched right along. In the other, A Father’s Gift, included in Christmas Love Through the Ages, it was a continuation of Protected, so my characters already had an established relationship. That gave me the freedom to develop a sub-story I hardly mentioned in the novel. Other than that, it was pretty similar for me. You block out your bones, start filling in the gaps, and keep an eye on your word count. 

LM: Protected is set in Texas during the 1860s, a turbulent time in our country’s history. The book is the first in a series. What draws you to that time period? 

Photo: Pixabay/
Gordon Johnson

Paula: I’m a fifth-generation Texan. Texans love our history, even the dark parts. There is a romanticism behind the idea of the individualism and grit in the folks who came here and settled the wild, wild West. I love horses, I think cowboys are sexy, and I relate to the strength and friendliness of the women who had to be strong to survive here in that time. 

LM: Research is an important part of writing a book, especially historical fiction. How did you go about researching Protected, and did you unearth a particular fun fact you knew you had to include in the story? 

Paula: I realized in college I really enjoy research. While researching for Protected, I found many things I didn’t already know. How to tan a hide, how to butcher a deer, how to prepare a living, breathing chicken for the frying pan, what to do if you stumble across a rattlesnake. YouTube is great for things like that. I now have some really interesting search history. 

But three facts really caught my attention. All three will become major parts of the next books in the series. One was about the Native American population the white settlers displaced (one of those dark parts of our history). Researching about which tribes lived in the area where Protected is set uncovered the fact that when Indians kidnapped white children, the children almost never wanted to come back home. Forcing them to return really messed them up. That fact will show up in book three, Pursued. 

Also in Pursued, I have a Texas Ranger character. We’ve all grown up watching Walker, Texas Ranger and seeing the bold hero who sticks up for the underdog and is full of integrity. That’s the image they taught us in school. However, I learned, to my dismay, the early Texas Rangers were often little more than vigilantes. They were responsible for some horrible things. So that will come out. 

I also learned, to my delight, Texas had an underground railroad to help enslaved people escape to Mexico. I was definitely not taught that in school. The railroad here wasn’t as organized as the one Harriet Tubman worked with, but it was there. That comes up in book two, Accepted. 

It’s super easy for me to lose hours of time that should be spent writing simply chasing research rabbits down holes. But it’s fun. For example, did you know vultures don’t have vocal cords? Instead of singing, they hiss. Of course, they do. Who wouldn’t want to know that? And I want to include everything I learn. That’s how I ended up with 145K words in my first draft. I discovered the hard way you don’t have to share every detail you uncover, no matter how interesting it is. 

LM: What is your favorite part of the writing process? 

Paula: I love it all. When I’m in the middle of a book, the story is running in the background of my mind almost all the time. The smallest thing will catch my attention and become an idea for a scene. It may only show up a paragraph. It might totally change the direction of the story. I’ve learned to jot down notes in my phone so that fleeting thought doesn’t disappear like mist. 

I like the editing, too. I love polishing the manuscript and watching it tighten up. I love finding the perfect phrase or word. 

And the friendships I’ve formed in the various critique groups I’m in have been outstanding. There is always so much to learn. I read a meme on Facebook that cracked me up because it’s so true. It says, “Deciding to become an author means agreeing to have homework every day for the rest of your life.” Yep. 

LM: What do you do to prepare for writing (e.g. listen to music, set up in a certain location, etc.)? 

Paula: I get distracted very easily, so I have to put my phone in the other room. I give myself a specific amount of time in the morning to handle emails, etc., when I first sit down at my computer, then everything else gets shut off. 

I listen to music to help me set the scene emotionally for specific things. I have a play list for the romantic scenes, and a different one for the action scenes. I’m writing Accepted now, and one of the characters will die. I’m going to need a playlist for that scene. Soundtracks from A Star is Born and Titanic might be on repeat in my house for a while. I just added “Brother Let Me Be Your Shelter”, by NeedtoBreathe, to my list. It will set the mood for a scene leading up to the death of my character as it describes our need for community. 

Photo: Pixabay/
Steve Bussinnine

While writing the growing love scenes for Protected, I played “Madness,” a song by Muse over and over. The song is very yearning and angsty. It set my mind perfectly on the scenes I wrote as my characters began falling for each other. Later, I heard an interview with Stephenie Meyer. They asked her a similar question about how she uses music to help her write. She said she played the entire Muse album they whole time she wrote the Twilight books. I was like, “Yeah! I’m with you, sister!” 

