Showing posts with label American Origins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Origins. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Writing of Roanoke 1584-1590 (News and Info)



Status of Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1: 
Writing. (Not planning, plotting, editing, or final publishing.)
Word Count: 6665 of 210,000 words (I started writing this book on 17 September 2012, Monday.)
Word Count Goal for 19 Sep. 2012: 5000 words
So, I am ahead with my writing. So far. (Whew.)

The Writing of This Book
There is something magical about going to a time different than our own. I do not care if it is time-traveling to the past or future. It is a different era and that brings a touch of imagination. Writing ROANOKE 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1 is magical as well. But, it is also mind-boggling.
When I think that I am writing about actual family, it is pretty difficult to fully grasp. It makes the history take on a deeper meaning.
Then, to think of my patriotism and love of the United states of America, then add this lens of family history, and I am even more patriotic. I was patriotic before I learned about my family. Quite, actually. But, add the family dimension and it has grown a million-fold. 
I cannot look at anything in this country without feeling even more passionate than previously.
Writing this book has kindled even more of a passion for this great nation.
It has also added to a passion of history. I still cannot believe how little of a passion I had for history prior to moving here to Virginia. History was always my weakest subjects in school. My father sure tried to make me informed, though. He was successful in that endeavor. I learned far more about history from him than I did in all my 20 years of schooling combined. But, it was here in Virginia, in July 2011 that kindled my passion for U.S. history. To walk where America was founded, here in this part of Virginia, is humbling. Mind-boggling. Remarkable. Touching. Meaningful. To know that just up the street, so to speak, was where Cornwallis had Gates surrender to George Washington in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War... To think that, sure, there were smaller battles after that for the next couple of years, but it was at Yorktown that we turned the tide of the war, is amazing. And, I had a family member who was a Colonel who was there at the surrender--at Surrender Field... It blows me away.
Therefore, knowing about my family history makes me more passionate about, well, all of it--and surely writing about it.
I have always loved to play the "Imagine Game," where I imagine what it was like to be these historical figures, doing what they did, at the time they did, and what they experienced, thought, and felt. Writing this book on Roanoke is no different. Except, it is personal as well as part of my patriotic act.
I want to write my family's story to help all of us learn about the true history of the United States of America, without even realizing it. That is my goal for this series. 
Can you imagine? I am sure trying. Hence, I write. 

Can You Imagine?
The story I am writing about Roanoke is about what happened before, during, and after the voyages to Roanoke. It's about the colony that was not lost and the colony that was. I am trying, and will try, to delve far more than any other book, about what it was like to be those who planned for the establishment of the first permanent English colony in North America--and what they went through with the great expectations before going to Roanoke, then finding out about the troubles of the colony, and not being able to get to the colony for three years. Then, when they got there, they discovered the colony was lost. There was no trace of them. Then, because of a storm, having to leave before you can do more of a search... Can you imagine? 
That is what this book is about.
It is the story of three men who dreamed of Roanoke, their families, and the temporarily lost dream. It's about how they got out of bed, and continuing with life, in the morning knowing about the lost colony. 
Can you imagine? I am sure trying. Hence, I write. 
And, what a story it is to tell!

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com


Thursday, August 2, 2012

Download the latest copy of American Origins 1573-1590



I have just downloaded a new version of American Origins 1573-1590, Book 1 of the Family Treez Series, on Smashwords. It's the link below for Smashwords store.
The book is FREE. $0.
Enjoy!

(Clipart from Microsoft Images Online.)
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer


American Origins 1573-1590: The story behind the story



WHY WRITE THE BOOK, AMERICAN ORIGINS 1573-1590?
Why did my ancestors come to America to begin with? This is actually where I am starting the series. Never mind how I discovered how from 1388-1608, 22 family members of mind were executed or beheaded in England (many of which were in the White Tower of the Tower of London).
I wanted to start the story with Roanoke, but I would have missed the set-up of the story and the reason why they might have come to America.
In Book 1 of the Family Treez Series, we look at the 22 deaths quickly and we then start to head to Roanoke.
I need to warn you, these books are going to take 10 months or so just to write, never mind final edits. Therefore, they will take a year and a half or so to get out--unless I am able to speed up the process.
Why so long? The books are going to be around 1200 pages long or thereabouts... Or the size of Ken Follett's books, to give you perspective. There will be a great deal that happens in the books.
I am trying to base them on actual history, but will take artistic license and liberty in order to write a story of what could have been--through asking over and over, "What-if?".
American Origins is a book about what brought people to think of going to America.
The Family Treez Series is tracing my family from 1573 (and before) to the present. This will be a lifelong American historical fiction project.

(Photo is by Stacy Duplease.)
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez Etc

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Download the latest copy of American Origins 1573-1590

I have put my book, AMERICAN ORIGINS 1573-1590, on my store at Smashwords (see the link at the bottom of this post).
The best news: It's free.
Warning: It's ROUGH. There has been NO editing done. (When editing is done, it will be for sale at that point.)
So, why do I offer it if it has errors? Why? It is so you can start to read it if you are interested. Just keep in mind it is rough, please.
Also, I will let you know periodically when I have downloaded the latest copy at the store on Smashwords.

By the way, this is a thrown together cover. I will work on a better one in time. Thank you for your patience.
Thanks for checking out the book and I hope you enjoy!
--
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez

Family Treez



A healthy, long-living tree has strong roots to help it to stand during the storms of its life.
The same is true for a human being.
-- Stacy Duplease 08 July 2012

(Photo is by Stacy Duplease.)
--
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez

Camp NaNoWriMo



What on earth is Camp Bless You?! Oops. I mean Camp NaNoWriMo.
What is Camp NaNoWriMo?
It is a special summer camp for sadistic writers. For those who enjoy punishing themselves.
Not really.
Well, that is in part true. Camp NaNoWriMo is where it is my goal to write a novel of 50,000 words in one month. In 30 days... if you plan well. But, I do not. I like time off and time with my husband. So, I write only 5 days a week. Looking at my calendar, I have 23 days to write 50,000 words. So, let me do the math and grab a calculator. That's 2,174 words a day is what I need to write. Whew. That's do-able. I already have 12,800 finished. But, those don't count. I started at 12,000 words today. I want to get to 62,000 words by the end of that time.
There will be more information to follow. But, for now, I need to design at least a temporary cover and get back to London and my book I am writing.
Oh! The book title is:
American Origins 1573-1590, Part 1
You can find this book at:


--
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez

Emotional Olympics, London, and Camp NaNoWriMo: Etc. Etc. Etc. (Misc. Thoughts)



Is it just me, or does any one else shed a lot of tears during the Olympics?
Last night was quite emotional--between women's gymnastics team competition getting the gold to the 800 Men's relay in swimming. Never mind all of the other moments. How impressive and moving.
I get just as emotional for those who do not win, by the way.
Never mind how much I love seeing London when they break away to a commercial and when they come back from commercial. It's the very setting for the first book I am writing in my historical novel. Therefore, that moves me and inspires me as well. The things I am researching, I can see from today's perspective and it helps me put things into context. It helps that my husband is a studier of history, so he knows London. But, he's also been there. So, we can pause the screen and he points the sites out to me. I find this quite helpful.
Just a couple of thoughts for today... Now, I need to get back to the London in my book.
Total word count so far: 12,896.
Oh! And I am going to do Camp NaNoWriMo for August. You can find me here: http://www.campnanowrimo.org/campers/familytreezetc/novels/american-origins-part-1
I will do a new blog post about this so you know what I am talking about here, if you do not.
Have a blessed day.

(Photo is by Stacy Duplease.)
--
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez