The original plan

When I retired and started writing, the plan was to start in the past with a historical novel, and then progress through time to present day novels. I started my historical novel, "Sowing Freedom, Reaping Joy" in January of 2015, and was about a hundred pages in when I had a stroke on May 20, 2015. The stroke was minor and cryptogenic (Cryptogenic stroke (CS) is defined as cerebral ischemia of obscure or unknown origin).

While I was recovering, I had quite a bit of difficulty with short-term memory. This seriously impeded my ability to write historical fiction. I would look up facts, and by the time I tried to write, I would have forgotten them. It was extremely frustrating.

I felt like I needed to write. I wanted to feel like I could return to normal. I wanted to do something positive besides go to rehab. I decided to go ahead and start working on my modern day novels.

As it worked out, I finished the first novella and novel set in Bayou Beni before I went back and finished "Sowing Freedom, Reaping Joy".

But along the way, something really cool happened. I realized I could tell stories from the past in the present day novels, and weave past and present together. One of my favorite characters, Bessie Chauvin, has journals that her ancestor, Mathilde Chauvin kept. Bessie is working with her great-nephew Gil to translate the journals from the ancient French they are written in.

Throughout my modern day books, starting with the third in the series, "Blessings from the Past", the past informs the present, and helps my characters through their modern day challenges. As the books and the characters evolve, there have been discoveries of more artifacts that enrich the known history of the Chauvin family, and the community of Belle Terre.

I think it is important to honor and remember the past, so this fictional device has worked very well for me. I hope it works well for those who read my stories too.