Authorpreneur Dashboard – Tracy Lawson
Answering Liberty's Call
Literature & Fiction
In 1778, war is men’s business. That doesn’t stop Anna Stone from getting involved in the fight. When her loved ones face starvation at Valley Forge, she refuses to sit idly by. Armed with life-sustaining supplies, Anna strikes out alone on horseback over 200 miles of rough and dangerous terrain. Despite perilous setbacks along the way, sheer determination carries her toward her destination. When she learns of a plot to overthrow General Washington, her mission becomes more important than ever. With the fate of the American Revolution in her hands and one of the conspirators hot on her trail, Anna races to deliver a message of warning to Valley Forge before it’s too late. Based on events in the life of the author’s sixth-great-grandmother.
Book Bubbles from Answering Liberty's Call
Declare
While writing Answering Liberty's Call, I thought about how Anna, Benjamin, and the members of their community must have felt when they heard the Declaration of Independence read aloud for the first time. We tend to take our form of government, a democracy within a republic, for granted. But it was the most amazing experiment in government that had ever been tried, and it was revolutionary enough that people rallied behind it.
Working toward Freedom of Religion
It's hard for us to imagine, but prior to the American Revolution, freedom of religion was not extended to all the colonists. The chasm between Christian denominations seemed much wider than we would imagine it today. As a Baptist dissenter in Virginia, Anna is fascinated by the idea of toleration in Pennsylvania, and wonders about the liberties extended to Quaker women.
On the Homefront
Though we may think of the American Revolution as a man's war, patriot women were just as involved in advancing the cause as their fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons.
Reunited
After Anna's long journey, I'm sure readers wanted to see a romantic and satisfying reunion between her and her husband, Benjamin, as much as I did! But when I visited Valley Forge Historic Park and spoke to the historian there and asked where Anna would have stayed, the answer was not what I hoped to hear. She would have stayed in the enlisted men's hut with her husband and his fellow soldiers! Yikes! (I wasn't writing THAT kind of a book.) So I set out to write a scene with a little humor and some maneuvering that would allow Anna and Benjamin some much-needed alone time.
Leaving it all Behind
When I wrote this passage, I considered the sacrifices men made at home when they enlisted in the Continental Army. Not only did they leave loved ones behind, but many sold out their business interests or left them in the care of relatives. Still others went as substitutes for those who could pay NOT to go.
Thanksgiving 1778
In this passage, Anna receives an unexpected visit from her brother-in-law, Thomas, who has deserted from the army to bring home the body of his youngest brother, Baylis. Anna has been missing her husband, Benjamin, and when Thomas arrives, for a fleeting moment, she believes Benjamin has returned and her dearest wish has been granted. Instead, there are new things to worry about--like the privations and disease at Valley Forge. When my beta readers critiqued Answering Liberty's Call, one of them flagged Anna's mention of the day of feasting decreed by Congress to celebrate Continental victories in battle. This day of thanksgiving was celebrated in December 1777, not November, as the national holiday was established by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. It's interesting to note that we're encouraged to come together, feast, and celebrate to see the light in otherwise dark times.
Women and Children First
While doing the research for Answering Liberty's Call, I sought an answer to why Anna Stone made the dangerous, 200-mile journey to Valley Forge. Of course she loved her husband, but her decision to travel such a great distance on horseback in winter smacked of desperation. I found my answers in the laws of the day. Children whose father died, though their mother was still alive and able to care for them, were orphans. Every American colony had an orphans' court to oversee their welfare. Children without inheritances that could see them through to adulthood could be taken from their mother and bound out as indentured servants or put into apprenticeships.
The Preacher Arrested at his Plow
While writing this book, I learned a lot about religious persecution in the American colonies. The Baptists were treated particularly harshly in Virginia. In this scene, Benjamin and Anna learn that the preacher Elijah Craig, who had performed their illegal wedding ceremony the day before (only weddings performed by Anglican priests were considered legal in Virginia at the time) had been arrested while working in his fields, and thrown in jail for disturbing the peace and preaching "schismatic doctrine." I enjoyed writing the Stone brothers' trip to town to try and get their friend released from the jail.
Common Sense
As American colonists contemplated the possibility of independence from Great Britain, they must have felt a mixture of excitement, fear, and uncertainty. It's hard to imagine forcing such a momentous change, and many patriots were influenced by the writings of their contemporaries. Not everyone agreed--far from it! For us, it's hard to imagine what our country would be like if the American Revolution had ended with a British victory.
Using the Senses to Draw the Reader In
I loved creating the Twelfth Night celebration scene, with all its smells and sounds and the large cast of characters. Everything from the baby's cry, the carols sung around the piano, the smell of the wood fire and the bayberry candles serve to place the reader alongside the characters in the scene. Anna misses Benjamin, who has been away at the war for over a year, and frets because she hasn't heard from him in a few months. The unexpected visitor brings news--but will it ease Anna's worry?
Introducing Benjamin
In Answering Liberty's Call, Anna's husband Benjamin is away with the Continental Army, and is seen only in flashbacks for the first two-thirds of the novel. In early drafts I struggled to make him into the kind of swoon-worthy hero that inspired Anna's fierce devotion. As I got to know him better, he stepped into that role--but it still nagged at me that on certain occasions, he'd shut Anna out of decisions or done things that made her life harder. His passion for liberty, it seemed, surmounted his love for her and their children.