Music has always spoken to me, and having the right song, right music, right lyrics can really help me get my mind focused. 

LM: Your website indicates you’re working on the next book in the series, but what do you have planned past those stories? Or are you a “wait and see” kind of gal? 

Paula: I’m laughing. Protected, book one, has ten characters who could each get their own story. If I do that, it’ll keep me busy for the next decade. But I also want to explore writing a mystery. I love reading crime dramas, too, with the dramatic courtroom climax. That would be fun. So I guess we’ll just wait and see who speaks to me the loudest. 

LM: Where can folks find you on the web? 

Paula: 

Website: http://www.paulapeckham.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulaPeckhamAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulaPeckham

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulajopeckham/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulapeckham?lang=en

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ppeckham/books/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-peckham-927478234/

About Protected: Disaster strikes a wagon train en route to Texas, leaving 18-year-old Abby in charge of the survivors, all children younger than her. After an attempted kidnapping, the others convince her to disguise herself as a boy. Initially reluctant, Abby soon realizes life on the trail is much easier without bulky skirts. The disguise allows her to do things as “Abner” she couldn’t do as Abby. It's intoxicating.

Disfigured by fire as a child, Manny, a young cowboy, is lonely and yearns for companionship. His scars and the judgment of townspeople make it difficult for him to trust others. He intercepts the wagon train and agrees to help the children finish the trip to San Antonio. A new friendship cracks the protective walls built around his heart. Hope blooms when he meets “Abner,” and Manny’s fear of rejection slowly dissolves. 

As the weeks on the trail go by, Abby develops romantic feelings for Manny, and he values his first new friendship in years. When Manny discovers her deception, it destroys the fragile bond of friendship growing between them. Can God help the two young lovers find trust, faith, and forgiveness on the hot Texas plain?

Traveling Tuesday: Sweetwater, Texas

Traveling Tuesday: Sweetwater, Texas

The second largest U.S. state by both area (after Alaska) and population (after California), Texas is also larger than many countries. At 268,820 square miles, the state is almost twice as large as Germany or Japan and over twice the size of the United Kingdom. Its fascinating history includes ownership by Spain and France as well as being a member of both the United States and the Confederate States. For nearly ten years, Texas was also a republic having gained its independence from Mexico after the Texas Revolution.

On December 29, 1845 Texas was admitted at the twenty-eighth state. As a result, Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with the U.S., and a boundary dispute went one for three years. The population was a strong mix of English-speaking settlers and Spanish-speaking former Mexicans. New settlers streamed into the state, many bringing their slaves. It wasn’t long before the beef industry took hold, with cattle being shipped all over the U.S. and Caribbean. The cotton, timber, and oil industries also created a strong economy within the state.

Nestled in the north central part of the state, the small town of Sweetwater sprouted. They received a post office in 1879, and the Texas and Pacific Railway started service two years later. To increase railroad traffic, the town built a town lake in 1898, then three more in subsequent years. The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway began construction in 1903. Sweetwater became a railroad town with businesses and homes clustering along the rail lines.

As with many towns across the U.S. during World War II, Sweetwater’s population increased dramatically, more than doubling in large part to Avenger Field (named in a contest won by a Mrs. Grace Faver). Covering nearly 900 acres, the field began as the Sweetwater Municipal Airport in the 1920s. A small flight school operated using WWI surplus planes. In August 1941, the Army Air Force took over and created a training base. The flight school was taken over by the Plosser-Prince Air Academy who was contracted by the Royal Canadian Air Force to train British and American volunteer pilots.

One class of British Royal Air Force pilots was trained before the field was converted for training American women pilots: Jacqueline Cochran’s Women Air Service Pilots (WASP). The private flying school was closed in August 1942, and the base became a formal Army Air Force military installation to be used by the Air Transport Command as a transition school for experienced single-engine pilots. The graduates would be certified on twin-engine planes before being sent overseas. Ultimately, the men were moved to other locations and the base solely used for the WASP program.

The program disbanded in December 1944, and at the end of the war the military turned over the airport to local government for civil use. Pilots can still land at Avenger field at the Sweetwater Airport. Located on fifty acres of leased land, the National WASP WWII Museum opened in 2005, with a grand opening held on May 28, the same day the first class of WASP graduated in 1943.

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Love at First Flight: A WWII Romance 

Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love?

Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training...the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson.

Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students.

Releasing on September 15, 2020 on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Paperback.

Pre-order Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GP87WY5