Please help me give a big Hoosblog welcome to Tracy Lawson!
Tracy Lawson’s passion for storytelling led her first into the world of dance and educational theater. In a career that has spanned nearly three decades, she has been a dance teacher, a studio owner, and to date has choreographed thirty-two musicals for middle- and high school students.
When faced with a mid-life career change spurred by a cross-country move for her husband’s job, Tracy adopted the motto, ‘have laptop, will travel.’ Within a few years, she had achieved a lifelong goal and published her first book, based on the 1838 travel journal of her great-great-great grandfather.
A series of post-apocalyptic novels aimed at young adults and a companion volume to her first nonfiction book followed. Currently Tracy has tapped into another family story for her debut historical fiction. While her body of work may seem varied, the common thread that connects all her books is her characters’ pursuit of individual liberty.
Tracy and her husband, economist Robert Lawson, both Cincinnati natives and graduates of Ohio University, have one grown daughter and two spoiled cats.
Tell us about your book!
In 1778, war may be men’s business, but that doesn’t stop Anna Stone 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.
Eighty miles from her destination, Anna learns of a plot to overthrow General Washington and replace him with a commander who will surrender. With the fate of the American Revolution in her hands, she agrees to carry a message of warning and races to reach Valley Forge before one of the conspirators, who is in hot pursuit, can intercept her.
Answering Liberty’s Call: Anna Stone’s Daring Ride to Valley Forge is based on events in the lives of my 6x great-grandparents.
Buy Answering Liberty’s Call:
Signed Paperback | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books a Million!
Now for the fun stuff!
What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?
I write in multiple genres—nonfiction, historical fiction, and a dystopian series for young adults. I do read the genres in which I write, but lately I find I’ve been reading mostly for research.
I love how varied you are with your writing!
What’s your favorite part about writing?
There’s a lot to like about writing! I just got back from a research trip for my forthcoming nonfiction about the historic mills in West Virginia. I traveled back roads, photographed, and explored old mills that were once integral parts of communities. Some are in various states of decay. Others have been repurposed as private homes, museums, and galleries. I also visited county courthouses in search of deed records. What started out as a road trip book has evolved into a book about West Virginia’s history, told through the stories of these mills.
I love digging for facts and telling a story with historical context, but I love making things up, too. I did a lot of research to write my young adult series, but that was more about the circumstances that lead to the making of totalitarian societies. I learned about explosives, guns, and the layout of the Capitol building. And yes, I definitely deleted that browser history!
I loved writing Answering Liberty’s Call because it was a perfect mash-up of the things I like to do—writing a book set during a well-known historical period required extensive research. I had the family story about my grandmother’s ride to Valley Forge as a framework for the story, but I was free to develop characters and their relationships and craft a page-turning thriller about a woman who contributed to the fight for our nation’s independence.
I bow down to you for doing that much research. I write contemporary stories because I do not have the patience for all that.
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
The hardest part of writing is staying off the internet! Seriously, I research as I write, and I’m always hopping from the manuscript to fact-check or confirm the first known use of a word, so I avoid anachronisms. It’s too easy to end up down a rabbit hole.
I am very familiar with that rabbit hole. I’ve been known to throw my phone across the room while I’m writing so I won’t pick it up, but the internet on my laptop can be an evil time suck.
What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?
I love to sew and quilt. I guess this is kind of book-related, but after the manuscript went to the publisher, we were all sheltering in place, so I hand-stitched my vision of Anna’s wedding ensemble to keep occupied. I’ve worn it a few times at speaking engagements and have had it on display at live book events.
Last fall, we bought the oldest house in our city, and we’ve been busy with DIY projects.
I’m so impressed by people who can make clothes. What you put together to accompany your book is amazing! And that’s very cool about your house — we’re in the middle of renovating ours as well.
Who’s your biggest cheerleader?
My husband is my biggest cheerleader. He was very patient about reading multiple drafts when I was new to writing and needed more positive reinforcement. Now he’s more likely to ask, “Hey—you gonna let me read this one or what?”
That is really cool that he enjoys reading your writing!
Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!
Introvert or extrovert? Extrovert
Morning or night person? Night
Coffee or tea? Tea
Sweet or salty? Sweet
Eternal summer or four seasons? Summer
Mountains or beach? Mountains
Dogs or cats? Cats
Over 5’5” or under? Under
Left or right-handed? Left-handed
Hoodie or yoga pants? Yoga pants
We are basically almost the same person, with the exception of the pets and season. 😉
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Check out the series of short videos about colonial cooking, music, and sewing, which show the making of Anna’s wedding ensemble: Watch Video (these are very cool — you should check them out!)
Tracy, thank YOU much for spending this time with me and my readers. I’ve enjoyed this so much! Readers, you can find Tracy at these links—and be sure to check out Answering Liberty’s Call!
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Signed Paperback | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books a Million!
If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.