Widows and Orphans
When I began research for this book, I had no idea how the laws governing widows and orphans worked against them. I also had no idea my sixth great-grandmother, Anna Asbury, had been orphaned at the age of nine when her father died. Yes, that's right--losing a father made a child an orphan, because except in rare cases, mothers couldn't work and support their children. Children without attractive inheritances were likely to be put into apprenticeships or indentures, where they would be raised without their mother's influence. This colored how I saw Anna, of course--and it explained why she would risk her own life to save those of her husband and brothers. Without a man to advocate for her, she would face the same fate as an adult as she had as a child--and this time, her children would suffer too.
A Different Kind of Learning
At age nine, Anna's world turns upside down when her father dies. Her family plunges into poverty, and like so many children in colonial America, she faces life as an indentured servant. The change in her social status means big changes, and sets the course for her later life.
Until Benjamin's Return
Though Anna's husband Benjamin is absent from most of the main story line in Answering Liberty's Call, he still wields a large influence over Anna's actions and her moods. I loved creating a swoon-worthy hero for my strong, feisty heroine. Even though she puts up a brave front (most of the time) she misses Benjamin keenly while he's away in the army. As she prepares to take food and supplies to him at Valley Forge, she is beset by memories of their happy times together, and at the same time, saddened by the lonesome state of the house they shared.
Mounting Danger
Anna Stone is determined to bring life-saving supplies to her husband and brother at Valley Forge. When she set out alone on her journey, she believes she's strong and capable enough to handle any difficulties on the road. But when she's asked to become a courier for a congressman and carry a secret message to General Washington himself, she's facing a whole new set of dangers and challenges. When she left home, Anna believed in the Cause and the goodness of the men in power who supported it. On the final leg of her journey she discovers powerful people do not always have pure motives.
Anna's on a Mission
As Anna Stone hastens to the army camp at Valley Forge, she has two missions. First, she brings life-sustaining food, warm clothes, and blankets to her husband and three brothers. She has a reasonable belief she can save the four men with what she's brought from Virginia on horseback. But the message she carries--that's another matter. Answering Liberty's Call is based on events in the life of my sixth great-grandmother, Anna Asbury Stone. This book sheds light on the sacrifices ordinary citizens were willing to make for the promise of liberty, and the grit and determination of one woman to save not just her loved ones--but the whole country as well.
Time to Go!
In Answering Liberty's Call, Anna realizes she must go to Valley Forge with life-sustaining supplies for her husband and brothers. Though it's not her job to solve the army's problems, how can she live with herself if she sits idly by while her loved ones suffer? We all face tough decisions and must decide whether to act. I had to decide whether to change publishers and relaunch this book. I chose to spend months tweaking, revamping, and designing a new cover because I couldn't live with myself if I didn't give readers every chance to discover Anna and her story. The new edition goes on sale Tuesday March 29. I hope you'll go along for the ride to Valley Forge!
Anna's New Look
We all need a makeover from time to time--and the second edition of Answering Liberty's Call has an exciting new look! Complete creative control is every author's dream, and this time, I designed the cover I wanted. Anna makes a dangerous journey to Valley Forge with food, clothing, and blankets for her husband and brothers. She sometimes dresses as a boy to avoid unwanted attention, and wears her husband's green wedding coat, which she packed for him. It's no longer his best, since they've been married ten years, but it holds good memories. So of course, Anna wears that green coat on the new cover. The new second edition of Answering Liberty's Call is available for pre-order and is slated for release on March 29, 2022.
Rescue Mission
Anna Stone receives a letter from her husband, Benjamin, a soldier at Valley Forge. Her concern for his welfare spurs her to head off with plenty of warm clothes and food, hoping she can ease his suffering while in winter camp. She makes the decision in haste, and begins packing before she can change her mind. How will her family react? How will Anna fare on the 200-mile journey? She's never left Virginia before. It's winter, and bitter cold in the north.
A Standoff in York
Several scenes in Answering Liberty's Call take place in York, Pennsylvania, where the Continental Congress gathered during the winter of 1778 after fleeing Philadelphia ahead of the invading British forces. One of the cherished legends of the American Revolution is the Marquis de Lafayette's defiant and pointed toast to General Washington, in a room full of the commander in chief's detractors. Did it really go down like it says in the history books? We'll never know, but I wanted my character Anna Stone to witness the young Marquis' poise and his loyalty to General Washington.
Commitment
Bublish's prompt this week was about commitment. In Answering Liberty's Call, Anna's husband, Benjamin, is committed to the fight for independence from Britain. Anna shares his convictions, and as she approaches Valley Forge, she has two goals--to bring food and supplies that will help her loved ones survive the harsh winter, and to deliver a secret message for General Washington, meant to help him thwart a conspiracy.
A Soldier's Homecoming
At her family's Twelfth Night celebration, Anna feels Benjamin's absence--so much so that it's hard to be cheerful for her little girl. When an unexpected visitor arrives, Anna's hopes shoot sky-high, and are dashed almost as quickly. What news has her brother-in-law brought?
To Win Freedom and Independence
Often when we think of our nation's fight for independence from Great Britain, we think of the Founding Fathers (love 'em or hate 'em) and military leaders. But do we ever think what camp life was like for the enlisted soldiers, beyond the lack of warm clothes, food, and supplies? What about the camp followers, the women, often with children in tow, who followed their men to war, either to serve as cooks and laundresses, or because they had nowhere else to go. While writing Answering Liberty's Call, I would have liked Anna's long-anticipated reunion with Benjamin to take place in a cozy, fire-lit room in a nearby hotel, not in the hastily built hut occupied by a dozen soldiers! But there were no Holiday Inns, so Anna had to made do in camp.
