novel – Page 12 – Wayne Turmel

Troy Kechely- A Man, A Dog and The Great Depression

Historical fiction takes many forms. In this case, the story of a dog on a ranch in 1930s Montana

When I think of Historical Fiction, a couple of things come to mind. The first, are great events in history and epic time periods. Second, I think about tales of great passion: war, or romance, (and whether those are the same or different, you may discuss among yourselves) but they paint with a broad brush. Yet there are quieter stories as well. Troy Kechely has taken a fascinating period of American history (The Depression of the 1930s) and a great setting (the mountains of Montana) for an intimate story of a man and the healing powers of a dog and brought them together in Strangers’s Dance

Okay, so what’s the Troy Kechely story?

Most people like to use the word ‘complex’ to describe me. This is because how I came to be who I am is not a simple tale but I’ll summarize as best I can. I was conceived out of wedlock to a young woman in Elmira, New York. She left the U.S. to study for a semester in West Berlin, Germany (yes back in the cold war days). She was unaware that she had a stowaway but learned quickly after arriving. While carrying me she looked into having an abortion but was turned down because it was illegal after a certain stage of pregnancy. She instead chose to put me up for adoption by a U.S. Army officer and his wife who were stationed in Germany. So by God’s grace I grew up not in upstate New York or Germany but on a ranch at the base of the Continental Divide west of Helena, Montana. Something I am very thankful for.

My day job is a CAD manager for an engineering firm. On the side I’m a canine behavior instructor and author as well as the founder and current board member for a non-profit rescue group dedicated to finding loving homes for Rottweiler’s. What sets me apart from some is that I have no college degree and only nine fingers after an accident four years ago. This resulted in me having to relearn typing so Stranger’s Dance was a big test for me and my editor.

Sounds like that’s a pretty good story waiting to be told. What about Stranger’s Dance?

In 1930s Montana, no one kept dogs as pets. Unless a dog happened to be a darn good herder and happened to wash up on a sheep ranch, dogs were pests. Chicken killers that ought to be shot.

Who could afford to give scraps to a stray? The high ranchlands were spared the worst of the Dust Bowl, but most families still had to take work off the ranch to make ends meet. That’s why Frank Redmond carved tombstones on the side. Even with such work—both lucrative and in steady supply—he and his small family struggled to keep up with their loans. Frank was ready to call it quits, walk away from the ranch, his wife, his father, the creditors. Then the dog showed up.

Stranger’s Dance is a novel about death and infidelity and how people learn to strike truce in the presence of hard things. That stray dog, the one Frank wanted to shoot, eventually endears himself to Frank’s father, then to his wife, and slowly to Frank. Over time, the land and its creatures bind the frayed human relationships.

What is it about this story that intrigued you?

Our world is so full of technology and distraction, the simplicity of rural ranch life in that era appeals to me. Having grown up in the region and on a working ranch I know how hard it can be to keep a ranch running and the idea of doing the same work but without the luxury of tractors and electricity made it a good setting for the story. It allowed me to focus on true life struggles that people faced every day. Unlike now where we worry about our WiFi connection, people in that time often lived hand-to-mouth. Given that animals were rarely viewed as pets but as coworkers or pests to be shot, the involvement of a dog in that struggle allowed for a unique perspective and window to that time.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to interview people who were alive back then and living at the location of where my book was set so I got firsthand knowledge of what it was really like. This definitely helped with solidifying my decision on the time and location of the story.

Not to make this about me, but I had a farm dog, Rover, get shot for sucking eggs when I was a kid, so I know what you mean. Where can folks learn more about you and your writing, as well as your work with dogs?

The best place is my website: http://www.troykechely.com/

You can find me on Goodreads

or on Amazon

And on Facebook

Carmen Stevens and the Slums of London

Sometimes, historical fiction is about people living inside a specific historical event. Other times, the period is primarily a backdrop to personal stories that just happen to occur then. Such is the case with Carmen Scott’s “Anne”. Rather than the heroine being swept up in history, the times serve as the backdrop for this intimate story of one woman making her way in 18th Century London.

Carmen Gross, pen name Carmen Stevens, was born in Fargo, ND, March 1992. She currently resides in Detroit Lakes, MN, where she is a recent college graduate and works part-time. Carmen published her novel “Anne” in July 2013-an exciting, richly-written historical work about a young English girl who makes many bad choices throughout her life and then struggles to find redemption.

In a nutshell, what’s Anne’s story?

‘Anne’ takes place in eighteenth-century England. The plot revolves around a haughty, homeless, orphaned girl and her struggle to achieve a life that is much better than her present one. Anne is hardened by a sense of self-preservation and very strong-willed, and she is willing to do anything to fulfill her dreams.

You’re a nice mid-westerner. What is it about that time period that intrigued you?

I really like the fashion of this time period, though maybe not the corsets. But I think the dresses that the well-off women wore were unique and quite lovely. I dislike the class structure, however. But I’ve always been very interested in old England and the way that this country used to be, especially within its large cities like London. I love the history of the country. I’ve never physically visited England, but I’ve researched it so extensively that I feel like I have been there. When I decided that I wanted to write a novel, the setting of old England came to my mind right away because I have such an interest in the country, and hope to be able to visit there someday.

