Bio: After more
than two decades in the South, Shannon McNear now makes her home on the windy
northern plains with her husband, four of their eight children, two German
Shepherds, four cats, several chickens, and a noisy flock of guinea fowl. She
serves in worship and youth ministry and has been writing novel-length fiction
since age 15. Her first novella, Defending
Truth, from A Pioneer Christmas
Collection, was a 2014 RITA® nominee. When not sewing, researching, or
leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the
beauty of the Dakota prairies.
Welcome, Shannon. How
did this collection come about?
Carrie Fancett Pagels, the founder of the Colonial Quills
blog, has dreamed for years of doing an all-colonial collection for Barbour.
Two years ago, she organized several of us who are contributors to that blog
and we submitted the proposal June 2016. Not until May 10 of last year (a year
ago today as I write this!) were we offered a contract on it.
I’m in a group that
Carrie put together in 2015. We were contracted in 2017. Are these stories
connected in some way?
Besides all being set in colonial-era America, and all based
around the theme of a “backcountry bride,” the strong women who helped make our
country what it was, no. (Backcountry being the period-correct term for the
regions along the frontier … not exactly backwoods, but close.)
How does your story
fit in with the others?
Mine is set November-December 1781, just after the surrender
of the British at Yorktown, showing how the war did not end easily in various
parts of the colonies. Others are set against the backdrop of the French and
Indian War, or during the Revolution, and after.
Who chose the setting
for this collection?
See my answer above—Carrie. We each chose our individual
times and settings, though.
What did you want the
reader to take away from your story?
That God can reach down into any situation, no matter how hopeless,
and change both the situation, and us. That the risk of putting our lives on
the line for the sake of doing the right thing is always worth it, even when we
think there’s no chance of making a difference.
Readers want to get
to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably
don’t know about you?
Hmmm … one, I started college but never completed a degree.
Barely finished my third semester with an undiagnosed case of mono, intended to
take off the next semester and come back, but met and married my husband
instead. (Who started at the same college but also never finished.)
Two, the only language I’ve ever taken formally is New
Testament Greek. Two semesters in college. The pastoral majors, for whom the
class was required, were really annoyed by the presence of this girl who took
it just for fun …
Three (and notice a theme here? LOL), I attended college
with DCTalk. I didn’t know then who Toby McKeehan was, but Mike Tait sang often
in chapel and was one of my favorites. Later, when my husband and I moved back
so he could attend classes, I worked with a girl who knew Toby and had gotten a
2-song demo tape from him … we wore that thing out. J Incidentally that was
when DCTalk was just Toby and Mike. Afterward they added Kevin, and when their
first album showed up in the campus bookstore, I was right there to buy it.
It’s been amazing to follow their career all these years and see how God has
honored their desire to maintain integrity in near-impossible circumstances.
(The music industry is just brutal, even on the Christian side.) And even now,
they’re among my favorite artists.
Please give us the
first page of your story.
Charlotte Town, North
Carolina, mid-November 1781
“Do these people even know they’ve lost the war?”
“Obviously not.”
Tucked in a corner of the tavern where the babble of
conversation was not quite louder than his own thoughts, Jedidiah Wheeler
dropped the much-folded paper on the tabletop and stared at it with distaste.
“And why can’t we leave this rascal to Sumter and Marion?”
Harrison leaned on one elbow, dark gaze intent. “We need
someone on the inside. Someone he doesn’t know yet. Someone he could possibly
trust. Doesn’t have to be for long.”
Jed chewed the inside of his cheek, thinking. “A man would
have to have a death wish to accept this appointment.”
A smirk twisted the other man’s mouth. “I’ve heard of your
exploits over the past five years. One could say that description fits you.”
’Twas true he’d little enough to lose. An occupation that
became useless with the tide of war sweeping the colonies for the past five
years and more. A mother and then a father who succumbed to age and illness
during that time.
A sweetheart who spurned him for another, despite her avowed
admiration for his service in the militia. And fine by him. He’d always
welcomed the adventure that went along with riding first with the local militia
and later with the Continental Regulars.
“I’d like to live long enough to return to riding the Great
Road up to Philly,” he groused.
This time Harrison laughed outright. “Now you’re just being
sentimental. Deadly dull, that.”
Jed lifted his fingers dismissively.
“Besides,” Harrison went on, “no one lives forever. And this
rapscallion and his band must be stopped. Could you sleep at night if you
didn’t at least make the attempt?”
“Mm. Next you’ll be singing about king and country.”
Harrison gave a silent laugh that disappeared under a wave
of uncharacteristic sternness. “Outright slaughter, Jed. And after they’d
surrendered. For the sake of all that’s true and holy.”
Where can my readers
find you on the Internet?
Thank you for sharing
this collection with us. My blog readers love reading the Barbour collections.
Readers,
leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow
these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at
least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments
containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void
where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants.
Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of
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local/federal/international laws.
The
only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to
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If
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want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Thank you so much for hosting me, Lena! <3
ReplyDeleteHere's a winner! Melanie Backus, TX
ReplyDeleteI love historical fiction, particularly from this era!
ReplyDeletepattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
This sounds like a book of good historical fiction. I like the selection that was listed. Vivian Furbay of C)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read this!
ReplyDeleteAbigail in VA
Thank you for all the information on "BACK COUNTRY BRIDES" and author Shannon McNear. I've wanted to read the book since I first read about it and always love learning more about the person behind the story.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the opportunity to win a copy of this amazing book.
Kay Garrett from Mountain View, AR
2clowns at arkansas dot net
BACK COUNTRY BRIDES by Shannon McNear sounds like a wonderful book. Thank you for the opportunity to win. PA.Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteLove when authors get together to write stories for a book. Lincoln Nebraska
ReplyDeleteSounds like a must-read book. Shannon, I especially appreciate your hope that readers' will take-away the fact "the risk of putting our lives on the line for the sake of doing the right thing is always worth it."
ReplyDeleteSandy Q Texax
Shannon, thank you for giving us an insights on the great collection! Blessings <3
ReplyDeleteNatalya Lakhno from CA
I can't wait to read this collection! They are always such fun.
ReplyDeleteAnne ~ VA
Sounds like a great novella collection. I love these books from Barbour.
ReplyDeleteMindy from NJ
Love reading about historic places.
ReplyDeleteDianna (TN)
Thanks for this chance to know Shannon a little better. This is a great giveaway because Barbour Collections are always enjoyable books.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Looking forward to this book so much!
ReplyDeleteElly -Indiana-
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
ReplyDeleteConway SC.
sounds like a great book! Shelia from Mississippi
ReplyDelete