No One Would Suspect a Woman
When Anna agrees to carry a secret message from Congressman Benjamin Harrison to General George Washington, Harrison assures her, "No one will suspect a woman of carrying anything of import." Yet women were couriers and spies during the American Revolution. Most of their stories will never be told. Some, like Anna's, were handed down by family through the generations.
Hamilton
Part of the fun of writing historical fiction is allowing your characters to interact with well-known historical figures. In Anna Stone's case, it could have been true! While Anna would certainly have heard of the officers in Washington's inner circle, how would she have behaved in their presence?
First Impressions
In this scene, Anna's brother Joseph escorts her to her first Baptist church service. There, she sees Benjamin Stone for the first time.
Colonial Mom was Expert Multitasker
Motherhood means juggling, and women whose fathers, husbands, and brothers were off fighting the British for independence shouldered more responsibility than usual. As one of her community's healers, Anna Stone is always on call, but also she's focused on her family's well-being and planning for her children's futures.
Ultimate Sacrifice
It saddened me to learn that more soldiers lost their lives to disease than fell to the enemy's bullets in the American Revolution. How terrifying it must have been for young men, away from home for the first time, to fall ill away from the comfort of their families. In Answering Liberty's Call, Anna Stone, a healer, travels 200 miles to come to bring life-sustaining supplies to her husband and brothers at Valley Forge. Along the way, she learns that many of the sick and wounded are being cared for in field hospitals away from the army camp.
The first scene
This Book Bubble features the first scene I wrote for Answering Liberty's Call. I was taking a workshop on writing historical fiction which included a critique of the first ten pages. I had only just begun research for the book and I didn't have ten pages written. So what to write? I'd been reading about the prevalence of smallpox in colonial America, and how most medical care was handled by women using herbal and folk remedies. It was then I decided to put Anna in the role of healer.
Flirting and Courting
A group of young women and girls giggling about boys--it's certainly nothing new. While writing Answering Liberty's Call, I had fun imagining what my 6x great-grandparents' early interactions might have been like. Were they shy and awkward? Or was he a charmer? What led to them falling in love? When I discovered the game with the apple peel, I couldn't wait to use it in the story.
We'll Wish Ourselves Back
We may think all the American colonists were in favor of independence, when in fact opinions were sharply divided. In this book bubble, Anna's optimism and dreams of independence butt up against her uncle's viewpoint. History was on Anna's side--but were William's concerns unfounded? I love writing historical fiction because it lends a human element to the "facts" we learned in school.
Twelfth Night
In colonial Virginia, Twelfth Night, January 5, was a much more popular holiday than Christmas. In Answering Liberty's Call, Anna feels particularly blue at the family's holiday celebration. She's had no word from her soldier husband, Benjamin, for two months, and can scarcely keep her worries at bay. An unexpected visitor brings news--both good and bad. I loved writing this scene with its family dynamic. Anna and her children are living with her uncle's family while Benjamin is away. What's a family party without a little tension?
First Impressions
The scene in this Book Bubble is the first one I wrote for Answering Liberty's Call. I was taking a writing workshop that offered a critique of the first ten pages. I had no pages at all when I took the class, and it forced me to think about Anna, her personality, and her convictions. I was sure she was brave, and wanted to make things right whenever she could. I knew smallpox was a grave concern in Colonial America, and putting Anna in the role of her community's healer gave her the opportunity to interact with a wider circle than a woman who did most of her work at home.
Waving One's Husband Off to War
How did Anna Stone feel about her husband fighting for independence? There's no doubt that many women were as interested in politics as men, and longed for independence from the Crown just as ardently as their fathers, husbands, and brothers. And while it's true the Continental Army suffered privations we can only imagine, the war years were no picnic for the women they left behind, either. I tried to see all the facets of the situation in this scene.
Fact to Fiction
Answering Liberty's Call is based on the adventures of my 6x great grandmother in the winter of 1778. During the American Revolution, war was men's business, but that didn't stop Anna from getting involved in the fight for liberty. When her soldier husband and brothers face starvation at Valley Forge, Anna is not content to pray and worry. She gets on her horse and strikes out alone over two hundred miles of rough roads to bring them life-sustaining supplies. The opening chapter drops the reader into the last few miles of Anna's journey.
Counteract: A YA Dystopian Thriller
Teens
The government uses fear to control you. Show no fear, and they will destroy you. Still raw from the death of his parents, eighteen-year-old Tommy Bailey isn't sure if he wants to live--until he meets complex and intriguing Careen. He comes to her aid during a terrorist gas-strike, sharing his last dose of the government-mandated antidote that, they've been told, is key to their survival. Without enough antidote, the teens expect to die. Instead, they discover the terrorist attack wasn't real, and the antidote was never meant to protect them--it was meant to dull their thoughts and make them easy to control. As he and Careen search for the truth, Tommy learns that his parents were operatives in an underground resistance group that's fighting to overthrow the government. The Resistance expects him to continue his parents' crusade. The government's hunting him down. Which side will get to him first?
Book Bubbles from Counteract: A YA Dystopian Thriller
When We Demand Safety Above All Else
When I wrote Counteract between 2010-2013, I crafted dystopian world I'd never want to live in. This fictional world was not the result of a cataclysmic event, but a prolonged campaign that spawned fear and terror until the people demanded the government deliver safety and security--at any cost. Did I accurately predict what would happen? You decide.
Saw it coming...
Writing dystopia tends to make you look for the worst-case scenario. A situation that puts the entire nation in danger...mismanagement by those sworn to protect the public...a power grab that makes the situation even worse...a small group of rebels determined to expose the truth. When I wrote Counteract, the first in the Resistance Series novels, I put Tommy and Careen and the rest of the cast into situations I'd never want the teens I know to face. Well...it seems I was a pretty accurate predictor of how things would play out in 2020. See for yourself!
