Story Circle Interview from 2017
Defiance on Indian Creek
Second Edition Buy “Defiance on Indian Creek transports readers to the days of the American Revolution to follow the heart-stirring story of young Mary Shirley, who struggles to find her place in a turbulent world.” —Charlene Whitman, author of The Front Range series “...Mary is a fun protagonist to follow as the story progresses, because …
Discovering Michael Shirley’s Land
When I began writing Defiance on Indian Creek, in 2008, all I found on Michael Shirley’s land came from a Google Book copy of Oren Morton’s book, A History of Monroe County West Virginia. Listed on page 82 under Surveys under Botetourt County in 1774, in the following format: Shirley, Michael–527–Indian—L—Mar 24. However, I didn’t …
Upheaval and Turmoil
Shirley descendants recorded Mary's date of birth as 17 February 1762. As I contemplated writing a fictional novel about her life, it occurred to me that she turned thirteen in 1775. That eureka moment led to the question, how would a young teen girl cope with the upheaval of her papa being away, fighting Indians? …
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