Tracie Peterson
https://traciepetersonbooks.com/
Author of: A Truth Revealed
T4JYM: Tell our readers a little about your latest book, A Truth Revealed coming out soon, and what they can expect from it.
TP: A Truth Revealed is the third book in the Heart of Cheyenne series set in 1869. The heroine 21-year-old Laura Evans is the daughter of a man who sets up a mercantile in Cheyenne. She’s a daddy’s girl who has been away at boarding school and then women’s college. Now at 21 she’s come to live with him in Cheyenne. She’s a strong believer in Jesus, having gotten saved at college, and while her father tells her that’s fine for her, he doesn’t want her preaching at him. Wilson Porter is a preacher struggling to get officials to okay his work with the Shoshone Indians out near Ft. Bridger. He encourages his widowed mother and younger sister to come west as well and when they are killed on the way by what people believe were hostile Indians, Will blames himself as well as God and the Indians. Blinded by his pain, Wilson doesn’t see Laura’s carriage and team and is severely injured. Laura is determined to care for Will and so begins a journey to discover healing and love.
T4JYM: What’s next? What is in the works for you and what can readers be watching for since you have a new book launching?
TP: There is a second 3 book series set in Cheyenne that picks up 20 years later. It’s called Hope of Cheyenne and book one will debut in March 2025. The characters are new for the most part, but there will be the occasional cameo by previous characters or their children.
T4JYM: How do you decide what to write about? With so many books in your collection of writings, where do you come up with new ideas?
TP: I believe God made me a storyteller from the start of my life. My mother gave me a pencil and paper in church to keep me quiet and told me to write a story, before I could even write. Afterwards she’d have me tell her my story. I credit her with growing and nurturing the storyteller in me. As for ideas, they are everywhere. God has always been good to send me to just the right place at the right time to find historical tidbits that I have to know more about. Sometimes it’s as simple as reading someone’s journal from the 1800’s and seeing something they reference and feeling I must know more. Other times, I might see a documentary, and something jumps out at me. Stories abound if you take the time to look for them.
T4JYM: Being a writer of historical fiction, how much time and research goes into a book? And how do you ensure they are historically accurate?
TP: I’m a stickler for historical accuracy. It doesn’t mean I won’t make mistakes, because I do. However, I strive to make situations and settings accurate to the historical time period because it enriches the story. Nothing puts me off more in historical fiction than to come across something that I know could never have happened. Before planning out a story, I read a lot of journals and diary accounts, as well as newspapers for the time period and location. It gives me a feel for the attitudes and ideals of people during my time period. It shows me what local issues might have been and how that could affect my story. I read a variety of history books written on my location, event, or topic and make a ton of notes as I map out my synopsis and characters. By the time I’m ready to write the book, I have a strong working knowledge of the people, place, and times for my story. Often, I’m researching information for a new series a year or more in advance of writing it.
T4JYM: I see from your website that you have been dubbed the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction.” How did you receive that initially and what does it mean to you now?
TP: Long ago I was on a booktour and it had been coordinated with a regional group of libraries. Someone in that group gave me that moniker and it stuck. I love being known as the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction.” Historicals are my all time favorite to write and read. While Christian faith-based fiction is what I love to write in order to share the Gospel of Jesus and to offer Biblically based encouragement to the reader. It’s a title that fits my ministry of writing to offer hope.
T4JYM: Having accepted Christ at such a tender age, have you ever had times in your life when you turned away from your faith?
TP: I haven’t really turned away or had any crisis of faith in the sense that I put God aside, but of course there were times when I didn’t walk as close or when I got a bit misled. Looking back I see those times and tend to critique myself and my choices. I try to learn from those mistakes and lapses of judgment. God has definitely used those moments to deepen my walk with Him and grow my faith. One particularly bad time that I recall had me questioning why God, the maker of the universe, the one all-powerful Father of all, would let something this horrific and ugly happen in my life. I remember telling God, “You could have stopped this from happening!” And in return hearing deep within my soul His response. “Yes, I could have stopped it, but I didn’t. Now what are you going to do with me?” It was one of those Job moments of “Though you slay me, yet will I trust you.” I came to realize that even though the situation seemed outrageously unfair and wrong to have to go through, God never left me to walk it by myself. He was always there.
T4JYM: Who are some of the authors you look up to and why?
TP: There are so many authors I look up to. I have a lot of friends who are authors and very much enjoy their depth of faith and insight. They have helped me to grow stronger in my faith-walk and are there for me when times are difficult, as well as joyful. I love the work of Liz Curtis Higgs, Kimberley Woodhouse, Jaime Jo Wright, Judith Miller, Bev Lewis and so many others. Most are strong people of faith who use their work to encourage and uplift the reader. That is so important to me in these troubles times.
T4JYM: What would you say to someone interested in publishing their work?
TP: Go for it! There are all sorts of methods and paths to publication these days, but I encourage writers to create the best possible manuscript and do what is needed to get in touch with the folks who can help you make this dream happen. If they aren’t at the place where they’ve written the piece yet, I encourage connecting and networking with a writer’s organization. I helped found American Christian Fiction Writers and the organization is amazing in the way they have continued to encourage and train up authors. I strongly recommend joining this organization.
T4JYM: Can you walk readers through what the process is from being inspired with a book idea to publication?
TP: I always encourage new writers to do their homework. Know what audience they hope to reach and look at what other books are hitting the best-seller lists, in order to know what’s working and what’s not. That’s not to say that you won’t write something original and completely different from what is already out there, but it’s a good study to know what is popular and what various publishers are looking to publish. Writing is hard work and a really good book is going to show that the author spared no effort to give the reader their very best creative work. This includes that the author did their research in every area and applied themselves to the creative process in developing the plot, the setting, the characters and the resolutions. For me ideas come to mind – say a location is fascinating and I think I’d like to set a story there. I start making notes about the kind of story I’d like to create from that location. What could work for that area? What time period would be best? What kind of characters would be in this location? I start pulling together ideas and always I compile notes, possible books that have information on my setting or event. I’ll sketch out ideas for problems that characters in this location might encounter and as I do, I start seeing plot ideas. Sometimes I start with a historical event and that shapes and alters the direction I take the story. Other times I might have a particular kind of man or woman that I want to create a story around. Maybe someone in my life who has inspired me. and I believe would make a great story character. Maybe someone from history, etc. Always my focus is to pray about the story and seek God for the things He wants me to learn, as well as share through the story.
T4JYM: Any final thoughts you want to share?
TP: So many folks, myself included, are going through difficult times that really stress and cause anxiety and frustration. I encourage you to keep digging deeper into God’s Word and spend more time in prayer. He is there for us in every way, but sometimes we forget. There truly isn’t a single corner of our world, however, where God can’t reach us and teach us. Let it all be to His glory!
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