Nailed it...
For years, I've been marketing my Resistance Series books with the tagline, "Read 'em now--while they're still fiction!" and showing up at live book events wearing my "Make Orwell Fiction Again" t-shirt. I had intended to write fiction. I never thought my far-fetched version of a future America in the grips of a totalitarian government would really come true. My most recent reader review, though, thinks I "nailed 2020" in the story. "I'm 40 and LOVED this series!! I just reread the four books and WOW Tracy (the author) got 2020 (even though the books are written to be in the 2030s) so correct! Counteract is great and the series is amazing!" Five stars. Download Counteract FREE and see if you agree. Get the whole series for $2.97!!
Didn't See it Coming?
This current crisis will change the way we live long after the initial outbreak has passed. When I started writing Counteract about ten years ago, I let my imagination go wild to what I considered a worst-case scenario. I envisioned a society on virtual lockdown with no end in sight--brought on by the fear of something that MIGHT or MIGHT NOT happen. The passage I selected for today seems like it could be happening right now. Counteract is not about the Restrictions--it's about people's enormous will to live as they choose. It's about what pushes people to rise above their circumstances and be brave--even when they think they cannot. Download Counteract free--and get the rest of the series at .99 each. Great deals on paperbacks, too! Read this fast-paced series before quarantine ends, and you'll emerge like my characters--ready to greet the new day in the new world.
The Start of a Love Connection
Tommy and Careen's relationship is complicated. I mean, who has time for love when you're trying to start a revolution? This week, heading into Valentine's Day, I pulled the scene in which Tommy sees Careen for the first time. He's still recovering from injuries suffered in the car crash that killed his parents. His confidence is at an all-time low. What will she see when she looks at him?
Cold and Isolated
This week's polar vortex kept people apart. Schools were closed, events postponed, and flights canceled all over the country. In Counteract, government policies designed to protect the people are part of the reason Tommy feels isolated, and the death of his parents left him lonely and bewildered by the rapid changes in his life. When he meets Careen, one of the first things he recognizes in her is her loneliness.
Seeing the Story in Another Medium
When I wrote the Resistance Series books, it was easy for me to visualize the story as it unfolded. Since I could see it as a television show, I decided to adapt the books into a television series. It's a whole new, scary world, but the pilot episode has placed in the semi-finals and finals in several screenwriting competitions. Stay tuned--because someday, we might be binge-watching Tommy and Careen as they face off against the OCSD!
Stranger than Fiction?
Are we really less safe than we were when I started writing Counteract back in 2010? If you watch the news and read posts on social media, you are probably convinced that the world is a dangerous, hostile place. If you do a little research, there are many articles that assert we're safer overall than we ever were, and that it's a great time to be a kid in America. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/14/theres-never-been-a-safer-time-to-be-a-kid-in-america/?noredirect=on
Flawed
I think our characters want meaty roles. They're much more interesting when they're flawed, even if it makes them suffer on their way to growth, enlightenment, and redemption. Careen told me herself (yes, I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested) that she needed the opportunity to be a jerk and hurt people so she would learn from the consequences of her bad behavior. At this point in the story, she doesn't believe she's the right person to fill the void in Tommy's life.
Fanning the Flames of Fear
This week, a tornado ripped through the town where my daughter grew up. We no longer live there, but the devastation wrought by a 15-minute bout with an F-1 tornado was considerable. One of my FB friends wrote that she was walking to the high school, where she teaches, and found herself in the midst of the maelstrom--lighting flashing, trees crashing to the ground all around her. Only later did she realize she had walked through a tornado to get to work. There was no siren. No warning on television. The fear came later, when people woke up and surveyed the devastation. In Counteract, the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense feeds off the population's fear. Without advance warnings, people would cease to worry. So the OCSD is always upping the ante...
The Line Between Right and Wrong
Wes Carraway is a member of the Quadrant Marshals, the quasi-military police force that keeps a close watch on everyone, ever-alert and ready to bust members of the Resistance, who have been branded as terrorists because they threaten the status quo favored by the totalitarian government. But Wes is different. He's a double agent, and a member of the Resistance, gathering intelligence in the hopes of exposing the government's corruption.
Descending into Madness
Tommy's living under the constant threat of a chemical weapons attack, and doesn't realize he's actually in the grip of the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense's hallucinatory "antidote." He's never been taught to question authority--and it's a stretch for him to sneak in a morning run before taking his daily dose of the antidote. Surely whatever side effects he's experiencing are still better than falling victim to the terrorists? Dystopian fiction seeks to explore what humans will endure before they rebel against external forces that seek to control them. What will it take for Tommy to assert himself?
Tommy's lonely--but he's never alone.
Tommy Bailey's world changed forever the night his parents were killed in a car accident. He's reeling from the loss of his family and trying to cope with his new physical limitations. He has no idea there's a connection between that accident and the terrorist attack that threatens him now. He's being watched. And things are only going to get worse. Tommy is lonely--but he's never alone.
Side Effects May Vary...
When I wrote Counteract, I enjoyed creating a dystopian story with action, adventure, and characters you want to root for. But there's also a message of caution. Tommy and Careen unquestioningly follow instructions and take the antidote that's supposed to protect them against the airborne poison--but the OCSD has conveniently neglected to mention some disturbing side effects. In this scene, Tommy has begun to realize that his malaise is related to the antidote, and he starts to rebel--just a little. But the pull of the antidote is strong. What will it take for him to risk his safety and free himself from its grasp?