That’s true for a lot of us. Writing is a way of traveling places we’ve always wanted to go. Without giving away spoilers, what are a couple of scenes you particularly enjoy?

It think it’s the small, poignant scenes rather than sweeping historical events. The first scene involves Anne visiting a person whom she once loved, but now hates,in an awful place. The young man whom Anne visits bitterly confronts her because of what she did to him. Anne remains calm and cold throughout the confrontation, displaying no remorse, for what she did to the young man she did to achieve her dreams.

The other touching scene is actually one of the last scenes of the novel. Anne has a long chat with another young man, but her demeanor and composure are completely different than the other scene. Also, the young man in this scene listens to Anne carefully with an attitude that is also different than the other man’s. Within this scene, the themes and morals of the overall story are vivdly described.

So, Hotshot, who’s publishing your book?

When I announced that my first novel, “Pith Helmets in the Snow” was going to be published, I got a lot of questions about who the publisher was. The answer, is TheBookFolks in the UK.

I have two reasons for telling you this:

First, I swore I wouldn’t self-publish my first novel. And I’m not–quit asking.

I have nothing against self-publishing and I know loads of authors who use sites like https://www.printivity.com/products/books/ to print their own books to publish themselves, it’s just not something I wanted to do for my first book. In fact, two of my best selling books are self-published. There’s a part of me that’s all about “death to the middleman and seize the means of production,” and all that. But I swore with my first attempt at a novel, I wanted someone other than my blood relatives to think I could write. I wanted an agent and a “big six” book deal. If not that, at least a “real” publisher who could print my book as a hardcover and paperback.

Basically, I wanted someone I wasn’t related to validating my talent. I also know that my ego basically demands someone kick my butt in the editing process to have the best possible outcome. Left to my own devices, my book would be an embarrassing wreck.

While I didn’t find an agent, I did find a publisher who really believes in the book, sells books all over the world, and who seems to be hoodwinked into thinking I can write. A thousand blessings on his house and camels.

Secondly, I want to introduce you to the company I’m keeping.

The first thing I did after sending Erik the full manuscript was to check out the other writers in his stable. I can tell you that I’m in good company. I have read a lot of indie books lately, and most of them are abysmal. There isn’t one of the four I read that didn’t “deserve” to find readers, although some I enjoyed more than others. That’s what reading is about, right?

More than that, I am proud to be in their company. Thought I’d just share them with you.

Only 24 and she can write circles around me. If you like Arthurian fantasy ( I do) and hot sex (no comment) you’ll enjoy the first book in what will be a great trilogy.

A creepy action thriller set in Britain.

A creepy Sci-fi murder mystery set in Australia. Never read one of those, have you?

A crime thriller spanning 50 years of British life. Really dug the tone and the twists.

So there you have it. I hope that answers the question and helps you find some new authors to check out.

Don’t let the weasels get ya down.

JR Lindermuth and History From the Pennsylvania Coal Mines

This is the first of many interviews to come with indie/small press authors of Historical Fiction. Our first guest is JR (or John, or Jack, he answers to all of them) Lindermuth, author of Watch The Hour.

Author JR Lindermuth, author of Watch The Hours

He is a retired newspaper editor and currently librarian of his county historical society where he assists patrons with genealogy and research. He is the author of 14 novels and a regional history. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and currently serves as vice president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

So in a nutshell, what’s the book about?

In the 1870s in Pennsylvania ’s anthracite coal region, mine owners and their employees, particularly the Irish immigrants, are in conflict over working conditions. Private police forces commissioned by the state but paid by the coal companies are sworn to protect property of the mine owners.

Ben Yeager is one of these police officers. He does his best to follow orders while trying to be fair to the workers whose lot he sees as little different from his own. Despite his efforts at fairness, his job makes him the enemy of the Irish, and that’s the cruz of his troubles…. Ben is in love with an Irish girl.

What is it about this time period you find so fascinating?

I grew up in the coal region and many of my ancestors worked in the mines. A few even served as “coalies” (as these police were known). I write a weekly history column for two area papers and have published a regional history (Digging Dusky Diamonds) about the lives of the miners and their families in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

So, hook us. What’s a scene in the book you think is pivotal?

A pivotal scene in the novel is when Ben is beaten into unconsciousness and laid out to be killed on the railroad tracks, an attack immediately attributed to the Irish. Without identifying the actual culprits, the incident is important because it solidifies once and for all the love between Ben and Jennie.

Sounds great. How can people find out more about you and your work?

My blog is http://jrlindermuth.blogspot.com/.

My Amazon page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1005496.J_R_Lindermuth

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1005496.J_R_Lindermuth

Twitter @jrlindermuth Facebook http://www.facebook.com/john.lindermuth

Check out his work, and support the work of indie and small press writers everywhere. Do you know of someone we should feature in this blog? Drop me a line or put it in the comments below.