Clear and Present Danger
My villain in the Resistance Series is fear. The people's reaction to fear and terrorism has spiraled out of control, and the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense has taken advantage of that desperation to clamp down on the people it claims to be protecting. All this seemed pretty far-fetched when I started writing Counteract in 2010. When I explained the Essential Services Department with another writer friend, she said, "Wonderful! No more schlepping to the grocery." She changed her mind after I explained that ES doesn't let people choose what they want to eat. An unexpected consequence of relinquishing control. I didn't realize just how much my made-up scenario would come to resemble the world we live in...
YA Thriller Needs a Little Romance
How do you choose the catalyst that will bring your protagonists together? A good YA thriller should have an element of romance, right? In Counteract, Careen is a strong, independent heroine--well, at least she was, until the world unraveled and she realized everything she'd come to believe was a lie. Add the looming threat of forced conscription into some sort of army--she and Tommy aren't exactly sure how the government plans to make use of the people forced to participate, but anyone who fails to report for training can be jailed. They've just recently become a team--working together to figure out why everyone is being forced to take CSD, which makes people compliant and causes amnesia. Now they're trapped. There's no escape. And unlike most of the people around them, they've stopped taking CSD. This is not the time to deny their mutual attraction, or fail to seek the comfort of a human connection in the only way they have left.
Something is Very, Very Wrong
Careen and Tommy were law-abiding citizens who put their trust in the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense's ability to protect them against the biological warfare that threatens the country. This scene shatters that trust; they realize they're quite on their own, and they've got no idea how to protect themselves. It was my hope that readers would put themselves in Tommy and Careen's shoes, and think about who they trust--and how much control they might have relinquished over their own lives.
Seeing isn't always believing
The characters in Counteract are mandated to take the Counteractive System of Defense drug (CSD), which is supposed to protect them from an imminent chemical weapons attack. Trouble is, the side effects include hallucinations. How do you know what's real--and who to trust--if you can't believe what your senses tell you? Careen is an extremely intelligent young woman who turns into a scatterbrain when she takes CSD, but her natural defenses kick in when she perceives she's in danger from more than the toxins in the air.
Multiple POV adds depth to the story
I made the decision to write the Resistance Series books in multiple point of view because I had a collaborator early in the project. We'd each written scenes for our characters, and when I began writing alone, I didn't want to take a voice away from any of the characters. Writing in multiple POV gives a film-like feel to the book. It also allows the reader to know things Tommy and Careen don't. In this excerpt, we meet Dr. Trina Jacobs, a new hire at the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense, charged with developing a drug that will counteract the effects of the toxins used in chemical weapons.
Counteract: The first scene written
This excerpt is the final version of the first scene written on the project, in response to the prompt about everyone being on LSD. Tommy Bailey was seriously injured in the auto accident that killed his parents, and he's just beginning to get his life back together when the threat of a chemical weapons attack against the US sends him reeling again. Writing a scene in which your character hallucinates was a great creative exercise. A lot of the references might be lost on someone who didn't know the writer, but the finished scene portrays a person whose fears of pain, death and decay overwhelm him.
Counteract: Book One of The Resistance Series: A l
Counteract evolved from a writing prompt. I was mentoring a friend of my daughter's, editing his short stories and working on his writing. We were between projects, and he suggested we free write to a prompt. His suggestion? "What if everyone were on a mind-altering drug and all thoughts were communal?" It was certainly thought-provoking, and we each wrote a scene and eagerly traded them. In his, Chase created the character Tommy. We had no idea where the project was going at the time, but writing hallucination scenes for these new characters was fun and exciting. After we had three characters and about six scenes, we began to dream about how and why our characters had ended up in this situation.
Counteract: Book One of The Resistance Series expl
I put considerable thought into the "grown-up stuff" I included in Counteract, which is categorized YA. If it were a film I'd rate it a mild PG-13 for romance, violence, and language. I wanted to use the situation in this excerpt, not to glorify the fact that many college students have, at one time or another, experienced waking up and not knowing exactly where they are, but to allude to what Careen is giving up by blindly following the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense's edict to take the antidote. It's supposed to protect her from a chemical weapons attack, but it's got some side effects that have been, shall we say, downplayed by the OCSD...
Counteract: Book One of The Resistance Series
This is the opening chapter of Counteract. Here you'll meet Careen, Tommy, and Wes--three young people who have very different reactions to the news of an imminent terrorist attack against the United States.
Revolt: A YA Dystopian Thriller
Teens
Teen freedom fighters put a plan in motion to overthrow a totalitarian government and oust its wolfish leader. Just when everything seems leveraged in their favor, treachery, lies, and long-held secrets could derail it all.
Book Bubbles from Revolt: A YA Dystopian Thriller
Revolution and Family
While writing Revolt, I put my heroes in the Resistance in increasingly dangerous and tension-filled situations. So every now and again, it was fun to include a scene that was a little more lighthearted. Atari, who sounds the alarm as "intruders" invade the safe house, has proved himself untrustworthy more than once. How will the Resistance leaders deal with him?
Race to the Finish
The Resistance Series is not a trilogy! You gotta read Revolt, the fourth book, to get to the exciting conclusion. Revolt is the end, because really, where do you go after Revolt? The Resistance digs in and plans to overthrow the oppressive Office of Civilian Safety and Defense and its director, Madalyn Davies. They're just normal folks, pulling off stunts worthy of James Bond. In this excerpt, Jude Monroe, president of the inter-fraternity council at his university, does a ride-along with Danni Carraway, a seasoned member of the Resistance. Up until now, Jude has led some campus protests, but his commitment to the cause is about to get real.
Christmas on the Run
Tommy and Careen are holed up in one of the Resistance's safe houses as the days tick down to their final confrontation with the OCSD. In their tightly controlled society, they've come to downplay holidays--part of the cultural changes that subjugate the people. But Tommy remembers what it's like to feel loved and nurtured, and he's doing his best to help Careen, who has been subjected to re-educated by the OCSD, find herself again.
Hiding in Plain Sight
In Revolt, Tommy and Careen know it's just a matter of time before the government activates the tracking devices that will monitor all under-eighteens, 24/7. Even until that happens, they can't leave the Resistance safe house without risking being picked up by the Quadrant Marshals, as all the security cameras have facial recognition capability. Still, they long for the anonymity of their lives before joining the Resistance. The public's demand for increased security has led to decreased privacy for all.
What News?
Fake news, propaganda, gaslighting, outright lies--people are frustrated with how we receive and disseminate information. But what if there was no way to verify what was true and what was false? What if there was only one source of information that was closely controlled by the powers-that-be?
The Truth Comes Out
It's hard to express how much I loved getting to know Jaycee Carraway, the daughter of Resistance leader Mitch Carraway. She's been raised off the grid by a single dad, and she's got savvy and survival skills that surpass Tommy and Careen's. Jaycee doesn't remember her mother at all. But before the story in Revolt ends, she learns long-buried secrets that drastically alter her future.
It's Tough to Trust
Careen, who has been held by the OCSD, questioned, and tortured for information about the Resistance, wants more than anything to feel like the person she used to be before she joined the fight for freedom. She and Tommy have been a team ever since they discovered the OCSD's safety and security programs are designed to control the people rather than help keep them safe from terrorism, and she wants to trust him. She even kinda loves him. But she's unable to let her guard down around him because, while she was held hostage, she was told over and over that Tommy's the one who's out to kill her. Now he's the one who's keeping her locked away with Atari, a guy neither of them trust. For her safety, he says. In the Resistance Series books, I took a look at how the fake news, propaganda, and outright lies told by those we're supposed to trust skew our perception of reality.
Ignite: A YA Dystopian Thriller
Teens
Tommy and Careen have been vilified in the media for the Resistance's failed attempt to take down the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense. Both teens struggle to survive the circumstances that thrust them into the national spotlight, and this time, they don't have each other to lean on. They're on opposite sides. Even though both the OCSD and the Resistance believe Careen's convincing defection, Tommy refuses to believe her loyalties have shifted. How can she be in favor of the OCSD's latest plan to monitor all minors with the Cerberean Link, a device that will track their every move?
Book Bubbles from Ignite: A YA Dystopian Thriller
How Much Freedom Can You Take?
The public outcry to flatten the curve has turned into demands to reopen the country and get back to business--and predictably, opinions are sharply divided on whether or not that's a smart move. This division made me think of a scene from the third book in my YA dystopian series. (You can download Counteract, the first book in the series free on Amazon, btw!) In Ignite, the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense has passed ever-more-restrictive edicts in the name of safety, until the population is on virtual lockdown. No one is allowed to shop for food--it's provided by the Essential Services department. (is any of this sounding familiar? I certainly didn't envision any of this coming true, but here we are...) Cash transactions are prohibited (yep) The government has a hand in every aspect of the people's lives. Anyway, a group of students on a college campus decides to rebel--because people only have as much freedom as they have the courage to take. The scene opens with television coverage of the campus sit-in.
Ignite's a Winner!
Ignite is a Solo Medalist in the YA Mystery/Thriller category of the 2018 New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing. I'm honored that Ignite has been so well-received. It also won Bronze in the 2017 Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards. What makes Ignite a compelling story? I think it's the villain. Tommy and Careen are great protagonists, and I love them like they're my real kids, but it's great to have a bad guy (or gal) that you love to hate! In the Resistance Series books, that villain is Madalyn Davies, the director of the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense.
Power Grab
We often look back on an event and wonder how in the world we ever let things get so out of hand. In Ignite, the president begins to realize he's like the proverbial frog in the pot--put him in cold water, and increase the heat so gradually that he won't realize he's in trouble--until he's nearly cooked. Trusting the wrong person with power has led the entire country into a dire situation.
Not Just a Dumb Blond
Tommy may have been clueless about his parents' involvement in the Resistance, but he's not stupid. Now he's stuck in a safe house with Atari, a Resistance operative who may have an inflated sense of his own worth. Atari's constant jibes and insinuations that Tommy's nothing but a semi-literate jock really get under Tommy's skin. How long before he punches Atari's lights out? On the other hand, is there anything Tommy can learn from him?
Writing the Fight Scene
This is one of my favorite chapters in Ignite, and it didn't exist until after the second draft was done. My husband said I needed something bigger, the action was dragging. So I threw most of the cast into a situation that ramps up the tension and erupts into a physical fight. There are a lot of layers to this scene (especially when you read the whole book) because every person involved is hiding a secret of some sort. The Resistance has suffered some losses and setbacks, and everyone's temper is on a hair trigger. Is it any wonder three men who are all trying to engineer a revolution end up brawling in the diner?
Multiple Perspective Tells the Whole Story
Each subsequent book in the Resistance Series picks up minutes after the one before left off. This gives the reader the sense of staying in the thick of the action. The books are told in multiple perspective, and the opening scene in Ignite, the third book in the series, is a short recap of a scene from Resist, except shown from a different character's point of view.
Resist: A YA Dystopian Thriller
Teens
Tommy and Careen’s eyes are opened to the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense’s abuses of power. After accidentally discovering that the miracle antidote that’s supposed to protect them is actually meant to control them, they take their knowledge public and join the fight to undermine the OCSD’s next bid for total control of the population. Being a part of the Resistance brings with it a whole new set of challenges. Tommy and Careen’s differing viewpoints threaten to drive a wedge between them, and their budding relationship is tested. Not everyone working for change proves trustworthy, and plans to spark a revolution go awry with consequences far beyond anything they bargained for.
Book Bubbles from Resist: A YA Dystopian Thriller
The President Reflects
In Resist, the second volume of the Resistance Series books, the people are hungry. The OCSD's decisions caused the food distribution system to be disrupted. Just as a snowstorm causes canceled flights and delays, the disruption means it'll be weeks before everything is back on track. Meanwhile, the majority of the people have no food. As the president prepares to address the panicked citizens, he realizes letting the OCSD director Madalyn Davies influence--and blackmail--him was a huge mistake. What will it take to get the country back on track?
What to Believe?
At the opening of Resist, the second book in the Resistance Series, Tommy and Careen confront some uncomfortable truths. It's clear to them that the government has been lying to the people about a terrorist threat. Refusing to let a good crisis go to waste, the government has ordered everyone to take a daily dose of an antidote that's supposed to protect them from the terrorist attack. The pair found out the hard way the "antidote" is just a mind control drug. But it's an uphill battle to get the frightened public to believe they were never in danger. Worst of all, Careen has been accused of a murder she did not commit--but who will question what the government says? When I wrote this series, I had no idea the premise would hit so close to home just a few years in the future. See if you agree! Download Counteract, the first book in the series, free!
Dystopian Thanksgiving
In the version of the United States ruled by the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense, the food supply is controlled by the government and strictly regulated. Food-centric holidays like Thanksgiving are a thing of the past. Tommy and Careen have taken refuge at the headquarters of the Resistance, a motley group of freedom fighters working to overthrow the totalitarian regime. They trade for food on the black market to cobble together a festive meal. It's the first time Careen has felt the comfort of family--dysfunctional as it may be--she's thankful.
Overcoming Fear
The characters in my series have been duped by the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense's claims that its policies and restrictions are meant to keep people safe. In reality, the agency seeks only to gain power. Sound familiar? Yeah. I thought I was writing fiction, but... Anyway, in Resist, the second book in the series, the characters have become more proactive. They realize they're up against a big, powerful foe--but that doesn't mean they have to surrender. Eduardo, who was the mail carrier in Tommy's neighborhood when the series began, has shed his timidity and fear, and puts himself on the line to help Tommy and Careen escape from the OCSD after their attempt to infiltrate the agency's headquarters and liberate some political prisoners.
Careen Didn't Ask for the Attention
At the midway point of Resist: Book Two of the Resistance Series, Careen's feeling like she's bitten off more than she can chew. She's the face of the Resistance's counterattack against the oppressive Office of Civilian Safety and Defense, and the Resistance has hacked into the government-run television station to broadcast her videos that champion freedom, rather than acquiescence to the OCSD. She's frustrated with Tommy's jealousy. After all, she joined the Resistance because of him. She didn't ask for the attention. She didn't ask for attention from Wes Carraway, either, but every time she turns around, he's there. She can't seem to find common ground with Tommy, and she can't seem to get rid of Wes. What's a girl to do?
How a Supporting Character Talked Her Way Into a L
Jaycee Carraway is the youngest member of the cast of characters in The Resistance Series. She's a bit of a practical joker and loves attention. She had just one scene in Counteract, but several of my readers commented on how much they liked "the little waitress." I didn't even know her name when I wrote the first draft of Counteract, but later, when it was in revision, I heard another one of the characters call her Jaycee. (Yeah, that happens in my head--more than you'd think.) Anyway, in this excerpt from Resist, Jaycee's dialogue flowed as she directed my hands on the keyboard. She wanted a bigger part in the story, and she knew just how to make it happen. She's become a major character in Ignite, and she's loving it. So am I.
Seeing the Big Picture Through Symbolism
I added this section of Chapter 10 after I'd finished the second draft of Resist. I remember sitting on the front porch (my favorite place to write) and feeling like a spectator as Tommy's first impressions of the unfamiliar mountain landscape unfolded on the page in front of me. Tommy's never been far from his home quadrant in what used to be central Ohio, because of the Travel Restrictions. Now he, Careen, and his folks are on the run, in search of the Resistance's remote headquarters. Even as Tommy marvels at the massive rock formations, he recognizes that the terrain can change at a moment's notice. Will he and his allies be able to shake loose the oppressive regime from its seemingly impregnable position?
Not Just For Teens
Resist has only been out a few weeks, and even though I was pleased with how the story had carried forward from Counteract, it's reaffirming to get good feedback from a reader. Here's one of the first reviews posted on Amazon: "Author Tracy Lawson hits it out of the park in this second book of her gripping dystopian series. Fast-paced and impossible to put down! Who says this is only for young adults? I absolutely loved it, and my 17-year old daughter did as well! This book is rich in detail and filled with great characters. Tommy and Careen are as brave and bold as they come. Determined to continue their quest to overthrow a corrupt government, they are on the run to reach their Resistance headquarters. Lives and relationships and everything else imaginable are put to the test here. Put this on your must-read list! I can't wait for the next book. Tracy Lawson is a budding superstar author!"
Eduardo Rodriguez is braver than he thought...
Eduardo, the timid mailman of Counteract, was so frightened of the possible terrorist attack that he took his daily dose of the preventive antidote with a Kahlua chaser. His cowardice touched off the series of events that led Tommy and Careen to discover the real purpose of the antidote. When he realizes he's been played for a fool, he decides to fight for change and justice, and he undergoes a very satisfying evolution. Early in Resist, Eduardo's making up for his past mistakes. He's rescued Tommy and Careen from the botched mission at the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense headquarters, and now they're dodging roadblocks and the quadrant marshals in an attempt to complete their task without the help of the other members of the Resistance. They know the OCSD has used the antidote to keep the people in its iron grip--but that's all about to change...
Action and Romance Await Readers in Resist: Book T
It's been harder than I thought for Resist, the second book in The Resistance Series, to take hold and achieve the sales numbers I'd hoped for in the first two months. I wonder if every second book in a series needs time to find its audience? It really does help to read Counteract before Resist, as Resist picks up the action right where Counteract left off. Tommy and Careen took part in a Resistance raid on the Office of Civilian Safety and Defense, in attempt to free other members of the Resistance being held captive there. Things didn't exactly go as planned, and now Careen's accused of a murder she didn't commit. She and Tommy are dodging roadblocks and the quadrant marshals in a headlong dash for the safety of the Resistance's remote mountain headquarters...
Historic Mills of West Virginia
Travel
Hundreds, if not thousands, of mills once dotted the hills and glades of what is now West Virginia. Though the vast majority are gone, towns all over the Mountain State bear the names of the mills that put them on the map.
History buffs, nature photographers, and outdoor enthusiasts, you are invited to come along on an adventure: hit the Country Roads in search of fifty-three historic water mills built between 1735 and 1976.
Together, these structures tell the story of West Virginia’s agricultural and industrial past. A few are still in operation. Some are in ruins. Many are preserved in their original state, and still others have taken on roles as private residences, shops, and museums.
Whether operational or abandoned to decay, the historic mills of West Virginia stand in testament to the ingenuity and independent spirit of those entrepreneurs who were millers, but also bankers, economists, and mechanical engineers.
Book Bubbles from Historic Mills of West Virginia
Time Stands Still Inside Old Mill
Writing my heritage travel book, Historic Mills of West Virginia, was like stepping back in time. The Homan Mill in rural Pendleton County ceased operation in the 1970s, and now, fifty years later, remains almost perfectly preserved. Family members serve as caretakers of the site, which still has unfulfilled order tickets on a carousel in the office and a bicycle propped up in the hall, waiting to run errands. Each of the 53 mills profiled in the book has its own unique history.
By Bread Alone
Though the saying goes we "cannot live on bread alone," for our ancestors, bread was their staple food. In recent years, though, bread has become the enemy--whether one is worried about consuming too many carbs or medical issues like gluten intolerance and celiac disease. What changed the way we prepared and consumed bread? Westward expansion had a lot to do with it.
Every Mill Has a History
Historic Mills of West Virginia started out as a travel guidebook to the publicly accessible mills in the Mountain State. But it didn't stop there. Each mill had its own history, and its own story. Some mills located in the Eastern Panhandle date back to before the American Revolution, and have ties to our nation's founding fathers. It was a pleasure to expand the book's parameters to include the history of regular folks who helped settle and build our nation.
Revolutionary Anna
Children's Books
Based on a true story of the American Revolution!
Hannah asked, "Grandma, will you tell us a story from when you and Grandpa were young?"
Grandpa chuckled as he folded his newspaper. "Yes, Anna, tell them about the time you saved General Washington's job and made sure we won the American Revolution!"
Hannah's eyes got as big as saucers. "Grandma, did you meet George Washington? How did you save his job? Did we really almost lose the Revolution?"
Thomas couldn't believe his ears. Grandmas gave you hugs, mended the rips in your breeches, and baked pies. They didn't go running off to fight wars!
Grandma's eyes twinkled in the firelight. "It's been nearly fifty years since the first days of the Revolution, and I remember everything as though it was just yesterday."
Book Bubbles from Revolutionary Anna
The Start of a New Nation
It took more than just winning on the battlefield to separate from Great Britain and become a new nation. In Revolutionary Anna, Anna and Benjamin answer their grandchildren's questions about what it was like to be part of the American Revolution, and the greatest experiment--establishing a new form of government.
Winter at Valley Forge
The Continental Army suffered extreme hardships each winter of the American Revolution. Though in this time, armies usually suspended fighting during cold weather and retired to winter camp, lack of adequate shelter and supplies made for miserable conditions. When I wrote Revolutionary Anna, I wanted to share these kinds of details in a way that would be informative for elementary school aged students. What better way than to have loving grandparents who had lived through the war years answer the kinds of questions children would ask?
Beside the Hearth
When I considered how to tell Anna's story for young readers, I was told the book's protagonist needed to be a child. The pertinent events in Anna's story took place when she was an adult. I decided to bring Anna and Benjamin's grandchildren into the story, and imagined how exciting it would be for them to learn the story of their grandmother's actions during the American Revolution for the first time!
War was Women's Business, too
After writing Answering Liberty's Call: Anna Stone's Daring Ride to Valley Forge, I enjoyed talking to fans and readers at live book events about the adventures of my 6th great grandmother, Anna Asbury Stone. Little girls were captivated by Anna's story too--so I wrote a kids' version! In Revolutionary Anna, Anna tells the story of her daring ride to her grandchildren. Their questions drive the narrative.
